No better news ever came out of heaven than the gospel. No better news
ever fell upon the ears of the family of man than the gospel. Hark!
hear those shepherds talking to one another after the angels had gone
away. They believed the message, and they were full of joy. You can
see them on the way now to Bethlehem. They said, "Let us go and see
what has taken place." And what was the message that the angels
brought to those shepherds? "Behold, I bring you good tidings of great
joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in
the city of David a Saviour." Now, if those shepherds had been like a
good many people at the present time, they would have said, "We do not
believe it is good news. It is all excitement. Those angels want to
get up a revival. Those angels are trying to excite us. Don't you
believe them." That is what Satan is saying now. "Don't you believe
the gospel is good news." Because he knows the moment a man believes
good news, he just receives it. I never saw a man in all my life that
did not like good news. And every man and woman that is under the
power of the devil does not believe the gospel is good news. The
moment you are out from under his power and influence then you believe
it. May God grant that the gospel may sink deep into your hearts, and
that you may believe it and be saved.
It is the best news that ever came to this sin-cursed world. It means
"Good spell," or, in other words, "God's spell." We are dead in
trespasses and sin, and God wants us to be reconciled. It is a gospel
of reconciliation, and God is shouting from the heights of glory, "Oh,
ye men, I am reconciled, now be ye reconciled!" We have glorious news
to tell you--God is reconciled and beseeches his subjects to be
reconciled. The great apostle says, "We beseech you in Christ's stead,
be ye reconciled to God." The moment a man believes the gospel, down
goes his arm of rebellion, and the unequal controversy is over. A
light from Calvary crosses his path, and he can walk in unclouded sun,
if he will. It is the privilege of every man and woman in this vast
assembly from this hour to walk in unclouded sun if they will. What
has brought darkness into the world? Darkness came because of sin, and
the man who does not believe the gospel is blinded by the god of this
world. Now I want to tell you why I like the gospel. It is because it
has been the very best news I have ever heard. That is just the reason
I like to preach it. Because it has done me so much good. I do not
think a man can preach the gospel until he believes it himself. A man
must know it down deep in his own heart before he can tell it out; and
then he tells it out but very poorly at the best.