I'm listening through Spurgeon's autobiography, which I got during ChristianAudio's recent sale. It's being absolutely delightful. I had avoided it, since period biographies tend to dwell forever on generation after generation of unremarkable dead ancestors, and every board and nail in long-vanished buildings. Not so with Spurgeon. It is as if he is preaching Christ, with his life as the backdrop. His marvelous sense of humor sparkles continuously, and the whole is an ongoing testimony to Christ.
I understand now better why Spurgeon ministers to me where other famous men don't. He went through miserable struggles on his way to Christ, had a bone-deep conviction of sin, scarcely was able to believe that God could forgive him. Whereas other famous Bible-talkers I could (but won't) name speak as those who have never personally struggled with sin nor assurance nor depression nor personal failure in any significant way, Spurgeon's preaching of Christ is real and full-blooded and robust.
This download includes only January through March.
Spurgeon has a way of drawing every last drop of sweet honey from a text. Here's an example: Spurgeon's January 9 AM reflection:
“I will be their God.”
— Jeremiah 31:33
Christian! here is all thou canst require. To make thee happy thou wantest something that shall satisfy thee; and is not this enough? If thou canst pour this promise into thy cup, wilt thou not say, with David, “My cup runneth over; I have more than heart can wish”? When this is fulfilled, “I am thy God”, art thou not possessor of all things? Desire is insatiable as death, but he who filleth all in all can fill it. The capacity of our wishes who can measure? but the immeasurable wealth of God can more than overflow it. I ask thee if thou art not complete when God is thine? Dost thou want anything but God? Is not his all-sufficiency enough to satisfy thee if all else should fail? But thou wantest more than quiet satisfaction; thou desirest rapturous delight. Come, soul, here is music fit for heaven in this thy portion, for God is the Maker of Heaven. Not all the music blown from sweet instruments, or drawn from living strings, can yield such melody as this sweet promise, “I will be their God.” Here is a deep sea of bliss, a shoreless ocean of delight; come, bathe thy spirit in it; swim an age, and thou shalt find no shore; dive throughout eternity, and thou shalt find no bottom. “I will be their God.” If this do not make thine eyes sparkle, and thy heart beat high with bliss, then assuredly thy soul is not in a healthy state. But thou wantest more than present delights—thou cravest something concerning which thou mayest exercise hope; and what more canst thou hope for than the fulfilment of this great promise, “I will be their God”? This is the masterpiece of all the promises; its enjoyment makes a heaven below, and will make a heaven above. Dwell in the light of thy Lord, and let thy soul be always ravished with his love. Get out the marrow and fatness which this portion yields thee. Live up to thy privileges, and rejoice with unspeakable joy.
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10 comments:
Brother Dan,
This has nothing to do with your post - although, I did rush to download - so I guess it does! Anyway, just wanted to say thanks for being you. Your blog both here and at pyros have been a blessing to me...so thanks!
Love in the Truth.
"He went through miserable struggles on his way to Christ, had a bone-deep conviction of sin, scarcely was able to believe that God could forgive him."
All this could as easily be said of me! Phil's Spurgeon Archive (especially the Morning & Evening Devotions) has been a great encouragement to me during my bouts of doubt by constantly pointing me to the Cross and to Christ and His righteousness.
If you would like to get it in a daily email, Truth for Life does that here: http://www.truthforlife.org/site/PageServer?pagename=sub_reg
The language is updated a little bit by Alister Begg. They also sell a two volume set that I use that is very nice.
"No model exegete"—could you elaborate, please? Thanks.
Or is it that he preached more on the application side than on the exposition side? (And seems to have preferred preaching on single verses and in no discernible order, rather than preaching through large sections of Scripture at a time....)
Oh, Stefan, anyone who loves CHS (as I do) will tell you he preached many of his sermons from the wrong texts. He himself even as much as says, "This verse doesn't really say this, but...."
But we "forgive" him, because it's as if someone said, "Now, let me tell you about geraniums" — and wrote Calvin's Institutes. You forgive that it isn't really about geraniums at all, because what it is, is so magnificent.
Just one more thing that made him such a unique preacher, I guess!
What Charles Spurgeon audio book autobiography would you recommend?
Danny, I got this and this, but it was when they were on sale for under $10 each.
)c:
thanks
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