The Gospel has a once-and-for-all quality. It is unique. There is nothing like it in history or in any other world religion. Someone put that truth in the form of a story about a conference in outer space to which the many planets sent delegates to report on the progress made by their civilizations. Some reported that they had abolished poverty and war, others that they had eradicated all illness and disease, others that they had closed the prisons and reduced the crime rate to zero. Aware of their failures in this regard, the earth delegates sat there embarrassed. Finally their leader rose to his feet and said, "We have no good news to report. Nothing important has happened to us, except, maybe, one small thing. A few centuries ago God visited the earth." The others looked at him in amazement. "You say God visited the earth. How did you receive Him? What did you do with Him?" Earth's delegate hung his head in shame and confessed, "Actually we killed him... But he rose again... God visited the earth."
That says it all! God visited the earth in Jesus Christ who lived and died and rose again for our salvation, who ascended to heaven and sent the Holy Spirit to work in the hearts and community of Christian believers. That is the Gospel, the Christ-event, the foundation of our faith. It happened once and need not happen again. All that we Christians believe is based on it.
- Rev. Dr. A. Leonard Griffith in a sermon, "The Faith Entrusted to Us"
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