After a Man Travels to The Furthest Reaches of the Known World He Had This to Say

I suppose that’d be the click-bait title if we had the internet during the time of Adoniram Judson. I love this little story I found tucked away in a Spurgeon sermon.

Judson was one of the early missionaries. He was the first Caucasian missionary who was a Protestant to travel to Burma to share the gospel. He had been there for some 30 years and came back to his sending church.

Many people gathered expecting to hear Judson tell of his travels and the amazing stories of what God had done with the people of Burma. Judson spoke, filled with emotion, for about fifteen minutes about what Christ has done on our behalf. He spoke about the precious blood of Christ covering all of our sin. When he sat down one of this friends informed him that the people were very disappointed. They had wanted to hear something else. But Judson said, “I just presented the most interesting subject in the world.” But they were not satisfied. They wanted to know about all of his travels and exploits in Burma. And I love what Judson said,

“Then I am glad they have it to say, that a man coming from the farthest away point in the world had nothing better to tell them than the wondrous story of the dying love of Jesus. My business is to preach the gospel of Christ; and when I can speak at all, I dare not trifle with my commission. When I looked upon those people today, and remember where I should next meet them, how could I stand up and furnish food to vain curiosity—tickle their fancy with amusing stories, however decently strung together on a thread of religion? That is not what Christ meant by preaching the gospel. And then how could I hereafter meet the fearful charge, ‘I gave you one opportunity to tell them of ME; you spent it in describing your own adventures!’

I love that!

I’m glad that they now have the message that a man traveling to the farthest away point in the world had nothing better to tell them than the wondrous story of the dying love of Jesus!

Isn’t this true of us as well? And isn’t this a sobering reminder for us preacher to focus all of our illustrations and preaching on this one great aim—exalting Jesus!

—

Photo source: Geoff Box