THE POWERFUL GOSPEL
‘Our gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in power.’
1 Thessalonians 1:5
The preaching of St. Paul was exceptionally successful at Thessalonica, and there too the good results of his work were less marred by later evil influences than in many other centres of his apostolic labours. With the Thessalonians most decidedly the gospel is seen as no mere charm of word-jugglery, but as a living, powerful influence.
I. The world needs a powerful gospel.—The great want of men in all ages and climes is some mighty impulse to carry them out of spiritual lethargy into the fresh experience of a new life.
II. The gospel of Christ is full of power.—Christianity is not merely a specific religious system which takes its place among other systems—Egyptian, Indian, Grecian, etc. It is not only a better system than all others—superlatively better in dignity, purity, etc. It is more than any scheme of divinity. It is not simply the incomparably noblest solution ever offered to the great riddle of the universe. Its striking peculiarity is that it is alive while other systems of religion and philosophy are dead.
III. Christ is the source of the power of the gospel.—The gospel comes in power, and not as a mere word, because Christ Himself is with His gospel.
Illustration
‘There is much truth in the Vedastic ideas of God, in the Zoroastrian teaching about sin, in the Egyptian theories of future judgment, in the Greek dramatist’s views of moral government, and in the Greek philosopher’s thoughts concerning the chief good. But all these great and often noble conceptions lack power to change the heart and character of men. Christianity does this. Christ struck the keynote when He wrought miracles—“mighty signs.” His physical miracles were signs of His spiritual work.’