Sovereignty of God

God, a Failure? It Can Never Be

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

And Benaiah came to the tabernacle of the LORD, and said unto him, Thus saith the king, Come forth. And he said, Nay; but I will die here. – 1 Kings 2:30

Listen to me, soul, whoever thou mayest be out of the crowd, man or women, whatever thy life may have been, even though it may have been that of a harlot or a thief, a drunkard or a profligate, if thou wilt now believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, thou shalt be saved; for, if not, then God Himself will have missed His greatest design. What did He give Jesus for but to save sinners? What did He lay sin upon Jesus for, but that He might take it off the sinner, and let him go free, and be pardoned? If, then, Christ fails, God’s grandest expedient has broken down. That method by which the Lord resolved to show what His almighty grace can do has proved to be a failure if a believing sinner is not saved. Dost thou think that such a thing can ever be? It is blasphemy to think that Jehovah can be defeated. He that believes in Christ shall be saved; nay, he is saved.

If thou art not saved believing in Christ, then Christ Himself is dishonoured. Oh, let them once know, down in the dark abode of fallen spirits, that a man has trusted in Christ and yet has not been saved, I tell you that they will make such exultation over Christ as Philistia made over Samson when his eyes were put out. They would feel that they had defeated the Prince of Glory. They would trample on His blood and ridicule His claim to be the Savour of men. If any soul can truly say hereafter, “I went to Christ, and He refused me,” then Christ does not speak the truth when He says, “Him that cometh to Me I will in nowise cast out.” Then He has changed His nature, foregone His word, and foresworn Himself. But that also can never be. Wherefore, dear heart, cling to Jesus, and say still, “If I die, I will die here.” ~ C.H. Spurgeon

https://www.blueletterbible.org/comm/spurgeon_charles/sermons/1826.cfm

Go You to Christ Only

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

For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus… – 1 Timothy 2:5

There is one Mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, and he who sets up another is an enemy of souls. There is but One who can be trusted with our soul affairs, even the Lord Jesus Christ; and woe to us if we put our confidence in men! Ordained or unordained, shaven or unshorn, they cannot help us. Yet I know that people do trust in ministers most foolishly. I remember years ago being at three o’clock in the morning in a house now pulled down, which stood not far from the London Bridge railway-station. A gentleman of considerable means had spent the Sunday at Brighton, had come home, and had been taken with cholera on a sudden, and nothing would do him, when he was in the pangs of death, but he must send for me. I went, not knowing what was required of me. But when I got there what could I do? There was a little consciousness left to the man, and I spoke to him of Jesus. I asked if he had a Bible. The people of the house searched high and low, but there was no such thing to be found. The mind was soon too beclouded for further comprehension, and as I came away, I asked, “Has he ever gone to a place of worship?” No, never-never cared for such a thing; but as soon as he was ill, then, “Oh, send for Mr. Spurgeon!” He must come, and nobody else: and there I stood, and what could I do?

What can we do for you, dear hearts, if you will not have our Saviour? We can stand and weep over you, and break our hearts to think that you reject Him; but what can we do? Oh, if we could let you into heaven, if we could renew your hearts, how joyfully would we perform the miracle; but we claim no such power, no such influence! Go you to Christ, and lay hold upon the true altar-horn; but do not be so foolish as to put confidence in us or in any other ministers. ~ C.H. Spurgeon

https://www.blueletterbible.org/comm/spurgeon_charles/sermons/1826.cfm

Thou Art Indeed My Lord and My God

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

And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth. – John 1:14

We bear our testimony that He is “the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.” Brothers and sisters, instead of preaching let me bear my testimony; my testimony of what I have seen, what my own ears have heard, and my own heart has tasted-that Christ is the only begotten of the Father. He is divine to me, if He be human to all the world besides. He has done that for me which none but a God could do. He has turned my stubborn will, melted a heart of adamant, broken a chain of steel, opened the gates of brass, and snapped the bars of iron. He hath turned for me my mourning into laughter, and my desolation into joy; He hath led my captivity captive, made my heart rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory. Let others think as they will of Him, to me He must be the only begotten of the Father: blessed be His name.

“O that I could now adore Him,
Like the heavenly host above,
Who for ever bow before Him,
And unceasing sing His love. Happy songsters!
When shall I your chorus join?”

Thy name is precious even as ointment poured forth. Thou art indeed my Lord and my God, as certainly as ever Thou wast the God of Thomas. Like Paul, my soul shall say, “God forbid that I should glory save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world.” – C.H. Spurgeon

https://www.blueletterbible.org/comm/spurgeon_charles/sermons/0414.cfm

The Glory of His Final Triumph

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

…and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father… – John 1:14

We have beheld His glory in His final triumph. Yes, brethren, by faith we have seen in the very moment when the sun was darkened, and when the earth was shaken, and the rocks rent asunder; we have seen Christ darkening the world’s glories; we have seen Him rending rocky hearts, and bidding the dead arise. We have seen Him in the very instant when He gave up the ghost leaping from the cross, pursuing with thunderbolts the prince of hell, and driving him to darker shades below; we have seen Him grasping at last the tyrant in His hands, and chaining him to His chariot wheel. Our faith has beheld Him riding up the everlasting hills, leading captivity captive; we have seen the gates wide open flung while angels said, “Lift up your heads, O ye gates and be ye lift up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in.” We have joined by faith the triumph and have swelled the train, we have heard the acclamation of the spirits of the just made perfect; we have heard above all the voice of God, “Well done, Thou hast finished Thy Father’s will.” We have seen Him ascend in august majesty the throne which is His resting place, and we have seen Him sit down on the right hand of the Father, while from heaven and earth, and even hell, there went up one prolonged note of praise, “Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah! the Lord God omnipotent reigneth.” Nay, our faith has gone beyond the mere matters of the past. We have beheld His glory; we have seen Him as one by one His sheep are brought, and His prayer is heard, “Father, I will that they also whom Thou hast given Me be with Me where I am.” We have seen Him going forth day after day in the chariot of Salvation scattering with both His hands His mercies among the poverty-stricken sons of men, and we have cried unto Him, “Gird Thy sword upon Thy thigh, O Thou most mighty.” …We have beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father. ~ C.H. Spurgeon

https://www.blueletterbible.org/comm/spurgeon_charles/sermons/0414.cfm

The Glory of His Love and Sacrifice

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

…and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father… – John 1:14

We have beheld His glory, not merely in His person, but in the motive for which He undertook His great work. That motive was love, love which could have His self interest to be an alloy, love to worthless creatures, love to those who could never repay His love to rebels, love to men who crucified the Lord of glory, and we have said as we have seen this love sparkling like a jewel in a black setting, lying in the heart of the pool, injured, poverty-stricken, houseless, comfortless Man of Nazareth. “There is a glory here in this love that is never to be found elsewhere.” We have looked upon Him giving up everything for us, renouncing His crown and sceptre, laying aside His royal robes and splendor, leaving His Father’s house, and palaces, and honor, becoming man, nay, a poor man, a despised afflicted man; nay, becoming obedient to death, even the death of the cross. We have read history through, but we never saw a self-sacrifice that could equal His. In Him selfishness never lived, and therefore, never needed to be kept in check. He was not His own; His whole history could be written in this: “He saved others, Himself He cannot save.” Glorious Christ, in this whilst Thou wast rejected of men, we have beheld Thy glory.

The world’s glory lies at His feet; He chooses rather our salvation than the glories of earth. He counted the reproach that He should bear for us greater riches than all the treasures of Egypt. We see Him mocked, yet never reviling, spit upon, yet never spitting back again even so much as a word of venom. We see Him despised, yet never attempting to clear Himself; accused, yet silent before the judgment-seat; so giving up Himself that He can bear all things, whatsoever they may be. Many waters could not quench His love, neither could the floods drown it… Great God, there is none like Thee in the omnipotence of Thine endurance. We have seen Thy glory, even when Thou didst tabernacle among men. ~ C.H. Spurgeon

https://www.blueletterbible.org/comm/spurgeon_charles/sermons/0414.cfm

Do I perceive His glory?

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

(and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth. – John 1:14

We may say of those who beheld His glory, the favored people, that they were chosen of sovereign grace, that they were called effectually by the Holy Spirit, and that they were anointed by the same divine person. And to this day, brethren, it is the same. None believe in Christ but those who are His sheep; no man cometh unto Him except the Father who hath sent Him draws them, and none ever perceive Him but those whose eyes are opened by His own healing fingers. Let the question be passed round among us-Do I perceive His glory? Have I seen something of the splendor of God in the humble man of Nazareth? Have I learned to magnify Him in my soul, and have I desired to glorify Him in my life, as my God, my life, my love, my all in all, though once despised and rejected of men? If so, beloved-if we can say this from our heart, we are favored indeed, and especially favored if we remember how many there are who have never obtained this grace. Not many great men after the flesh see any glory in Christ; they find their glory in the clash of arms and in garments rolled in blood, but not in Him who is meek and lowly of heart, who gives rest to weary souls. Not many wise men have seen any glory in Christ; they find glory in philosophy; they can see glory in nature, but not in Him who is nobler than God’s creation, inasmuch as He is the only perfect one among the sons of men. They say they see something of glory in providence and yet fail to perceive anything wonderful in grace. Not many wise men are called. Oh! let us be astonished at the sovereignty of God, let us be filled with gratitude at His compassion; let us pray that if ere we know something of the glory we may know more of it day by day, and may set it forth among the sons of men, that they too may by-and-by perceive His glory, “the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.” ~ C.H. Spurgeon

https://www.blueletterbible.org/comm/spurgeon_charles/sermons/0414.cfm

A Favored People

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

… (and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) … – John 1:14

And who are these-the “we” to whom the apostle here refers? They were first of all an elect company, for Jesus said, “I know whom I have chosen;” “Ye have not chosen Me, but I have chosen you.” He came unto His own, and His own received Him not; but they who did receive Him are described as men who were “born not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.” The elect in Christ’s day, though they were but a small remnant, nevertheless did exist…There were twelves and seventies, and afterwards we read of three thousand, and then of many others who were added to the Church of such as should be saved. In Christ’s own day, however, the lines of manifest election seemed to be but very narrow, for there were but few that followed Him, and of those who followed Him it is said, many from that day went back and walked no more with Him; for His truth had sifted the mere professors, and reduced them but to a slender company who followed the Lamb whithersoever He went. The “we,” then, who “beheld Christ’s glory,” were a chosen company.

They were also a called company, for of many of them we read their special calls. Of John himself we read, that Jesus walked by the sea and “saw other two brethren, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in a ship with Zebedee their father mending their nets; and He called them. And they immediately left the ship and their father and followed Him.” Of most of the apostles and immediate attendants upon Christ’s person we have a record of their divine and special call by Christ’s own voice; and in the case of those respecting whom there was no record preserved; yet was it, nevertheless, the fact, for He had called them as the shepherd calleth His own sheep by name and leadeth them out. Indeed, in all of us who shall at any time perceive Christ’s glory, it must be because He has called us unto this special privilege as the result of His election of us thereunto…”Blessed art thou, for flesh and blood hath not revealed this unto thee.” ~ C.H. Spurgeon

https://www.blueletterbible.org/comm/spurgeon_charles/sermons/0414.cfm