2 Corinthians 4:5-6 “We do not preach ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake. For God, who said, ‘Let light shine out of darkness,’ made his light to shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.”

Jesus Christ, the Lord of love, the Lord of life, the Lord of salvation, is the substance of Christian teaching. If you do not find that gospel ringing from the pulpit, find someplace else to worship. If your children do not have that gospel shining on them in their Sunday schools, find someplace else to send them.

Though it can involve hard work, when we let the substance of that gospel light shine on us and others, we have reason to trust in its success. “For God, who said, ‘Let light shine out of darkness,’ made his light to shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.”

God’s word contains unquestionable power. We need look no further for proof than the fact that we are able to read these words, or see anything at all. The light that fills your room, the light that emanates from your computer or phone screens, exists as the result of God’s Word. “And God said, ‘Let there be light,’ and there was light.” And God said. God speaks. It happens. The light shines out of darkness. Creation sings the success of God’s word.

God speaks again, “Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved.” And it happens. A new and greater light shines in our hearts, and we see in a new and greater way. Faith comes flooding in, and we know. We know what we are looking at when we are looking at Jesus. We have “the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.” In the face of this man, who gave his life to free us from sin, we see our God. We see his glory. We see how much he loves us.

The success of this gospel can’t be proved by mere numbers, whether the positive figures on a balance sheet, the numbers in attendance at Sunday worship, the baptism count on a mission field, or the scores on a test of Bible knowledge. A changed heart isn’t always as evident as we might like even in a changed life. But something shines, something burns in a heart that wasn’t there before. A child of God knows Jesus, just as we have known him. In the light of his face, another soul has come to see and trust their God.