The Wisdom Of The Cross

Life can be hard, and sometimes it seems like God doesn't even care. When faced with difficult trials, many people have resonated with the book of Job—the story of a man who lost nearly everything, seemingly abandoned by God. In this thorough and accessible commentary, Christopher Ash helps us glean encouragement from God's Word by directing our attention to the final explanation and ultimate resolution of Job's story: the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Intended to equip pastors to preach Job's important message, this commentary highlights God's grace and wisdom in the midst of redemptive suffering. Taking a staggeringly honest look at our broken world and the trials that we often face, Ash helps us see God's sovereign purposes for adversity and the wonderful hope that Christians have in Christ. Part of the Preaching the Word series.

Few recent Christian thinkers have been as widely influential as John Howard Yoder (1927-1997). Encompassing a teaching career of more than thirty years and such landmark publications as 'The Politics of Jesus', Yoder's life and thought have profoundly impacted students and colleagues from a broad range of disciplines. In the words of Stanley Hauerwas, Yoder is probably the major theologican/ethicists of this half-century in America and certainly the leading Mennonite theologian of the twentieth century. 'The Wisdom of the Cross' is the only book to provide valuable secondary essays engaging Yoder's central theological concerns, together with a biographical reflection on his life and legacy. Written by scholars both from within and outside of Yoder's Mennonite community, these essays develop the most significant aspects of Yoder's thought - from his powerful defense of Christian pacifism to his seminal analysis of the politics of Jesus to his challenging contributions to Christian social ethics, ecclesiology, and theological method. The book also includes a previously unpublished essay on moral absolutes by Yoder himself. A fitting tribute to Yoder's distinguished career, this volume will be useful to readers new to Yoder's work and to those wishing to probe more deeply into the implications of his thought.

“The Wisdom of the Cross” by Fr Anthony C. Mbanefo, MSP, is a refreshing reflection of the power of the Cross. The author’s generous use of Sacred Scripture gives a perspective from before and after. Fr Mbanefo stresses the liberation of the Cross and how it is shared in our baptism and in the moment of our redemption. Like his other works, Fr. Mbanefo challenges the reader to use the Cross as a benchmark for our own commitment to discipleship. Ultimately, “The Wisdom of the Cross” leads to the love that God has for each of us. + Most Reverend Gregory J Hartmayer, OFM. Conv. Bishop of Savannah, GA This book is an invitation for all Christian believers to confront the challenges of life with profound faith and docility to God’s will. God’s love for mankind is made visible in the suffering and death of Christ. Fr Mbanefo demonstrates how the passion and death of Christ makes the day to day sufferings of our human condition full of meaning and purpose. I recommend this book to all those who believing in Christ as their hope want to discover from him, the strength that will aid them in confronting the difficulties of life. +Most Reverend Kevin J. Boland, Bishop Emeritus of Savannah GA

Regardless of their sometimes ambiguous concepts of God, the Roman Stoic philosophers did acknowledge Him, but on the basis of reason alone, because they had not met Christ. Nonetheless, they did deduce from God's existence our need to live lives of virtue, honor, tranquility, and self-control--and they developed effective techniques to help us achieve this. Musonius Rufus the teacher, Epictetus the slave, Seneca the adviser to emperors, and Marcus Aurelius, the emperor himself, produced a practical technology we can use to integrate Christian ethics into our own daily practice. As Kevin Vost so wonderfully illustrates in his new book, The Porch and the Cross, the Stoics can help us learn--and remember--what is up to us, and what is up to God alone.

"If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it." These inspiring words of wisdom that had been spoken by Jesus to believers in days past have stirred a response from many readers down through the ages to follow in His footsteps. Have you picked up your cross today? How do you know with certainty what your cross is? Theologically the cross that every disciple picks up is the same; experientially it will be expressed differently. The essential facets of cross-bearing that define discipleship are identified in the wisdom of the cross enabling Christians to live to their full potential in Christ. To simplify the reading of this book, footnotes are not used. A bibliography of references is included. Darlene E. Buchholtz is the founder and president of Crosswind, Inc. She received her Masters Degree in Theology from International Seminary. As a bi-vocational minister, she has been involved in multiple facets of ministry for over twenty-five years, including a thirteen-year pastorate. Devoted to the ministry of the Gospel, she currently teaches at Crosswind Teaching & Training Center, in Toledo, Ohio.

For several months, prior to publication, some people were asking that we should write this book and that it be entitled, “The Message Of The Cross”. • I believed then and now that their request was from the Lord. Consequently, this book is the result of that need. • This Message, “The Message Of The Cross” is the single most important Message of the Word in any language. The Salvation of the soul and how we live for God is important beyond comprehension. • I feel every Believer will be greatly strengthened in the Word if they will avail themselves of this publication.

The cross of Christ crucified symbolized the central theme of Paul’s ministry. In his letter to the Corinthians, the apostle commenced his correspondence with the message about the cross and power of God (1 Cor 1:18, NRSV). The proposal for this paper utilizes the method analogia scripturae. Set within the wisdom motif of the Greco-Roman world, this study is dedicated to the examination of the apostle’s Christology in the context of 1 Cor 1:18–25 and the pneumatology in 1 Cor 2:9–16 as both pericopes are juxtaposed in his epistle. Essentially, the thesis concerns the grounding of the pneumatology of Paul with his Christology in 1 Corinthians. The Corinthian church required clarification and pastoral wisdom with their pneumatic experiences; thus, Paul recognized that a strong theology of the cross complemented their encounters with the Spirit. The question for biblical studies involves a lively tension of the pneumatology of the Spirit with a robust Christology. Because the power of God throughout this passage has the cross as its paradigm, the structure of the book leads to the significance of the apostle’s pneumatological contribution of the cross and Christ crucified (1 Cor 1:18; 2:2). For this reason, a strong Christology must ground the pneumatology of the Pauline corpus. This study in biblical literature commences a new discussion in ecumenical dialogue between pneumatic experiences in the church and christological issues in Scripture.