salvation

His Poor Needy Ones Are Blessed

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

“For He shall deliver the needy when he crieth; the poor also, and him that hath no helper.”-Psalm 72:12.

This is a royal Psalm. In it you see predictions of Christ, not upon the cross, but upon the throne. In reference to His manhood as well as to His godhead, He is exalted and extolled and very high. He is the king-the king’s son, truly with absolute sway, stretching His scepter from sea to sea, and “from the river even unto the ends of the earth.” It is remarkable that in this psalm which so fully celebrates the extent of His realm and the sovereignty of His government, there is so much attention drawn to the minuteness of His care for the lowly, His personal sympathy with the poor, and the large benefits they are to enjoy from His kingdom. Where Christ is highest and we are lowest, and the two meet, there is “glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill towards men.” I might almost raise the question whether this psalm is more a tribute of homage to the Messiah, or a treasury of comfort for His poor subjects. We will compound the controversy by saying that as Christ here is highly exalted, so His poor needy ones are highly blessed, and while it is a blessing to them that He is exalted, it is an exaltation to Him that they are blessed.

Turning to our text without further preface, we shall note in it the special objects of great grace. “He shall deliver the needy when he crieth; the poor also, and him that hath no helper;” then, the special blessings which are allotted to them. Here it is said that He shall deliver them, but all through the psalms there are scattered promises full of instruction and consolation all meant for them. And, lastly, the special season which God has appointed for the dispensing of these favors. “He shall deliver the needy when he crieth.” That shall be God’s time. When it is our time to cry, it shall be God’s time to deliver.~ C.H. Spurgeon

https://www.blueletterbible.org/Comm/spurgeon_charles/sermons/1037.cfm

A Fit Object for Thy Compassion

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

For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men – Titus 2:11

Are any of you sad and lonely? Have any of you been cruelly wronged? Have you lost the goodwill of some you esteemed? Do you seem as if you had the cold shoulder even from good people? Do not say, in the anguish of your spirit, “I am lost,” and give up. He hath compassion on you. Nay, poor fallen woman, seek not the dark river and the cold stream-He has compassion. He who looks down with the bright eyes of yonder stars and watches thee is thy friend. He yet can help thee. Though thou hast gone so far from the path of virtue, throw not thyself away in blank despair, for He hath compassion. And thou, broken down in health and broken down in fortune, scarcely with shoe to thy feet, thou art welcome in the house of God, welcome as the most honoured guest in the assembly of the saints. Let not the weighty grief that overhangs thy soul tempt thee to think that hopeless darkness has settled thy fate and foreclosed thy doom. Though thy sin may have beggared thee, Christ can enrich thee with better riches. He hath compassion….He is a friend of publicans and sinners. He is never happier than when He is relieving and retrieving the forlorn, the abject, and the outcast. He despises not any that confess their sins and seek His mercy. No pride nestles in His dear heart, no sarcastic word rolls off His gracious tongue, no bitter expression falls from His blessed lips. He still receives the guilty. Pray to Him now. Now let the silent prayer go up, “My Saviour, have pity upon me; be moved with compassion towards me, for if misery be any qualification for mercy, I am a fit object for Thy compassion. Oh! save me for Thy mercy’s sake!” Amen. ~ C.H. Spurgeon

https://www.blueletterbible.org/Comm/spurgeon_charles/sermons/3438.cfm

The Old Book and His Ministers

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

He sent His word, and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions. – Psalm 107:20

The Lord has gone from us, but as He knew what would happen while He was away, He has, with blessed forethought, provided for our wants. Well He knew that we should never be able to preserve the truth pure by tradition. That is a stream that always muddies and defiles everything. So in tender forethought He has given us the consolidated testimony, the unchangeable truth in His own Book; for He was moved with compassion. He knew the priests would not preach the gospel; He knew that no order of men could be trusted to hold fast sound doctrine from generation to generation; He knew there would be hirelings that dare not be faithful to their conscience lest they should lose their pay; while there would be others who love to tickle men’s ears and flatter their vanity rather than to tell out plainly and distinctly the whole counsel of God. Therefore, He has put it here, so that if you live where there is no preacher of the gospel, you have the old Book to go to. He is moved with compassion for you. For where a man cannot go, the Book can go, and where in silence no voice is heard, the still clear voice of this blessed Book can reach the heart.

But then, since He knew that some would not read the Bible, and others might read and not understand it, He has sent His ministers forth to do the work of evangelists. He raises up men, saved themselves from great sin, trophies of redeeming grace, who feel a sympathy with their fellow-men who are revelling in sin, reckless of their danger. These servants of His the Lord enables to preach His truth, some with more, some with less ability than others; still, there are, thank God, throughout this happy realm, and in other favoured lands, men everywhere, who, because sinners will not come to Christ of themselves, go after them and persuade them, plead with them, and intreat them to believe and turn to the Lord. This cometh of Christ’s tender gentleness. He was moved with compassion, and therefore He sent His servants to call sinners to repentance. ~ C.H. Spurgeon

https://www.blueletterbible.org/Comm/spurgeon_charles/sermons/3438.cfm

Believe on Christ and Trust in Him to Save Thee

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

…but they cried the more, saying, Have mercy on us, O Lord, Thou Son of David. – Matthew 20:31

“Two blind men sat by the wayside begging, and when they heard that Jesus passed by, they said, ‘O Lord, Thou Son of David, have mercy on us.'” Jesus stood still, called them, questioned them, and they seem to have had full conviction that He both could and would restore their sight, so Jesus had compassion on them, touched their eyes, and immediately they received sight.

Yes, and what a lesson this is for any here present who have a like conviction. Do you believe that Christ can heal you? Do you believe that He is willing to heal you? Then let me assure you that a channel of communication is opened between Him and you, for He is moved with compassion towards you, and already I hear Him command you to come to Him. He is ready to heal you now. The sad condition of a blind man should always move pity in the breast of the humane, but a glance at these two poor men-I do not know that there was anything strange or uncommon about their appearance-touched the Saviour’s sensibility. And when He heard them say that they did believe He could heal them, He seemed to perceive that they had inward sight, and to account it a pity that they should not have outward sight too. So at once He put His fingers upon their eyes, and they received the power of seeing. O soul, if thou believest Christ can save thee, and if you wilt now trust in Him to save thee, be of good cheer, thou art saved; that faith of thine hath saved thee. The very fact that thou believest that Jesus is the Christ, and doth rely upon Him, may stand as evidence to thee that thou art forgiven, that thou art saved. There is no let or bar to thy full redemption. Go thy way and rejoice in thy Lord. He hath compassion on thee. ~ C.H. Spurgeon

https://www.blueletterbible.org/Comm/spurgeon_charles/sermons/3438.cfm

The Flame of His Ardent Love

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

He will turn again, He will have compassion upon us; He will subdue our iniquities; and Thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the sea. – Micah 7:19

Are ye asked what means the crucifixion of a perfect man upon a felon’s cross, ye may reply, “He was moved with compassion.” “He saved others; Himself He could not save.” He was so moved with compassion, that compassion, as it were, did eat Him up. He could save nothing from the general conflagration: He was utterly consumed with love, and died in the flame of ardent love towards the sons of men. And after He had died and slept a little while in the grave, He rose again. He has gone into His glory; He is living at the right hand of the Father; but this is just as true of Him, “He is moved with compassion.” Is proof wanted? Let faith pass within the veil, and let your spirits for a moment stand upon that sea of glass mingled with fire where stand the harpers tuning their never-ceasing melodies. What see you there conspicuous in the very midst of heaven but One who looks like a lamb that has been slain, and wears His priesthood still? What is His occupation there in heaven? He has no bloody sacrifice to offer, for He has perfected for ever those that were set apart. That work is done, but what is He doing now? He is pleading for His people; He is their perpetual Advocate, their continual Intercessor; He never rests until they come to their rest; He never holds His peace for them, but pleads the merit of His blood, and will do so till all whom the Father gave Him shall be with Him where He is.

His tender heart pities all the griefs of His dear people. There is not a pang they have but the Head feels it, feels it for all the members. Still doth He look upon their imperfections and their infirmities, yet not with anger, not with loss of patience, but with gentleness and sympathy. ~ C.H. Spurgeon

https://www.blueletterbible.org/Comm/spurgeon_charles/sermons/3438.cfm

He Was Moved with Compassion in His Terrible Death

Sherry Attributes of God, Character of Jesus, Christian Life, promises, prophecy, salvation, Sovereignty of God, The Father 4 Comments

And He saw that there was no man, and wondered that there was no intercessor: therefore His arm brought salvation unto Him; and His own righteousness, it sustained Him. – Isaiah 59:16

While He tarried in the world, a man among men, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the Only Begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth, He was constantly moved with compassion; for He felt all the griefs of mankind in Himself. He took our sicknesses and carried our sorrows: He proved Himself a true brother, with quick, human sensibilities. A tear brought a tear into His eye; a cry made Him pause to ask what help He could render. So generous was His soul, that He gave all He had for the help of those that had not. The fox had its hole, and the bird its nest, but He had no dwelling-place. Stripped even of His garments, He hung upon the cross to die. Never one so indigent in death as He, without a friend, without even a tomb, except such as a loan could find Him. He gave up all the comforts of life-He gave His life itself; He gave His very self to prove that He was moved with compassion. Most of all do we see how He was moved with compassion in His terrible death…Must the elect of God be condemned for their sins? No; Jesus is moved with compassion. He steps in, He takes upon Himself the uplifted lash, and His shoulders run with gore; He bares His bosom to the furbished sword, and it smites the Shepherd that the sheep may escape. “He looked, and there was no man, and wondered that there was no intercessor; therefore, His arm brought salvation.” He trod the wine- press alone, and “bore, that we might never bear, His Father’s righteous ire.”~ C.H. Spurgeon

https://www.blueletterbible.org/Comm/spurgeon_charles/sermons/3438.cfm

The Incarnation: Matchless Pity Indeed

Sherry Attributes of God, Character of Jesus, Christian Life, promises, salvation, Sovereignty of God 4 Comments

For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. – Luke 2:11

It was purposed, in the eternal plan, ere the stream of time had commenced its course, or ages had began to accumulate their voluminous records, that there should be an interposer-one ordained to come and re-head the race, to be a second Adam, a federal Chief; to restore the breach, and repair the mischief of the first Adam; to be a Surety to answer for the sons of men on whom God’s love did light; that their sins should be laid upon Him, and that He should save them with an everlasting salvation… He it is of whom the Apostle John speaks as the Word who was God, and was in the beginning with God. Was He not moved with compassion when He entered into a covenant with His Father on our behalf, even on the behalf of all His chosen-a covenant in which He was to be the sufferer, and they the gainers-in which He was to bear the shame that He might bring them into His own glory? …He saw the fall of man; He marked the subtle serpent’s mortal sting; He watched the trail as the slime of the serpent passed over the fair glades of Eden; He observed man in his evil progress, adding sin to sin through generation after generation, fouling every page of history until God’s patience had been tried to the uttermost; and then, according as it was written in the volume of the Book that He must appear, Jesus Christ came Himself into this stricken world. Came how? O, be astonished, ye angels, that ye were witnesses of it, and ye men that ye beheld it. The Infinite came down to earth in the form of an infant; He who spans the heavens and holds the ocean in the hollow of His hand, condescended to hang upon a woman’s breast-the King eternal became a little child. Let Bethlehem tell that He had compassion. There was no way of saving us but by stooping to us. To bring earth up to heaven, He must bring heaven down to earth…Therefore, in the incarnation, He had compassion, for He took upon Himself our infirmities, and was made like unto ourselves. Matchless pity, indeed, was this! ~ C.H. Spurgeon

https://www.blueletterbible.org/Comm/spurgeon_charles/sermons/3438.cfm