Character of Jesus

Pause a While and Praise Him

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

Who gave Himself for our sins that He might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father: to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen. – Galatians 1:4-5.

I am quite sure that, when Paul was writing the Epistle to the Galatians, he was eager to get at his task. The Galatians had turned aside from the gospel of God’s grace, and Paul was in dead earnest to bring them back to the grand truth of the doctrine of salvation and justification by faith in Christ. He was burning to get at his work of trying to win them back to the old paths; but it seemed needful and courteous to begin with a salutation. In that salutation occurred the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, so off went the apostle directly. Earnest as he was to get to the special subject on which he was about to write, he felt that he must tarry a while and write a little to the honor of his Divine Master. So, we read, “Grace be to you and peace from God the Father, and from our Lord Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for our sins, that He might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father: to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.” Then he gets at the business he has in hand: “I marvel that ye are so soon removed from Him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel: which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ,” and so on. He is red-hot upon that subject, yet he must stop a minute or two to pen some few words of praise to his glorious Lord and Savior. The old proverb says, “Prayer and provender hinder no man’s journey:” and to stop a little while, to praise and bless the name of Jesus Christ, hinders no man’s argument. Whatever it is that thou hast to do, if thy Master shall cross thy path, pause a while, and praise Him as best thou canst. When Mary sat at Christ’s feet, she was not wasting her time, she was employing it then to the highest possible profit; and when you and I get away even from the Master’s work, to think of our Lord Himself, and to praise Him, and commune with Him, we are by no means wasting our time; but we are gathering strength, and laying it out to the best possible purpose with regard to our future work and warfare. ~ C.H. Spurgeon

https://www.blueletterbible.org/comm/spurgeon_charles/sermons/2483.cfm

You Have Heard the Gospel

Sherry Attributes of God, Character of Jesus, Christian Life, promises, salvation, Sovereignty of God, The Holy Spirit Leave a comment

See that ye refuse not Him that speaketh. – Hebrews 12:25

If you had never heard the gospel, you could not have refused it, but now that you have heard the message, it lies within your power, and it is an awfully dangerous power, to refuse Him that speaks. Oh, can you, will you, dare you refuse my bleeding Savior—refuse the Lord of love? I see Him now. The crown of thorns is about His brow. He is hanging on His cross expiring in unutterable agony! Can you refuse Him while He presents such a spectacle of sacrifice? His eyes are red with weeping; have you no tears for such sorrow? His cheeks are all stained with the brutal soldiers’ spit; have you no love and homage for Him? His hands are fastened to the wood—His feet the same, and there He hangs to suffer in the sinner’s stead. Will you not yield yourselves to Him? I could joyfully bow before the foot of the cross to kiss His dear feet stained with blood. What a charm He has for me! And you—do you refuse Him?

He is no mere man. It is God Himself who hangs upon the cross. His body is that of a man, but it is in union with the Godhead. He who died at Calvary is God over all, and this makes His death so effectual. He, whom you have offended, in order to be justly able to pardon you, hangs there and dies for you, and do you turn your back on Him? O sirs, if you are wise you will come, as I said I gladly would come, and kiss those bleeding feet, and look up and say, “My Lord, I am reconciled to You— how could I be otherwise?” My enmity is dead. How can I be an enemy to Him that died for me? In shame, and scorn, and misery, Jesus dies that I may live. “O Lord Jesus, You have worked in me, not merely reconciliation, but full submission and hearty love. I joy to sink myself in You, and to be Yours forever.” See that you refuse not my Lord. May the sweet Spirit who loves the cross, and like a dove, hovers round it now, descend upon you all who hear my message! May the Holy Spirit apply the blood of sprinkling to you, and may you feel that, instead of refusing Him that speaks, you will rejoice in His name! ~ C.H. Spurgeon

https://www.blueletterbible.org/comm/spurgeon_charles/sermons/1889.cfm

Of First Concern

Sherry Attributes of God, Character of Jesus, Christian Life, promises, salvation, Sovereignty of God 1 Comment

See that ye refuse not Him that speaketh. For if they escaped not who refused Him that spake on earth, much more shall not we escape, if we turn away from Him that speaketh from heaven… – Hebrews 12:25

Do not refuse the voice of Jesus by cold indifference. God was made flesh, and dwelt among men, and in due time He took upon Himself our sin and suffered for it in His own body on the tree, that sin might be put away by the sacrifice of Himself. By His death upon the cross our Lord made atonement for the sin of man, and those who believe in Him are delivered from evil and its consequences. The main point is that Jesus died for us, the just for the unjust. His atoning blood has a voice, “See that you refuse not Him that speaks.” The text says, see to it; look to it; make sure of it; be careful about it. Do not miss the salvation of your Lord through neglect, for he who dies by neglecting the healing medicine will as surely perish as he who stabs himself. Be in earnest to accept the Savior, I beseech you so to do, for I am afraid that many refuse Him that speaks, because they never think of Him, or of His sacrifice. It seems to me that if I were a young man I would give this matter very early notice. However deeply I might be engaged in business, I would feel that my first concern ought to be to set myself right with God. Other matters would be sure to drop into order if I could be right with the Lord of all. If I heard it said that salvation came by the blood of Christ, I think I would pull myself together and resolve to understand this singular statement. I would not let it go by me, but would endeavor to reach the bottom of it, and understand it practically. I would meditate much upon teaching as wonderful as this—that the Son of God, in man’s stead, honored the justice of God by death, and so put away sin. ~ C.H. Spurgeon

https://www.blueletterbible.org/comm/spurgeon_charles/sermons/1889.cfm

The Fruitful Source of Virtue

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

For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead: And that He died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto Him which died for them, and rose again. – 2 Corinthians 5:14,15

The man who knows that Jesus shed His blood for him, and has had that blood applied to his conscience, becomes a sin-hating man, consecrated to Him who has cleansed him…I believe that there is no fruitful source of virtue like faith in the precious blood of Jesus…The man who knows that his many sins are all washed away through the blood of Jesus and that thus he is saved, he is the man who will serve the Lord with all his heart. He who has received a finished righteousness and complete salvation is under boundless obligations of gratitude, and the force of these obligations will urge him to a consecrated life. Over him the supreme power of gratitude will exert its sacred influence, and he will be not only carefully obedient, but ardently zealous in the service of his Redeemer. We know it is so, and we mean to prove it by our daily conduct. Brethren, I would have you exhibit more and more of the influence of the precious blood in sanctifying your lives. Are there not Christians who hold the doctrine of the atoning blood, and yet are no better than others? Alas, it is so! But it is one thing to hold to a doctrine, and another thing for that doctrine to take hold upon your heart and influence your life. Oh, if we believed practically what we profess to believe, what manner of persons we should be in all holy conversation and godliness! Hear me, my brother, and answer the appeals I make to you as in the presence of the Lord. Blood-bought, can you live for yourself? Bloodwashed, can you defile your garments? Marked with the King’s own name, in the King’s own blood, how can you yield yourself to other rulers? God grant that we may come unto the blood of sprinkling till it shall purify our nature and fill us with an all-consuming enthusiasm for Him whose heart was pierced for us! ~ C.H. Spurgeon

https://www.blueletterbible.org/comm/spurgeon_charles/sermons/1889.cfm

The Blessings of the Pardon of God

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

But ye are come unto mount Sion…And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling… – Hebrews 12: 22-24

Brothers and sisters, if you have come to the blood of sprinkling, believe in the full pardon which God has given you, and in your consequent peace with God. It is a blessed word in the Creed, “I believe in the forgiveness of sins.” Do you believe in the forgiveness of sins? I have seen some of the children of God who have believed in Jesus, but it has been with a faith which did not realize the full blessing promised to it, for they were as troubled about their sins as if they had never been forgiven. Now, a man who receives a free pardon from the Queen, and goes his way out of prison, rejoices in that pardon as a reality, and therefore walks abroad without fear. You must believe in the pardon of God as a reality, and act accordingly. If He has absolved you for Jesus’ sake, then you are absolved. Why tremble like a guilty wretch waiting for the verdict? Why talk about fearing divine wrath? If you are pardoned, the deed of grace is done, and can never be undone, for the gifts and calling of God are without repentance on His part.

I want every child of God in his inmost soul to come to the blood of sprinkling by full assurance of his justification, and then to go on to enjoy constant access to the mercy seat, and communion with the Lord God. We may now with holy boldness speak with God in prayer, for the mercy seat is sprinkled with the blood. O pardoned one, be not backward to enjoy your liberty of fellowship! You are clean through the blood, and therefore you may enter into the closest communion with the divine Father, you are consecrated by the blood, and therefore you may abound in the service of your God. ~ C.H. Spurgeon

https://www.blueletterbible.org/comm/spurgeon_charles/sermons/1889.cfm

Loving Condescension

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

Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ.. – Galatians 2:16

By the works of the law none can be justified, for by that law we are all condemned. Read the Ten Commandments, and pause at each one, and confess that you have broken it either in thought, or word, or deed. Remember that by a glance we may commit adultery, by a thought we may be guilty of murder, by a desire we may steal. Sin is any lack of conformity to perfect holiness, and that lack of conformity is justly chargeable upon every one of us. Yet the Lord does not, under the gospel dispensation, deal with us according to law. He does not now sit on the throne of judgment, but He looks down upon us from the throne of grace. Not the iron rod, but the silver scepter, is held over us. The long-suffering of God rules the age, and Jesus the Mediator is the gracious Lord-lieutenant of the dispensation. Instead of destroying offending man from off the face of the earth, the Lord comes near to us in loving condescension, and pleads with us by His Spirit, saying, “You have sinned, but My Son has died. In Him I am prepared to deal with you in a way of pure mercy and unmingled grace.”

Through our Lord Jesus sovereign grace and infinite love find a free way to the most undeserving of the race. Through the divine sacrifice the Lord says, “Come now and let us reason together: though your sins are as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow.” “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you shall be saved.” Thus the rebel is treated as a child, and the criminal as a beloved one. Because of yonder death on Calvary’s cruel tree, God can invite guilty men to come to Him, and He can receive them to the bosom of His love…By virtue of the blood of sprinkling the language of boundless love is heard among our apostate race, and we are entreated to acquaint ourselves with God, and be at peace. ~ C.H. Spurgeon

https://www.blueletterbible.org/comm/spurgeon_charles/sermons/1889.cfm

Give the Most Earnest Heed

Sherry Attributes of God, Character of Jesus, Christian Life, promises, salvation, Sovereignty of God, The Holy Spirit Leave a comment

But ye are come unto mount Sion…See that ye refuse not Him that speaketh. – Hebrews 12:22, (23,24),25

The text says, “You are come.” We are not come to Mount Sinai, but we are come to Mount Zion, to angels and their God, to saints and their Mediator, and to the blood of sprinkling. This having had its share of our thoughts, we are to conclude with the question: What then? If we have come to this blood of sprinkling, what then? The answer is, “See that you refuse not Him that speaks.” Let us give to the wondrous truths revealed to us by the sacrifice of Jesus the most earnest heed, that our souls may hear and live. May the Holy Spirit enable us to hear the heavenly voice at this hour! “Faith comes by hearing,” may it come at this time by our reverently hearing the voice of the blood of sprinkling!

Count yourselves happy that you are privileged to hear of the divinely appointed way of reconciliation with God. You are come to hear, not of your sin and its doom, not of the last judgment and the swift destruction of the enemies of God, but of love to the guilty, pity for the miserable, mercy for the wicked, compassion for those who are out of the way. You are come to hear of God’s great expedient of wisdom, by which, He, by the same act and deed, condemns sin, and lets the sinner live, honors His law, and yet passes by transgression, iniquity, and sin. You are come to hear, not of the shedding of your own blood, but of the shedding of His blood who, in His infinite compassion, deigned to take the place of guilty men—to suffer, that they might not suffer, and die, that they might not die. Blessed are your ears that they hear of the perfect sacrifice! Happy are your spirits, since they are found where free grace and boundless love have set forth a great propitiation for sin! Divinely favored are you to live where you are told of pardon freely given to all who will believe on the name of the Lord Jesus, as the Lamb of God which takes away the sin of the world. ~ C.H. Spurgeon

https://www.blueletterbible.org/comm/spurgeon_charles/sermons/1889.cfm