Preaching "Jesus Christ, and Him Crucified."

All scripture references, unless otherwise noted, are from the King James Version of the Holy Bible. 
The Lord Jesus said in John 12:32, "And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me." He was not speaking of praise or worship in modern church services but the Lord was making a direct reference to His death on the cross of Calvary. I believe that this was the basis of the Apostle Paul's declaration to the Corinthian church in 1st Corinthians 2:1-5 when he said in verse 2, "For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified." I thank God for good Pentecostal worship and praise. I remember though from Bible college days when Bro. Edwin Judd said something to the effect that "20 seconds of silence in a Pentecostal service was too long for some people." I do like good, lively Pentecostal worship. I like steak too but wouldn't like to eat steak every night.

Jesus said if He were lifted up He would "draw all men" to himself. But when one of His disciples asked in Luke 13:23, "Lord, are there few that be saved?" Jesus gave this answer in verse 24, "Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able." It behooves each of us who hear His voice saying, "Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest," to come to Him. (See Matthew 11:28) Apostle Paul said in 2nd Thessalonians 3:2, "And that we may be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men: for all men have not faith." There are unreasonable and wicked men who refuse to believe the gospel of the Lord Jesus. 

The Bible says in 2nd Thessalonians 1:8 that when the Lord returns for His Bride, he will not come as the suffering Saviour, "but,In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ..." Those who reject God's mercy today will not be saved in that day when Jesus returns. That does not relieve us from the necessity of preaching Christ and Him crucified to all. How else will we reach those who will believe the gospel and come to the Lord Jesus for salvation.

I like what one preacher said, taking his text from Romans 1:14-16 as he and his family were about to depart for the Foreign Mission field. From verse 14 he said, "I am debtor," from verse 15, "I am ready," and from verse 16, "I am not ashamed." I want to preach Jesus Christ and Him crucified. I want to spend the rest of my life preaching, "Jesus Christ, and him crucified." It is only then that the faith of believers, "...should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God." That is how I want my faith to stand. How about you?