“Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.”
Midweek greetings, Centennial Family. I thought I would change it up this week with a poem and the accompanying texts that inspired it. The quotes below are from a gifted preacher (called by some the Prince of Preachers!) of the nineteenth century named Charles Spurgeon. He has been a dear companion of mine in ministry from the very beginning. Alongside a few Puritans, Charles Spurgeon’s sermons have informed my own preaching style in many ways. I thought of these quotes and the poem because of this last Sunday’s text from the end of Luke 4. I sought to make the point that Jesus’ self-professed purpose (proclamation of the Good News) informed his actions (revelation that he himself was that Good News). By way of application, I asked these questions: what is our purpose?, do our actions align with that purpose?, and if not, where do our actions not align with that purpose? Spurgeon made a similar application as he focused on your own salvation from Philippians 2:12. As I pray each of you will continue to ponder on this last Sunday’s sermon (if you weren’t there, don’t worry! You can listen to it online), perhaps the following will be of some benefit!
See that you are truly one of them, not written in their church-book merely but really graven upon the palms of Christ’s hands; not a false professor, but a real possessor; not a mere wearer of the name of Christ, but a bearer of the nature of Christ.
God save any one of his ministers from being found guilty of the souls of men. Every preacher of the Gospel may cry with David, “Deliver me from blood-guiltiness, O God, thou God of my salvation.”
-Both from a sermon of Charles Spurgeon on Philippians 2:12
A poem based on these words of Spurgeon, written by Anonymous:
“Philippians 2:12; Matthew 7:15, 21-23; 1 Peter 5:1-11”
Beware the false professor of Jesus our Lord
Who snares such wand’ring weaklings and bloodies his sword.
Be up O real possessor of Jesus our Lord,
And care for those same weak. Reveal your bloodied ward!