Jesus Manifesto: Restoring the Supremacy and Sovereignty of Jesus Christ

Leonard Sweet · Frank Viola

May 2010 · HarperChristian + ORM

About this ebook

Jesus Manifesto presents a fresh unveiling of Jesus, seeking to restore the supremacy and sovereignty of Christ in a world—and a church—that has lost sight of Him.

Christians have made the gospel about so many things—things other than Christ. Religious concepts, ideas, doctrines, strategies, and methods that begin to eclipse the beauty, the glory, and the reality of the Lord Jesus Himself.

We know a lot about our Lord, but we don't know Him very well. We know a lot about trying to be like Jesus, but very little about living by His indwelling life. Jesus Manifesto provides clarity on the most important points of our faith. It is a prophetic call to restore the supremacy and sovereignty of Christ in a world and church that has lost sight of Him.

This manifesto emphasizes ten crucial areas of restoring the supremacy of Jesus Christ, noting:

• Christians don’t follow Christianity; they follow Christ
• Christians don't proclaim themselves; they proclaim Christ
• Christians don’t point people to core values; they point people to the Cross
• Christians don't preach about Christ; they preach Christ

Read this book to see your Lord like you've never seen Him before and restore the sovereignty of Jesus in your life.

Ratings and reviews

Len Sweet and Frank Viola have teamed-up to firmly plant the "Only Jesus" flag in the midst of a post-Christan post-modern generation. Setting aside potential differences on a variety of theological, philosophical, and political issues they..."have sought to present a vision that has captured our hearts and that we wish to impart to the body of Christ - we have said in unison, "One thing [we] know..." and that "one thing" is Jesus the Christ." (p. 172) If you've come of age in the modern church you have about had your fill of program-based ministry that reads like the course offerings at your local parks & rec. There is something for everyone! We have programs for weight-loss, parenting, finding work, improving your marriage, spending your money, charting the end times, and connecting with people with similar interests! But what have we done with Jesus? We've moved him out of the room and down the hall to be stored with all the other church relics. What we've ended up with is a Christ-less Christianity that exists to make us feel better. Sweet & Viola quote John MacMurray: "The maxim of illusionary religion runs: 'Fear not; trust in God and he will see that none of the things you fear will happen to you'; that of real religion, on the contrary is: 'Fear not, the things that you are afraid of are quite likely to happen to you, but they are nothing to be afraid of.'" (p. 117) There is a new and fresh call to the Christian's first love that permeates Jesus Manifesto. It's a call that counters the long-standing expectation for Christians to "be like Jesus." On page 72 they write: "But the "good news" is that Jesus doesn't want us to be "like" Him. He wants to share His resurrection life with us. He doesn't want us to imitate Him; instead Christ, the Unspeakable Gift, wants to live in and through us. The Gospel is not the imitation of Christ; it is the implantation and impartation of Christ. We are called to do more than mediate truth. We are called to manifest Jesus presence. That "we" means you." And it means me. Jesus Manifesto will be one book that I will come back to frequently, reading again and again, in order to absorb the full impact of its message and its implications on my life. Jesus Manifesto is available at Amazon. Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their Book Review Blogger program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

With eager expectation I read the intro but found myself wondering about the reoccuring theme of neither left or right but but the third way instead. There is no explainatio of what is ment by left or right aside from the fact that these directions will not do. Forward is the third way but backward is no good either. Are we talking politically or religious?

AAA

About the author

Leonard Sweet is an author of many books, professor (Drew University, George Fox University, Tabor College), creator of preachthestory.com, and a popular speaker throughout North America and the world. His “Napkin Scribbles” podcasts are available on leonardsweet.com

Frank Viola has helped thousands of people around the world to deepen their relationship with Jesus Christ and enter into a more vibrant and authentic experience of church. His mission is to help serious followers of Jesus know their Lord more deeply so they can experience real transformation and make a lasting impact. Viola has written many books on these themes, including God's Favorite Place on Earth, From Eternity to Here, and Jesus Manifesto (with Leonard Sweet). His blog, frankviola.org, is rated as one of the most popular in Christian circles today.