Category: Shepherding with Spurgeon

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ENCOURAGEMENT FOR PASTORS (BY SPURGEON)

We ought to feel a great respect for our own sphere of labor. You who are pastors are not only set to be watchmen for souls, but to be watchmen for the souls in particular places. You brethren, as a whole, are to go into all the world to preach the gospel, but each one of you must feed that flock of Christ over which the Holy Ghost has made you an overseer. There your principal labors must be expended, for there your principal responsibilities lie.

I would have every brother think very highly of the position in which God has placed him. If I am a sentinel, set to guard the army at a certain point, I know that every post in the whole cordon is important; but I am not to dream that mine is not so. If so, I may be inclined to sleep, and the foe may surprise the camp at the point which I ought to have guarded. I am to feel as if the whole safety of the entire camp depended upon me—at least, I ought to be as zealous and as watchful as if it were so.

SERMON ILLUSTRATION (BY SPURGEON)

Spurgeon was a master illustrator. You can use this illustration in your own preaching to describe the fruitlessness of moralism.

Mere moralists very often forget the heart, and deal exclusively with the lesser powers. Some of them say, “If a man’s life be wrong it is better to alter the principles upon which his conduct is modeled: we had better adopt another scheme of living; society must be remodeled, so that man may have an opportunity for the display of virtues, and less temptation to indulge in vice.”

It is as if, when the reservoir was filled with poisonous or polluted fluid, some sage counsellor should propose that all the piping had better be taken up, and fresh pipes laid down, so that the water might run through fresh channels; but who does not perceive that it would be all in vain, if the fountain-head were polluted, however good the channels.

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ENCOURAGEMENT FOR PASTORS (BY SPURGEON)

If you have something of your own to say, my dear friend, do not try to say it when those learned people are present who can speak so much better than you can; but if God has something to say through you, he knows which trumpet is most fit for him to use; and what matters it to you who may or may not be listening? Dare you play the coward in the presence of God? No. The conviction that you have a commission from God, and that the Spirit of the Lord is upon you, will make you very bold. Faith in God will cause us to honour our calling so much that we shall not dare to disgrace it by cowardice.

SERMON ILLUSTRATION (BY SPURGEON)

Spurgeon was a master illustrator. You can use this illustration in your own preaching to describe the need to admit your sinfulness.

Suppose a man of generous spirit were to resolve to forgive all those who were indebted to him; it is clear that this can only apply to those really in his debt. One person owes him a thousand pounds; another owes him fifty pounds; each one has but to have his bill receipted, and the liability is wiped out. But the most generous person cannot forgive the debts of those who do not owe him anything. It is out of the power of Omnipotence to forgive where there is no sin. Pardon, therefore, cannot be for you who have no sin. Pardon must be for the guilty. Forgiveness must be for the sinful. It were absurd to talk of forgiving those who do not need forgiveness—pardoning those who have never offended.

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ENCOURAGEMENT FOR PASTORS (BY SPURGEON)

If our gospel is true, it will yet come to the front, and God will work for us; therefore are we “be steadfast, immovable, always excelling in the Lord’s work” (1 Corinthians 15:58). If we do not see souls saved today or tomorrow, we will still work on.

Ours is not the unrequited toil of Sisyphus rolling uphill a stone which will rebound upon us, nor that of the daughters of Danaus who sought to fill a bottomless vessel. We are laboring for eternity, and we count not our work by each day’s advance, as men measure theirs; it is God’s work, and must be measured by his standard. Be well assured that, when time, and things created, and all that oppose themselves to the Lord’s truth shall be gone, every earnest sermon preached, and every importunate prayer offered, and every form of Christian service honestly rendered, shall remain embedded in the mighty structure which God from all eternity has resolved to raise to his own honor.

SERMON ILLUSTRATION (BY SPURGEON)

Spurgeon was a master illustrator. You can use this illustration in your own preaching to describe God’s preservation of his people.

Some talk of our being in grace and out of it, as if we were like rabbits that run in and out of their burrows: but, indeed, it is not so. The Lord’s love is a far more serious and abiding matter than this. He chose us from eternity, and he will love us throughout eternity. He loved us so as to die for us, and we may therefore be sure that his love will never die.

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ENCOURAGEMENT FOR PASTORS (BY SPURGEON)

Suppose that, this morning, after reading this letter, an angel should meet you, and lay his hand upon you, and say, “The Lord God Almighty has sent me to commission you to preach the gospel henceforth.” Brother, you would feel a burden laid upon you, and yet you would feel renewed confidence and ardor. But no mere angel’s hand has touched you, brother; the Lord Jesus Christ himself, who redeemed you with his most precious blood, has laid this “necessity” upon you.

The pierced hand, which gave you healing, has appointed you to your Lord’s service, and made you a chosen vessel to bear his name. Hear afresh from His lips the commands, “Feed my sheep” and “Feed my lambs,” even as Peter did by the Sea of Galilee.

SERMON ILLUSTRATION (BY SPURGEON)

Spurgeon was a master illustrator. You can use this illustration in your own preaching to describe the foolishness of fear.

If indeed the name of the Eternal God is named upon us, we are secure; for, as of old, a Roman had but to say, “Romanus sum, I am a Roman,” and he could claim the protection of all the legions of the vast empire, so every one who is a man of God has omnipotence as his guardian, and God will sooner empty heaven of angels than leave a saint without defense. Be braver than lions, for God is with you.

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ENCOURAGEMENT FOR PASTORS (BY SPURGEON)

It is not every one of us who can speak as some can do, and even these men cannot speak up to their own ideal. If there be any brother here who thinks he can preach as well as he should, I would advise him to leave off altogether. If he did so, he would be acting as wisely as the great painter who broke his palette, and, turning to his wife, said, “My painting days are over, for I have satisfied myself, and therefore I am sure my power is gone.”

Whatever other perfection may be attainable, I am certain that he who thinks he has gained perfection in oratory mistakes the ability to talk for eloquence, and verbiage for argument. Whatever you may know, you cannot be truly efficient ministers if you are not “apt to teach.” You are probably all acquainted with ministers who have mistaken their calling, and evidently have no gifts for preaching; make sure that none think the same of you.

SERMON ILLUSTRATION (BY SPURGEON)

Spurgeon was a master illustrator. You can use this illustration in your own preaching to describe the need to be born again.

Brethren, we ought not always to profess our ability to prove Scriptural truths to ungodly men, for many of those truths lie outside the region of their understanding. I should not try to prove to a blind man that the grass is green and the sky is blue, because he can have no idea of the proposition which I am proving. Argument in such a case is folly on both sides.

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ENCOURAGEMENT FOR PASTORS (BY SPURGEON)

We believe in the gospel as God’s power to save. We know that, for every case of spiritual sickness, we have an infallible cure; we need not say to any man, “We have no good news from God for you.” We believe that there is a way of getting at all hearts. There is a joint in every sinner’s harness, though he be an Ahab, and we may draw the bow hopefully, praying the Lord to direct the arrow through it.

If we believe in God, nothing can be too hard or too heavy for us. If I believe only in myself, I feel that a hardened sinner may refuse to listen to my reasoning, and may not be moved by my affectionate address; but if I believe in the Holy Ghost, I feel that he can win a hearing, and carry conviction to the conscience. We believe, brethren, in the power of truth. We do not expect truth to be loved by all mankind; we do not expect the gospel to become popular among the great and the learned, for we remember that word of the apostle, “Brothers and sisters, consider your calling: Not many were wise from a human perspective, not many powerful, not many of noble birth” (1 Corinthians 1:26) but we do not believe that the gospel has become decrepit through old age.

SERMON ILLUSTRATION (BY SPURGEON)

Spurgeon was a master illustrator. You can use this illustration in your own preaching to describe the relationship between faith and reason.

Christians do not triumph over the world by reason. Not at all. Reason is a very good thing, and nobody should find fault with it. Reason is a candle: but faith is a sun. Well, I prefer the sun, though I do not put out the Candle. I use my reason as a Christian man; I exercise it constantly: but when I come to real warfare, reason is a wooden sword; it breaks, it snaps; while faith, that sword of true Jerusalem metal, cuts to the dividing of soul and body.

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ENCOURAGEMENT FOR PASTORS (BY SPURGEON)

If we divide ourselves between God and money, or Christ and self, we shall make no progress. We must give ourselves wholly to holy things, or else we shall be poor traders in heavenly business, and at our stock-taking no profit will be shown.

Am I a minister? Let me be a minister wholly, and not spend my energies upon secondary concerns. What have I to do with party politics, or vain amusements? Am I a Christian? Let me make my service of Jesus my occupation, my life-work, my one pursuit. We must be in-and-in with Jesus, and then out-and-out for Jesus, or else we shall make neither progress nor profit, and neither the church nor the world will feel that forceful influence which the Lord would have us exercise.

SERMON ILLUSTRATION (BY SPURGEON)

Spurgeon was a master illustrator. You can use this illustration in your own preaching to describe the folly of living for the world.

We know there have been great battles where nations have met in strife, and one has overcome the other; but who has read of a victory that overcame the world? Some will say that Alexander the Great was its conqueror; but I answer, nay. He was himself the vanquished man, even when all things were in his possession. He fought for the world, and won it; and then mark how it mastered its master, conquered its conquerer, and lashed the monarch who had been its scourge.

See the royal youth weeping, and stretching out his hands with idiotic cries, for another world which he might ravage. He seemed, in outward show, to have overcome old earth; but, in reality, within his inmost soul, the earth had conquered him, had overwhelmed him, had wrapped him in the dream of ambition, girdled him with the chains of covetousness, so that when he had all, he was still dissatisfied; and, like a poor slave, was dragged on at the chariot wheels of the world, crying, moaning, lamenting, because he could not win another. Who is the man that ever overcame the world?

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ENCOURAGEMENT FOR PASTORS (BY SPURGEON)

The Great Shepherd of the sheep will grant us an all-sufficiency with which to feed his people. Believing in God all-sufficient, we expect to see our loaves and fishes multiplied; consequently, we do not lay by in store, but deal out at this present all that we have.

I saw in Rome a fountain, which represented a man holding a barrel, out of which a copious stream of water was perpetually running. There never was much at any one time in that marble barrel, and yet it has continued to yield a stream for four or five hundred years. So let us pour forth from our very soul all that the Lord imparts to us. For twenty years and more, I have told out all I know, and have run dry every time, and yet my heart still bubbles up with a good matter. I know some brethren in the ministry who are comparable to the great tun of Heidelberg for capacity, and yet the people do not receive so much gospel truth from them as from preachers of very inferior capacity who have formed the habit of giving out all they have.

We believe that the Spirit of God will be in us a well of water springing up unto everlasting life, and we act according to that conviction. We do not expect to have much goods laid up for many years; but, as we live by daily bread, so upon continually new supplies do we feed our people. Away with the musty, worm-breeding stores of old manna, and let us look up day by day for a fresh supply!

SERMON ILLUSTRATION (BY SPURGEON)

Spurgeon was a master illustrator. You can use this illustration in your own preaching to describe radical Christian generosity.

A cheerful giver is also a willing giver. We are not to be like the young grape that must be pressed and squeezed to get the juice out because it is not ripe. Rather, we ought to be like the honeycomb, dripping spontaneously with fresh honey.

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ENCOURAGEMENT FOR PASTORS (BY SPURGEON)

“This grace was given to me—the least of all the saints—to proclaim to the Gentiles the incalculable riches of Christ.” (Ephesians 3:8)

It really is a grace to be permitted to preach the gospel, and it brings grace with it. Brethren in the ministry, have you not read the Bible much more because you have had to preach the blessed truths revealed in it? Have you not been driven to your knees much more because you have had to deal with anxious souls, and to lead the people of God?

I am sure that it is so; and I thank God for having a calling which does not take me away from the mercy-seat, but drives me to it. I am grateful that I have a message which I am glad to tell, glad to tell anywhere, a message which never needs to be concealed, but which brings joy to us in telling it, and salvation to our hearers in listening to it. Blessed be God that we have such a story to tell!

SERMON ILLUSTRATION (BY SPURGEON)

Spurgeon was a master illustrator. You can use this illustration in your own preaching to describe God’s use of our trials to increase our faith.

Great hearts can only be made by great troubles. The spade of trouble digs the reservoir of comfort deeper, and makes more room for consolation. God comes into our heart—he finds it full—he begins to break our comforts and to make it empty; than there is more room for grace.

THANKS FOR READING (AND SHARING!)

Brothers,

Thank you again for reading this newsletter. At this point, over 400 pastors have subscribed to get weekly encouragement from Spurgeon. I really hope it’s useful to you.

If this newsletter is useful, please share it with other pastors you know. You could even forward them this email. They can subscribe at this link.

Thank you again for reading and sharing! It is an honor!

— Doug
Creator of SpurgeonBooks

Get wisdom encouragement for Spurgeon in your inbox every week. Subscribe to the The Pastor’s Note newsletter for free.

ENCOURAGEMENT FOR PASTORS (BY SPURGEON)

Brethren, our faith discerns upon our side unseen agency. While we are at work, God also is at work. We do not reckon that the forces engaged upon our side are confined to the pulpit; we know that, all the week long, God is, by care, and affliction, and trouble, and sometimes by joy and consolation, making the people ready to receive what he has charged us to teach them.

We look upon our congregations, and perhaps are ready to cry in our unbelief, “Master, what shall we do?” but our eyes are opened, and we see horses of fire and chariots of fire round about the prophet of the Lord; mysterious agencies are cooperating with the ministry of grace.

SERMON ILLUSTRATION (BY SPURGEON)

Spurgeon was a master illustrator. You can use this illustration in your own preaching to describe the importance of regular Bible reading.

A man has a letter given to him: he puts it in his pocket, and does not open it. He goes out tomorrow for his day’s pleasuring, and he promises himself that he will open the letter on Tuesday, when the Bank Holiday is over.

Suppose in that letter there should be a warning of some plot against his life, or information of his mother being at the point of death, or of the sudden illness of a favourite child. What will he say to himself if he opens that letter too late?

The Bible is to many a man God’s unopened letter. Alas, how little do men search the Scriptures! If they do read them, they do it mechanically, and do not think over their warnings.

RESOURCE FOR PASTORS

There is more confusion surrounding theology of the body/human embodiment than most doctrines today. Our culture’s confusion about sexuality, gender, and the sanctity of human life — as well as “acceptable” sins against the body (lust, gluttony, laziness) — are rooted in bad theology.

We need a better understanding of what our bodies are and how we live as embodied image bearers in a fallen world.

There’s a great new resource available to help you better understand theology of the body and how to teach this important doctrine to your church: Embodied: Living as Whole People in a Fractured World by Gregg Allison.

This book is a valuable resource to the church — it will be well worth your time to read this summer. I studied under Allison in seminary and have benefited tremendously from his instruction on theology of human embodiment. This book will make you love your body and thank God for his glorious design.

Buy Embodied:

• Amazon (Paperback, Kindle, or Audiobook editions)
• ChristianBook.com (Paperback or Ebook editions)