There’s just one Book for the bridal hour, One Book of love’s own coining. Its truths alone lend beauty and power To vows that lives are joining. There’s just one Book. There’s just one Book for life’s gladness, One Book for the toilsome days: One Book that can cure life’s madness, One Book that can voice life’s praise. There’s just one Book. There’s just one Book for the dying, One Book for the starting tears, And one for the soul that is flying Home for the measureless years. There’s just one Book.
gospel changes with every passing generation. The Sunday School methods employed by the little church in which I grew up are not sufficient for the vast intricacies of the church I now pastor in Dallas. We are living in a different age, in a different world and our methods must be changed to meet these changing times. The horse and the buggy are gone; the ox cart is gone; even the railroad steam engine is gone. We live in the furious pace of this Jet age, and in this fast-moving pan orama, we must somehow inculcate the truth and the principles of the message of our Saviour. Ultimately our methods and our approach arise out of the unique message and ministry of Jesus. In no wise was his teaching min istry trite and staid and stale and static and dead. It was, rather, dynamic and personal and relevant. The Scriptures say that those who heard Him were astonished at his new departure, his new doctrine, his new teaching, his new methods. It was like new wine in new wine-skins. It was like a new garment, not at all old and patched. His mes sage was called “ The New Covenant,” “ The New Testa ment,” “ The New Creation.” It was addressed to the in dividual. It is the religion of the one lost sheep and the one lost coin and the one lost boy. His aims were to be achieved not through armies, not through national as semblies, not through legislative correction, not through political, social, economic amelioration, but through the changed heart. His approach was not in terms of the masses, the gobs, buckets-full, oceans-full, but in terms of the one. In the cursing fisherman, He could see the preacher of Pentecost. In the despised publican, He could see the writer of the first gospel. In the reprobate tax- collector, He could see the man of God. In the sinful harlot, He could see the purity of Mary Magdalene. In the dying thief, He could see the companion of Paradise. In the blaspheming persecutor, He would see the great apostle to the Gentiles. Our method, then, is organizing, grading, dividing responsibility to reach that one, that father, that mother, that youth, that teenager, that child, that baby,—divid ing our teaching responsibility, as one is assigned to one. Our motto could be: “Won by One.” We are born one at a time; we die one at a time; we are judged one at a time; we are won to Christ one at a time. We are thus taught and prayed for, each as an immortal soul who shall spend an eternity before God. The great text of our Sunday School is the living Word of the living God. When Sir Walter Scott was dying, He said to his •son-in-law, Lockhart, “ Bring me the Book.” The son-in-law answered: “ There are so many in the library; which book shall I bring?” The great author re plied: “ There is just one Book.” “ There’s just one Book!” cried the dying sage: “Read me the old, old story.” And the winged words that can never age Wafted him home to glory. There’s just one Book. There’s just one Book for the tender years— One Book alone for guiding The little feet through joys and fears The unknown days are hiding. There’s just one Book.
The story of Jesus will never grow old Its message is sweeter each time it is told, It will lead to that city whose streets are pure gold, The story of Jesus will never grow old. The Bible is a library of sixty-six books, reflecting an amazing variety of subjects, types of literature, unusual backgrounds and marvelously interesting authors. Its production covered at least a period of fifteen-hundred years and it is concerned with the whole panorama of history from the creation to the consummation of the age and the eternity that is yet to come. Yet, with all this vast and illimitable variety, the Bible is bound together in a remarkable unity. The unity is to be found in the theme which runs like a scarlet thread through the variegated tapestry of the Book: the redemptive purpose of God for the world, consumated in Jesus Christ, our Lord; and mediated to all men through human witness. The message and meaning of the Mosaic law is to be found in Jesus. The fulfillment of prophecy is to be found in Jesus. The story of the gospels is the story of Jesus. The message of the epistles is the message of Jesus. The great unveiling of the revelation is the dramatic story of the ultimate triumph and victory of Jesus. Our commission is to make known to all mankind this good news of the love of God in Christ Jesus. He is identi fied with the Word and the Word is identified with Him: the spoken Word, the written Word, the incarnate Word. “ In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the begin ning with God” (John 1:1, 2). “ And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name writ ten, that no man knew, but he himself. And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God” (Revelation 19:11-13).
The preacher is to preach the Word of God and the teacher is to teach the Word of God. “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness” (II Timothy 3:16). “ Preacli the word; be instant in sea son, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long- suffering and doctrine” (II Timothy 4:2). (continued on next page) The Story of The Book of Books
NOVEMBER, 1961
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