ENCOURAGEMENT FOR PASTORS (BY SPURGEON)
The object of our preaching, as well as its doctrine, is faith; for we reckon that we have done nothing for sinners until, by the power of the Holy Ghost, we bring them to faith; and we only reckon that our preaching is useful to saints as we see them increase in faith. As faith is in our hand the power with which we sow, and as the seed we sow is received by us by faith, and steeped in faith, so the harvest for which we look is to see faith springing up in the furrows of men’s hearts to the praise and glory of God.
Interwoven, therefore, with our entire spiritual life, and with all our ministerial work, is the doctrine and grace of faith; and, therefore, we must be very clear upon it — that is a small business; we must be very strong in it — that is the great matter. I am praying earnestly that we may all be like Abraham, “strong in faith, giving glory to God,” and, like Stephen, “full of faith and of the Holy Ghost.”
SERMON ILLUSTRATION (BY SPURGEON)
Spurgeon was a master illustrator. You can use this illustration in your own preaching to describe the cost of following Christ.
Before we buckle on the Christian armor we ought to know what that service is which is expected of us. A recruiting sergeant often slips a shilling into the hand of some ignorant youth, and tells him that Her Majesty’s Service is a fine thing, that he has nothing to do but walk about in his flaming colors, that he will have no hard service—in fact, that he has nothing to do but to be a soldier, and go straight on to glory.
But the Christian sergeant, when he enlists a soldier of the cross, never deceives him like that. Jesus Christ himself said, “Count the cost.” He wished to have no disciple who was not prepared to go all the way—“to bear hardness as a good soldier.”
PRAYER FOR PASTORS
This week, please pray for Pastor Deon van Zyl from South Africa
- Wisdom to teach and lead the church in the truth
- Wisdom to guide the Christian school with godly wisdom
- For strength body soul and Spirit for him and his family
Can we pray for you? Click here to submit prayer requests for a future newsletter.