Shepherding with Spurgeon

Weekly Newsletter for Pastors from SpurgeonBooks

ENCOURAGEMENT FOR PASTORS (BY SPURGEON)

After the sermon, how would a conscientious preacher give vent to his feelings and find solace for his soul if access to the mercy-seat were denied him? Elevated to the highest pitch of excitement, how can we relieve our souls but in importunate pleadings. Or depressed by a fear of failure, how shall we be comforted but in moaning out our complaint before our God.

How often have some of us tossed to and fro upon our couch half the night because of conscious shortcomings in our testimony! How frequently have we longed to rush back to the pulpit again to say over again more vehemently, what we have uttered in so cold a manner! Where could we find rest for our spirits but in confession of sin, and passionate entreaty that our infirmity or folly might in no way hinder the Spirit of God!

It is not possible in a public assembly to pour out all our heart’s love to our flock. Like Joseph, the affectionate minister will seek where to weep; his emotions, however freely he may express himself, will be pent up in the pulpit, and only in private prayer can he draw up the sluices and bid them flow forth. If we cannot prevail with men for God, we will, at least, endeavor to prevail with God for men. We cannot save them, or even persuade them to be saved, but we can at least bewail their madness and entreat the interference of the Lord.

SERMON ILLUSTRATION FROM SPURGEON

Spurgeon was a master illustrator. You can use this illustration in your own preaching to describe the power of persevering in prayer.

Up in one of the northern counties of England, there was a woman, a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ, whose prayer went up continually for her husband; but he never entered the house of God, and despised her for doing so. She was accustomed to go to her usual place of worship alone, so far as any human companions were concerned, yet she was not quite alone, for there was a dog that always went with her. This dog curled himself up under the seat, and lay quite still during the service, and then walked home with his mistress. The first Sunday after she was dead, the poor dog went off to the meeting-house as usual, and curled himself up in his old place. He did the same the next Sunday, and the husband, noticing the dog start out so regularly, was struck by its action, and wondered where the dog went now that his mistress was gone; so he thought he would go and see. The dog went before him to his mistress’s old seat, and curled himself up; the man went in after the dog, and sat down in his wife’s place, and God helped the minister, that day, to show him that his good works and self-righteousness, in which he had always trusted, would not be sufficient for his salvation, and he preached to him the full salvation of Christ Jesus, and the man believed and lived. Was not he also “born out of due time,” for his wife’s prayers for him were all over, and she was gone? Yet was he brought to Christ.

RESOURCE FOR PASTORS

Give the 18–25-year-olds in your church strong theological foundations

I love CROSS CON. This isn’t an emotional hype-fest like so many other conferences for 18–25-year-olds. This is a Bibles-open, theology-loving, Savior-exalting, grace-saturated conference.

If you bring a group of 18–25-year-olds from your church to CROSS CON, they will return home HUNGRY for more Bible, more of Christ, and a grander vision of God. (Exactly the kind of culture we’re trying to create in our churches!)

Prices increase in a few weeks — on May 23 — so register your group today. (You don’t need to know who is in the group to sign up — so register now to lock in the lowest rate!)

ONE MORE REMINDER: PREACH JESUS THIS WEEKEND

“Let your sermons be full of Christ, from beginning to end crammed full of the gospel.” — Charles Spurgeon