Offensive & Attractive

Mark Driscoll writes:

The curious paradox of the atoning death of a bloody Jesus rising above the
plane of human history with a mocking crown of thorns is that he is offensive in
an attractive way. It is the utter horror of the cross that cuts through the
chatter, noise, and nonsense of our day to rivet our attention, shut our mouths,
and compel us to listen to an impassioned dying man who is crying out for the
forgiveness of our sins and to ask why he suffered. Tragically, if we lose the
offense of the cross, we also lose the attraction of the cross so that no one is
compelled to look at Jesus. Therefore, Jesus does not need a marketing firm or a
makeover as much as a prophet to preach the horror of the cross unashamedly. (Listening to the Beliefs of Emerging Churches, 33, emphasis added)