MORE THAN 400 years ago, Martin Luther translated the Bible into the German language for the first time. It was first printed in Wittenberg, a little city southwest of Berlin, halfway to Leipzig. Later it was printed at Augsburg, and also at Strasbourg and Basel. Copies of the Bible spread all over the area where the German language was used. They welcomed the Scriptures and thrilled in their hearts as they read of God’s love toward man and of God’s gift to man, His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ.
Probably that was the way it was in a printer’s shop in Wittenberg, Germany in the year 1522 when Martin Luther’s translation of the Bible was being printed. The printer set the type and then tested his work. A story is told about a scrap of paper that had some of that printing and we suppose it could have been one of those papers the printer used for testing his work.
One of the scraps of paper fell to the floor and then a little gust of wind blew the paper out the door into the street.
Boys were curious then just as they are now and when one little fellow saw that paper he picked it up and took it home. His parents did not yet have a Bible and they knew little about God. But they could read and so they looked at that paper and there they saw only eight words: “God so loved the world that He gave.”
As the words were read over and over, they could only wonder what it was that God had given. They had never seen a Bible and they did not know that God loved them. They had been told that God was angry with them. They had been told too that God wanted something from people and that to make God happy they must give money and do other things. But on that little scrap of paper they read that God loved the world rather than being angry with it; God had given something instead of asking for things.
Those folks made it their business to find out the rest of the story. Somehow it was learned that this was a small part of the Bible. Soon they obtained a copy for themselves and it was not long until they found the place that told what God had given in His love—His only begotten Son. They believed the wonderful news and were saved.
Now, dear reader, may this great and wonderful love of God in giving His Son to die on Calvary’s cross for us, win your heart to adore and praise Him. Then we shall together sing through the endless ages of eternity, “Unto Him that loves us, and washed us from our sins in His own blood.... to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever.” Rev. 1:5-65And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, 6And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen. (Revelation 1:5‑6).
ML-11/18/1962