Book Description
With this participant's guide your group will have ready access to a complete, easy to lead, interactive curriculum enabling all of you to capture a fresh, challenging, and life-changing vision of the Jesus of the Gospels.


From the Publisher
Critically acclaimed as the most significant Christian book of the last ten years, The Jesus I Never Knew was selected for the prestigious Gold Medallion Christian Book of the Year Award in 1996. In it, best-selling author Philip Yancey peeled away popular stereotypes to present a brilliant and challenging portrait of Christ. Now individuals and groups can join Yancey in this probing look at Jesus Christ - his teaching, his miracles, his death and resurrection, and ultimately, who he was and why he came. This study guide helps readers press beyond the traditional picture to uncover a Jesus who is brilliant, creative, challenging, fearless, compassionate, unpredictable, and ultimately satisfying. Each chapter begins with Yancey's reflections on rediscovering Jesus. Questions that stimulate journaling follow, with note-writing sections that assist the reader in Seeing Jesus Through Scripture Looking at Jesus Within and Without Being Seen by Jesus Further Glimpses of Jesus Gazing on Jesus This Week Also included are Yancey's suggestions for viewing Hollywood films on Jesus, with optional directions about film usage in studying The Jesus I Never Knew.


From the Author
Philip Yancey serves as editor at Large for Christianity Today magazine. His books The Jesus I Never Knew and What's So Amazing About Grace? were national best-sellers appearing on both the Publisher's Weekly and ECPA lists. Both books also won the Gold Medallion Book of the Year Award. Yancey has written eight Gold Medallion Award-winning books, including Where Is God When it Hurts? Disappointment with God, and The Gift of Pain. He co-edited The Student Bible, which also won a Gold Medallion Award. He and his wife live in Colorado


From the Back Cover
Get ready to encounter the Jesus You Never Knew! Discover for Yourself Why No One Who Meets Him Ever Stays the Same! Welcome to a journey that will challenge you--and change you. A journey that will expand--and very likely redefine--your understanding of the person, teachings, and life of Jesus Christ. One that will lead you beyond familiar images of Christ to discover Jesus as you've never known him: radical, compelling, compassionate, bold, incisive, and ultimately satisfying. This Participant's Guide is your ticket to transformative insights, invigorating discussions, and personal applications as you travel through the 14 sessions of the Jesus I Never Knew curriculum. Prepare yourself for life-changing encounters with the Jesus of the Gospels. . .and discoveries as refreshing, unpredictable, and exciting as the person you're about to meet.


About the Author
Philip Yancey serves as editor-at-large for Christianity Today magazine. He has written twelve Gold Medallion Award-winning books, with The Jesus I Never Knew and What’s So Amazing About Grace? Awarded the Christian Book of the Year. His most recent book is Rumors of Another World.


Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.
Session One:
The Jesus I Thought I Knew
Questions To Consider
How do I perceive Jesus?
Who is Philip Yancey, and how can films help me to see Jesus in a new way?
What is my answer to the question, Who is this man, Jesus?
The Twentieth-Century View of Jesus
What one word would a church member choose to describe Jesus?
How would one of your neighbors or one of your coworkers describe Jesus?
In your minds eye, what did Jesus look like? Tall? Short? Handsome? Curly hair or straight? Did he have a dark or light complexion? Where did you get this picture of him (films, paintings, books, Sunday school)? Can you describe specific images from the past?
Video Notes
Philip Yancey
As you watch the following scenes from these three films, think of one adjective or impression that describes your reactions or feelings. If you need some help, use the questions below as a guide.
Kings of Kings
Is this like the image of Jesus you had growing up?
The Gospel According to St. Matthew
Do you find anything disturbing about Pasolinis Jesus?
Son of Man
Can you imagine Jesus being overweight?
Can you imagine Jesus ever saying, Shut up!?
Personal Reflection
In the first column the various stages of your life are listed for you. For each stage think of the major people and events that influenced you. Record your responses in column 2. In column 3 jot down how you related to or experienced Christ at that time.
Stage of Life - Major Influence - My Experience / Thoughts/Relationship
Childhood
Teen Years
College Days
Adult Life

Facts About Jesus
The birth of Jesus ________________ history.
______-__________ of all people on earth claim to be Christians.
The name of Jesus has become __________________________, even used as a _______________ _________.
The perceptions we have of Jesus have been muddied by:
_____________________________
_____________________________
_____________________________
And yet, the question remains, ___________ _________ __________ ______________?
Bible Study
1. Read Mark 6:1 6. What does this passage tell us about Jesus?
2. Do you think people today have any clearer picture of who Jesus is than did the people in his day? How do you think Jesus feels about the confusing portrait presented in todays church or by some individuals?
3. What impact do you think this type of study may have on your perceptions of who Jesus is? What do you hope might happen in this study as you take a new look at Jesus?
4. What scares you most about getting to know the real Jesus?
Summary
In this session we:
Looked at the various ways people perceive Jesus.
Were introduced to Philip Yancey and the film approach used throughout this course.
Learned that the bottom line is for each of us to answer the question, Who is this man, Jesus?

FROM THE PUBLISHER

Get ready to encounter the Jesus You Never Knew! Discover for Yourself Why No One Who Meets Him Ever Stays the Same! Welcome to a journey that will challenge you--and change you. A journey that will expand--and very likely redefine--your understanding of the person, teachings, and life of Jesus Christ. One that will lead you beyond familiar images of Christ to discover Jesus as you've never known him: radical, compelling, compassionate, bold, incisive, and ultimately satisfying. This Participant's Guide is your ticket to transformative insights, invigorating discussions, and personal applications as you travel through the 14 sessions of the Jesus I Never Knew curriculum. Prepare yourself for life-changing encounters with the Jesus of the Gospels. . .and discoveries as refreshing, unpredictable, and exciting as the person you're about to meet.

Author Biography: Philip Yancey serves as editor-at-large for Christianity Today magazine. He has written twelve Gold Medallion Award-winning books, including Where is God when it Hurts, Disappointment with God, and The Gift of Pain. His books The Jesus I Never Knew and What's So Amazing About Grace? were also awarded the Christian Book of the Year. He is also the author of The Bible Jesus Read.

SYNOPSIS