CONTENTS
About the Straight to the Heart Series 9
Introduction: Step into the Story 11
PART ONE: THE MESSIAH'S STORY
Journey's End (1:1-8) 16
A Single Step (1:9-20) 20
Man of Woman Born (1:21-39) 24
Where's the Line? (1:40-45) 28
Friends, Romans, Countrymen (2:1-12) 32
Runaway (2:13-17) 37
Black Cabs and Bales of Hay (2:18-3:6) 41
Quick Step (3:7-13) 45
School of Rock (3:14-19) 49
Mad, Bad, God (3:20-35) 53
How to Grow as a Believer (4:1-20) 58
How to Spread the Gospel (4:21-34) 62
The Perfect Storm (4:35-41) 66
Too Strong (5:1-20) 70
Twelve Add Twelve (5:21-43) 74
Compartments (5:21-43) 79
When Jesus Couldn't Heal (6:1-6) 83
What to Expect When You're Expecting (6:6-29) 87
Send Them Away (6:30-44) 91
Refuel (6:45-56) 95
Goodbye, Galilee (7:1-23) 99
PART TWO: THE WORLD'S STORY
Breadcrumbs (7:24-30) 104
Spit on a Foreigner (7:31-37) 108
Deja Vu (8:1-10) 112
Bad Bread (8:11-21) 116
Yeast Extraction (8:22-26) 120
Mystery Story (8:27-30) 124
Speaking for Satan (8:31-38) 128
The Holy Mountain (9:1-13) 133
Why Doesn't God Heal? (9:14-29) 138
How to Pray for Healing (9:28-29) 142
PART THREE: THE COSTLY STORY
Road Trip (9:30-50) 148
What Costs More (9:42-50) 152
Invisible Gods (10:1-16) 156
Respectable Idols (10:13-27) 161
Back to Front Story (10:28-45) 165
Throw It All Away (10:46-52) 169
PART FOUR: THE SURPRISING STORY
A Different Type of King (11:1-11) 174
On God's Team (11:11-23) 178
More Than Words (11:20-26) 182
Eviction Notice (11:27-12:12) 186
Revolution (12:13-17) 191
Dead Poets (12:18-37) 195
Cinderella at the Ball (12:38-44) 200
The Surprise of All History (13:1-37) 204
Christians Die (13:9-13) 209
Riches to Rags (14:1-11) 214
There Will Be Blood (14:12-31) 218
The Cup (14:32-42) 222
Show Trial (14:43-65) 226
God Accepts Rejects (14:51-52, 66-72) 230
Rome on Trial (15:1-20) 234
The End of the Road (15:21-37) 238
Surprising Cry (15:34) 242
Surprising Response (15:38-47) 246
PART FIVE: THE UNFINISHED STORY
It's Your Move (16:1-8) 252
Write This (16:9-20) 256
Go Out (16:9-20) 261
Conclusion: Step into the Story 265