ENCOURAGEMENT FOR PASTORS (BY SPURGEON)
In these days, there is a growing hatred of the pulpit. The pulpit has maintained its ground full many a year, but partially by its becoming inefficient, it is losing its high position. Through a timid abuse of it, instead of a strong stiff use of the pulpit, the world has come to despise it; and now most certainly we are not a priest-ridden people one-half so much as we are a press-ridden people. By the press we are ridden indeed. Mercuries, Despatches, Journals, Gazettes, and Magazines are now the judges of pulpit eloquence and style. They thrust themselves into the censor’s seat, and censure those whose office it should rather be to censure them.
Editor’s note: This passage from Spurgeon really reminded me of our current day. What Spurgeon saw playing out in the press, we see today over social media and podcasts, where people criticize preaching generally or compare preachers.
SERMON ILLUSTRATION (BY SPURGEON)
Spurgeon was a master illustrator. You can use this illustration in your own preaching to describe the quiet nature of the Christian life.
If there is only one waterfall in a river, only one in a thousand miles, everybody hears about it and it is marked on the map. But if another river should flow on smoothly, it would not cause such a noise as that one cataract would make.
In like manner, a holy life is not talked of by an ungodly world half as much as one unholy act of an inconsistent professing Christian. How they delight to speak of that! How they roll the story of the sins of God’s people under their tongues as sweet morsels! You may repent of your backsliding; you may become even more zealous afterward, as you should do. But, my dear brothers, after having once stained your reputation, it is not easy to wipe out the blot.
ONE MORE REMINDER: PREACH JESUS THIS WEEKEND
“I am not afraid to preach to you justification by faith alone! Look to Jesus and live!” — Charles Spurgeon