Jesus Christ Jesus Christ. - Magnificent Obsession : Why Jesus Is Great

David Robertsons letters are engaging and insightful. In these chapters a portrait of Jesus emerges that is attractive and compelling. This book is useful no matter what your experience and where you stand on matters of faith.

Tim Keller

Founding Pastor, Redeemer Presbyterian Church,
New York City, New York

David Robertson is a thoughtful and provocative debating partner.In a society where cultural relativism prevails, David is anunashamed Christian evangelist. David and I disagree on a greatmany things, but we are unified in understanding the importanceof this ongoing debate.

Gary McLelland

Atheist, blogger and secular campaigner, Edinburgh, Scotland

David Robertson has done it again. Building on his incisiveresponse to Richard Dawkins atheism in The Dawkins LettersDavid has written another series of letters explaining how torespond to friends who say there is no proof for God. In his usualvigorous and engagingly personal manner David explains preciselywhy the Christian teaching about Jesus is intellectually, morally andemotionally credible. Th is is a book for you to read and give away.I therefore recommend that you buy as many copies as you can.

John Lennox

Professor of Mathematics, University of Oxford,

Fellow in Mathematics and Philosophy of Science,

Green Templeton College, Oxford

My dad wrote a book. Its pretty great.

Becky Milburn

New South Wales, Australia

I love this book! Its an excellent, conversational introductionto Christianity for non-Christians and new Christians who are wrestling with questions about Jesus, the Bible and the Christianchurch. Robertson brilliantly interacts with atheist objections andexplains why Jesus is the magnifi cent obsession for hundreds ofmillions.

Jon Bloom

President, Desiring God, Minneapolis, Minnesota

David Robertson's Magnificent Obsession is a Christ-exalting andChrist-centred apologetic. Beautifully written, laced with tastefulhumour, here is a book you can give to your non-Christian friends

R. T. Kendall

Minister, Westminster Chapel (1977-2002), London

David Robertsons speaking ministry and books are informed,insightful, full of wit and yet surprising depth. Robertson helpsus to answer the common questions of skeptics with sensitivity,astuteness and a careful listening ear.

Rebecca Manley Pippert

Prominent speaker and author,

Founder, Salt Shaker Ministries

Its outstanding. You will want to read this book and give it awayto people. Th e subject is Jesus a unique person in history andthe ultimate defeater apologetic! You cannot argue about thecharacter, life and message of the authentic Jesus of Nazareth.The book has the feel of being written by a man who almostdied and has discovered what or who is really important. Dragonshave been slain, elephants in the room exposed and becominga disciple of Jesus becomes totally logical and liberating.Robertson knows Jesus and he knows our culture but just asimportant, he is an expert bridge-builder between the two!

David Meredith

Chairman of Affinity and

Minister, Smithton Free Church, Inverness, Scotland

This book will put fi re in your heart or a pebble in your shoe;but then Jesus always does. Written by a historian, for scepticsor believers, these letters are accessible, honest, powerful and lifechanging. In them youll meet the Jesus of historical fact, and theauthors obsession may become your own. I just wish ChristopherHitchens could have read it.

John Ellis

Consultant Opthamologist, Dundee, Scotland

David Robertson is so honest, acute and convincing, that I fearbooks like Magnifi cent Obsession will soon be banned by the newatheist censors, lest enquiring young sceptics presume to examinethem.

Dick Lucas

Formerly Rector, St Helens Bishopsgate, London

Unless otherwise stated, Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible,New International Version. Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984 by Biblica. Used bypermission of Zondervan. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked kjv are taken from the King James Version. All rightsreserved.

David Robertson, author of The Dawkins Letters and Awakening, is pastor ofSt Peter's Free Church of Scotland. Robertson is a trustee of the Solas Centrefor Public Christianity and works to fulfil the Centre's mission to engage culturewith the message of Christ.

David Robertson 2013

ISBN 978-1-78191-271-3 Book

ISBN 978-1-78191-310-9 ePub

ISBN 978-1-78191-311-6 Mobi

First published in 2013 by
Christian Focus Publications,
Geanies House, Fearn, Tain, Ross-shire,
IV20 1TW, Scotland, UK

www.christianfocus.com

Cover design by DUFI-ART.com

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without the prior per-mission of the publisher or a licence permitting restricted copying. In the U.K. such licences are issued by the Copyright Licensing Agency, Saffron House, 6-10 Kirby Street, London, EC1 8TS. www.cla.co.uk.

eBook production by Oxford eBooks Ltd.

www.oxford-ebooks.com

In Memory of

David Jack

Now let me at the truth that will refresh my broken mind.

Mumford & Sons, The Cave

I would believe if I had the evidence is the oft-repeated and not unreasonable claim that many make when it comes to God. What is unreasonable, though, is when the statement is made with the assumption that there is either no or insufficient evidence. Bertrand Russell was once asked; Lord Russell, what will you say when you die and are brought face to face with your Maker? He replied without hesitation: God, I shall say, God, why did you make the evidence for your existence so insufficient? This book is written to challenge that assumption.

I once had the privilege of debating with the English comedian Marcus Brigstocke on Premier Christian Radios Unbelievable show. He was perceptive, receptive, open and searching. Though I seek to express myself through comedy a lot of the time, there are some things Im deadly serious about, and the desire for a workable and available deity in my life is one of them. This book is written for Marcus and those like him. I too am deadly serious about showing who God is.

In 2007 I wrote a response to Richard Dawkinss The God Delusion entitled The Dawkins Letters, little suspecting how much interest this would generate. Having spoken widely in Scotland, the U.K. and many parts of Europe and the U.S.A., I am intrigued and greatly encouraged that there is such interest in religion in general and Christianity in particular. The New Atheists thought that they were going to offer the coup de grce to a religion that was dying. Instead they seem to have woken up not only the church, but many outside it, who are now beginning to think about questions they would not have contemplated a generation ago. If you are one of them, welcome to a new world. Welcome to a world of hope and the possibility that you are more than just a blob of carbon floating from one meaningless existence to another. Welcome to a world of truth, meaning and love. Welcome to a world where you will find who you really are and why you are really here. These are grand claims but I hope and pray that as you read this, your mind will be blown at the staggering wonder of the truth. I pray that you will not only gain an understanding of why so many people continue to believe in God, but also that you will come to have your own faith challenged. I realize, of course, that if you are an agnostic or atheist, you will claim that you do not have a faith, but allow me to point out that in fact all of us have a faith position including you. There are many things you believe and act upon that you cannot absolutely prove. More of which later.