Imaginary Jesus

I am so glad I stumbled upon this book. Matt Mikalatos is an amazing writer. I purchased this book on CD because I have an hour long commute to and from work everyday. I was so excited to get back to my car and listen. I would recommend this book to any one who has felt like finding Jesus should be so simple and then turned it into a very crazy complicated thing. I can't wait to see what other offerings Mikalatos has in the future.

Matt's savoring a cup of coffee at his favorite Communist bookstore...with Jesus. He's been enjoying Jesus' company for a while now, and although Jesus seems to be invisible to everybody else, Matt's found him to be a pretty regular guy and handy for heading off things like parking tickets and other minor inconveniences. On this particular day, however, a big, hairy man barges into the coffee shop, full of righteous indignation and smelling of fish. He picks a fight with Jesus, and Matt's tidy little world comes crashing down. The smelly guy with the solid right hook claims to be the Apostle Peter, and worse than that, he insists that Matt's Jesus is no Jesus at all. He's an Imaginary Jesus, and he's up to no good. The bogus Jesus bolts, Peter and Matt in hot pursuit. Before they know it, they're up to their armpits in Imaginary Jesuses, and Matt's beginning to wonder if he ever knew the genuine article at all. I loved the way Matt Mikolatos made himself the protagonist of this story, the knucklehead who thinks he's the only guy in the world who's gotten Jesus right-so right that he can actually see Him and interact with Him on a day-to-day basis. It's a fun, lighthearted tale, a personal struggle of faith cloaked in fiction, and a rollicking romp through time, space, imagination, and the human heart.

The funniest book I 've read in years (see location 525) - but serious and thought-provoking as well (see location 2358, hey! its a Kindle review!). "Matt is in Big Trouble!" - No Sense of Humor Jesus. "I did not come here to lose, Mister Trump!" - Celebrity Apprentice Jesus. "You talkin' ta Me?" - Taxi Driver Jesus.

Imagine having lunch with Jesus at your favorite downtown restaurant. You are discussing Bible passages and the fact that the waiter forgot to bring the side dish to your meal. Jesus tells you he thought that might happen, which annoys you, but you can't really say anything to him about it since you often feel he is unhappy with you. The scene is interrupted by a new guest to the restaurant, one that you've never seen before. Jesus rolls his eyes at the entrance of the newcomer and hurries outside to go plug the parking meter. The new guy comes over and introduces himself as Pete. After getting a glass of water he begins to quiz you about Jesus. You are surprised that he can see him too. Then when Jesus returned to the table you are horrified when Pete and Jesus start bickering. Pete literally punches Jesus in the face who in turn makes a mad dash for the door, picking up his robes and heading for the hills. You knock Pete over with a chair, demanding an explanation for his behavior. "That was an imaginary Jesus, my friend... and now that we are on to him he is going to run." You cross your arms and frown. "I've known Jesus for a long time, what makes you think that you know him better than I do?" "Because," Pete says, heading for the door, "I'm the Apostle Peter." So opens Matt Mikalatos fascinatingly funny and creative story of purging his life of this Imaginary Jesus and the many other fake Jesus characters he finds in his life. Some aren't that easy to get rid of and others look deceptively like the real thing. In his chapters you will meet Political Jesus, Peacenik Jesus, Testosterone Jesus, 8-ball Jesus, and many others. With a few important friends along the way, including Peter, a prostitute, two Mormon missionaries (named Laurel and Hardy), George Barna, and a talking donkey, Matt takes trips in both location and history that open up both his mind and heart to see who Jesus really is. And though it is nearly impossible to put this book down simply for the entertainment value you can't help but recognize some of the false saviors that you've been worshipping yourself. Though this clever parable has a fun literary device it is not difficult to recognize the painful moments in Matt's life that prompted him to look for Easy-Answer-Saviors. Thankfully for him, and for his readers, he didn't stay stuck there and is on a journey of following the real deal. Do yourself a favor and pick up this book and a highlighter or two. It is one of the funniest and thoughtful stories that you will read this year.

You will find this story easy to read, but with the ability to make you think about the type of Jesus you have been/are carrying around all of your Christian life. Matt weaves his own personal situations and struggles into this "not quite true" story, and his candidness at revealing his questions about why things happen makes this book worthwhile. Nothing is tied up neat in a bow because life is just not like that. If you are willing to confront yourself, you won't be disapointed in this book. If you want to be challenged, stretched, and changed in order to glorify God, then this book is for you.