Shepherding with Spurgeon

Weekly Newsletter for Pastors from SpurgeonBooks

ENCOURAGEMENT FOR PASTORS (BY SPURGEON)

“We proclaim him, warning and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone mature in Christ. I labor for this, striving with his strength that works powerfully in me.” (Colossians 1:28–29)

The apostle takes no honor to himself, but humbly ascribes whatever he had done or suffered entirely to his Lord. He declares that he labored and agonized, but he confesses that it was through the work of the Lord Jesus Christ, who mightily by the Holy Spirit wrought in him. In another place, when he had mentioned his abundant labors, he added, “Yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me” (1 Corinthians 15:10).

He remembered where to put the crown; he took care not to steal an atom of the glory for himself, but he ascribed all to the power of him who loved him and gave himself for him. Let us imitate the apostle in these two things. My brethren, let us live, while we live, a life of energy, but let us at the same time confess, when we have done all, that we are unprofitable servants; and if there be any glory and any praise resulting from the work which we achieve, let us be careful to lay it all at the Redeemer’s feet.

SERMON ILLUSTRATION FROM SPURGEON

Spurgeon was a master illustrator. You can use this illustration in your own preaching to describe the process of sanctification.

You know how an artist can, if he likes, dash off a picture. There! A little red, and a little blue, and so on, and it is done. And away it goes! Yes, but when he wants to paint something that will be observed and admired, then he takes more pains. See how he works at every part of it; note what care and what trouble he takes with it. It is the same with the lapidary or the sculptor when he has choice work in hand.

You are, I hope, the kind of material that will pay for cutting and carving, and the Lord is using his chisel upon you more than he does upon most folk. He wants to make you just like his dear Son, so now he is chipping out a thorn crown and you must wear it around your head. He is fashioning the image of his Son out of the block of your renewed nature, and you must patiently bear the blows from his hammer and chisel until that work is done

ONE MORE REMINDER: PREACH JESUS THIS WEEKEND

“Truth is not to be hushed up, but proclaimed.” — Charles Spurgeon