Dallas Willard is a professor of Philosophy at the University of Southern California. When I saw this, I thought maybe his book “The Divine Conspiracy” would present Jesus as a philosopher or teacher who came to show us how to live a good life. I was pleasantly surprised to find a very Christ-centered look at the Sermon on the Mount.

Willard wonderfully illustrates the fact that Jesus’ sayings in the Sermon on the mount are not just sayings, but a picture of a life joined with Christ. They are not just commands but also promises. They are good news not commands that are impossible to keep.

“The Divine Conspiracy” begins by lamenting the fact that there is so little teaching about the kingdom of God in the church today. The gospel most preached in is what Willard calls the gospel of “sin management.” It is more about getting to heaven than the kingdom of God on earth. Willard skillfully points out that the central teaching of Jesus was not that you get to go to heaven when you die but that the kingdom of heaven had come to earth.

What follows is a verse by verse look at the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew chapters five through seven). He begins by showing that the meaning behind the beatitudes was not that only super spiritual people can enter the kingdom. Rather, it was the opposite. The kingdom of God was for those who were not good at being good. In other words Jesus’ teachings were not words of condemnation but good news.

This joyous look at the beatitudes sets the tone for the rest of Willard’s discourse. Many of his insights are incredibly profound. For instance, I found his analysis of Jesus’ words about men not looking upon a woman with lust to be extraordinary.

“The Divine Conspiracy” highlights the fact that Jesus’ teachings were very subversive. They painted a whole new picture of who is really well off , of who is really free, and of who is really great. Jesus came not only to save us from our sins, He came to turn our world upside down. If we follow Christ, our worldview will be severely shaken.

The last part of Willard’s book gets practical. It talks about how individuals and pastors can lead others into the reality of kingdom living.

“The Divine Conspiracy” is not for everyone. It is 400 pages, and due to Willard’s intensity, it takes work to get through it. Yet, if you are looking for a Christ-centered introduction to the kingdom of God, Willard’s book is an excellent choice.

“The best days of Christianity will be found in the future. In fact, in some ways Christianity is now getting out of diapers and starting to walk. When it starts to run, hold on for dear life. For the promise of the gospel is that one day, Christianity will do more than walk or run: it will fly. And the rapturous ride of a Christ unleashed in the world will be something to be experienced.”

Leonard Sweet

“The Three Hardest Words in the World to Get Right” is the second book I have read by Leonard Sweet. His best book is probably “Out of the Question, Into the Mystery,” but this second book was also very enjoyable.

You are probably wondering what are the three hardest words to get right. They are, of course, “I love you.” Sweet concedes that loving is hard. I love the illustration he uses about the matter. Often people tell Sweet who is an accomplished writer that they love writing. He responds by saying that he never met a writer who loved writing. It is hard work. What writers love is having written. Likewise, loving is often a very hard thing to do, but its rewards are eternal.

The Three Hardest Words is divided is a short work, only 169 pages. It is divided into three sections that correspond with the three words “I” and “love” and “you.” Each section full of sound wisdom and wonderful stories and illustrations. Sweet is extremely well read. Although this book only has 169 pages, it contains 333 endnotes.

In the first section Sweet defines love as a lowering of self. Yet, in a mysterious way it is also the raising of self. It is essentially the loss of self for the sake of “the other.” In the second section he paints a picture of the grandness of love and how it is a reflection of the nature of God in us.

The third section might be the most compelling. Here Sweet speaks of our interconnectedness as human beings. He laments that in the Western world excessive individualism often leads to the loss of community. This is an idea I very much agree with. Even in the church we tend to focus on “I” rather than “us.” In the scriptures we clearly see that there is no “I” apart from “us.”

Sweet is a master at illustrating his points. As I read his works, I am constantly amazed at how he always has just the right anecdote or quote for every thought. For instance, did you know that Elvis kept a .357 Magnum by his television. Why? He would use it to shoot his TV whenever he saw Robert Goulet singing. He also shot his TV when he saw Frank Sinatra or Mel Torme. The reason was that these fellows represented everything Elvis did not want to be. Good thing Elvis had a lot of money. 

“The Three Hardest Words to Get Right” will make you feel, but it will also make you think. If you are interested in a deeper relationship with God and a better relationship with your neighbor, I would highly recommend this or any other of Sweets works.    

N.T Wright is probably one of the most prolific writers of our time. There is a joke going around the internet about Wright. A student calls Wright’s office. Wright’s secretary says that the professor cannot be disturbed. He is writing a new book. The student replies, “That’s OK. I’ll hold.”

Tom Wright has the rare ability to write for both the scholar and the layman. If you like books that are measured by pounds rather than pages, Wright has an outstanding trilogy about Jesus and the early church. Of these I have read “The New Testament and the People of God” and “Jesus and the Victory of God.” The latter is an especially excellent work. If you are interested in the historical Jesus and are willing to put forth the effort, I would say this book is a must. However, part one, which covers the history of the quest for the historical Jesus, is a bit dry and can be easily skipped.

Wright’s books for laymen are a joy. A good introductory work is “The Challenge of Jesus.” As I have said before, when we put Jesus in His first century context, He becomes all the more amazing. This book will help you know Jesus the first century Jew. I believe that if you study Paul, the great theologian, you will have a change of mind. If you study Jesus, you will have a change of heart. Wright’s works on Jesus are invaluable tools in anyone’s quest to know our Savior better.

Wright also has a set of commentaries on the books of the New Testament called his “For Everyone” series. These make excellent reference works, but they are also great for daily devotional readings.

Now, on to “Simply Christian” Wright’s latest work. Some say this book might surpass C.S. Lewis’ “Mere Christianity” as essential reading for those interested in Christianity or for those struggling with their faith. I am not sure if “Simply Christian” will be as timeless as Lewis’ masterpiece, but it is possible. This book is that good.

If you know an intellectual who is having trouble with Christ, this is an ideal book to give him. Wright gets down to the nitty gritty of why Christianity is superior to other religious and philosophical viewpoints. The proofs Wright offers are more philosophical and historical than scientific.

The book begins with discussions about truth, justice, human nature, and God. Wright then moves into the story of Israel and Jesus. The last part of “Simply Christian” talks about aspects of the Christian life such as worship, Bible study, and fellowship. Even though I have been a Christian for 35 years, I found Wrights words for “beginners” very moving.

Not too long ago N.T. Wright’s writings were instrumental in leading Anne Rice of “Interview with the Vampire” fame to Christ. When you read “Simply Christian” you will see why Wright is such a compelling voice for seekers such as Rice as well as mature Christians who want to know Jesus better.       

“Being a Christian is more about relationship with God than beliefs about God; more about the presence of God than the proofs of God; more about intimacy with truth than the tenants of truth; more about knowing God’s activities than God’s attributes. It is time to move from a religion that seeks to comprehend God to a relationship that seeks to encounter and be a home for God—to move from points and propositions and moralisms to mystery and paradox and participation in divine life.”  -- Leonard Sweet   

I like books that are found a bit off the beaten path. Leonard Sweet’s book “Out of the Question… into the Mystery” certainly qualifies as such a work. You probably won’t find it at your local Christian book store, but finding it is well worth the effort. In fact, Sweet’s book is one of the best I have read in a long time.

"Out of the Question… into the Mystery" challenges to move from knowing about God to knowing God. It invites us to change our mind about what it means to walk well with the Lord. For example, Sweet urges us to expand our definition of truth. Truth is much more than good doctrine or the right teachings. In fact, it is possible to have all the right answers and still not know God. In Sweet’s mind truth cannot be separated from relationship. Truth is a Person we know not just a set of facts. And knowing Jesus cannot be separated from being like Him.

While reading Out of the Question I was reminded of the story of the Good Samaritan. If you recall it was the guys with the good doctrine that passed by the poor fellow beaten and broken on the roadside. The priest and a Levite would have studied Torah their entire lives. Yet, Torah is ultimately a Person they did not know. It was a Samaritan, the guy with the bad doctrine, who showed compassion. The Samaritans had some pretty strange interpretations of the scriptures. This is one reason the Jews normally had no dealings with them. Yet, who was it that really knew truth in this story? Obviously, God values the Samaritan’s knowledge of truth more than that of the well learned priest and Levite.

You may not agree with everything Sweet says in his book. For instance, he submits that Abraham did not fully pass the test when God called him to sacrifice Isaac. Sweet believes Abraham should have challenged God on the matter and suffered loss for not doing so. I am not sure I fully agree, but he presents some arguments that are difficult to answer.

Sweet’s book is filled great stories, great quotes, and great illustrations. These alone would be worth the price of the book. However, the way he weaves these things together with his thoughts and insights makes out of the question a near masterpiece.

Be warned Leonard Sweet is part of what is called the “Emergent Conversation.” This is a school of thought that has been, in my opinion, grossly misrepresented by certain conservative leaders. The emergent folks are seeking to prepare the church for an emerging postmodern world. They seek to replace fear with understanding. I don’t think that is a bad thing. Yes, there is a lot of controversy coming out of the emerging church. However, Sweet seems to be firmly grounded in his love of God and his neighbor. It shows. If you want to see what all the hoopla is over all things Emergent, “Out of the Question… Into the Mystery” is not a bad place to begin.