Category Archives: “Baruch Habah Bashem Adonai”

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THE SLEEPING CHURCH!

PSALM 91:1 He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.

PSALM 91:1
He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.

WHERE ARE MY SHEEP?

The report of the spies

“And they brought up an evil report of the land which they had searched unto the children of Israel, saying, The land, through which we have gone to search it, is a land that eateth up the inhabitants thereof; and all the people that we saw in it are men of a great stature.” Numbers 13:32 and 14:6-7

Suggested Further Reading: Romans 2:17-24

Every unguarded word you use, every inconsistent act, puts a slur on Christ. The world, you know, does not find fault with you—they lay it all to your Master. If you make a slip tomorrow, they will not say, “That is John Smith’s human nature;” they will say, “That is John Smith’s religion.” They know better, but they will be sure to say it; they will be sure to put all the mischief at the door of Christ. Now, if you could bear the blame yourself you might bear it manfully; but do not allow Christ to bear the blame—do not suffer his reputation to be tarnished—do not permit his banner to be trampled in the dust. Then there is another consideration. You must remember, if you do wrong, the world will be quite sure to notice you. The world carries two bags: in the bag at the back they put all the Christian’s virtues—in the bag in front they put all our mistakes and sins. They never think of looking at the virtues of holy men; all the courage of martyrs, all the fidelity of confessors, and all the holiness of saints, is nothing to them; but our iniquities are ever before them. Please do recollect, that wherever you are, as a Christian, the eyes of the world are upon you; the Argus eyes of an evil generation follow you everywhere. If a church is blind the world is not. It is a common proverb, “As sound asleep as a church,” and a very true one, for most churches are sound asleep; but it would be a great falsehood if anyone were to say, “As sound asleep as the world,” for the world is never asleep. Sleeping is left to the church. And remember, too, that the world always wears magnifying glasses to look at Christians’ faults.

For meditation: Like Mary our souls and words may magnify the Lord (Luke 1:46), but does any area of our lives allow the unbelieving world to magnify our sins instead?

Sermon no. 197    6 June (1858)

All rights belong to the collection of Charles Spurgeon(C)

Footnotes:

Argus eyes of an evil generation….Homer-Greek Mythology

Argus and Darpa Technology 

Who was Argus the Son of Jakeh?

Bible and research: https://www.gotquestions.org/Agur-Proverbs.html

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LOVING THE LEAST

God pursues us with his love

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Who is “the least” in your life?

I assure you, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it for me!

Matthew 25:40 

Loving the Least

I remember a poster on a dorm-room wall during my days in college. The poster was a picture of a homeless man lying in a dirty gutter holding a bottle in a paper bag by his side. The inscription on the bottom was a quote from Mother Teresa. It read, “You love Jesus only as much as the person you love the least.”

For all we don’t understand about the life of Jesus and the true nature of God, there is one truth that he made completely clear. The Christian faith is about service and humility. It’s about helping those who can’t help themselves. It’s about loving others more than we love ourselves — even the most unlovable among us.

What is the sign of true followers? Is it the amount of knowledge that we have? Is it the money we give to missions? the degrees we’ve earned? the number of people we’ve preached to? the hours we’ve spent worshiping in church? the books we’ve read or written?

According to Jesus, the sign of the saved is their love for the least.

It is said that when Francis of Assisi left his wealth behind to seek God, he stripped naked and walked out of the city. The first person he encountered on his journey was a leper on the side of the road. He first passed him, then turned back. He embraced the leper in his arms before continuing his journey. A few steps down the road he turned and saw that the leper was gone. Until his dying day, Francis of Assisi was convinced that the leper was Jesus. Even if he was wrong, he was right.

Adapted from Embracing Eternity by Tim LaHaye, Jerry Jenkins and Frank M. Martin,, Tyndale House Publishers (2004), p 3

 

Content is derived from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation and other publications of Tyndale Publishing House

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God will guard you from the evil one

God will guard you from the evil one

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Facing the spiritual battle

Finally, dear brothers and sisters, I ask you to pray for us. Pray first that the Lord’s message will spread rapidly and be honored wherever it goes, just as when it came to you. Pray, too, that we will be saved from wicked and evil people, for not everyone believes in the Lord. But the Lord is faithful; he will make you strong and guard you from the evil one.… May the Lord bring you into an ever deeper understanding of the love of God and the endurance that comes from Christ.

2 Thessalonians 3:1-5 

About this week’s promise

In order to be effective on the battlefield a soldier must be both well trained and properly equipped. The warrior must be alert for surprise attacks. So it is in our spiritual battle with Satan. Determined to destroy our faith by leading us into sin and discouragement, Satan attacks with blatant temptation and deceptive lies. The Bible teaches that the best weapons for this warfare are the Word of God and prayer.

The faith of the Thessalonian believers was being tried by persecution. Undoubtedly some of them were wavering, even failing, as the surrounding evil put them to the test. This was an important time for Paul to remind them that, no matter what happened, God’s faithfulness would prevail over evil and strengthen them so that they could endure.

From the TouchPoint Bible
(Tyndale House) pp1277,1059

 

Content is derived from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation and other publications of Tyndale Publishing House

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BLESSED HOLY SPIRIT

The whole earth will hear

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Power of the Spirit

But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.t when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, you will receive power and will tell people about me everywhere — in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.

Acts 1:8
I love to tell the story of unseen things above, Of Jesus and His glory, of Jesus and His love; I love to tell the story because I know ’tis true, It satisfies my longings as nothing else can do.

I love to tell the story! Twill be my theme in glory — To tell the old, old story of Jesus and His love.

I Love to Tell the Story, Arabella Catherine Hankey (1834-1911)

I Love to Tell the Story

Kate Hankey, the daughter of a prosperous London banker, grew up in a stylish London suburb. She started a Bible class for girls in her neighborhood, and then, when she was only eighteen, Hankey went to London to teach a Bible class of “factory girls.” In her twenties, she started other Bible classes for factory girls.

When she was in her early thirties, Kate Hankey became seriously ill. Doctors said she needed a year of bed rest. She was forbidden to teach her Bible classes for twelve months. During her long, slow recovery, she wrote two lengthy poems. The first, at the beginning of her convalescence, later became the hymn “Tell Me the Old, Old Story.” The second, written ten months later, became “I Love to Tell the Story.”

After ten months she felt strong enough to leave her bed. She soon returned to her Bible classes in London and continued teaching for many years. When she became too old to teach the factory girls regularly, she started a prison ministry in London — even then she continued to tell the story of Jesus.

Adapted from The One Year® Book of Hymns by Mark Norton and Robert Brown, Tyndale House Publishers (1995), entry for June 8.

 

Content is derived from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation and other publications of Tyndale Publishing House

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Resurrection Christ the firstfruits

Resurrection Christ the firstfruits

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But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept.

1 Corinthians 15:20

Suggested Further Reading: Romans 6:5-11

Why is it that the resurrection of Christ is of so much importance? Upon it we have said that the whole system of Christianity rests; for if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain ye are yet in your sins (1 Corinthians 15:14,17). The divinity of Christ finds its surest proof in his resurrection, since the apostle tells us that Christ was declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead (Romans 1:4). It would not be unreasonable to doubt his deity if he had not risen. Moreover, Christ’s sovereignty also depends upon his resurrection, for Scripture affirms:˜to this end Christ both died, and rose, and revived, that he might be Lord both of the dead and living (Romans 14:9). Again, our justification, that choice blessing of the covenant, hangs upon Christ;s resurrection. He was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification (Romans 4:25). Our very regeneration depends upon his resurrection, for Peter, speaking by the Holy Spirit, exclaims, Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead (1 Peter 1:3). And most certainly our ultimate resurrection rests here; for if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you’ (Romans 8:11). If Christ be not risen, then we shall not rise; but if he be risen, then they who are asleep in Christ have not perished, but in their flesh shall surely behold their God.

For meditation: A great emphasis was placed by the preachers of the early church upon the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ as well as upon his death (Acts 2:24,31-32; 3:15,26; 4:10,33; 5:30; 10:40-41; 13:30,33-34,37; 17:3,18,31; 26:23). Is it important to you?

Sermon no. 445
20 April (1862)

ALL rights belong to the collections of Charles Spurgeon(C)

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The portion of the ungodly

The portion of the ungodly

BE A BEREAN ACTS 17:11

BE A BEREAN
ACTS 17:11

 

Behold, they shall be as stubble; the fire shall burn them; they shall not deliver themselves from the power of the flame: there shall not be a coal to warm at, nor fire to sit before it

Isaiah 47:14

Suggested Further Reading: Luke 16:19-31

In Scripture this wrath to come is sometimes spoken of as the second death. Imagine a man dying, dying in pangs, and then rising again to die again, and so continually dying and yet living; expiring and yet breathing; perishing and yet existing; being dissolved, but yet being still in the body. You have now before you, then, the Biblical view of punishment the second death.  O soul, there are no words that human eloquence can ever find, however dreadful, that can reach the thousandth part of this great argument! No language that was ever uttered by the sternest prophet, could ever attain to the tremendous terror of the wrath to come. I know men say of God’s preachers that at times they speak too harshly: we cannot speak half harshly enough. We tell you again, even weeping, that our poor feeble words cannot portray your danger; that we cannot ourselves even feel the danger as we would wish; but if our lips had language, if we could but speak as sometimes we feel, we would move you till you should neither eat, nor drink, nor sleep, until you had sought and found a refuge in the wounds of Christ. But we are so dull, or else your hearts are so hard, that when we speak we are like men who throw stones against a wall, and the stones come back upon us. O that instead thereof we might be like the man who drew the bow at a venture, that the arrow may find a place in the joints of your harness, where your heart may be wounded with the arrows of the King!

For meditation: Human nature understandably likes to imagine that everybody goes to heaven or at least that those who are excluded are simply wiped out of existence. But our sin is far more serious than that; it is out of love, not spite, that the Bible warns us of an everlasting existence which makes physical death look like child’s play (Mark 9:43-48; Revelation 14:11). Do you weep for yourself or for those who are heading for it (Philippians 3:18-19)?

Sermon no. 444
13 April (1862)

all rights belong to the collections of Charles Spurgeon(C)

 

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April 03 2014 HE SPOKE NOT A WORD FOR HIMSELF!

Morning

morning- cross

 

“He answered him to never a word.”
Matthew 27:14

He had never been slow of speech when he could bless the sons of men, but he would not say a single word for himself. “Never man spake like this man,” and never man was silent like him. Was this singular silence the index of his perfect self-sacrifice? Did it show that he would not utter a word to stay the slaughter of his sacred person, which he had dedicated as an offering for us? Had he so entirely surrendered himself that he would not interfere in his own behalf, even in the minutest degree, but be bound and slain an unstruggling, uncomplaining victim? Was this silence a type of the defencelessness of sin? Nothing can be said in palliation or excuse of human guilt; and, therefore, he who bore its whole weight stood speechless before his judge. Is not patient silence the best reply to a gainsaying world? Calm endurance answers some questions infinitely more conclusively than the loftiest eloquence. The best apologists for Christianity in the early days were its martyrs. The anvil breaks a host of hammers by quietly bearing their blows. Did not the silent Lamb of God furnish us with a grand example of wisdom? Where every word was occasion for new blasphemy, it was the line of duty to afford no fuel for the flame of sin. The ambiguous and the false, the unworthy and mean, will ere long overthrow and confute themselves, and therefore the true can afford to be quiet, and finds silence to be its wisdom. Evidently our Lord, by his silence, furnished a remarkable fulfilment of prophecy. A long defence of himself would have been contrary to Isaiah’s prediction: “He is led as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth.” By his quiet he conclusively proved himself to be the true Lamb of God. As such we salute him this morning. Be with us, Jesus, and in the silence of our heart, let us hear the voice of thy love.

 

Evening

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“He shall see his seed; he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand.”
Isaiah 53:10

Plead for the speedy fulfilment of this promise, all ye who love the Lord. It is easy work to pray when we are grounded and bottomed, as to our desires, upon God’s own promise. How can he that gave the word refuse to keep it? Immutable veracity cannot demean itself by a lie, and eternal faithfulness cannot degrade itself by neglect. God must bless his Son, his covenant binds him to it. That which the Spirit prompts us to ask for Jesus, is that which God decrees to give him. Whenever you are praying for the kingdom of Christ, let your eyes behold the dawning of the blessed day which draweth near, when the Crucified shall receive his coronation in the place where men rejected him. Courage, you that prayerfully work and toil for Christ with success of the very smallest kind, it shall not be so always; better times are before you. Your eyes cannot see the blissful future: borrow the telescope of faith; wipe the misty breath of your doubts from the glass; look through it and behold the coming glory. Reader, let us ask, do you make this your constant prayer? Remember that the same Christ who tells us to say, “Give us this day our daily bread,” had first given us this petition, “Hallowed be thy name; Thy kingdom come; Thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven.” Let not your prayers be all concerning your own sins, your own wants, your own imperfections, your own trials, but let them climb the starry ladder, and get up to Christ himself, and then, as you draw nigh to the blood-sprinkled mercy-seat, offer this prayer continually, “Lord, extend the kingdom of thy dear Son.” Such a petition, fervently presented, will elevate the spirit of all your devotions. Mind that you prove the sincerity of your prayer by labouring to promote the Lord’s glory.

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HE BORE OUR INIQUITIES

Christ is our Redeemer

ETERNAL LIFE IS IN CHRIST

ETERNAL LIFE IS IN CHRIST

 

 

O Sacred Head, Now Wounded

He was despised and rejected — a man of sorrows, acquainted with the bitterest grief. We turned our backs on him and looked the other way when he went by.

Isaiah 53:3

O sacred Head, now wounded, with grief and shame weighed down, now scornfully surrounded with thorns Thine only crown; how pale Thou art with anguish, with sore abuse and scorn!
How does that visage languish which once was bright as morn!

What language shall I borrow to thank Thee, dearest Friend, for this Thy dying sorrow, Thy pity without end? O make me Thine forever; and should I fainting be, Lord, let me never, never outlive my love to Thee.

O Sacred Head, Now Wounded
attributed to Bernard of Clairvaux (1091-1153)

 

A profoundly personal and awesome vision

Although Bernard was one of the most influential Christians of the Middle Ages, settling disputes between kings and influencing the selection of popes, he remained a devout monk, single-minded in his devotion to Christ.

In his own day Bernard was known as a preacher and churchman; today he is remembered for his hymns of praise. “O Sacred Head, Now Wounded” comes from a poem originally having seven sections, each focusing on a wounded part of the crucified Savior’s body — His feet, knees, hands, side, breast, heart, and head. The text of this hymn compels us to gaze at the cross until the depth of God’s love overwhelms us. Bernard’s hymn pictures God’s love, not as an abstract theological statement, but as a profoundly personal and awesome vision of the suffering Christ.

Our Holy Week readings are adapted from The One Year® Book of Hymns by Mark Norton and Robert Brown, Tyndale House Publishers (1995). Today’s is taken from the entry for March 28.

 

Content is derived from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation and other publications of Tyndale Publishing House

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FINAL VICTORY IS WON IN CHRIST!

 He’s alive!

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Christ the Lord is Risen Today!

 

But the fact is that Christ has been raised from the dead. He has become the first of a great harvest of those who will be raised to life again.

1 Corinthians 15:20

Christ the Lord is risen today, Alleluia! Sons of men and angels say, Alleluia! Raise your joys and triumphs high, Alleluia! Sing, ye heavens, and earth reply, Alleluia!

Love’s redeeming work is done, Alleluia! Fought the fight, the battle won, Alleluia! Death in vain forbids Him rise, Alleluia! Christ hath opened paradise, Alleluia!

Soar we now where Christ has led, Alleluia! Following our exalted Head, Alleluia! Made like Him, like Him we rise, Alleluia! Ours the cross, the grave, the skies, Alleluia!

Christ the Lord is Risen Today
Charles Wesley (1707-1788) and others

 

Christ has won the final victory

The grave has been “boasting” of its power since Eden. But now it has finally met its match. It wraps Jesus up at the Cross and “forbids him to rise,” but our Champion, Jesus Christ, fought and won. Where is your sting now, O Death? Christ has won the final victory.

We know that whatever boasting we do is not in ourselves, but in the power of Christ. He has won the victory, and now we’re just soaring where Christ has led. We bask in the benefits of the Cross, and we look past the grave to our heavenly reunion with Him. Alleluia!

Our Easter Week readings are adapted from The One Year® Book of Hymns by Mark Norton and Robert Brown, Tyndale House Publishers (1995). Today’s is taken from the entry for April 3.

Digging Deeper/Telling Others: For more on the meaning of Easter, read Why the Resurrection by Greg Laurie (Tyndale, 2005), also available in 6-pack for distribution.

 

Content is derived from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation and other publications of Tyndale Publishing House

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Elders of the Throne

JOHN 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

JOHN 1:1
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

The elders before the throne

I saw four and twenty elders sitting clothed in white raiment; and they had on their heads crowns of gold.  The four and twenty elders fall down before him that sat on the throne, and worship him that liveth for ever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying, Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power.

Revelation 4:4,10-11

Suggested Further Reading: Romans 5:17-6:2

They who are Christ’s are kings. Take care that you wear your crown, by reigning over your lusts. Be a king in the midst of all that would lead you astray. Christ Jesus has broken the neck of your sin; put your foot upon it; keep it under; subdue it. In the world at large act a king’s part. If any would tempt you to betray Christ for gain, say, How can I? I am a king. How shall I betray Christ? Let the nobility of your nature come out in your actings. Forgive in a royal manner, as a king can forgive. Be ready to give to others as God has helped you, as a king gives. Let your liberality of spirit be right royal. Let your actions never be mean, sneaking, cowardly, dastardly. Do the right thing, and defy the worst. Dare all your foes in the pursuit of that which is right, and let men see while they look upon you that there is a something under your homely appearance which they cannot understand. Men make a deal of fuss about the blood of the aristocracy; I dare say it is not very different from the blood of crossing-sweepers. But there is a great deal of difference between the lifeblood of the saints and the lifeblood of the proudest prince; for they who love Christ have fed upon his flesh, and have drunk of his blood, and have been made partakers of the divine nature. These are the royal ones; these are the aristocrats; these are the nobility, and all are mean beside. Christians, perhaps some of you have not reigned as kings during the last week. You have been either murmuring, like poor whining beggars, or you have been scraping, like dunghill rakers, with your covetousness, or you have been sinning, like idle boys in the street, who roll in the mire. You have not lived up to your kingship.

For meditation: Christians have a royal law to fulfil (James 2:8); in keeping with our position in Christ our response to temptation ought to be.  Should such a man as I; I will not. (Nehemiah 6:11)

Sermon no. 441 23 March (1862)

All rights belong to the collections of Charles Spurgeon(C)