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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: