This morning I sat down to read through some chapters of the Gospel of John, as we’ve being reading one chapter of John a day as a congregation since the beginning of the lockdown. I’d missed doing yesterday’s reading so I started at chapter 17 and moved on to 18… and then I carried on to the next chapter without thinking… and then I just read through the remaining two chapters. I know the story, and yet even in reading it again I was captivated by it. The Gospel story has that effect, no matter how many times we read it or hear it, it retains its captivating power.
We’ve just come out of Easter Week, a time where the focus is on Jesus life, death and resurrection. A time where we hear the old, old story once again. And once again, God has used the Gospel story to touch our lives. It really is the greatest story ever told!
The words to the hymn Tell Me the Old, Old Story highlight the relevance that the Gospel has for our lives to this very day.
Tell me the old, old story,
Of unseen things above,
Of Jesus and His glory,
Of Jesus and His love;
Tell me the story simply,
As to a little child,
For I am weak and weary,
And helpless and defiled.
Tell me the story slowly,
That I may take it in—
That wonderful redemption,
God’s remedy for sin;
Tell me the story often,
For I forget so soon,
The “early dew” of morning
Has passed away at noon.
Tell me the story softly,
With earnest tones and grave;
Remember I’m the sinner
Whom Jesus came to save;
Tell me the story always,
If you would really be,
In any time of trouble,
A comforter to me.
Tell me the same old story,
When you have cause to fear
That this world’s empty glory
Is costing me too dear;
And when the Lord’s bright glory
Is dawning on my soul,
Tell me the old, old story:
“Christ Jesus makes thee whole.”
So let us continue to read and listen to the old story, let us continue to tell and retell it to others. There are those who desperately need to hear about God’s remedy for sin, that Jesus came to save us. There are those who need reminding of the truth. There are those who need to receive the comfort the Gospel story brings. There are those who need to see the glory of the Lord that will always outshine the empty glory of the world.
Tell them the old, old story of Jesus and His love.
God Bless
Graham
