ENCOURAGEMENT FOR PASTORS (BY SPURGEON)
Brethren, I hope that, however useful God may have made us in our several spheres, we do not conceive ourselves to be vastly important, for indeed we are no such thing. The cock was of opinion that the sun rose early every morning on purpose to hear him crow; but we know that sun did nothing of the kind.
The world does not revolve, the sun does not blaze, the moon does not wax and wane, the stars do not shine, entirely for the especial benefit of any one brother here, however admirable he may be in his own place; neither does Christendom exist for the purpose of finding us pulpits, nor our own particular church that it may furnish us with a congregation and an income; nay, nor does even so much as one believer exist that he may lay himself out for our sole comfort and honor. We are too insignificant to be of any great importance in God’s vast universe; he can do either with us or without us, and our presence or absence will not disarrange his plans.
SERMON ILLUSTRATION (BY SPURGEON)
Spurgeon was a master illustrator. You can use this illustration in your own preaching to describe our accountability to God.
I sometimes pity persons who are brought up before the magistrates for breaking some of our new laws, which the magistrates themselves cannot administer and nobody can understand. The magistrate says, “It is clear you have broken a law,” and the man replies, “I did not know it.”
I pity a man in that case, but you do know the law of the Lord. God’s laws have been published, fastened up in your conscience, and printed in the book that is in all your houses, and so if you sin against his commands you sin against light and knowledge, and will be utterly without excuse when he calls you to his bar.
THANKS FOR READING
Brothers,
Our churches are not platforms to build us up — we are to be humble servants, building up the church. Humility is an essential ingredient for a faithful and fruitful ministry.
And it’s also a crucial ingredient for our joy — to know that the world, the work, God’s glory, and God’s gospel do not depend on us. We are insignificant, and this should end our pride. But we are also insignificant, and this should end our anxiety.
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Blessings to your ministry,
Doug H.
Creator of SpurgeonBooks
Preaching Pastor of Pillar Church of Washington DC