Ye Are Bought with a Price

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

“Ye are not your own: for ye are bought with a price: therefore, glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.”- 1 Corinthians 6:19-20

 “Ye are bought with a price.” Paul might, if his object were to prove that we are not our own, have said: “Ye did not make yourselves.” Creation may well furnish motives for obedience to the great Lawgiver. He might also have said, “Ye do not preserve yourselves: it is God who keeps you in life; you would die if He withdrew His power.” The preservation of divine providence might furnish abundant arguments for holiness. Surely, He who feeds, nourishes, and upholds our life should have our service. But He prefers, for reasons known to Himself, which it would not be hard to guess, to plead the tenderer theme, redemption. The most potent plea for sanctity is not “Ye were made,” or, “Ye are nourished,” but “Ye are bought.” This the apostle selects as a convincing proof of our duty, and as a means to make that duty our delight. And truly, beloved, it is so. If we have indeed experienced the power of redemption we fully admit that it is so. Look ye back to the day when ye were bought, when ye were bondslaves to your sins, when ye were under the just sentence of divine justice, when it was inevitable that God should punish your transgressions; remember how the Son of God became your substitute, how He bared His back to the lash that should have fallen upon you, and laid His soul beneath the sword which should have quenched its fury in your blood. You were redeemed then, redeemed from the punishment that was due to you, redeemed from the wrath of God, redeemed unto Christ to be His for ever. ~ C.H. Spurgeon

https://www.blueletterbible.org/comm/spurgeon_charles/sermons/1004.cfm

Objects of the Greatest Mercy

Sherry Character of Jesus, confession of sin, prayer, promises, repentance, salvation Leave a comment

And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. – Luke 24:47

I have no doubt that the Savior bade them begin at Jerusalem, because the biggest sinners lived there. There they lived who had crucified Him. The loving Jesus bids them preach repentance and remission to them. There he lived who had pierced the Savior’s side, and they that had plaited the crown of thorns, and put it on His head. There dwell those who had mocked Him, and spat upon Him, therefore the loving Jesus, who so freely forgives, says, “Go and preach the gospel to them first.” The greatest sinners are the objects of the greatest mercy. Preach first to them…Should not this encourage you great sinners to come to Jesus, when He bids us preach to you first?…Therefore, we are to come to you first. Will you not come to Christ at once? Oh, that you would believe in Him! Oh that you would believe in Him tonight! To you is the word of this salvation sent. You old sinners—you that have added sin to sin, and done all you can do with both hands wickedly—you that have cursed His name—you that have robbed others—you that have told lies—you that have blackened yourselves with every crime, come and welcome to Jesus. Come to Christ and live at once. Mercy’s door is set wide open on purpose that the vilest of the vile may come, and they are called to come first. Just as you are, come along with you. Tarry not to cleanse or mend, but now “believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you shall be saved.” This night if you believe in Jesus you shall go out of these doors rejoicing that the Lord has put away your sin. To believe is to trust—simply to trust in Christ. It seems a very simple thing, but that is why it is so hard. If it were a hard thing, you would more readily attend to it, but being so easy you cannot believe that it is effectual. But it is; faith does save. Christ wants nothing of you but that you accept what He freely presents to you. Put out an empty hand, a black hand, a trembling hand, accept what Jesus gives, and salvation is yours. ~ C.H. Spurgeon

Click to access chs1729.pdf

The Hunger and Thirst Which are Blessed

Sherry Christian Life Leave a comment

You who are King of kings and Lord of lords, we worship You. Before Jehovah’s awful throne we bow with sacred joy.

Sermon Text

That Man is Hopeful

Sherry Character of Jesus, Christian Life, promises, repentance, salvation, The Holy Spirit 3 Comments

Beginning at Jerusalem. – Luke 24:47

And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment; of sin, because they do not believe in Me… – John 16:9

Begin, dear friend, where you may expect opposition. That is a strange thing to advice, but I recommend it because the Savior advised it. If (the disciples) began at Jerusalem, they would awaken a ferocious opposition. But nothing is much better for the gospel than opposition. A man comes into the Tabernacle tonight, and as he goes away he says, “Yes, I was pleased and satisfied.” In that man’s case I have failed. But another man keeps biting his tongue, for he cannot endure the preaching. He is very angry. Something in the doctrine does not suit him, and he cries, “As long as I live I will never come here again.” That man is hopeful. He begins to think. The hook has taken hold of him. Give us time, and we will have that fish. It is no ill omen when a man gets angry with the gospel. It is bad enough, but it is infinitely better than that horrible lethargy into which men fall when they do not think. Some are not good enough even to oppose the gospel of Jesus Christ. Be hopeful of the man who will not let you speak to him, he is one that you must approach again. And if when he does let you speak to him, he seems as if he would spit on you, be grateful for it. He feels your words. You are touching him on a sore place. You will have him yet. When he swears that he does not believe a word of what you say, do not believe a word of what he says, for often the man who openly objects secretly believes. Just as boys whistle when they go through a churchyard in order to keep their courage up, so many a blasphemer is profane in order to silence his conscience. When he feels the hook, like the fish, the man will drag away from it. Give him line. Let him go. The hook will hold, and in due time you will have him. Do not despair. Do not think it a horrible thing that he should oppose you. You should rather be grateful for it, and go to God and cry that He will give you that soul for your hire. Begin courageously where you may expect opposition. ~ C.H. Spurgeon

Click to access chs1729.pdf

A Precious Jewel

Sherry Christian Life, promises Leave a comment

…beginning at Jerusalem. – Luke 24:47

It is hard work, dear friends, to preach to certain people. They have been preached to so long, like the people at Jerusalem. They know all about the gospel. It is hard to tell them anything fresh, and yet they have felt nothing, but remain wedded to their sins. The Jerusalem people had been taught in vain for centuries, and yet Christ’s disciples were to speak to them first. We must not pass the gospel-hardened, we must labor for the conversion of those who have enjoyed privileges but have neglected them, those who have had impressions and have crushed them out, those who seem now as if they had sealed their own death warrants and will never be saved. Do not hesitate to go to them. The Lord has already done much. It may be that He has laid the fire, and you are to strike the match and set it all alight. Many people have a love to the gospel, a love to the house of God, a love to God’s people, and yet they have no saving faith. What a pity! Do not hesitate to address them…The Savior’s disciples were to begin where the prophets had prophesied, and had been put to death, where sinners had rejected God’s voice times out of mind. Therefore do not pass by your fellow seat holders. Perhaps you say, “Sir, I have spoken to them a great many times, but I cannot make anything of them.” No, you cannot, but God can. Try again. Suppose that for 20 years you were to sit in this Tabernacle side by side with an unconverted person, and you were to speak to that person twice every Sunday and twice in the week, and all the twenty years it should be in vain? Yet if the individual were brought to Christ at last, would not his conversion repay you? Is your time so very precious? Is your ability so very great? Oh, my dear friend, if you were an archangel it would be worthwhile for you to work a thousand years to bring one soul to Christ! A soul is such a precious jewel that you would be abundantly rewarded if a century of service only brought you one conversion. Wherefore, in working for Christ, do not hesitate to go to those who have refused the gospel up to now, for you may yet prevail. ~ C.H. Spurgeon

Click to access chs1729.pdf

Begin at Home

Sherry Character of Jesus, Christian Life, prayer Leave a comment

…beginning at Jerusalem. – Luke 24:46

“Beginning at Jerusalem,” must surely mean begin at home. Jerusalem was the capital city of their country. You know the old proverb, “The cobbler’s wife goes barefoot.” I am afraid that this proverb is verified by some Christians. They do a deal of good five miles from home, but none at home. I knew a man who used to go out with preachers every night in the week, and try to preach himself, poor soul that he was. But his children were so neglected that they were the more wicked children in the street, and they grew up in all manner of vice. The father was prancing about and looking after other people, and did not care for his own family. Now, if you are going to serve Christ to the very ends of the earth, take care that you begin at home. Dear parents, need I urge you to look to your own children? It is a great joy to me to know that the members of the church for the most part do this. When a dear sister came to me on Wednesday night with three of her children, making four that had come within the last six weeks, I felt grateful to God that parents were looking after their offspring. But if any of you are in the Sunday school, and never have a Sunday school at home, if any of you talk to strangers in the aisles, but are neglecting your own sons and daughters—oh, let it not be so! The power of a father’s prayers with his arms about his boy’s neck I know full well. The power of a mother’s prayers with her children all kneeling round her is far greater with the young than any public ministry will be. Look well to your children…Do not have family prayer merely as a matter of form, but let it be a reality…..Oh, dear friends, begin at Jerusalem! ~ C.H. Spurgeon

Click to access chs1729.pdf

Begin Where You Thought You Never Could Begin

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

And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. And ye are witnesses of these things. – Luke 24:47,48

The devil knows you, dear friend, better than you know yourself. You see, he has been longer in the world than you have, and he knows a great deal more about human nature than you do. And so he comes to you and he sizes you up pretty accurately, and says, “This brother would be very useful in a certain sphere of labor, and I must keep him from it.” So he tells the brother that he is not called to it, and that it is not the sort of thing for him, and so on, and then he says to himself, “I have turned aside one foe from harming my cause.” Yonder is a good sister. Oh, how much she might do for Christ, but Satan guides her into a work in which she will never shine, while the holy work which she could do right well is dreaded by her. I heard a beautiful story last Wednesday, when I was sitting to see inquirers, and I can not help mentioning it here, for it may be a suggestion to some Christian who is present. A brother, who will be received into the church, was converted in the following way: He came up to London, and worked in a certain parish in the West End. He was at work on a sewer and a lady from one of the best houses in the West End came to the men that were making the sewer and said, “You men, come into my servants’ hall and eat your dinners. I will give you either tea or coffee with your meal, and then you will not have to go into the public house.” Some of them went in, but others did not. So the next day the lady came out, and said, “Now, I know that you think my place too fine for you. You do not like to come. So I have come out to fetch you in. While this sewer is being done I should like you to eat your dinners in my house.” She got them all in and when they had done their dinners and drank their tea or coffee she began to talk to them about Jesus Christ. The work was a month or so about, and it was every day the same. Our friend does not know the lady’s name, but he knows the name of Jesus through her teaching. Friends, we lose hosts of opportunities, I am sure we do…Let us in some way or other begin at Jerusalem, which is just where we thought that we never could begin. ~ C.H. Spurgeon

Click to access chs1729.pdf