Now, brethren, I have ventured to dwell so long upon this matter, because it is no use talking about the Gospel unless we understand what we mean by it, and I, for my part, venture to say that that is what Paul meant by it, and that is what I mean by it.  I plead for no narrow interpretation of the phrases of my text.  I would not that they should be used to check in the smallest degree the diversities of representation which, according to the differences of individual character, must ever prevail in the conceptions which we form and which we preach of this Gospel of Jesus Christ.  I want no parrot-like repetition of a certain set of phrases embodied, however great may be their meanings, in every sermon.  And I would that the people to whom those truths are true would make more allowance than they sometimes do for the differences to which I have referred, and would show a great deal more sympathy than they often do to those, especially those young men, who, with their faces toward Christ, have not yet grown to the full acceptance of all that is implied in those gracious words.  There is room for a whole world of thought in the Gospel of Christ as Paul conceived it, with all the deep foundations of implication and presupposition on which it rests, and with all the, as yet, undiscovered range of conclusions to which it may lead.  Remember that the Cross of Christ is the key to the universe, and sends its influence into every region of human thought.

II.  What Paul thought the Gospel was.

‘The power of God unto salvation.’  There was in the background of the Apostle’s mind a kind of tacit reference to the antithetical power that he was going up to meet, the power of Rome, and we may trace that in the words of my text.  Rome, as I have said, was the embodiment of physical force, with no great faith in ideas.  And over against this carnal might Paul lifts the undissembled weakness of the Cross, and declares that it is stronger than man, ’the power of God unto salvation.’  Rome is high in force; Athens is higher; the Cross is highest of all, and it comes shrouded in weakness having a poor Man hanging dying there.  That is a strange embodiment of divine power.  Yes, and because so strange, it is so touching, and so conquering.  The power that is draped in weakness is power indeed.  Though Rome’s power did make for righteousness sometimes, yet its stream of tendency was on the whole a power to destruction and grasped the nations of the earth as some rude hand might do rich clusters of grapes and squeeze them into a formless mass.  The tramp of the legionary meant death, and it was true in many respects of them what was afterwards said of later invaders of Europe, that where their horses’ hoofs had once stamped no grass ever grew.  Over against this terrific engine of destruction Paul lifts up the meek forces of love which have for their sole object the salvation of man.