A Word To Preachers

"For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth on Him should not perish, but have eternal life" (John 3:16).

Just as the infant's hand can grasp the acorn which holds "the giant oak" within it, so the youngest child who can lisp "the Nicodemus sermon" may with truth be said to know the gospel, and yet in every word of it there is a depth and mystery of meaning which God alone can fathom. Tell me what it is to perish, and enable me to grasp the thought of a life that is eternal. Measure for me the abyss of man's wickedness and guilt during all the ages of his black and hateful history, that I may realize in some degree what the world is which God has loved; and then, pausing for a moment to wonder at the thought that such a world could be loved at all, hasten on to speak of love that gave the Son. And when you have enabled me to know this love, which cannot be known, for it passes knowledge, press on still and tell me of the sacrifice by which it has measured and proved itself-His Son, His Only begotten Son. Make me to know, in the fulness of knowledge, Him who declared that the Father alone could know Him. And when you have achieved all this, I turn again to the words of Christ, and I read that it was GOD who so loved the world, and I crave to know who and what God is. I can rise to the thought of love, perhaps to an evil world, and the conception of love giving up an only son is not beyond me; but when I come to know that it was GOD who loved, that GOD was the giver, and GOD'S Son the gift, I stand as a wondering worshipper in the presence of the Infinite, and confess that such knowledge is too high for me.

Think becomingly of the gospel, remembering that it is the gospel of GOD. And His gospel is like Himself. The heaven of heavens cannot contain Him, and yet He owns the humble heart as a fitting home. So also, in its simplicity and plainness, the good news is within the reach of the most ignorant, aye, and even of the lowest and the worst, for such may 'hear and believe and live; but in its depth and fulness it is known to God alone, for it is a revelation of Himself.

But not only has the gospel a depth and dignity and glory all its own because it is in a special sense a revelation of God, it has also a distinctive greatness by virtue of its peculiar mission, and of the issues involved in the' proclamation of it. It is divinely called "the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth". The power of God I no words can add force to this, and words that detract from it are impious. The power which made the worlds and alone can raise the dead, such is the power to the sinner who believes. Let the preacher remember this; and while he humbly consecrates to God every talent he possesses, let him never attempt by unworthy means to add attractiveness to such a message.

(From, The Gospel and its Ministry, Sir Robert Anderson)

unknown | Jan 1972
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