The Scandal of the Kingdom: How the Parables of Jesus Revolutionize Life with God

Book Review Rating: 9/10
Book Review Rating: 9/10This Book Is:- A great posthumous addition to Dallas Willard’s body of work.- Written in the same pastoral/conversational style as other Dallas Willard books (e.g. Life Without Lack).- An application of Dallas Willard’s theology to the parables of Jesus about the Kingdom of God.- Written at a more accessible level than longer works by Dallas Willard (e.g. Divine Conspiracy).This Book Is Not:- A comprehensive study of the parables.- A theology textbook.- A repackaging of other books already published.My Evaluation;I was skeptical about the quality of the content for a book published more than a decade after the author’s death. Having read many of Dallas Willard’s books already, I wasn’t sure what needed to be added to his body of work that would add value. Reading The Scandal of the Kingdom was a pleasant surprise!There are many connections to the ideas and underlying theology that underlies many of Dallas Willard’s other books, but the concepts are more clearly stated here. Jesus taught using parables because they are the most effective way to teach what Jesus wanted his audience to learn. Dallas uses the same parables to help us learn the same lessons in a way that we can apply to our lives today.The book is written in the same pastoral/conversational tone with personal anecdotes that can be found in his other writings. It makes for an enjoyable read. This book would make for a great group Bible study.My Takeaways:1) Make the Most of the Small Things:Dallas Willard uses the parable of the Talents (Luke 19) to show how life in the kingdom of God means reigning with creativity alongside God for eternity. We are responsible for making the most out of the things God has given us, even the small things. It is a challenge to think about how I can make an impact in the spheres of influence that I have. We are often misled into thinking that we have very little and therefore very little to give. Dallas Willard points out how we need to take God seriously and believe that we are worth the investment that God has made in us. Believing that God has given me specific gifts to use to reach people for his kingdom gives me the courage and freedom to step out of my comfort zone and see where God leads me.2) Think Big:God is able to accomplish more than we can ask or imagine. I don’t think I have ever set out to do something for God’s glory that could only be possible with God’s power. I tend to aim small and limit my aspirations to things that I can achieve with my own power, probably to avoid disappointment. It is also very easy for me to jump from wanting to do something significant to wanting to be recognized as having done something significant. It is helpful to think about what seeking a God-sized goal from a place of humility could look like in my life.3) Wealth In the Kingdom of God:Dallas Willard uses the parable of the rich fool (Luke 12) to teach about wealth in the kingdom of God. Wealth can take hold of our hearts and become an idol. God transforms our relationship with money and frees us from the pull of wealth by teaching us to be content with the gifts God has generously provided. Wealth in the kingdom of God is not based on money, possessions, or treasures. Wealth is based on our own character and the investment we make in the lives and character of others. It can be easily fall back into relying on my bank account balance for my security. It is easy to focus on spiritual growth and character formation from a place of privilege. I need to learn to be vulnerable and trust God for my security beyond what makes sense from my logical, human perspective.4) Persistence in the Kingdom of God:Dallas Willard uses several parables to show how persistence in forgiveness, service, prayer, and humility are prerequisites for growth. For me, the hardest of these four areas are prayer and humility. Prayer can sometimes feel more like a duty or chore than a conversation with a friend or father. I pray that God gives me a greater desire to seek him. Humility helps us trust in God and not in ourselves. I can easily view myself as superior to those around me, but this judgmental attitude comes from a place of insecurity and desire for meaning through recognition. I ask God to give me humility to see and value others as God does.

Excellent Book
I was surprised to see this new book from Dallas Willard. It definitely reads like Dallas Willard wrote it even though it was written from a series of talks that Dallas made years ago. As any student of the Bible knows, it is a challenge to understand the parables of Jesus. This is a wonderful book. When you combine it with the Spirit of the Disciplines, The Divine Conspiracy and Renovation of the Heart, you have a combination of teaching that is amazing. God has certainly used the faithful teaching of Dallas Willard in my life. Of course, his many other books and his talks are amazing resources too for spiritual growth. Recently, I have been listening and re-listening to many of his talks on his You tube channel. After reading the first few chapters, I bought extra books to give away.

Using Jesus’ parables as he intended
Having read most of Dallas Willard’s books and many articles, I have found his writings and teachings to have a profound effect on my faith. However, Dallas can be a challenge to read for many people, because his books tend to be written densely – jammed with the thoughts both pastoral and philosophical. I have always wanted to find a way to introduce his writing in my church. John Mark Comer has been immensely helpful, with his Practicing the Way work. Now comes this book, which is Dallas’ amazing mind turned to pulling out the truths in Jesus’ teaching. I am grateful to the team at Dallas Willard Ministries for bringing his voice out of various lectures and papers and yet, at the same time, making a very accessible work that should prompt much discussion and ultimately achieve the concept of what Jesus was doing in using the parables. Jesus was making his audience think, wrestle and live in tension with their pre-conceived notions using very relatable everyday items and stories. The Scandal of the Kingdom allows us to enter into the ancient hearer’s perspective by also using relatable everyday items and stories. This book is what I have been hoping for to help introduce people to the kingdom of God. Blessings!

Great book on understanding the Kingdom of God
After going through the 3 year course of “Master’s in the Master”, studying all major books and talks of Willard with Jesus College – headed by Doug Webster, I was eager to read the book and see if it had anything new. And what a treasure it really is! Great gold nuggets of the stories we’ve heard from our Sunday schools but never got the depth of their meaning for living in the Kingdom of God. I deeply appreciate the content, and an thankful to the Willard family, friends and editors for bringing it to us!

Great book based on 1980s lessons series, compiled by author’s daughter. Insightful and applicable. Thank you

Whilst written over a decade after Dallas’ passing, this book is truly faithful to his voice and teachings. It is far more accessible given the editing than his larger volumes such as The Divine Conspiracy, and Spirit of the Disciplines.This book is an impactful and inviting meditation on a selection of Jesus’ parables with Dallas’ enchanted and true vision of discipleship. There is more life available in God’s Kingdom now and this book is an encouraging step in that direction. Highly recommend.

Have so enjoyed Dallas Willards books. Not a page turner but def food for the brain.