Surprised by Jesus

When God-in-the-flesh showed up twenty centuries ago in Palestine, the religious PhDs rejected him and the prostitutes and social outcasts flocked to him. Why? . . Because the open welcome of divine grace that Jesus offers, open to anyone who would simply leave their moral resume at home, is not predictable. It is not safe. It is subversive. . . In this book, Dane Ortlund reflects on this subversive grace as it uniquely emerges in each of the four Gospel accounts. In each Gospel, the message and mission of Jesus is deeply surprising:

• In Matthew, we see the surprise of disobedient obedience
• In Mark, we see the surprise of the king undergoing the fate of a criminal
• In Luke, we see the surprise of the insiders becoming outsiders and the outsiders becoming insiders
• In John, we see the surprise of the Creator of the universe becoming one of his own creatures.

Such surprises confound our law-marinated hearts. But the good news that Jesus won with his own blood will not be tamed. This good news is defiant. This book exists to exult in this good news and the scandalous mercy Jesus loves to pour out on needy sinnerson people like you and me.

1. Opening Credits
2. Dedication
3. Introduction
4. Part 1: Matthew: The Surprise of Disobedient Obedience | Chapter 1: Jesus’ Definition of Morality
5. Chapter 2: The Pharisee Within
6. Chapter 3: Heart Response
7. Part 2: Mark: The Surprise of the King as a Criminal | Chapter 4: The Surprise of Jesus’ Mission
8. Chapter 5: Jesus’ Cross-Bearing Call
9. Chapter 6: Broken and Blind Sinners
10. Part 3: Luke: The Surprise of Outsiders as Insiders | Chapter 7: Jesus’ Surprising Community
11. Chapter 8: Honest Sinners
12. Chapter 9: The Only Key
13. Part 4: John: The Surprise of the Creator as a Creature | Chapter 10: Jesus and True Identity
14. Chapter 11: Delight in the Truth of Emmanuel
15. Chapter 12: Down the Ladder
16. Conclusion
17. Closing Credits

Dane Ortlund

After obtaining his Bachelor of Arts degree in Bible/Theology at Wheaton College, Dane married his beloved, Stacey. Together, they relocated to Connecticut where they embarked on a teaching journey at a Christian high school.

Fueled by a strong sense of calling to ministry and a passion for biblical truth, Dane enrolled at Covenant Theological Seminary which left an indelible mark of grace on his life.

Fresh from basking in the doctrines of life-giving grace, Dane returned to Wheaton to pursue a Doctor of Philosophy degree in New Testament. This academic pursuit paved the way for a fruitful decade in the publishing industry where he dedicated his time and expertise at Crossway in Wheaton, primarily working on the ESV Bible and its associated resources. Gradually, he ascended to the role of Chief Publishing Officer, overseeing the production of books and other materials. Serving such a significant ministry was an immense privilege, and in addition to his publishing duties, he had the delightful adventure of teaching, preaching, and guiding Wheaton students, as well as exploring the world through travel!

However, the divine hand of the Lord steered him towards a new chapter in his life — full-time ministry in the local church. Through a series of unexpected events orchestrated by divine providence, he found himself being called to the pastorate by none other than Naperville Presbyterian Church, the very church that had been his family's spiritual home for the past 13 years.

Dane says that his “life calling is to dive deep into the unspeakable heart of Jesus for sinners and sufferers, and to invite others to enjoy that boundless ocean with him.”