Charles Spurgeon (1834-1892) has few peers when it comes to stirring up biblically informed passion for Jesus Christ. My wife made me aware of one of his quotes today from The Daily Spurgeon. It’s from a sermon called “The Fulness Of Jesus, The Treasury Of Saints,” that Spurgeon delivered February 28, 1869.
Spurgeon describes how both preaching and music grow dull if they don’t magnify the greatness of the Savior in people’s minds and hearts. His words are just as relevant today as they were 140 years ago.
“Brethren, there is an abiding fullness of truth in Christ; after you have heard it for fifty years, you see more of its fullness than you did at first. Other truths weary the ear. I will defy any man to hold together a large congregation, year after year, with any other subject but Christ Jesus. He might do it for a time; he might charm the ear with the discoveries of science, or with the beauties of poetry, and his oratory might be of so high an order that he might attract the multitudes who have itching ears, but they would in time turn away and say, “This is no longer to be endured. We know it all.”
“All music becomes wearisome but that of heaven; but oh! if the minstrel doth but strike this celestial harp, though he keepeth his fingers always among its golden strings, and be but poor and unskilled upon an instrument so divine, yet the melody of Jesus’ name, and the sweet harmony of all his acts and attributes, will hold his listeners by the ears and thrill their hearts as nought beside can do. The theme of Jesus’ love is inexhaustible, though preachers may have dwelt upon it century after century, a freshness and fullness still remain.
This is so true, and it is a pleasure to keep rediscovering this truth. I’m preaching through Hebrews and each week I think, “Wow, I get to preach about Jesus again!”
Next week is “The Power of an Indestructible Life” (7:16) and this post highlights a different aspect of that indestructiblity – He is an indestructible delight.
Wow. That’s beautiful!
What a huge relief! We don’t have to “outdo” last week’s worship service with something new and improved. We simply stick to the old, eternal truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and we watch the Spirit of God work in fresh ways, imparting more creativity and greater worship participation in our churches.
Spurgeon has such an awesome way of putting the weight of the glory of God into words. Praise Jesus we don’t have to constantly find new ways to stir affections for the gospel – the gospel is enough without our “help”!