John R. Rice (December 11, 1895 – December 29, 1980) Preacher … evangelist … revivalist … editor … counselor to the thousands … friend to millions—that was Dr. John R. Rice, whose accomplishments were nothing short of miraculous. Known as “America’s Dean of Evangelists,” Dr. Rice made a mighty impact upon the nation’s religious life for some sixty years in great citywide campaigns and in Sword of the Lord conferences.
Like many other strong fighters for the faith, Rice was also marked with a sincere spirit of compassion. Those who knew him best knew a man who loved them. In preaching, in prayer and in personal life, Rice wept over sinners and with saints.
Introduction
“Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.” – Mark 8:38.
In Luke 9:26 we read nearly the same:
“For whosoever shall be ashamed of me and of my words, of him shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he shall come in his own glory, and in his Father’s, and of the holy angels.”
There is a connection. The Bible is the Word of Jesus Christ. The Bible is in the words of Christ. We call the Holy Spirit the Spirit of God, but He is also the Spirit of Truth, the Spirit of Supplication, the Spirit of Christ.
In Colossians 3:16 the Scripture says, “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly.”
Sometimes the plural form words, referring not only to the Word as a whole but also to every distinct word of it, is used, as in our text where Jesus said, “Whosoever … shall be ashamed of me and of my words.”
When Jesus said in Matthew 24:35, “Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away,” He referred to the Bible. If you have a red-letter Bible, the words of Christ are printed in red. Not only is the Lord Jesus saying, “This part printed in red will never pass away,” but He is also speaking of all the Bible as the Word of God, for the words in the Bible are the words of Christ.
Jesus said, “Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words … of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.” He refers to Christ and the Bible together—holy, supernatural and inseparable.
Dr. E. Stanley Jones said something like this:
When I went to India, I found my lines were too extended. I could not defend all the lines and territory I took in. So, I conceded that the Bible may not be infallibly true, but I held on to Christ, believed in Christ, but not necessarily that the Bible is all true.
That is not only illogical but also practically impossible. You cannot hold on to the Christ of the Bible unless you hold on to the Bible itself. One ashamed of the word of Jesus Christ is ashamed of Christ. They stand or fall together. The Bible is the Word of Christ, and the words are the words of Christ—holy, supernatural and inseparable.
“Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.”
To Be Continued . . .
John R. Rice Website: https://swordsermonvault.com/collections/john-r-rice
John R. Rice Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100041276476532
FOR THE LOVE OF GOD 