Christian Life

A Living Union

Sherry Attributes of God, Character of Jesus, Christian Life, promises 6 Comments

“I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. – John 15:5

“I am the vine, ye are the branches,” is the word of Christ to His disciples. There is a living union between Christ and His people; and I hope that I can appeal to the experience of many here present who know that there is a living union between them and Christ. Happy is the man who can say, “I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave Himself for me”!

The union is even more than a union of life; it is a union of derived life. The branch is in such union with the stem that it receives all its sap from it; it could not live unless the living juices flowed from the stem into it. And such is our life. Christ pours His lifeblood into us. Perpetually, as long as He exists, He seems to be oozing out into His people. In fact, when His wounds were open, He bled life into us; and when His heart was burst, He changed our hearts, and gave them life, though they once were hearts of stone. We are so one with Christ, that we at first received our life from Him, and we continue to receive it from Him every moment.

In consequence of the life of Christ in us, we grow. The growing of the branch is really the growing of the vine. It is because the stem grows that it sends its growth into the branch, and manifests it there. As Christ pours His life-force into us, He makes us grow, to the praise of the glory of His grace. ~ C.H. Spurgeon

https://www.blueletterbible.org/comm/spurgeon_charles/sermons/2244.cfm

One with Christ in the Design of God

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

Coming to Him as to a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God and precious… – 1 Peter 2:4

The architect, in placing the stone, was following out his plan. He planned the foundation and thought of every course; and the stone is essential to the wall, even as the foundation is essential to the stone. Thus, we are one with Christ in the design of God. Reverently we say it, that God’s purpose comprehends not only Christ, but the whole company of His elect; and without His chosen people, the design of Jehovah can never be accomplished. He is building a temple to His praise; but a temple cannot be all foundation. There is a necessity for every stone in the wall; in the divine purpose, there is a necessity that such a one should be a living stone, and such a one should be another living stone. The weakest and the meanest of the Lord’s people are as necessary as the noblest and the most beautiful, though indeed all are without any praise until they are built into the wall. He that chose Christ, chose all His people; He arranged that they should be built up together, and in Him “all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord.” Oh, I like to think of each one of us, however insignificant we may appear to be, as being bricks or stones in that great temple of almighty grace! Perhaps some of us may stand where everybody can see us; but what does it matter? If we are in the wall at all, it is well. Wherever you are placed, we are joined to Christ; and therefore no one has a pre-eminence over any other, because we are all alike built upon the one foundation, even Jesus Christ our Lord, into whom we daily grow, pressing closer and closer to Him in experience, and holding tighter and tighter to Him by faith. ~ C.H. Spurgeon

https://www.blueletterbible.org/comm/spurgeon_charles/sermons/2244.cfm

The Foundation and the Stone

Sherry Attributes of God, Character of Jesus, Christian Life, promises 2 Comments

Coming to Him as to a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God and precious… – 1 Peter 2:4

The union between Christ and the believer is described as the union of the foundation and the stone. “To whom coming, as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God, and precious, ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house.” We are built on Christ and built up into Him. We lie upon Him just as the stone rests on the foundation. The stone is one with the foundation in its dependence. In the time of our need we press the closer to Christ; the heavier our hearts, the more we bear our weight upon Him. It is the heavy stone that clings to the foundation; the light stone, perchance, might be blown away. But we cling at all times, depending wholly upon Him, even as the stone rests upon the rock beneath. The stone does not bear up its own weight: it just rests where it is put. So do we rest on Christ. He is the foundation, and we repose on Him.

In old Roman walls, you cannot get a stone away; for the cement, which joins the stone to its fellows is as strong as the stone itself; and, truly, that which joins us to Christ is stronger than we are. We might be broken, but the bond of love, which holds us like a mighty cement to Christ, who is our foundation, can never be broken away. We have actually become one with Him, as I have often seen stones in the walls of an old castle become one with each other. You could not get them away; they are part and parcel of the wall, and it would have been necessary to blow the wall to pieces before you could separate the stones from one another. So have we, by God’s grace, become one with Christ, experimentally and indissolubly. The course of years has bound us still faster to Him. ~ C.H. Spurgeon

https://www.blueletterbible.org/comm/spurgeon_charles/sermons/2244.cfm

Brought into a Living, Loving, Lasting Union

Sherry Character of Jesus, Christian Life, promises, The Holy Spirit Leave a comment

For we are members of His body, of His flesh, and of His bones. – Ephesians 5:30

He that saith he abideth in Him ought himself also so to walk, even as He walked. – 1 John 2:6

We must take care that the love that was round about Christ’s feet, is always shining on our path. We must go about doing good, following in the steps of our Lord. It would be giving the lie to this doctrine (of our union with Christ) if we lived in sin; for, if we are one with Him, then we must be in this world even as He was; and being filled with His Spirit, must seek to reproduce His life before the world. As we delight our hearts in the glorious truth that “we are members of His body, of His flesh and of His “bones,” may we determine to live as those who are this closely joined to the Lord of life!

“Lord Jesus, are we ONE with Thee?
Oh, height! Oh, depth of love!
With Thee we died upon the tree,
In Thee we live above.

“Oh, teach us, Lord, to know and own
This wondrous mystery,
That Thou with us art truly ONE,
And we are ONE with Thee!”

Our heaven lies in our union with Him. Ay, and sometimes when we realize our oneness with Christ, we can hardly think that we should be happier in heaven than we are now! May you all have this enjoyment! “Seek ye the Lord while He may be found, call ye upon Him while He is near.” If you seek Him with all your heart, you will surely find Him; and very soon you also will be brought into “living, loving, lasting union” with Christ. ~ C.H. Spurgeon

https://www.blueletterbible.org/comm/spurgeon_charles/sermons/2244.cfm

Love Joins Us with Christ

Sherry Christian Life Leave a comment

For we are members of His body, of His flesh, and of His bones. – Ephesians 5:30

Mr. William Olney…very frequently spoke of our being one with Christ in “living, loving, lasting union”-three words which, in addition to being alliterative, are very comprehensive as to the nature of our union with Christ…It is a most wonderful union. The more you think of it, the more you will be astonished, and stand in sacred awe before such a marvel of grace. Well did Kent say-

“O sacred union, firm and strong,
How great the grace, how sweet the song,
That worms of earth should ever be
One with Incarnate Deity!”

This is a very cheering doctrine. He that understands it has an ocean of music in his soul. He that can really grasp and feed upon it will often sit in the heavenly places with his Lord and anticipate the day when he shall be with Him and shall be like Him. Even now, since we are one with Him, there is no distance between us, we are nearer to Him than anything else can ever be. The very idea of union makes us forget all distance: indeed, distance is altogether annihilated. Love joins us so closely with Christ, that He becomes more to us than our very selves; and though now we see Him not, yet believing, we rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory. ~ C.H. Spurgeon

https://www.blueletterbible.org/comm/spurgeon_charles/sermons/2244.cfm

Everlastingly One with Christ

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

“For we are members of His body, of His flesh, and of His bones.”- Ephesians 5:30

Paul here speaks only of true believers. Men who are quickened by divine grace and made alive unto God. Of them, he says, not by way of romance, nor of poetical exaggeration, but as an undisputed matter of fact, “We are members of His body, of His flesh, and of His bones.” That there is a true union between Christ and His people in no fiction or dream of a heated imagination. Sin separated us from God, and in undoing what sin has done, Christ joins us to Himself in a union more real than any other in the whole world.

This union is very near, and very dear, and very complete. We are so near to Christ, that we cannot be nearer; for we are one with Him. We are so dear to Christ, that we cannot be dearer. Consider how close and tender is the tie when it is true that Christ loved us and gave Himself for us. It is a union more intimate than any other which exists among men; for “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” We were His enemies when Christ died for us, that He might save us, and make us so one with Himself, that from Him our life should be drawn, and that in Him our life should be hid. It is, then, a very near and dear union which Christ has established between Himself and His redeemed; and this union could not be more complete than it is.

Even the incarnation of Christ is not more wonderful than His living union with His people. It is a thing to be considered often; it is the wonder of the skies; and is chief among those things which “the angels desire to look into.” On the surface of this truth, you may not see much; but the longer you gaze, and the more the Holy Spirit assists you in your meditation, the more you will see in this wonderful sea of glass mingled with fire. My soul exults in the doctrine that Christ and His people are everlastingly one. ~ C.H. Spurgeon

https://www.blueletterbible.org/comm/spurgeon_charles/sermons/2244.cfm

Greatly Grateful

Sherry Attributes of God, Character of Jesus, Christian Life, promises, Sovereignty of God, The Father 3 Comments

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ… – Ephesians 1:3

Paul does not say, “Who has, we hope and trust, blessed us,” but he writes, “Who hath blessed us.” Ah, beloved, if you have a full assurance that God has blessed you in Christ, and that now His smile rests upon you, and all the benisons of the covenant are stored there for you, I think that you cannot help saying, “Blessed, blessed be the name of the Most High!” If you have suspicions about the truth of this precious Book, if you have questions about the truth of the doctrines of grace, if you have doubts about your own interest in those things. I do not wonder that you do not praise God, for a blessing which is only mine by peradventure, well, peradventure I shall be grateful for it; but peradventure I shall not. But if I know whom I have believed; if I have a firm grip of spiritual mercies; if all heavenly things are mine in Christ my Lord, I can sing, “Wake up, my glory; awake psaltery and harp; I myself will awake right early.” “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings.”

With this full assurance should come intense delight: “Who hath blessed us.” God has blessed us. Come, brethren, He has not done some trifle for us, which we can afford to ignore. He has not merely given us some absolutely necessary boons, which we must have, for we could not live without them; but He has in grace dealt still more abundantly with us. He has gone beyond workhouse fare and made us a feast with saints and princes. He has given us more than home-spun garments; He has put upon us robes of beauty and of glory, even His own spotless righteousness. He has blessed us; we are blessed; we feel that we are.

We are not sitting here, and groaning, and crying, and fretting, and worrying, and questioning our own salvation. He has blessed us; and therefore, we will bless Him. If you think little of what God has done for you, you will do very little for Him; but if you have a great notion of His great mercy to you, you will be greatly grateful to your gracious God. ~ C.H. Spurgeon

https://www.blueletterbible.org/comm/spurgeon_charles/sermons/2266.cfm