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Max Lucado
Book
He Chose The Nails
 
Credits

Max Lucado

Senior Pastor

Oak Hills Church of Christ
19595 1H10 West
San Antonio, TX 78257
since 1988- 3000 members

Best-selling author, has sold over 16 million books

Numerous Gold Book Awards, Gold Medallion Awards and ECPA/CBA Christian Book of the Year

MA & BA, Abilene Christian University

Former missionary to Brazil

Married to Denalyn, 3 daughters

 
SPIRITUAL LIFE
Answers About Jesus from 'The Passion of The Christ'
 
HOLY WEEK

Max Lucado: He Chose The Nails

By The 700 Club

CBN.com -- Best-selling author and Pastor Max Lucado appears on the 700 Club to discuss the crucifixion.

He Chose The Nails

Because the life of Christ and His crucifixion have been talked about so much, Lucado wanted a fresh way to present the truth of the Gospel. After praying about it, he chose to present the cross this time from the vantage point of the inanimate objects present at the cross - the crown of thorns, the nails, His garment, wine-soaked sponge, the soldiers spit.

Because God doesn't do anything by happenstance, Lucado says each part of the crucifixion is important. Of the soldiers' spit, Lucado says the soldiers were not told to spit at Jesus, but the evil inside of them made them do it. "Jesus didn't wipe it off. No angel helped him," Lucado says.

Instead Lucado says to: "Allow the spit of the soldiers to symbolize the filth in our hearts. And then observe what Jesus does with our filth. He carries it to the cross." Of the wine-soaked sponge he says that Jesus endured thirst through the pain and suffering, not having a drink since the Last Supper, so that as He died on the cross we would know that He understood our sufferings. We can trust Him. "Jesus' message through the wine-soaked sponge is this: I am that person. Trust Me."

After the concept of He Chose The Nails came to him, Lucado called his team around him. Lucado says he's never known anyone else to write the story of the cross from that angle. He sensed the Lord's kindness and now has seen the project grow. They prayed for a million booklets and one million have already been ordered.

Lucado says although he always writes from the heart, this book is for the head and heart. He did a lot of research to give readers the biblical knowledge behind the words. It presents the core doctrine of our faith.

The Storyteller

Since publishing his first book in 1985, Lucado has enjoyed tremendous and unexpected success as a writer. The youngest of four children, Lucado grew up in the small West Texas town of Andrews. His father Jack was an oil-field mechanic and his mother Thelma was a nurse. His family was very committed to their local Church of Christ.

Lucado became a Christian at age 10, but went through a teen phase from 14-18 where "I just sowed more than my share of wild oats," he says. He remembers coming home drunk one night as a sophomore in high school and vomiting in the bathroom. The next morning he was so disappointed that he'd saddened his father. This incident would have a profound effect on Lucado as he would learn of God's grace through the actions of his father.

"When I was understanding who God is and how God forgives, I saw how my father forgave me in that instance," Lucado says. One night after high school graduation, Lucado and his buddy James were sitting in a pickup in the parking lot of the Piggly Wiggly drinking beer, when Lucado turned to James and said, "There's got to be more to life than this."

"That was a river bend for me," he says. Lucado enrolled at Abilene Christian College, and later rededicated his life to Christ during a revival.

His spent time in Miami where he met his future wife Denalyn. They married about 10 months later. He began preaching and writing in Miami. He always loved writing, and Denalyn says he would stay up late doing it. It was exciting to him.

Lucado is a missionary at heart - having spent years ministering in Brazil, and his greatest desire is to share the Gospel through his writing. He's been so successful at it that he has not taken a salary from his church in 10 years.

Answers About Jesus from 'The Passion of The Christ'



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