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Jesus Is: Find a New Way to Be Human
A New York Times Bestseller! This is a book for Jesus is ____. How would you finish that sentence? The subject is there, and so is the verb, but what comes next? Your answer could shed light on the path to becoming who you were made to be. In these pages, Judah Smith fills out that sentence again and again, each time further revealing the character of Jesus. He writes as if to a friend, revealing the Jesus that somber paintings and hymns fail to capture. With passion, humor, and conviction, he shows that Jesus is life. Jesus is grace. Jesus is your friend. Jesus is a new and better way to be human.
224 pages, Paperback
First published February 26, 2013
About the author
Judah Smith
54 books263 followersJudah Smith and his wife, Chelsea, are the lead pastors of The City Church in Seattle, Washington. Judah is in high demand as a speaker, both in the United States and abroad. Judah and Chelsea have three children: Zion, Eliott, and Grace.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 322 reviews
September 28, 2017
Wow, thank you Judah Smith for writing this book and I can't wait to read more of your books. This book is perfect for anyone, whether your a Christian or not or just wanting to know a little more, this is the book for you. It challenged me in many areas and will definitely reread this one
March 26, 2013
Judah Smith has written a new book Jesus Is ______. with the subtitle "Find A New Way To Be Human". Smith tells us of the campaign his church engaged in to ask the people they know how they would finish this statement. He's received many answers, some thoughtful, some filthy and blasphemous. He has a website for the campaign at jesus-is.org.
I must admit at the forefront of this review, that I was a skeptical reader knowing that a lot of what Smith teaches is the typical seeker-sensitive, feel-good message and not what I believe to be the root Gospel message of Scripture using proper hermeneutics. It's too watered-down for the depth of study I desire in my walk with Jesus.
With that said, I was surprised with what Smith has written here in Jesus Is ______. I must commend him for his effort with this book. I appreciate his struggle with his own faith and the things he's been wrestling with.
"Over the last few years, I've been on a journey that has challenged stereotypes--of myself, of sin and sinners, of Jesus himself. It's hard to describe the depth of the transformation I've experienced, but I do know this: I'll never be the same again." (pp. xv-xvi)
I believe what Judah has written (whether he would agree or not) is geared toward those that are far away from God and His commands. He's written a book that one could hand to someone who did not know God; even one who did not want to know God in an effort to reach them for Christ. Jesus Is ______. was written as an outreach to those living away from Christ calling them to believe the Good News.
I did differ with much of what Smith has written. So, while I commend his effort and work, I think there were a few things that troubled me personally.
"So when I preach and write, I often retell Bible narratives in my own words. It's not a new translation; it's a paraphrase, usually with a good dose of humor thrown in. Sometimes I crack myself up; but laughter is biblical, so I feel almost holy laughing at my own jokes." (pg. xviii)
I often retell and talk through the Bible narratives myself when I preach. I may even say things that are funny, but I do my best to remain faithful to the words written down because I don't want to take liberty in clear passages and promote a false message or a false Gospel. I can't say Smith did that, but some of his 'retellings' were a bit out there for me. He used vocabulary and slang that just didn't speak to me. Some of it I found very distracting. A few things were a bit too much.
In his retelling of the story of Zacchaeus, he referenced really corny things like TMZ (the tabloid organization that chases celebrities and has a daily show where they reveal the results of their stalking.), "blinged-out robes", Justin Bieber, and references a lot of movies like Nacho Libre, Napoleon Dynamite, and Braveheart. Another issue I had was Judah uses some 'colorful' language (not really that bad, but enough for me to scratch my head) like "This is jacked up...". I know it isn't that bad, but I know too many pastors that curse thinking it's edgy and acceptable today. This wasn't cursing, but it rubbed me the wrong way.
"...and there must be no filthiness and silly talk, or coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks." (Eph. 5:4 NASB)
I commend Judah for a lot of what this book addresses, which is the problem of sin that this world is filled with. I also disagree with what Judah and many others believe about sin:
"The problem with the "if God can save...." statement is that it implies a rating system for sins. It's an unspoken, often culture-driven, and arbitrary badness scale...To him, all sin is equally evil..." (from pg. 4)
I disagree that sins are all the same. To God, all sin IS indeed evil, but God does not see someone like the shooter of Sandy Hook elementary and equate what he has done with my 7 year-old son who lies to me about whether he brushed his teeth at night. There is a huge difference between a willful, intentional murderer and a young man who is content with his gingivitis and tells me he is clean (see, I can be funny). Does God want my son to lie? Of course not. He wants him to learn to respect his parents and be a truthful, faithful person. But God is not going to stand in judgment with the same wrath about that sin that He does about a man who planned ahead to bring guns into a school to shoot little children. I believe strongly that there is a difference. All sin is wrong, but all sin is not equal.
I also believe God has called those of us who live in the Light of Jesus to speak out against sin. I do not believe it is hypocritical or judgmental to be the "righter" of wrongs and the voice of justice. Sin is wrong and it corrupts. We, as Christ's followers, should be loud about the things that are around us and call them out with gentleness and respect.
In all, what Judah Smith has written is something one could hand a friend who knew nothing about Jesus. It is very basic and easy to read. It took me about an hour and a half to get through the whole book at a quick reading pace. At the end, I would want to discuss it with the reader because of what Smith has said in the past in order to caution the reader about taking everything he says at face value. They may go on to listen to Smith's sermons online and take in some really bad theology and teaching. But for those who need a very basic book about sin and how Christ died for that sin, this is a good book for that purpose. He did a good job keeping the Gospel message simple. Jesus did die for those sins you commit. He wants you to turn from them. He wants to save you. This is great news and I appreciate Judah Smith teaching this wonderful truth.
I would give Jesus Is ______. 3 out of 5 stars.
*****
I received this book free from the Thomas Nelson Publisher's Booksneeze review program. I was not required to write a favorable review. I was only asked to be honest. The words are my own.
I must admit at the forefront of this review, that I was a skeptical reader knowing that a lot of what Smith teaches is the typical seeker-sensitive, feel-good message and not what I believe to be the root Gospel message of Scripture using proper hermeneutics. It's too watered-down for the depth of study I desire in my walk with Jesus.
With that said, I was surprised with what Smith has written here in Jesus Is ______. I must commend him for his effort with this book. I appreciate his struggle with his own faith and the things he's been wrestling with.
"Over the last few years, I've been on a journey that has challenged stereotypes--of myself, of sin and sinners, of Jesus himself. It's hard to describe the depth of the transformation I've experienced, but I do know this: I'll never be the same again." (pp. xv-xvi)
I believe what Judah has written (whether he would agree or not) is geared toward those that are far away from God and His commands. He's written a book that one could hand to someone who did not know God; even one who did not want to know God in an effort to reach them for Christ. Jesus Is ______. was written as an outreach to those living away from Christ calling them to believe the Good News.
I did differ with much of what Smith has written. So, while I commend his effort and work, I think there were a few things that troubled me personally.
"So when I preach and write, I often retell Bible narratives in my own words. It's not a new translation; it's a paraphrase, usually with a good dose of humor thrown in. Sometimes I crack myself up; but laughter is biblical, so I feel almost holy laughing at my own jokes." (pg. xviii)
I often retell and talk through the Bible narratives myself when I preach. I may even say things that are funny, but I do my best to remain faithful to the words written down because I don't want to take liberty in clear passages and promote a false message or a false Gospel. I can't say Smith did that, but some of his 'retellings' were a bit out there for me. He used vocabulary and slang that just didn't speak to me. Some of it I found very distracting. A few things were a bit too much.
In his retelling of the story of Zacchaeus, he referenced really corny things like TMZ (the tabloid organization that chases celebrities and has a daily show where they reveal the results of their stalking.), "blinged-out robes", Justin Bieber, and references a lot of movies like Nacho Libre, Napoleon Dynamite, and Braveheart. Another issue I had was Judah uses some 'colorful' language (not really that bad, but enough for me to scratch my head) like "This is jacked up...". I know it isn't that bad, but I know too many pastors that curse thinking it's edgy and acceptable today. This wasn't cursing, but it rubbed me the wrong way.
"...and there must be no filthiness and silly talk, or coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks." (Eph. 5:4 NASB)
I commend Judah for a lot of what this book addresses, which is the problem of sin that this world is filled with. I also disagree with what Judah and many others believe about sin:
"The problem with the "if God can save...." statement is that it implies a rating system for sins. It's an unspoken, often culture-driven, and arbitrary badness scale...To him, all sin is equally evil..." (from pg. 4)
I disagree that sins are all the same. To God, all sin IS indeed evil, but God does not see someone like the shooter of Sandy Hook elementary and equate what he has done with my 7 year-old son who lies to me about whether he brushed his teeth at night. There is a huge difference between a willful, intentional murderer and a young man who is content with his gingivitis and tells me he is clean (see, I can be funny). Does God want my son to lie? Of course not. He wants him to learn to respect his parents and be a truthful, faithful person. But God is not going to stand in judgment with the same wrath about that sin that He does about a man who planned ahead to bring guns into a school to shoot little children. I believe strongly that there is a difference. All sin is wrong, but all sin is not equal.
I also believe God has called those of us who live in the Light of Jesus to speak out against sin. I do not believe it is hypocritical or judgmental to be the "righter" of wrongs and the voice of justice. Sin is wrong and it corrupts. We, as Christ's followers, should be loud about the things that are around us and call them out with gentleness and respect.
In all, what Judah Smith has written is something one could hand a friend who knew nothing about Jesus. It is very basic and easy to read. It took me about an hour and a half to get through the whole book at a quick reading pace. At the end, I would want to discuss it with the reader because of what Smith has said in the past in order to caution the reader about taking everything he says at face value. They may go on to listen to Smith's sermons online and take in some really bad theology and teaching. But for those who need a very basic book about sin and how Christ died for that sin, this is a good book for that purpose. He did a good job keeping the Gospel message simple. Jesus did die for those sins you commit. He wants you to turn from them. He wants to save you. This is great news and I appreciate Judah Smith teaching this wonderful truth.
I would give Jesus Is ______. 3 out of 5 stars.
*****
I received this book free from the Thomas Nelson Publisher's Booksneeze review program. I was not required to write a favorable review. I was only asked to be honest. The words are my own.
February 1, 2016
Loved this book, it really made me think about the things that Jesus has done for me, and it changes the ways I think about him. I believe that this book should be red by everyone(Who can read) Even if you are not a Christian, this book is truly amazing.
February 23, 2013
I am such a blessed girl! In the last couple of months I've received advanced readers copies of books that came out from my top 3 favorite authors and speakers in exchange for some tweeting, facebooking, Amazon reviews and promotion. I am glad to promote what I already believe in and I loved "Jesus is _______" by Judah Smith.
I truly believe that Judah Smith is one of the greatest communicators and pastors of our generation. I say “our” as a 30-something mother of four who had the privilege of sitting under Judah’s teaching for a year and a half and who was profoundly impacted by his teaching on grace, which is the very heartbeat of this book. Much of the material I had heard before in sermons, but reading it again was incredibly impacting, especially as a person who likes rules and has depended more in the past on morality than Jesus. There is nothing that has changed my life more than hearing from Jesus, instead of trying to be good. And the message of this book is that grace is a Person. Yes, it’s quotable, tweetable and easy to read but also deep, profound and funny at times.
I will leave you with one of my favorite passages from the book : "...Rules are easier to deal with than grace. That’s a big part of their attraction. That’s why we keep making up rules even when we can’t keep the ones we already have. Rules are tidy. Grace is messy, unpredictable, unquantifiable. I can hold my life up against a set of rules and easily determine if I’m a good person or a bad person. I can do the same with your life, and I can do it from a distance, without having to mess with relationship and compassion and the grittiness of real life. Not so with grace. Grace risks its reputation.... it doesn’t get so distracted with doing good things that it forgets about people. But once you’ve embraced grace, you’ll never let go. ...we need help, so God gives us grace. And his name is Jesus"
You will not regret reading this book and I pray that it will bring you closer to the Person of grace in Jesus.
I truly believe that Judah Smith is one of the greatest communicators and pastors of our generation. I say “our” as a 30-something mother of four who had the privilege of sitting under Judah’s teaching for a year and a half and who was profoundly impacted by his teaching on grace, which is the very heartbeat of this book. Much of the material I had heard before in sermons, but reading it again was incredibly impacting, especially as a person who likes rules and has depended more in the past on morality than Jesus. There is nothing that has changed my life more than hearing from Jesus, instead of trying to be good. And the message of this book is that grace is a Person. Yes, it’s quotable, tweetable and easy to read but also deep, profound and funny at times.
I will leave you with one of my favorite passages from the book : "...Rules are easier to deal with than grace. That’s a big part of their attraction. That’s why we keep making up rules even when we can’t keep the ones we already have. Rules are tidy. Grace is messy, unpredictable, unquantifiable. I can hold my life up against a set of rules and easily determine if I’m a good person or a bad person. I can do the same with your life, and I can do it from a distance, without having to mess with relationship and compassion and the grittiness of real life. Not so with grace. Grace risks its reputation.... it doesn’t get so distracted with doing good things that it forgets about people. But once you’ve embraced grace, you’ll never let go. ...we need help, so God gives us grace. And his name is Jesus"
You will not regret reading this book and I pray that it will bring you closer to the Person of grace in Jesus.
February 19, 2013
Jesus Is.... Is there a more loaded phrase in the English language? For centuries people have been struggling to understand who this Jesus character is, and why he matters in our day-to-day lives. In this book, the author, Judah Smith, works at a high level of abstraction. He avoids dry theology, he moves beyond the issues of the historical Jesus, or the geo-political underpinnings of a new world order and presents a Jesus personal, real, and immediate. The person of Jesus, not the idea of him, a Jesus for you and me, a Jesus for the real and now; and it's funny, this Jesus kind of looks like somebody I'd want to hang out with.
Overall, the book is broken into 6 major sections, six answers to the larger question, Jesus Is Your Friend, Grace, The Point, Happy, Here, Alive. Some of the answers may not sound like traditional approaches to understand Jesus, but each is critically important and meaningful in our world today. Within these pages we discover a Jesus (really, THE Jesus) who reveals himself through unending grace and love, acceptance and mercy, a Jesus who is both fully God and fully man.
This book is a well thought-out; fresh take on the person and nature of Jesus Christ, anyone who’s looking to be reacquainted with a personal God should place this at the top of their 'to read' lists. While there were a few quibbles in the wording and structure, I enjoyed my (brief) time reading this book and anticipate referencing it frequently in the future.
Overall, the book is broken into 6 major sections, six answers to the larger question, Jesus Is Your Friend, Grace, The Point, Happy, Here, Alive. Some of the answers may not sound like traditional approaches to understand Jesus, but each is critically important and meaningful in our world today. Within these pages we discover a Jesus (really, THE Jesus) who reveals himself through unending grace and love, acceptance and mercy, a Jesus who is both fully God and fully man.
This book is a well thought-out; fresh take on the person and nature of Jesus Christ, anyone who’s looking to be reacquainted with a personal God should place this at the top of their 'to read' lists. While there were a few quibbles in the wording and structure, I enjoyed my (brief) time reading this book and anticipate referencing it frequently in the future.
May 28, 2020
This book didn’t exactly change any of my perspectives, but it’s been a great reminder of who Jesus is and who we are in him...
February 27, 2013
Pastor and author Judah Smith, in his book Jesus Is______ efforts to engage the reader in understanding exactly who Jesus is and why comprehending that concept is vital. Written in a very readable style using elements of pop culture as a backdrop for his discussion of who Jesus is, Smith tackles the subjects of Jesus is our friend, Jesus is grace, Jesus is the point, Jesus is happy, Jesus is here, and Jesus is alive.
While Jesus Is_______ can rightly be said to be a book that is very accessible and devoid of “nerdy” theological language, it seems as if the author spent a bit too much time dumbing down theological concepts in an effort to be relevant with his message. Not every book about Jesus has to engage the deep recesses of Christology such as one would find in Oscar Cullmann’s Christology of the New Testament or other books of a more academic nature. With that said, if an author is to appropriately teach the reader about a topic as important as who Christ is and why understanding that is vitally important, a certain degree of theology must be included.
This is not to say this book is a complete failure or that the author’s desire to outline who Jesus is and the relevance of that in our daily life was a total bust. For example, Smith rightly notes “freedom starts with honesty. We aren’t doing ourselves any favors by defining ourselves as good and others as bad. Let’s just agree that we all need help, that we are all in this together.” However, he goes on to say “The good news is that Jesus came to reveal a God who defines us not by our actions but by his love.” True statement in part; however, Smith seems to leave out that it is our fruit that demonstrates our love for God. Such a statement implies, albeit not purposefully, that our actions are irrelevant because God just wants to show us how much he loves us.
For many readers, Jesus Is ______ may have a positive impact, especially for those new to the faith or those trying to get a sense of just who this Jesus is and why they should even care. For the more seasoned believer, the approach taken by Judah Smith may be found lacking in substance and theological depth. For this reader, the latter was the perspective I had after reading the book. The back cover notes “This is a book for new believers, for lifelong followers, and for the merely curious.” I would agree with the new believers and the merely curious. I would hope the lifelong follower would seek out a more in-depth approach to Christology. For those needing the milk of Christology, Jesus Is ______ might be worthwhile. For those needing meat on this topic it would be best to find sustenance elsewhere.
I received this book for free from Booksneeze for this review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
While Jesus Is_______ can rightly be said to be a book that is very accessible and devoid of “nerdy” theological language, it seems as if the author spent a bit too much time dumbing down theological concepts in an effort to be relevant with his message. Not every book about Jesus has to engage the deep recesses of Christology such as one would find in Oscar Cullmann’s Christology of the New Testament or other books of a more academic nature. With that said, if an author is to appropriately teach the reader about a topic as important as who Christ is and why understanding that is vitally important, a certain degree of theology must be included.
This is not to say this book is a complete failure or that the author’s desire to outline who Jesus is and the relevance of that in our daily life was a total bust. For example, Smith rightly notes “freedom starts with honesty. We aren’t doing ourselves any favors by defining ourselves as good and others as bad. Let’s just agree that we all need help, that we are all in this together.” However, he goes on to say “The good news is that Jesus came to reveal a God who defines us not by our actions but by his love.” True statement in part; however, Smith seems to leave out that it is our fruit that demonstrates our love for God. Such a statement implies, albeit not purposefully, that our actions are irrelevant because God just wants to show us how much he loves us.
For many readers, Jesus Is ______ may have a positive impact, especially for those new to the faith or those trying to get a sense of just who this Jesus is and why they should even care. For the more seasoned believer, the approach taken by Judah Smith may be found lacking in substance and theological depth. For this reader, the latter was the perspective I had after reading the book. The back cover notes “This is a book for new believers, for lifelong followers, and for the merely curious.” I would agree with the new believers and the merely curious. I would hope the lifelong follower would seek out a more in-depth approach to Christology. For those needing the milk of Christology, Jesus Is ______ might be worthwhile. For those needing meat on this topic it would be best to find sustenance elsewhere.
I received this book for free from Booksneeze for this review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
February 1, 2014
Taken from my blog - www.melissatumino.com
I wasn’t sure what to expect from Judah Smith’s new book, but I did know that I would like it, because I have enjoyed a lot of his preaching. I think the first time I ever heard Judah was when I was at the tender age of 16 while attending winter camp. I thought he was “uh-mazing”, with his mad preaching skills and his killer singing voice! I remember praying after service telling God I would be VERY ok with Him bringing me a Godly husband like Judah Smith, preaching and singing skills included please haha! Yeah, I know that had nothing to do with the book, but it’s my blog and I can do whatever I want!
Ok, time to get back on track! There is two things that I really enjoyed about this; the central simplistic focus on Jesus Christ and Smith’s brutal honesty and realism. Jesus Is _____. is a book that brings back our attention to what our faith is really about, Christ and Christ alone. Sometimes we can get so caught up with other stuff, even good Christian stuff, that we forget what it truly is all about. Even though most of the concepts in this book were not new to me, they did refresh me and remind me of the simplicity of the gospel. I feel like his chapter on Jesus Is Grace, is exceptionally good and needed with all the heretical teaching that has been going around about grace lately. And I also loved his focus on the prodigal son story and how we as believer usually focus on the son and not on the actions of the father.
Some more traditional people may have a hard time with Smith’s writing style, he’s blunt, clear, and personally writes like how he talks. I can see a lot of his chapters being sermons he has preached in the past. But like I mentioned earlier this book is pretty simplistic, it’s not like reading Experiencing the Depths of Jesus Christ, but all in all I think this is a good read for an older believers to be refreshed and an exceptionally good read for those young in the faith wanting to learn more about the person of Christ, in a easy to read, fun format.
I wasn’t sure what to expect from Judah Smith’s new book, but I did know that I would like it, because I have enjoyed a lot of his preaching. I think the first time I ever heard Judah was when I was at the tender age of 16 while attending winter camp. I thought he was “uh-mazing”, with his mad preaching skills and his killer singing voice! I remember praying after service telling God I would be VERY ok with Him bringing me a Godly husband like Judah Smith, preaching and singing skills included please haha! Yeah, I know that had nothing to do with the book, but it’s my blog and I can do whatever I want!
Ok, time to get back on track! There is two things that I really enjoyed about this; the central simplistic focus on Jesus Christ and Smith’s brutal honesty and realism. Jesus Is _____. is a book that brings back our attention to what our faith is really about, Christ and Christ alone. Sometimes we can get so caught up with other stuff, even good Christian stuff, that we forget what it truly is all about. Even though most of the concepts in this book were not new to me, they did refresh me and remind me of the simplicity of the gospel. I feel like his chapter on Jesus Is Grace, is exceptionally good and needed with all the heretical teaching that has been going around about grace lately. And I also loved his focus on the prodigal son story and how we as believer usually focus on the son and not on the actions of the father.
Some more traditional people may have a hard time with Smith’s writing style, he’s blunt, clear, and personally writes like how he talks. I can see a lot of his chapters being sermons he has preached in the past. But like I mentioned earlier this book is pretty simplistic, it’s not like reading Experiencing the Depths of Jesus Christ, but all in all I think this is a good read for an older believers to be refreshed and an exceptionally good read for those young in the faith wanting to learn more about the person of Christ, in a easy to read, fun format.
December 19, 2014
While Judah Smith has an engaging style of writing, uses his humor well, and takes on a very important subject, this book disappoints overall. While some of what Smith says is good, accurate and helpful, he simply doesn't take this approach throughout the whole book.
One can clearly see where Smith has good intentions, but his view of Christ is incredibly lightweight. Tragically, it seems that Smith has only knows, or at least only decides to present, the aspects of Christ that will culturally appeal. His chapter headers alone reveal a diminished view of Christ. He mentions the deity and sovereignty of Christ only in passing and focuses on his view of "Nice Jesus" in a way that skews the image of Christ.
Sadly, I wouldn't recommend this book at all. There are much better works to be read, such as "The Explicit Gospel" by Matt Chandler, that don't require so much charity to appreciate.
One can clearly see where Smith has good intentions, but his view of Christ is incredibly lightweight. Tragically, it seems that Smith has only knows, or at least only decides to present, the aspects of Christ that will culturally appeal. His chapter headers alone reveal a diminished view of Christ. He mentions the deity and sovereignty of Christ only in passing and focuses on his view of "Nice Jesus" in a way that skews the image of Christ.
Sadly, I wouldn't recommend this book at all. There are much better works to be read, such as "The Explicit Gospel" by Matt Chandler, that don't require so much charity to appreciate.
January 17, 2015
This book had a more positively profound influence on me than a book has in a long time. It is excellent. It is worth reading and re-reading. It is not your stereotypical "Contemporary Christian self-help" type of book. It is so much more (and yet so much simpler as well).
I consider myself to be more "grace-conscious" than the average churchgoer, but this put meat on the bones of even my perception of grace. To me, grace is the key theme of Smith's message--in fact, he says as much himself--so I guess that is how I would fill in the blank!
So much confirmation as well, personally speaking to some exact aspects of my life in a perfectly-timed manner. Fabulous. Wonderful. So thankful for the challenge and encouragement in these pages.
I consider myself to be more "grace-conscious" than the average churchgoer, but this put meat on the bones of even my perception of grace. To me, grace is the key theme of Smith's message--in fact, he says as much himself--so I guess that is how I would fill in the blank!
So much confirmation as well, personally speaking to some exact aspects of my life in a perfectly-timed manner. Fabulous. Wonderful. So thankful for the challenge and encouragement in these pages.
July 22, 2014
I'm glad to see people reading this book! They did a great spin campaign for it, and it worked. I want to read more of His books and messages! More Jesus!
July 6, 2016
Great book! Such a fresh perspective! Will definitely read whatever Judah Smith writes.
June 23, 2016
Empowering, uplifting, funny & personally sincere!
March 6, 2013
Life changing
August 5, 2020
I can’t say enough good things about Judah Smith. I love listening to his sermons that speak so much truth about who Jesus is and this book was no exception to that. It was such a good reminder of who Jesus is and the way we are called to live as His followers. I highly recommend.
January 17, 2022
Had this on my bookshelf for a whole decade before I decided to read it and dang I wish I had read this earlier. Such an awesome testament to who Jesus is and how his grace changes the game.
March 3, 2013
Just finished this book and thought I'd write my thoughts while still fresh on my mind.
For the record, I attend city church (where the author is lead pastor) so my opinions might be slanted a bit as I'm familiar with the authors style of teaching and humor. With that said much of the book actually reflects this last year of teaching, Jesus is___. Has been the theme in front of most of the lessons presented from the pulpit.
I flew through this book, its not very long, and very easy to read. I openly laughed at the humorous metaphors I'm 37 so I got all the smurf, baywatch and Michael Jackson references.
All in all It was a good read, reenforced much of what I believe about Jesus and how I see Him and how he sees me. I found it I bit of a rant at the current church cultures at times lightly condemning us for being so unloving to the people around us. It gets is thinking about Jesus and not the church.
Judah is talented in engaging people in public conversation, making them feel comfortable as if they are long time friends even though you never heard of him before reading picking up the book.
One thing the book is not is heavy or meaty. That may be intentional though. It seems to engage those who are not Followers of Jesus, opening up a friendly dialog about who Jesus is (and who He is not)which is really probably the main point of the book.
If you are hoping to find deep theology this is not your read. I also thought that the cultural references will probably make this book relevant for a shorter period of time.
I enjoyed the book and was intentionally looking for something that wasn't a super heavy read. I think it will impact 1000's all over to think about who Jesus is. And that's why it was written.
For the record, I attend city church (where the author is lead pastor) so my opinions might be slanted a bit as I'm familiar with the authors style of teaching and humor. With that said much of the book actually reflects this last year of teaching, Jesus is___. Has been the theme in front of most of the lessons presented from the pulpit.
I flew through this book, its not very long, and very easy to read. I openly laughed at the humorous metaphors I'm 37 so I got all the smurf, baywatch and Michael Jackson references.
All in all It was a good read, reenforced much of what I believe about Jesus and how I see Him and how he sees me. I found it I bit of a rant at the current church cultures at times lightly condemning us for being so unloving to the people around us. It gets is thinking about Jesus and not the church.
Judah is talented in engaging people in public conversation, making them feel comfortable as if they are long time friends even though you never heard of him before reading picking up the book.
One thing the book is not is heavy or meaty. That may be intentional though. It seems to engage those who are not Followers of Jesus, opening up a friendly dialog about who Jesus is (and who He is not)which is really probably the main point of the book.
If you are hoping to find deep theology this is not your read. I also thought that the cultural references will probably make this book relevant for a shorter period of time.
I enjoyed the book and was intentionally looking for something that wasn't a super heavy read. I think it will impact 1000's all over to think about who Jesus is. And that's why it was written.
June 30, 2013
This just may be the best non-fiction book I've ever read, bar none!
It is both inspirational and funny...making it a very quick, easy read! (I'm not a fast reader, by any stretch of the imagination, and it took me about 4 days to read this book...however, I probably could have finished the entire thing in a day, if I wasn't trying to read it while out-of-town relatives weren't visiting at the time!)
Judah Smith is a young pastor from Seattle who presents us with a very honest, refreshing and passionate perspective on Jesus, grace and the believer's relationship to God that is very needed today! His writing style is very authentic and genuine, often using humor and personal stories that expose areas of weakness in his own life, helping his readers to connect with the heart of his message and bringing what could be some very deep, theological and heady issues down to a level where the common, everyman can identify with them.
After finishing this book, I immediately jumped onto YouTube.com curious to see if I could find any clips of Judah preaching live. I had never heard of him before someone introduced me to this book and was excited to find that he is actually becoming very popular due to his refreshing preaching style, which doesn't surprise me at all, because he writes just like he preaches! For those interested in hearing Judah, YouTube has MANY excellent videos, both short clips, excerpts and interviews (3 - 12 minute range), as well as, full sermons (45 - 90 min range).
I'm so excited about the message in this book right now! I want everyone I know to read it! I think it is something that is sorely needed in our world today...and I think Judah's voice is possibly the best way to present it to the world!
It is both inspirational and funny...making it a very quick, easy read! (I'm not a fast reader, by any stretch of the imagination, and it took me about 4 days to read this book...however, I probably could have finished the entire thing in a day, if I wasn't trying to read it while out-of-town relatives weren't visiting at the time!)
Judah Smith is a young pastor from Seattle who presents us with a very honest, refreshing and passionate perspective on Jesus, grace and the believer's relationship to God that is very needed today! His writing style is very authentic and genuine, often using humor and personal stories that expose areas of weakness in his own life, helping his readers to connect with the heart of his message and bringing what could be some very deep, theological and heady issues down to a level where the common, everyman can identify with them.
After finishing this book, I immediately jumped onto YouTube.com curious to see if I could find any clips of Judah preaching live. I had never heard of him before someone introduced me to this book and was excited to find that he is actually becoming very popular due to his refreshing preaching style, which doesn't surprise me at all, because he writes just like he preaches! For those interested in hearing Judah, YouTube has MANY excellent videos, both short clips, excerpts and interviews (3 - 12 minute range), as well as, full sermons (45 - 90 min range).
I'm so excited about the message in this book right now! I want everyone I know to read it! I think it is something that is sorely needed in our world today...and I think Judah's voice is possibly the best way to present it to the world!
February 19, 2013
The message of Jesus is simple and for all people, whether they are people who identify themselves as followers of Christ or not. Judah does a great job of showing who Jesus really is. This is one of the most honest books that I have ever read, as Judah is not afraid to talk about how Pharisaical Christians can be even today when representing Christ. He calls out the fact that Jesus was a friend of sinners and that it was religious people who killed Jesus. He also makes it clear that the heart of God is for love and grace, not judgment and condemnation.
You might ask, "Well what about sin?" Judah tackles this topic also by explaining that the only true way to freedom from sin is through God's love and grace. The book is written in such a way to talk about true holiness, not fake holiness based on works and law. One quote from the book says, “Blatant hypocrisy makes us want to qualify grace, to hem it in with restrictions and rules so people don't abuse it. But in the process, we invalidate the very truths that would set people free.” This book demolishes every idea that suggests we are worthy or somehow deserved God’s love. It also shows that God’s love was the single motivation for His great salvation offered to all of mankind.
I highly recommend this book for everyone! Not only is it full of “tweetable” quotes, but it shows the true nature of the Gospel message, which is the power of God!
(I received an advance copy of this book so I could provide an honest review of it)
You might ask, "Well what about sin?" Judah tackles this topic also by explaining that the only true way to freedom from sin is through God's love and grace. The book is written in such a way to talk about true holiness, not fake holiness based on works and law. One quote from the book says, “Blatant hypocrisy makes us want to qualify grace, to hem it in with restrictions and rules so people don't abuse it. But in the process, we invalidate the very truths that would set people free.” This book demolishes every idea that suggests we are worthy or somehow deserved God’s love. It also shows that God’s love was the single motivation for His great salvation offered to all of mankind.
I highly recommend this book for everyone! Not only is it full of “tweetable” quotes, but it shows the true nature of the Gospel message, which is the power of God!
(I received an advance copy of this book so I could provide an honest review of it)
February 12, 2016
A great book about Jesus. A great book about grace.
Jesus is Grace.
"Grace is God meeting us at our point of need in the Person of Jesus." Jack Hayford
Focusing too much on rules and too little on grace tells children that what they do is more important than who they are.
The point isn't to quit thinking about sin. It's to quit thinking about self and to think about Jesus. It's to become God-conscious not me-conscious.
The Law makes us self-conscious. When we are self-conscious we become sin-conscious. We take our eyes off of Jesus and we focus on our failures. Are you struggling with sin? You don't need more willpower. You need more Jesus. Loving Jesus, not avoiding sin, is the focal point of our lives.
When you are in awe of Jesus it's amazing how uncomplicated life can be.
Understanding the gospel is good news should help us all be a little more cheerful, a little nicer to hang out with.
One of the greatest indictments against Christians is not sin or hypocrisy. It's our lack of joy. Something is wrong when we call ourselves Christians but we practically have an aneurysm just trying to crack a smile.
I preach good news and I'm not going to apologize for that.
The joy of the Lord is your strength, not hard work or exercise.
1 John 4:9-10.
Jesus is Grace.
"Grace is God meeting us at our point of need in the Person of Jesus." Jack Hayford
Focusing too much on rules and too little on grace tells children that what they do is more important than who they are.
The point isn't to quit thinking about sin. It's to quit thinking about self and to think about Jesus. It's to become God-conscious not me-conscious.
The Law makes us self-conscious. When we are self-conscious we become sin-conscious. We take our eyes off of Jesus and we focus on our failures. Are you struggling with sin? You don't need more willpower. You need more Jesus. Loving Jesus, not avoiding sin, is the focal point of our lives.
When you are in awe of Jesus it's amazing how uncomplicated life can be.
Understanding the gospel is good news should help us all be a little more cheerful, a little nicer to hang out with.
One of the greatest indictments against Christians is not sin or hypocrisy. It's our lack of joy. Something is wrong when we call ourselves Christians but we practically have an aneurysm just trying to crack a smile.
I preach good news and I'm not going to apologize for that.
The joy of the Lord is your strength, not hard work or exercise.
1 John 4:9-10.
April 24, 2017
My sister bought me this book as a gift. I am typically not a fan of non-fiction. But I decided to give this book a try just to see how readable and interesting the subject matter would be. I also tend to be a bit skeptical when it comes to the biblical foundation of any non-fiction book. The premise and content inside the pages are built on a solid foundation of biblical Christianity. There is nothing inside the book that would cause a reader to question their faith in a bad way. While not complex, the message is still pretty deep. It's not written for scholars, but for everyday people. The message is clear...Jesus is everything. Without him, we are nothing. But the message is delivered with humor and good illustrations/examples to help readers understand what Judah is trying to communicate. I read the book in small chunks. It's not something I would recommend reading straight through. Some of the subject matter needs digesting and some you just need to chew on for awhile. All in all I found it to be a very well-written and relevant book that made me think more about my life and how I can have a closer walk with Jesus. That's the bottom line, and the author made me thirsty for more, which is always a good thing.
March 28, 2013
If you are in a place with your faith, where you are struggling, like I am. This book is for you. This book does not force the Bible down your throat, or make you feel that you are inferior to the Christian faith. It tells you exactly who Jesus Is, and what he wants from us. He doesn't need us to prove ourselves to him to make us more worthy and more righteous in his eyes. We are already as righteous as we will ever be. He will never love us more than he loves us right this very moment. This book focuses around Jesus' Grace, and that we need to live for His love.
If you want to know who Jesus was as the Son, and how he loved sinners, and died for them. This book will open your eyes.
If you want to know who Jesus was as the Son, and how he loved sinners, and died for them. This book will open your eyes.
April 15, 2013
I think this is a great book for all "levels" of Christians- it serves as a great reminder that all sin is viewed equally by God and that only through Jesus' grace we are ALL saved. I loved how Pastor Judah Smith was willing to share his own shortcomings with sin in order to humanize the message he was delivering. I have always balked at the "holier than thous" of the Christian world and loved that the Message of this book is that God is an unconditional, loving and forgiving father and before anyone else rises up to judge another sinner they need to remind themselves that God has already died for ALL of our transgressions and maybe if we approached others with such loving and forgiving hearts (as our Father God would) the world would be a better place. Great read!
July 11, 2014
I recently read the book 'Jesus Is__' by Judah Smith. It has been rattling around in the back of my brain somewhere for a little bit and I recently picked up the book again. Then it hit me. The single most memorable point in the book was his statement that I'll never be as good of a golfer as Bubba Watson (Judah has played with him..and I'm trusting him on this ;)). One might say, "duh" (or respectfully not dash my hopes), but this, ironically, in the starkest terms, is very freeing for me. Whether I will or won't be isn't really the point. I can, however, enjoy the game of golf and life much more because of the impact of that statement. So my current answer to the question of the book's title is: Jesus Is...Freedom.
August 4, 2023
I do my reviews in the form of a letter, which is why they are written like this.
Dear Judah Smith,
Okay, this book was good.
First off, who Jesus is is a question many people try to answer. They say He is a good man. A figure in history. A great spiritual teacher. A nut. In this book, you tackle this question with humor and wit. You made me laugh a few times. Of course, you also went deep. You made sure people know that Jesus came for sinners, not for holy and righteous people. He came to save those who couldn't save themselves.
A few times, I admit, I thought you were a little two light about things. Sometimes I felt a little uncomfortable with your jokes. But that was very seldom.
I liked this book! Thank you for writing it!
Sincerely,
Lena Marie
Dear Judah Smith,
Okay, this book was good.
First off, who Jesus is is a question many people try to answer. They say He is a good man. A figure in history. A great spiritual teacher. A nut. In this book, you tackle this question with humor and wit. You made me laugh a few times. Of course, you also went deep. You made sure people know that Jesus came for sinners, not for holy and righteous people. He came to save those who couldn't save themselves.
A few times, I admit, I thought you were a little two light about things. Sometimes I felt a little uncomfortable with your jokes. But that was very seldom.
I liked this book! Thank you for writing it!
Sincerely,
Lena Marie
May 9, 2013
Jesus Is _______., by Judah Smith is a book about "finding a new way to be human", as the book states. As I read through it, I quickly found out that this was not just another average book. Smith uses humor to keep the reader interested, and I found myself laughing through the whole book. The valuable life lessons about Jesus' grace, love, etc. keep the reader encouraged but also challenged about who Jesus truly is. I loved the book and would highly reccomend it to anybody who wants to know more about Jesus, grow in their faith, or simply read a good book.
November 13, 2015
There are a ton of resources out there on the nature of Jesus, written from all different angles. For anyone wondering who this Jesus guy is and what He is about - really about, based on the Bible and not someone's philosophy or idea, this is a great place to start. Judah Smith breaks down the character of Jesus in a way that is simple, straightforward and understandable to a person living in today's world. Christians who already have a relationship with Him, may find this book to be a review of foundational truths.
July 11, 2013
Un gran libro que me hizo recordar la simpleza del mensaje que Jesus compartió y demostró! La manera en que presenta el concepto de Gracia que la biblia enseña fue una de las partes favoritas del libro. Le doy 5 estrellas y se lo recomendaría a toda persona que este empezando en su relación con Cristo, pero para los mas veteranos también, un recordatorio de lo grande y maravilloso que Cristo hace en la vida de las personas.
May 24, 2016
"When we meet Grace, it becomes the fuel of our faith. We pray, we read our Bibles, we worship, and we live the purest lifestyle we can because we love a person. Allegiance to a doctrine can only last so long, but relationship trumps everything. We'll do anything for someone we love." "What I give up is completely irrelevant because what I gain is so awesome. Until you've experienced it, it's hard to describe what the goodness of God feels like."
April 12, 2013
So proud of my pastor for writing this straight-forward book about Jesus, which quickly became a New York Times Best-seller! If you're a seeker, this book is for you. If you're not sure God loves you, this book is for you. If you're not sure who Jesus Is, well, you know how I'd fill in that blank, too.
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