Rev. Elvis H . Egg
Here is presented the only cure for the ills of the world
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“We preach Christ crucified” (1 Cor. 1:23).
His purity. An incident that once oc curred in India bears this out. A cer tain comedian of that country was invited to entertain a large and notable group of his countrymen. Into the course of his hilarious routine, the man brought the name of Jesus, making vulgar and slur ring remarks concerning the Virgin Birth. Immediately the atmosphere of the room changed. That group, not one of whom was a Christian, turned upon the man and fiercely hissed him. He was forced to retire in great humiliation. Such was the respect of those non-Christians for the holiness of Christ. No man ever dared to make such claims as did He. He said, “I am the way,” and, ‘‘all authority hath been given unto me in heaven and on earth.” He claimed to have the power to forgive sin; that God could be known only through Him. No other religious leader ever dared to set himself up as a Saviour, but Jesus declared that all nations must look unto Him to be saved. No one had a better right to make such sweeping assertions about Himself, for He was the divine Son of God. In Him dwelt the might and power, the grace and holiness, ‘‘the fulness of the God head bodily.” In offering the Christian message, we offer a Person, not merely an other religion. He is the sum total of our message. Without such a Person, we would have nothing to benefit a single soul, much less the whole world.
N O MESSAGE could have meant so much to its herald as did the one Paul bore to trifying news of victory that Phei- dippides bore from Marathon to Athens was not as significant. Though the news of the great runner, the routing of the enemy by the Ath enian army, brought great rejoicing in Athens, the news Paul carried had vastly greater effects. Pheidippides’ message meant the deliverance of Athens and all of Europe from the domination of the mighty Persian Empire, but Paul’s message meant the release of the whole world from the tyranny of Satan’s dominion. Is it any wonder that no bearer of glad tidings ever carried his mes sage with greater joy and pride than did Paul? The gracious miracle of having been chosen to bear this message was a constant source of amazement to him. He was. eternally grateful to his Royal Master who had called and commissioned him as an ambassador of the greatest news the world had ever heard. He longed for all the peoples of the earth to hear and accept his priceless message. To the Roman Christians, who were in the very hub and center of the empire’s grandeur and power, he wrote: “I am not ashamed of the gospel: it is the power of God for salvation to every one who has faith.” To the Philip- pians he stated: “I count everything
as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as refuse, in order that I may gain Christ.” In Corinth, without trying to establish for himself a reputa tion for philosophy or eloquence, he brought his message, convinced of its power to save. He well knew the thrilling effect his message would have on those who heard and accepted it. Look what it had done to him on the way to Damascus! There the mad per secutor had been transformed into the preacher of Christ; the haughty Pharisee had become the humble Christian. Paul knew the joy and hope his message would bring to a sin-sodden and despairing world. Therefore, he never faltered, never weakened in his fervor and zeal to spread the news. Surely, in our day, Christians need a renewed appreciation and understanding of the Christian mes sage and, with a deepened conviction of its supreme value, should pro claim it everywhere to all men. The Person of the Message The Christian message is, first of all,.a Person. Never has the earth seen a nobler character than Christ. Even the enemies of Jesus admitted that they could find no fault in Him. Unbelievers marvel at His work and person. Pagans recognize and honor
the people of his day. Even the elec
MAY, 1947
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