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  THE FOOLISHNESS OF THE CROSS
  by John Daniel Jones
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Summary: The sermon explores the paradox of the Cross as God's chosen
method of redemption, highlighting its initial foolishness and ultimate
power.

Topics: "The Cross", "Redemption Plan"
Scripture References: Matthew 16:24

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DESCRIPTION
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John Daniel Jones emphasizes the unexpected and powerful method of God's
redemption through the cross, contrasting the worldly expectations of
conquest with Jesus' sacrificial love. Despite the initial doubts and
disbelief from both the Jews and His disciples, Jesus chose to win the
world by dying for it, a method that seemed foolish and absurd to many.
The preaching of Christ crucified was met with ridicule and offense, as
the world struggled to comprehend the wisdom and power of God's plan
through the Cross.

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CONTENT
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"For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but
unto us which are saved it is the power of God"

(1 Cor. 1:18).

He chose to redeem the world by dying for it. This was not the method
the Jews had anticipated. This was not the method even His own disciples
anticipated. They expected Christ to take possession of the world by
right of conquest. They were always dreaming about thrones, quarrelling
as to which of them should occupy the throne nearest Christ's when His
Kingdom was actually established. The temptation to take possession of
the world in that way presented itself to Jesus. It constituted part of
the Temptation in the wilderness. The Devil promised Him all the
kingdoms of the world and the glory of them if He would stoop to the use
of worldly weapons. But Jesus thrust the temptation away and
deliberately set His face toward the Cross. He set His faith, not on
force, but on sacrificial love. He chose to win the world by dying for
it. But that was so unexpected a method, that for the moment it
shattered the faith of the disciples. The unbelieving Jews thought that
by the Cross they had brought an impostor's career to an end; the
disciples thought the Cross meant final defeat and failure. Their hopes
of the Kingdom died with the death of Jesus. Even though Jesus Himself
had spoken of it to them again and again, they had refused to believe
it, and when it really took place all their dreams collapsed. Well, it
did seem a strange way of winning the world--to accept defeat at its
hands, to go down to death and shame, to suffer on a Cross! When the
Apostles went about preaching Christ crucified, people laughed at their
message. Paul talks about the "offence of the Cross." It seemed absurd
to suggest that a person who died on the gibbet was the world's Saviour.
The Cross was a stumbling-block to the Jews and foolishness to the
Greeks. But this foolish, paradoxical method of saving and redeeming the
world proved itself, in experience, to be the very power and wisdom of
God.

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Source: https://sermonindex.net/speakers/john-daniel-jones/the-foolishness-of-the-cross/
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