A poor man was dying. Several times the clergyman had been to see him, and had read prayers for the sick, and told him what a great sinner he was. But the clergyman did not know of God's love to sinners, therefore all he said only made the poor man more miserable.
The visit was repeated several times, but the sick man received no comfort; he could only moan about the weight of his sins.
One Sunday morning he sent his child to bring the clergyman on his way from the service.
"It is no use for me to go," said he, "your father never seems any better."
"O, sir," answered the child, "Father said I was not to go back without you."
"Well, I'll take my sermon to read to him." And he followed the child. He found the poor man almost distracted about his soul.
"He was wounded for our transgressions; He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was upon Him; and with His stripes we are healed."
"Hold," called the dying man; "read that again, sir. 'Wounded for our transgressions'! Then He was wounded for mine! I have it!" he exclaimed, starting up. " 'Bruised for my iniquities.' Why did you not tell me that before, sir? But I have it now, thank God! I am saved."
That night, in full assurance of faith, he fell asleep in Christ, resting on His finished work.
The day following, the clergyman called on a friend, and asked what there was in that scripture more than another.
"Why," said his friend, who was a believer in the Lord Jesus, "this verse contains the whole gospel. Now, I pray you believe it. Can you say, `He was wounded for my transgressions? The Son of God bore my sins in His own body on the tree' "?
"I see," exclaimed the clergyman, "how blind I have been all along; knowing the Scripture with my head, and not believing it with my heart."
Next Lord's Day his congregation was amazed at the intensely earnest way in which he preached; still more so when he told them that he had been a blind leader, but that God's grace had shone into his heart, and that now he was a new creature in Christ Jesus. He begged them all to trust Him as their own Savior, too.