How powerful is the Preached Word of God?
On October 7, 1857, C. H. Spurgeon preached to his largest audience ever, some 23, 654 assembled in the mammoth Crystal Palace for a national day of fasting and prayer. A few days before the event Spurgeon had gone to the huge hall to test the acoustics. Stepping into the pulpit, he lifted up his voice like a silver trumpet and proclaimed:
"Behold the lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!"
Then Spurgeon repeated the one verse again: "Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!"
Satisfied with the acoustics, he left and went his way.
Unknown to him, there were two men working in the rafters of that large auditorium, neither one Christians. One of the men was pricked in his conscience by the verse Spurgeon quoted and became a believer later that day! Such is the penetrating power of God's eternal word! Little wonder that Paul is so insistent on our "preaching the Word."