Focus on Christ

John R. W. Stott

Description

It pleases the Father, Son and Spirit that the Son, Jesus Christ, be the centre of our worship, have the name above all names, and be first above all things. Everyone has a relationship with him – whether bearing his image but being estranged from him or knowing Christ as Lord and Saviour.
In this book, John Stott draws our attention to how the New Testament speaks of Jesus Christ. He examines the prepositions used to help us understand more deeply, our position in relation to the Son of God. We are to live in Christ, through Christ, on Christ, with Christ, under Christ, for Christ, and like Christ – and this book will help you become truly Christ-centred.

Informations

• Publié par: Langham Creative Projects
• Date de parution: 08 juillet 2019
• Nombre de lectures: 1
• EAN13: 9781783686216
• Langue: English

Extrait

“Uncle John,” as I knew him, takes on some simple in nocuous prepositions and turns them into gems of beauty to help us Focus on Christ. He highlights some key themes through these prepositions: salvation through Christ our mediator; foundations on Christ the rock of ages; remaining in Christ to bear fruit; submitting ourselves, our minds and our wills under the Lordship of Christ; being with Christ as we share his death, resurrection, ascension and return; Christ must permeate our lives in our Church, our work and our world for Christ is our goal; obedience, mission and suffering all for the sake of Christ. Finally, we are called to be like Christ, emptying ourselves, serving others, loving our enemies and being obedient to God. I am sure that this book will affect the lives of many Christians around the world as we seek to live our lives through Christ, on Christ, under Christ, with Christ, and for Christ, that we may become like Christ.
Rev Paul Swarup, PhD
Presbyter in Charge, Green Park Free Church, New Delhi, India
Member, Committee on Bible Translation NIV
Motivational speaking is threatening to eclipse true evangelical preaching in the Christian pulpit today. Thus, this book comes as an urgent wake-up call. John Stott helps us to see afresh, through a study of New Testament prepositions, that if the Christian life is to be authentic it must be focused on the unsearchable riches of Christ. This gallant soldier who faithfully brandished his sword while he lived among us now bids us to follow his God-honouring example. May this book help us stop feeding on glittering pearls and instead feed ourselves and others with the soul-enriching bread of heaven!
Rev Conrad Mbewe, PhD
Pastor,
Kabwata Baptist Church, Lusaka, Zambia

Focus on Christ
JOHN STOTT

Revised Text Copyright © 2019 John Stott’s Literary Executors
Original Text Copyright © 1979 John R. W. Stott
Previously published by William Collins (1979) and Kingsway (1979, 1985, 1991). Also published as Life in Christ by Baker (1996, 2003) and Monarch (2003).
This edition is published by permission of John Stott’s Literary Executors.
Published 2019 by Langham Preaching Resources
An imprint of Langham Publishing
www.langhampublishing.org
Langham Publishing and its imprints are a ministry of Langham Partnership
Langham Partnership
PO Box 296, Carlisle, Cumbria, CA3 9WZ, UK
www.langham.org
ISBNs:
978-1-78368-620-9 Print
978-1-78368-621-6 ePub
978-1-78368-622-3 Mobi
978-1-78368-623-0 PDF
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the publisher or the Copyright Licensing Agency.
Requests to reuse content from Langham Publishing are processed through PLSclear. Please visit www.plsclear.com to complete your request.
All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan.
Scripture quotations marked NRSV are from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations marked GNT are from the Good News Translation® (Today’s English Version, Second Edition). Copyright © 1992 American Bible Society. All rights reserved.
British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library
ISBN: 978-1-78368-620-9
Cover & Book Design: projectluz.com
Langham Partnership actively supports theological dialogue and an author’s right to publish but does not necessarily endorse the views and opinions set forth here or in works referenced within this publication, nor can we guarantee technical and grammatical correctness. Langham Partnership does not accept any responsibility or liability to persons or property as a consequence of the reading, use or interpretation of its published content.

Converted to eBook by EasyEPUB
Contents

Cover


Foreword


Acknowledgements


Editor’s Preface to Revised Edition


Introduction: The Centrality of Christ


1 Through Chri st Our Mediator


The Gulf between God and Us


God’s Revelation through Jesus Christ


God’s Redemption through Jesus Christ


2 O n Christ Our Foundation


Resting on the Work of Christ


Relying on the Promises of Christ


Building on the Teaching of Christ


3 In Christ Our Life-giver


Union with Jesus Christ


The Blessing of a New Status


The Blessing of a New Life


The Blessing of a New Community


4 U nder Christ Our Lord


Our Minds under the Yoke of Christ


Our Wills under the Yoke of Christ


The Church and Freedom


5 With Christ Our Secret


Living with Christ Now


United with Christ


Some Practical Consequences


6 For Christ Our Goal


Our Relationships in the Church


Our Relationships at Work


Our Relationships in the World


7 For Christ Our Lover


Christian Obedience Is for Christ


Christian Mission Is for Christ


Christian Suffering Is for Christ


8 Like C hrist Our Model


The Importance of Becoming Like Christ


The Holy Spirit Shows Us the Glory of Jesus Christ


The Holy Spirit Changes Us into the Likeness of Jesus Christ


Conclusion


About Langham Partnership

Endnotes
Foreword
When I was a student at seminary, I was twice invited to have lunch with John Stott. It felt as if I had been invited to meet a superhero! I nervously fumbled through my introduction to him and started on a list of questions that I had prepared. But to my surprise, this giant of the faith turned out to be down-to-earth, humble, kind, and very human! He spoke of his fascination with birds and showed child-like excitement about how much we can learn about God simply from carefully observing them.
Only God knew that seventeen years later I would be invited to lead the global Lausanne Movement that John Stott and Billy Graham were used of God to launch. Within the Lausanne Movement we speak of Stott as “Uncle John.” Perhaps Uncle John’s greatest contribution to the movement and to the global church was the Lausanne Covenant, of which he was the chief architect. That covenant continues to be the most broadly held confession of faith and mission in the world.
The Lausanne Movement’s clarion call for “the whole church to bring the whole gospel to the whole world” is as timely today as it was in 1974. Since then, we have experienced two historic shifts: the Global South now constitutes the majority of the global church, and the Global South now provides the majority of the world’s missionaries. I believe that we are on the cusp of another historic shift as Christians and leaders from the Global South take their place in the conversations and leadership of global Christianity.
As these dramatic shifts take place around us, we need to hear the message that is clearly and powerfully emphasized in Focus on Christ . The global church, present among every tribe, language, people, and nation, needs a beautiful and powerful confidence in Christ. We need to remember that “God’s whole purpose, conceived in a past eternity, being worked out for and in his people in history, to be completed in the glory to come, may be encapsulated in this single concept: God intends to make us like Christ.” (95)
Within Lausanne, we often speak of our commitment to creating and highlighting “works of enduring worth,” and this volume is certainly that. Uncle John’s teaching here, as in all of his writing, is insightful, world-engaging and Christ-centered. Jesus is indeed all we need.
As we face the challenges and opportunities in our world and in the global church today, there is nothing that we need more than the anchor that is Christ. The world needs nothing more and nothing less than Christ. The global church needs nothing more and nothing less than Christ. This volume beautifully shows the biblical tapestry of that truth.
Dr Michael Young-Suk Oh
Global Executive Director / CEO,
Lausanne Movement
April 2019
Acknowledgements
I express my sincere gratitude to several people who in various ways have contributed to the writing of this book, especially to Robert Potter, Bill Godden, Roy McCloughry, Tom Cooper and Frances Whitehead.
John Stott
1979
Editor’s Preface to Revised Edition
John Stott’s work is loved, and with good reason. Many have been blessed by his godly insight into the Scriptures and his ability to communicate truth clearly. It would be a tragedy if his voice were not heard by a new generation around the world.
But in the forty yea