If Jesus walked into the room today, would you recognize Him—or have you unknowingly created a version of Jesus shaped more by culture and personal preference than Scripture? Pastor and author Mark Moore joins Roger Marsh on Dr. James Dobson’s Family Talk to discuss his new book with Kyle Idleman, The Missing Messiah: The Jesus We Can No Longer Ignore. Listen now and take a fresh look at what it means to know Jesus not only as Savior, but as Messiah, Lord and King. Many Christians know the name Jesus Christ—but have we forgotten what the title Christ actually means? Mark Moore explains that while “Christ” and “Messiah” both mean “the Anointed One,” modern Christians can easily begin treating “Christ” almost like Jesus’ last name. In the process, we may lose sight of His authority as King and Lord. Drawing from John
17:3, Moore argues that eternal life is not merely something believers receive after death. It begins in knowing God and the Messiah He sent—and that relationship changes how Christians live right now. Have We Created Jesus in Our Own Image? Moore and Marsh examine the tendency to create a comfortable, customized Jesus who meets our needs without challenging our priorities. Moore describes this as a kind of “Build-A-Bear” Christianity: selecting the qualities of Jesus we find comforting while ignoring the Lord who calls us to obedience, sacrifice, service and mission. The problem, he argues, is not simply that Christians may become fans of Jesus. It is that we can construct a Jesus who looks suspiciously like ourselves and then worship that image instead of the Messiah revealed in Scripture. Savior or King? Moore identifies several consequences of seeing Jesus only as Savior rather than Lord. Salvation can become something focused entirely on going to heaven someday rather than walking in obedience to Jesus today. Sin becomes purely personal rather than something that also affects communities. Faith becomes individualized rather than lived within the body of Christ. That individualism, Moore argues, can rob believers of the fellowship, purpose and shared mission God designed for His church. Does Your Jesus Always Agree With You? The conversation also turns to politics and culture. Moore warns against creating a “partisan Jesus” who conveniently agrees with every point in our preferred political platform. Instead, Christians should allow Jesus to challenge their assumptions—including His command to love your enemies. The goal is not to…
