Three Years with Jesus : a pictorial journey through the ministry of Christ by Charles Swindoll is a devotional styled book where each thought is commenced with a verse. Charles Swindoll then comments adding historical and spiritual insights. With each thought there is two or three photographs of the location or an image that is connected to the reading.
One of the most helpful things about this book is the way Swindoll has placed the material in chronological order of Jesus’ ministry. It creates a fascinating overview of Jesus’ life from his early popularity to his growing conflict with the Pharisees. This places the well-known incidents in Jesus’ life in their proper context. It is something we often miss when we read the gospels or listen to sermons. To do this effectively the gospels must be studied simultaneously which Swindoll has done, using readings from the different gospels to achieve this order.
The other bonus is the photographs and images. They are beautiful and well placed throughout the book. For people who have actually been to Israel they are a great reminder.
There are also some group discussions questions at the back of the book. It would be a worthwhile book to work through as a group since it gives a fresh perspective on Jesus’ life.
Overall a lovely book.
