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Steve Chalke: The Lost Message of Jesus

The Lost message of Jesus is published by Zondervan. Steve Chalke’s contention is that ‘too often the message we preach has been influenced more by the culture we live in than the radical life-changing, world shaping message Jesus brought to the people living in Palestine two thousand years ago.’ A fair point, surely. Chalke makes it his business in this book to present to us what he believes is the original message of Jesus.

The book comes well commended by various people. They describe it as ‘disturbing, exciting, provocative and inspiring’ and ‘a theology that the church desperately needs.’ It is, we are told, ‘prophetic, fast paced, easily readable and wonderfully disturbing’. Notice two critics refer to it (in a positive way) as ‘disturbing’. It has certainly ‘disturbed’ many in the evangelical community to which Steve Chalke belongs.

Chalke writes well. He is very readable and no doubt, given his profile, gift with words, and the controversy surrounding it, the book will have a wide circulation (and influence). N T Wright rightly comments concerning LMJ, ‘Its clear punchy style makes it accessible to anyone.’

LMJ is full of helpful anecdotes and quotations. It is a mine of useful material for the preacher, including much of its information on First Century Palestine; Chalke has clearly done his homework.

What then is the lost message of Jesus that Chalke rediscovers? In its baldest sense it seems to be Jesus came preaching, in him, the arrival of the Kingdom of God. The early chapter headings reveal the thrust: chapter one, Rediscovering the Lost Message; chapter two, The Kingdom has Come; chapter three, Now for some Good News; chapter four, The Promised Prince of Peace…

Jesus came to bring God’s ‘shalom’ which we are told is, ‘the equipping of a person so they can cope with life’s suffering and sorrows, while basking in the beauty and joy it brings’.

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About John

Hi there - I am a member of Greenview and have been for over 20 years. For a number of these years I functioned as an elder, however, indifferent health forced me to take more of a back seat. I see this as an opportunity to do a little writing, often focussing on issues that are a matter of evangelical debate today. Naturally the views expressed are my own and may not reflect the views of the elders or church at large, though differences are likely to be in the detail and not the substance.

These articles and sermons were written partly to clarify my own thoughts and partly with the intention of provoking thought in others who may read them. If you read one I hope you find it stimulating. Please feel free to give me feedback or discuss my articles in the forums.

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