But Who Do You Say I Am

The publication of the King James version of the Bible, translated between 1603 and 1611, coincided with an extraordinary flowering of English literature and is universally acknowledged as the greatest influence on English-language literature in history. Now, world-class literary writers introduce the book of the King James Bible in a series of beautifully designed, small-format volumes. The introducers' passionate, provocative, and personal engagements with the spirituality and the language of the text make the Bible come alive as a stunning work of literature and remind us of its overwhelming contemporary relevance.

Do you know Jesus as He really is? We can speak in abstracts all day long. We can ponder who Jesus is and what it means to follow Him. But he wants our confession. He wants to know, “Who do you say that I AM?” How we answer defines our lives both now and forever. This 8-week study in the “I AM” statements of Jesus will help women move from knowing about Him to knowing Him personally. Guiding them through significant questions Jesus asks in the Gospels—and the answers He himself provides—it will help readers: Realize the truth of who Jesus really is Grow in their ability to trust God and rely on Him fully Find the calm and peace promised in Scripture despite life circumstances Becky Harling has years of experience as a Bible teacher and women’s ministry leader. She empathizes with women and knows how to make Scripture come alive. Who Do You Say that I AM? will draw women deep into the Word for a true encounter with Christ, helping them become more confident, calm, and courageous in the faith.

Millions of people in the world today can identify themselves as Christians and thousands of churches spread across the globe. When one looks at the different and sometimes conflicting tenets propagated by these followers of Jesus it is apparent that not everybody who professes to be Christian truly knows Jesus. This book, But Who Do Say That I Am?, interrogates the individuals relationship with Christ in the context of a personal answer to this question. Some people only follow Jesus the miracle worker, who turned water into wine, and run away from Jesus the suffering servant, who cried aloud on the cross in the midst of excruciating suffering.

"I believe that research on the historical Jesus need not be a threat but can be a spiritual resource for us Christians," says the author. Drawing on the highly acclaimed work "The marginal Jew" by John Meier, he helps us sift the evidence to discover what we can know with historical certainty about Jesus. But he leads us beyond the facts of history to an encounter with the risen Jesus, sharing both his own experience of prayer as well as the stories and accounts of other contemporary Christians who have come to know the risen Lord. He guides us in a prayerful dialogue that bridges the gap between the Jesus of history and the Jesus we experience in faith.

[This] is the most important question regarding the claims of the Christian faith. Certainly no question in modern religious history demands more attention or interest, as witnessed by the vast body of literature dealing with the Resurrection. James I. Packer says it well in his response to this debate: 'When Christians are asked to make good their claim that this scheme is truth, they point to Jesus' resurrection. The Easter event, so they affirm, demonstrated Jesus' deity; validated his teaching; attested to the completion of his work of atonement for sin; confirms his present cosmic dominion and coming reappearance as Judge; assures us that his personal pardon, presence, and power in people's lives today is fact; and guarantees each believer's own reembodiment by Resurrection in the world to come.' The Apostle Paul considered the Resurrection to be the cornerstone of the Christian faith. If Jesus did not rise from the dead, the whole structure, Christianity, collapses. Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians 15:14-17, 'And if Christ has not been raised, 'our preaching is useless and so is you faith.' More than that, we are then found to be false witnesses about God. . . . And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile [emphasis added].' The Christian faith-and its claim to be Truth-exists only if Jesus rose from the dead. The heart of Christianity is a living Christ.

Stewart Whittemore asks the most penetrating question of our age. "Who is this Jesus whom we serve?" "Who do you say that He is?" Stu brings a fresh perspective of Jesus, the Messiah in the Hebrew Scriptures, the Lord of Hosts, the prophetic teacher who met the disciples on the Road to Emmaus, and whose presence extends before and beyond the order of Melchizedek. I guarantee you will be blessed by reading "But who do you say that I am?" Chaplain Sandi Richard', M.Div., BCC The Bible just did not make sense to me! So I was surprised when Stewart Whittemore sent me a draft copy of (his) latest book and asked me to review and edit his writings. I began the task, looking at grammar, spelling and sentence structure. Soon, I comprehended a clear view into God's story and how life in the Old Testament foretold future events that would take place in the New Testament, at the coming of His Son, Jesus of Nazareth. Stewart's clear writing with biblical references, comparing the old and new testaments, allowed me to finally gain an understanding and appreciation into the meaning, content and truth in God's Holy Bible: It is "HIS Story" to us, HIS children! Bette Jo Martinoli Ultimately, we must all decide who the Christ is, and that decision will set the course of our lives for all eternity. Join Stewart in a walk through God's ancient word to his chosen people. Your heart will burn at revelations of His work to save those who believe in the One and Only God and His Son whom he would send. Please, don't miss this intimate offer to walk, learn, and choose life. Dave Wright, author of "Not Enough Tears."

CONTENT: What do you want? -- What did you go out to the desert to see? -- What do you want me to do for you? -- Who do you say that I am? -- Will God grant justice to his chosen? -- Is it lawful? -- Why do you not believe? -- Do you believe I can do this for you? -- How many loaves do you have? -- Do you see anything? -- Where are the nine? -- Has no one condemned you? -- Why should it clutter the ground? -- Did you not know? -- Who is my mother?