Christ Our Mediator: Finding Passion at the Cross

by C.J. Mahaney

WHAT’S THE KEY TO HAVING MORE PASSION FOR CHRIST, THE CROSS, AND THE GOSPEL ?

The answer is to look at the death of Christ not from our point of view, but from God’s. That’s what this book helps you do in a profound, strategic, and life-changing way.

Author C. J. Mahaney exposes our human tendency to look at the Savior’s death (and at everything else!) through our own subjective feelings and impressions, rather than from the standpoint of objective truth. By nature we always begin with ourselves rather than with God. But by following the God-first "Divine Order" in how we think—and by asking "What do I believe?" instead of "How do I feel?"—we’re freed up to embrace the right truth in the right way. The right feelings quickly follow, and they’re reliable because they’re anchored in truth.

The Secret to Sustaining Joy

Do you desire more passion for Christ? Then learn to see His death not from our point of view, but from God’s.

Author C. J. Mahaney puts you at our Savior’s side—and into His soul—during the most emotionally wrenching moments of His final hours. As you better understand the true nature of His struggle, you’ll grasp more than ever the staggering significance of why Jesus died…and fully experience His sacrifice as a personal act of love for you .

Allow the deepest truths of Calvary to stir your passion for Christ our mediator into a flame that burns your whole life long.

Story Behind the Book

There’s nothing more overpowering than to climb Calvary ’s hill in childlike attentiveness and wonder, with all our distractions and wrong assumptions cleared away. This book was written that we might be gripped by gratitude and enflamed in passion for the Savior, Christ our Mediator, who suffered the Father’s righteous wrath for us.

Genres: Christian, Christian Living, Theology, Faith, Discipleship, Nonfiction

96 pages, Hardcover

First published September 21, 2004

About the author

C.J. Mahaney leads Sovereign Grace Ministries in its mission to establish and support local churches. He spent 27 years pastoring Covenant Life Church in Gaithersburg, Maryland.

He currently co-hosts the Together for the Gospel conference with Mark Dever, Ligon Duncan and Albert Mohler and serves on the Council of the Alliance of Confessing Evangelicals, and on the boards of The Council on Biblical Manhood and Womanhood and the Christian Counseling and Educational Foundation.

Reviews

[Michael Andrzejewski · Rating 3 out of 5]

Christ our Mediator, by CJ Mahaney does one thing well. It pleads with the reader to consider the supreme importance of understanding of Christ's substitutionary death on the cross. Mahaney posits, "...by better understanding His suffering, we'll grow in a consistent joy and zeal that will equip us for whatever trials God brings our way in the process of sanctification."

A quick read of only 63 pages, simply written and concise, Christ our Mediator reads more like a sermon that an actual book. Interspersed throughout are personal anecdotes and timely quotes from well-respected and very godly pastors that I found helpful at times, but trite at others. While I hesitate to say that Mahaney uses clichéd expressions, I do so out of respect. They may not be clichéd, but at times it certainly feels as much.

Mahaney remains factually correct and theologically sound over the course of the book, but without judging his motives, I can justly say that this isn't one of those books written out of necessity, but rather out of desire. Many books that I have read flow from the heart of the author because his very soul leaked from the pressure of the subject. The wrote the book or they burst. This work is not one of those. It strives to create passion for the cross and instill peace by pointing to the Lord Jesus' Gethsemane experience, but for me slightly missed the intended target by hitting my head and not my heart.

There exists no greater subject matter. We have a great Mediator, whose love and compassion are unparalleled and I would recommend Mahaney's book as long as the reader's hopes don't get too high.

In closing, I'd like to say thank you to WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for offering this book to in exchange for reviewing it here.

[Jon · Rating 5 out of 5]

A study on the various aspects of the Passion of our Savior. This book diagrams beautifully the emotion, love, sacrifice, and majesty of my wonderful Lord. I watched as C.J. Presented the cross as a personal act of love for me. The main thrust behind this book is that “before we can see the cross as something done for us, we must see it as something done by us.” - John Stott. What a concept. My Christ, as a gift from my God, sacrificed that I might have a relationship with Him. “For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all, which is the testimony given at the proper time.”

Wow. I finished this book a couple of days ago, and its message has been stewing in my heart ever since. Oh, what a book. I was awakened again spiritually to the importance of my knowledge, understanding and thoughts on the cross. It is my everything in this life. I saw afresh the sacrifice of a Father...to kill His son. I hurt for my God as he peered into the Cup of suffering. I was humbled as I saw myself as one of the faces in the crowd that jeered “Crucify Him! Crucify Him!” And I was encouraged to find my joy only in the cross. Praise God for showing me these things. I count this book and C.J.'s other book The Cross Centered Life as one of my top 10 heart burners. It was worship to see my Savior unfolded for me.

O help me to understand it,
help me to take it in--
what it meant to Thee, the Holy One,
to bear away my sin.

GIVE ME A SIGHT, O SAVIOR
Katherine A. M. Kelly

[Wendy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Take a look "with more depth and detail at why He suffered and what He uniquely accomplished by His suffering in relation to God and for the sinner" as C.J. Mahaney explores the gospel, beginning with what he calls "The Divine Dilemma", the solution, and what that meant for Jesus to die in our place, for our sins, so we may be forgiven and reconciled to God.

This is a short read, but presents the gospel with a little different emphasis than I'm used to - namely the very personal person of Jesus Christ. I was struck time and again by the way Mahaney showed truths in the Bible that I've heard many times, but in a way that made me notice how much God cares for me, how he is able to relate to my situations. I liked how Mahaney described the ways that Jesus can relate to us specifically, and also the ways that he is wholly different from us. I was thankful for the clarity with which Mahaney reminded me of our need for a savior.

"You and I are in our humanity - ready to die under the righteous wrath of a holy Lord, with absolutely no hope... except to cry out for a mediator."

Disclosure: I received this book free from the publisher through the BloggingForBooks.org book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is small and perfect. I read it and reread it everyday as it brings me very near to the Cross of Christ. Which in my experience I need to live next to the Cross everyday!

[Kelly Schulz · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was tickled pink to find this small hardcover/coffee table style book being practically given away at my local library.
A fan of CJ Mahaney, I nabbed it up and have found that for it's concise length, it holds rich and deeply vibrant gospel truth.
It sums up all the powerful salvation clarity and theological profundity of CJ's previously authored title, "Living the Cross Centered Life" in a shorter, but equally effective work.
Excellent resource for gifting, outreach/welcome bags etc.

[Randy Alcorn]

Christ our Mediator is a much-needed correction to this culture of entitlement. It should astound us that Jesus went to hell on the cross so we’ll never get what we deserve. We’ve grown too accustomed to grace-we need to be floored by it. C. J. Mahaney gives us a fresh look at our Lord and His cross. I was drawn closer to Jesus through this book-what higher complement could I offer?

[John · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good book for any Christian to read, but it would be exceptional especially in its use with a new believer or in an evangelistic relationship. My only complaint is that Mahaney doesn't plunge as deeep as I'd like at times (the book's brevity doesn't allow for it).

[Philip · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is vintage C.J. All Gospel, all the time. It takes you through the Gospel storyline from beginning to end offering wonderful new perspectives and an outstanding glimpse into C.J.'s passion for the Cross.

[Sally Andrews · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really great book. It begs to be read slowly. Absorb it and THINK as you read. Don't hurry through, but listen to God speaking.

[Emily Cipalla · Rating 5 out of 5]

this was one of my husband's favorites! Thanks to great friends we met along the way, this helped JOe and I walk closer with Christ and come to baptism in the faith WE accepted