Character of Jesus

Be the Preacher

Sherry Christian Life, salvation, Character of Jesus, promises, Sovereignty of God Leave a comment

…and how shall they hear without a preacher? – Romans 10:14

Someone must make the truth known to men. They will not find out about the Savior unless they are told of Him. The Gospel will not be revealed to men by any supernatural agency—we must go with it. They cannot learn it without being taught it. No man will know the Gospel unless somebody tells it to him, by word of mouth, or by the gift of a book or a tract, or by a letter, or by the open preaching of the Word. Somebody must make it known to the man, for how can he believe in Him of whom he has not heard, and how can he hear without a preacher?

Who ought to preach, then? Everyone who can preach, should do so. The gift of preaching is the responsibility for preaching. I often wonder at some Christian men who can fire away so grandly on the platform, but who never speak for Christ—they will have to account for those prostituted tongues. If a man can speak upon the temperance question, he can speak upon the salvation question; let him take care that he does so…Every man who knows the Gospel ought to make it known. “Let him that heareth say, Come.” When you hear the Gospel, tell it to somebody else—you Christian people are all bound, in proportion to your gifts and your opportunity, to make the Gospel known.

“Why!” says one, “I thought that work was for priests.” Just so, it is only for priests. But then all believers are priests. By His mighty grace, our Lord Jesus Christ has made us kings and priests unto God; and it is our duty, as well as our privilege, to exercise this blessed priestly function of telling to the sons of men the way whereby they may be saved. Each man, then, who knows Christ, and each woman and each young person, too, are bound to tell of Christ in some way or other to all who are round about them. ~ C.H. Spurgeon

https://www.blueletterbible.org/comm/spurgeon_charles/sermons/2327.cfm

An Informed Faith

Sherry Attributes of God, Character of Jesus, Christian Life, promises Leave a comment

How shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? …So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. – Romans 10:14,17

The word “heard” is to be understood in a wide sense. Reading is a kind of hearing. It is not merely listening with the ear; but you must, by some means or other, come to a knowledge of the truth, and you cannot know what you do not hear, or read, or learn. The truth must come under your notice, so that you are aware of it, or else there can be no faith in you concerning it.

I hope that none of you ever believe with the faith of the man who, when he was asked what he believed, said that he believed what the church believed. “Well,” said one, “what does the church believe?” “Oh!” he replied, “the church believes what I believe.” “Well, then, please tell me, what do you and the church believe?” “We both believe the same thing,” answered he; and he could be got no farther.

Now, there is no faith in that at all—it is simple ignorance, and nothing more. “How shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard?” Why, to believe a thing is to know the ins and outs of it! To get at it by reading it or hearing it, are only different forms of the same thing. Well, now, if any man here desires faith, what should he do to obtain it? Sit still, and say, “I will try to believe”? Certainly not. Suppose that I were to announce to you that the Czar of all the Russias is dead, and you said that you wished to believe it. You could not believe it by an effort of your mind—you would inquire for evidence of the truth of my statement, or you would wait until you saw the telegrams tomorrow—and so you would learn whether it was true or not. It is not a distinct act of the will alone that brings faith—”Faith cometh by hearing.” I recommend all seekers after Christ to hear the Word often. ~ C.H. Spurgeon

https://www.blueletterbible.org/comm/spurgeon_charles/sermons/2327.cfm

There is Much Power in the Prayer of Faith

Sherry Attributes of God, Character of Jesus, Christian Life, prayer, promises, salvation Leave a comment

“Therefore, I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them. – Mark 11:24

When you ask anything of God, believe, and you shall receive. When you do appeal to His mercy, believe in the mercy. When you are pleading for His help, believe in the help, for there is much power in faith. “According to your faith, be it unto you.”

You all know, surely, what believing is. You say, “I shall go home to pray.” No, no, no; believe, and pray as much as ever you like, and a believing prayer will save you. “Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved;” but “how then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed?”

Faith comes first. Believe, then, before you do anything else. May God, of His great mercy, enable, some poor sinner to have done with doings and with feelings, and to trust, just to trust Jesus! There you are, hanging up there in a tree. You are afraid of falling down, so you cling with all of your might. Suppose that a strong man comes underneath, and says, “Here, drop into my arms. I will catch you; I am able to bear your weight.” If you trust, him, you will drop into his arms. That is what you have to do with Christ; trust Him and let go every other confidence. Just drop into His arms, and you shall be saved. Remember, then, that there is no praying aright without believing. ~ C.H. Spurgeon

https://www.blueletterbible.org/comm/spurgeon_charles/sermons/2327.cfm

A Saving Faith

Sherry Attributes of God, Character of Jesus, Christian Life, prayer, promises, salvation Leave a comment

How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? – Romans 10:14

The faith that comes behind Christ, and touches the hem of His garment, is a saving faith; and I think that is what you are doing when you say, “Lord Jesus, save me.” If this is a real prayer, and not a sham one, if it comes from your heart, there is, at any rate, a tint, a shade, if not an actual color of faith, upon your soul already.

How could you call on Him in whom you have not believed? Would we call for help from a person who we did not think would help us or could help us? No; the mere fact of calling upon anyone for help proves that we have some measure of confidence in that person, that he can and will help us. Well, if you believe as much as that concerning Christ, and if you will cast yourself upon the believing that you shall be saved, I would that you had more faith, but even that little faith will bear thee into heaven.

You believe also that Christ can and does hear you. Ah, you would not have been alone upstairs this afternoon, crying for mercy, if you had thought that there was nobody to hear you! Rational beings do not go and ask of nobody. You believe that Christ is able to hear you, and you have some faith that He does hear you, for which I am very thankful indeed.

I think that I may add that you are measurably trusting to Christ Certainly, you are not trusting to anybody else. The fact that you often pray to Him for mercy, for the pardon of sin, for the renewal of your nature, proves that you have some degree, at least, some faint measure of faith in Him. Now, let me exhort you, while you keep on praying, to mix more faith with your praying. “With all thine offerings thou shalt offer salt,” and with all thy prayings you shall offer faith. ~ C.H. Spurgeon

https://www.blueletterbible.org/comm/spurgeon_charles/sermons/2327.cfm

Salvation Comes by the Prayer of Faith

Sherry Attributes of God, Character of Jesus, Christian Life, prayer, promises, salvation Leave a comment

How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? – Romans 10:14

Since we must pray, and only by prayer can find salvation—and there is no praying without believing—may the Lord help us to believe, for how shall we pray aright unless we do believe?

I think that I have persons here who have commenced to pray, who have begun pleading with God. I hope, dear friends, nay, I feel sure of it, that, if that prayer is sincere, there is a measure of faith in it, for would you ask God to save you if you did not believe that you needed to be saved? There is a measure of faith in that. Would you ask God to save you if you did not think that there is a way of salvation by which He can save you? There is a measure of faith in believing that.

I think that you believe that there is a Savior. There is a measure of faith in that; and, I hope, a measure of saving faith, too, in your believing that, notwithstanding all your sins and sinfulness, there is a Savior provided, who is able to save to the uttermost them that come unto God by Him. You may not have much faith; but you must have some faith if you are really praying to God from your heart and entreating Him to save you.

I think, too, that you must have a little faith that the Savior will save you. You have been praying to Him to do it. Would you have expressed that desire, and have come to Him in prayer about it, unless there was some kind of sediment of faith in your heart? I want to put it very gently to you, yet very plainly. Remember, faith is not measured by the quantity, but by the quality. A man of strong faith is happier, but he is not more truly saved, than a man of weak faith, so long as he has any faith at all. ~ C.H. Spurgeon

https://www.blueletterbible.org/comm/spurgeon_charles/sermons/2327.cfm

As Plain as a Pikestaff and Sure

Sherry Attributes of God, Character of Jesus, Christian Life, prayer, promises, salvation Leave a comment

For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. – Romans 10:13

What an easy word we have here! “Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord.” Anybody can call upon the name of the Lord. Everybody understands what it is to call, “Hi, there!” Have you not often used such a call as that? And if you have been in distress or danger, have you never called, “Help, help, help?”

Very well, he who can thus call, let him call upon God, invoke His help, clamor for His mercy, crave His pity. If he does that in a believing way—as we shall have to show you, trusting that God will hear him—he shall be saved. So, there is no difficulty here that wants a Doctor of Divinity to explain—the truth is put mainly in monosyllabic words—”Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” It is as plain as a pikestaff. Oh, that you might see it, and begin to call upon the name of the Lord by earnest prayer!

But here is a sure word—”Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” There is no “if” here; no “maybe” here; but a glorious “shall.” Our shalls and wills are poor, puny things; but God’s “shall” is firm as the eternal mountains. “Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved,” as surely as there is a God.

The Lord has made no mistake; He will not revoke His declaration by changing His mind. “Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” Oh, that many would call upon His name and find immediate salvation, which will last them throughout life, and throughout eternity, for “shall be saved” reaches a very long way, even throughout the eternal ages that are yet to come. ~ C.H. Spurgeon

https://www.blueletterbible.org/comm/spurgeon_charles/sermons/2327.cfm

This It Is That Saves the Soul

Sherry Attributes of God, Character of Jesus, Christian Life, prayer, promises, salvation Leave a comment

For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. – Romans 10:13

Notice, dear friends, that we have the way of salvation set before us in the plainest terms: “Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” I remember well when I lived on that verse for many months. I longed for salvation; I could not see that there was any way of hope for me; I thought that I must be left out, that I was too sinful, or too hard, or too something or other, so that others might be saved, but I should not be.

But when I read this verse, I did what I ask you to do, I caught at it; it seemed like a life-line thrown to a sinking man. I clung to it, and it became a life-buoy to me: “Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” “Ah!” thought I, “I do call on that blessed name, I will call on that glorious name; if I perish, I will never cease to invoke that sacred name.” An invocation of the name of God, a trusting in God, and a consequent calling upon God and acknowledgment of God, this it is that saves the soul.

 “Whosoever.” If I call upon the name of the Lord, if you call upon the name of the Lord, if the man who lies upstairs dying calls upon the name of the Lord, we shall be saved. What a wide word that “whosoever” is! ~ C.H. Spurgeon

https://www.blueletterbible.org/comm/spurgeon_charles/sermons/2327.cfm