Quest 52

The bestselling author of Core 52 presents a fifteen-minute-a-day plan to help you know and become more like Jesus over the course of a year.

“Quest 52 will help you answer some of faith’s toughest questions while you discover Jesus in a brand-new way.”—Carey Nieuwhof, podcaster and author of At Your Best

You’ve read a lot about Jesus. Now spend an entire year with him! Let respected Bible professor and teaching pastor Mark Moore be your guide. He developed this process over almost forty years of helping people make sense of Christianity.
 
Quest 52 highlights the key moments from Jesus’s life, revealing his identity, his expectations, his priorities, and his ultimate purpose. Each week features a handpicked gospel reading from the life of Jesus, plus an Old Testament passage foreshadowing his coming, a New Testament story revealing his impact, an invitation to discuss insights with fellow travelers, and practical ways to put what you’ve learned into practice.
 
The topics address relevant issues such as:
• Does Jesus really care about your pain?
• How can you know God’s call on your life?
• What does Jesus say about social justice?
• How can you hear God’s voice?
• What are ways to survive these difficult days?
 
This quest will enhance your understanding of Jesus and will forever change how you make choices, engage with others, interpret today’s big issues, and even view yourself!“Quest 52 is the kind of devotional that people have been asking for. It will help you answer some of faith’s toughest questions while you discover Jesus in a brand-new way.”—Carey Nieuwhof, podcaster and author of At Your Best: How to Get Time, Energy, and Priorities Working in Your Favor

“Quest 52 gives us another year’s worth of insight into a better walk with Jesus. Mark asks and answers the most insightful and important questions about Jesus’s life, his teaching, and why he is so passionate about all of us. If you want to start a quest to know more about how much Jesus Christ wants a deeper relationship with you, then I highly recommend this study for you.”—Al Robertson, pastor, author, star of A&E’s Duck Dynasty, and cohost of the Unashamed podcast
 
“By spending just fifteen minutes a day, you will gain insight and inspiration to pursue Jesus like never before. Take the quest and be encouraged.”—Kyle Idleman, bestselling author of Not a Fan and One at a Time

“I can’t think of anything more life-changing or rewarding than pursuing Jesus, but do you ever struggle to know how to move deeper in your journey? In this wonderful book, Mark has provided a detailed map to the greatest adventure in life: knowing Christ.”—Sheila Walsh, author of Holding On When You Want to Let Go

“Spending daily time with Jesus doesn’t have to be as hard as we sometimes think, and Quest 52 proves it. In this book, Mark Moore gives us everything we need to spend a year of daily moments learning to know and love Jesus more. It’s accessible and energizing.”—Mark Batterson, New York Times bestselling author of The Circle Maker and lead pastor of National Community Church

“Do you aspire to know and love Jesus more deeply? Quest 52 is a remarkable and practical tool for either individuals or groups. I urge you to engage with these daily exercises as a pathway to follow the most important figure in human history.”—Nancy Beach, leadership coach with Slingshot Group and author of Gifted to Lead

“Quest 52 will help your church take a quantum leap forward in biblical literacy! Don’t wait a year! Give your church the road map to understanding Jesus better with Quest 52.”—Johnny Scott, lead pastor of Generations Christian Church

“Of all my friends and mentors, Mark Moore has taught me the most about Jesus. Not only does Mark love Jesus deeply, but he also walks with him daily. Quest 52 is an invaluable resource that will help you do the same.”—Caleb Kaltenbach, pastor and bestselling author of Messy Grace and Messy Truth

“Jesus Christ has made the greatest difference in my life, so I really want you to know him. This book can help you see how.”—Michael Jr., comedic thought leader, actor, and author of Funny How Life Works“Well, Mark Moore has done it again! Quest 52 gives us another year’s worth of insight into a better walk with Jesus. Mark asks and answers the most insightful and important questions about Jesus’s life, his teaching, and why he is so passionate about all of us. If you want to start a quest to know more about how much Jesus Christ wants a deeper relationship with you, then I highly recommend this study for you.”
—Al Robertson, pastor, author, star of A&E’s Duck Dynasty, and cohost of the Unashamed podcast
 
“For the last forty years, Mark Moore has been a compelling teacher of Jesus. When it comes to the life and times, conversations and miracles, precepts and cares of our Messiah, Mark knows the gospel truth. In Quest 52 you will go on a trek with Mark, discovering the power and passions of the Savior. By spending just fifteen minutes a day, you will gain insight and inspiration to pursue Jesus like never before. Take the quest and be encouraged.”
—Kyle Idleman, bestselling author of Not a Fan and One at a Time
 
“I can’t think of anything more life-changing or rewarding than pursuing Jesus, but do you ever struggle to know how to move deeper in your journey? In this wonderful book, Mark has provided a detailed map to the greatest adventure in life: knowing Christ.”
—Sheila Walsh, author of Holding On When You Want to Let Go
 
“Spending daily time with Jesus doesn’t have to be as hard as we sometimes think, and Quest 52 proves it. In this book, Mark Moore gives us everything we need to spend a year of daily moments learning to know and love Jesus more. It’s accessible and energizing.”
—Mark Batterson, New York Times bestselling author of The Circle Maker and lead pastor of National Community Church 
 
“Do you aspire to know and love Jesus more deeply? Quest 52 is a remarkable and practical tool for either individuals or groups. I urge you to engage with these daily exercises as a pathway to follow the most important figure in human history.”
—Nancy Beach, leadership coach with Slingshot Group and author of Gifted to Lead
 
“Mark has done it: Quest 52 is a plug-and-play curriculum of exactly what your whole church needs to learn. When parents and kids are having the same faith conversations, you will experience growth in unity like never before. Quest 52 will help your church take a quantum leap forward in biblical literacy! Don’t wait a year! Give your church the road map to understanding Jesus better with Quest 52.”
—Johnny Scott, lead pastor of Generations Christian Church
 
“Of all my friends and mentors, Mark Moore has taught me the most about Jesus. Not only does Mark love Jesus deeply, but he also walks with him daily. Quest 52 is an invaluable resource that will help you do the same.”
—Caleb Kaltenbach, pastor and bestselling author of Messy Grace and Messy Truth
 
“Jesus Christ has made the greatest difference in my life, so I really want you to know him. Quest 52 is a yearlong, fifteen-minute-a-day tool that can help you get there. Pastor Mark teaches at one of my favorite places—Christ’s Church of the Valley. It is a place where common people can go to encounter the uncommon Christ. This book can help you see how.”
—Michael Jr., comedic thought leader, actor, and author of Funny How Life Works
 
“Quest 52 is the kind of devotional that people have been asking for. It will help you answer some of faith’s toughest questions while you discover Jesus in a brand-new way.”
—Carey Nieuwhof, podcaster and author of At Your Best: How to Get Time, Energy, and Priorities Working in Your Favor
 
“There are very few teachers and scholars I respect more than Mark. Working with him for more than a decade, I can promise you that he not only knows Scripture, but he also desperately wants you to know Jesus in a transforming way. This book will help you do just that—in just 15 minutes a day. It can transform your life for eternity.”
—Ashley Wooldridge, senior pastor of Christ’s Church of the ValleyMark E. Moore is the acclaimed author of books such as Core 52 and teaching pastor at Christ’s Church of the Valley in Phoenix, Arizona—one of the fastest-growing and most dynamic churches in America. He previously spent two decades as a New Testament professor at Ozark Christian College. His passion is to make Jesus famous. Mark and his wife, Barbara, reside in Phoenix, Arizona.Introduction

Chasing after Jesus is the journey of a lifetime. In Jesus’s own words, “The kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls, who, on finding one pearl of great value, went and sold all that he had and bought it” (Matthew 13:45–46). Jesus is that pearl of great price. He is worth every effort to obtain him and every sacrifice required along the way. This is the quest—to chase after him, the pearl of great price.

This is my quest. Even after teaching the life of Christ for twenty years at the college level, I am surprised with breathtaking regularity when I get a glimpse of him I haven’t seen before. I am still mystified by his majesty. The deeper I dig, the higher I realize he is. He is always beyond my grasp, even when he walks beside me. The more I see of him, the less I think I really know him.

I am reminded of an incident in the middle of Jesus’s ministry. His closest disciples had been with him for more than a year. Now they were alone with him in a boat (Mark 4:35–41). A storm threatened to swallow them while Jesus was sound asleep in the stern. The men woke him. They needed all hands on deck, probably to help bail out the boat. They had no clue what Jesus could actually do. He stood up in the boat and rebuked the wind and waves, which obeyed. Instantly.

Just as quickly, the disciples’ terror shifted from outside the boat to inside. They had been afraid of drowning in a storm; now they were afraid of standing in his presence. They huddled in the bow of the boat and asked, “Who is this man?” That is the question. This is the quest—to discover the authentic Jesus. Not the cartoon-figure Jesus or a haloed icon in stained glass. The real Jesus—the Jesus who wants to be known.

The Importance of the Quest

Perhaps you’re not a religious person; many on the quest are not. That’s okay. Jesus is worth the pursuit regardless of our past. After all, no other individual has had as great an impact on our world as Jesus of Nazareth. He challenged us to love our enemies, thus reordering the rules for social engagement. He prioritized the outcast, renovating social justice. He introduced servant leadership, transforming politics. He demanded that we examine our hearts and not just our behavior, revolutionizing ethics. He introduced God to the world as Father, thus changing the very nature of prayer. There is no quarter of our modern lives that has not been affected by Jesus of Nazareth—not education, science, religion, society, law, ethics, art, or entertainment. Therefore, he is worth pursuing. He is worth devoting a year to discovering what those first disciples discovered in the boat: he is beyond our expectations and beside us all the way.

Do you want to know him, the real Jesus? Do you want to absorb his influence so you can influence others? If so, welcome to the quest.

This is not a journey across the flatlands. It can, at times, be a tortur- ous trek. But the greatest challenge we face on this quest is not the terrain out there. Rather, it is our own presuppositions, thinking that we have already reached our destination. We think we know who Jesus is. That is the greatest impediment to our quest.
The Challenge of the Quest

In the beginning, God made humans in his own image (Genesis 1:27). We have been returning the favor ever since, trying to make God look like us. It was obvious when ancient priests fashioned idols to reflect their highest ideals of war, sex, riches, and beauty. Their images revealed what they really worshipped. We may imagine ourselves to be more sophisticated, but we have done virtually the same thing when we portray Jesus as supporting our cultural values, ethical sensibilities, and economic aspirations.

It is most obvious with our artistic renderings of Jesus. International images of Christ look like their creators’ countrymen. He has darker skin in Africa, lighter hair in Europe, and distinct eyes in Asia. In one sense, that’s fine. After all, Jesus came to earth in a recognizable physical form so we could relate to him. We all need to see Jesus in a way we can access. The problem comes when we assume that if he looks like we do, he must also think and act like we do.

Our portrayals of Jesus don’t end with paintings; they extend to our preaching. We speak into existence a Jesus that reflects our own image. Virtually every nationality and ethnicity have co-opted Jesus for their own political and social agendas. We assume that he agrees with our cul- tures and lifestyles. This quest is too long to carry our presuppositions with us, so let’s shed them now. Can we admit our biases and begin the quest with humility, honesty, and submission, determined to follow the path wherever it leads and whatever it costs?

The goal of this book is to help you do just that. Think of it as a field guide to your quest for Christ. All it can do is point you in the right direction. The quest is your own. No one can take this journey for you, although some may take it with you.

The Strategy of the Quest

The first four books of the New Testament—Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John—describe the events of Jesus’s incomparable life. Quest 52 will highlight fifty-two incidents from Jesus’s life. These will include people Jesus met, miracles he performed, things he taught, and qualities he modeled. After you read about these incidents in the Bible, Quest 52 will guide you through some thoughts and exercises to help you see Jesus authentically. Think of these fifty-two incidents as mile markers along the way.

Between each mile marker are five days of exercises. It is here that Jesus will meet you face to face.

Day 1: Read the passage(s) from the Bible. You must not short-circuit this step. Begin in the Bible; then move to the essay. Each essay focuses on one biblical concept from one gospel passage and answers one key question relevant to your life.

Day 2: Look back to the wisdom of the Old Testament to gain perspective on this mile marker.

Day 3: Look forward to the letters in the New Testament, where fellow pilgrims expressed their own take on this mile marker.

Day 4: Discuss with fellow pilgrims what you are learning on this leg of the journey.

Day 5: Take your next step in following the path of Jesus.

The book you hold in your hand is the primary resource for this quest for Christ. However, as a bonus, we have provided other tools to add value to this book, especially if you are going through the material with a group:

A video from the author introducing each essay to help make the material in the book more personal. This is a great way to kick off the group for visual learners.

A topical study for overachievers who want to dig deeper into some historical or theological topics. This may help individuals oriented toward biblical research.

An audio lecture from one of my college classes on the life of Christ. This will benefit auditory learners.

This quest will likely demand more than we expect, but the pearl of great price is more valuable than we could ever imagine. So let’s pursue Jesus relentlessly; he wants to be found. He may even join us along the journey. Let’s begin.Bestselling author of Core 52