Evangelicals Now
<< August 2001 >>

The Message of the Living God

Leading us to God

THE MESSAGE OF THE LIVING GOD
The Bible Speaks Today: Bible Themes
By Peter Lewis
IVP. £9.99
ISBN 0 85111 509 8

Preaching doesn't get any easier. If we are alert to the increasingly complex and hostile world we live in, we feel inadequate to the task. There are times when the temptation to retreat into a world of uncomplicated piety is compelling.

But the people to whom we preach must live daily in the bewildering chaos of modern life, and 'simple' devotional sermons may calm their nerves but will never equip them to overcome that world.

That is why books like this are to be welcomed. As he explores his theme, Lewis reassures us that, not only can biblical faith survive in the 21st century, but also that it alone is capable of providing adequate reasons for hope.

Many of us are familiar with 'The Bible Speaks Today' series of expositions on the Old and New Testaments. 'Bible Themes' is a new departure. Based on 'Bible themes that run through the whole of Scripture', it seeks to trace some of the great keynotes of the Bible in a way that is rooted in the text of Bible, alive to the contemporary scene, and readable. The series aims to cover such themes as the Cross, the Resurrection, and Heaven and Hell.

Peter Lewis's theme, 'The Message of the Living God', covers three main areas: God and his World, God and his People, and God in Three Persons. Each of these subjects overflows with a wealth of helpful material for any serious reader.

Preachers especially will value the studies on Genesis: models of how to deal with creation and sin in our post-Darwinian and post-Freudian age. For me, the chapter on the importance of the Trinity was worth the price of the book. And the Bibliography provides a useful tool for anyone who wants to explore further.
One great strength of Peter Lewis's writing and preaching is that he is always alert to the contemporary world his readers and listeners must inhabit, and he deals tellingly with some of the plausible challenges to faith that come from that world. In doing so he is eminently quotable: 'Jesus did not say "Come to me all you who are genetically inclined", but "Come to me all you who are weary and burdened"'.

Lewis is thoroughly biblical in his approach, and uses the best modern scholarship to understand the text of the passage he deals with. But primarily, this is a work of theology. Not systematic, but biblical theology that draws on the text of Scripture to portray our God in his glory and grace. In doing so, Lewis is unembarrassed about leading us from analysis to worship. Quoting the saying that 'the first purpose of theology is to lead us to his (God's) feet', Lewis does that on page after page.

Christians who want to add backbone to their faith, and preachers seeking depth without dullness will both be stimulated and challenged by this book.

Jeff Saunders, Malvern