DELIVERED
BY C. H. SPURGEON,
AT THE METROPOLITAN TABERNACLE, NEWINGTON.
"Therefore I remind you to you stir up the gift of God which is in you
by the laying on of my hands." 2 Timothy 1:6.
I SUPPOSE that Timothy was a somewhat retiring youth and that from the
gentleness of his nature he needed to be exhorted to the exercise of
the bolder virtues. He is bid not to be ashamed of the testimony of our
Lord and to endure hardness as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. He is
called to the front, though his modesty would have kept him in the
rear, and he is exhorted to command and teach, suffering no man to
despise his youth. Perhaps, also, he was not a man of very vigorous
action and needed, every now and then, a little touch of the spur to
induce him to put forth all his dormant energy and keep himself and his
Church thoroughly up to the mark in labor for Christ.
His was a choice spirit and therefore it was desirable to see it
strong, brave and energetic. No one would wish to arouse a bad man, for
like a viper he is all the worse for being awake. But in proportion to
the excellence of the character is the desirability of its being full
of force. The Apostle Paul tells Timothy, in his first Epistle, not to
neglect the gift that is in him. And in the text before us he bids him
stir up that gift–in each case he is sounding the trumpet in his ear
and summoning him to intense action. He speaks of the gift that was
conferred by the laying on of hands, and in the former Epistle he
connects that with the hands of the presbytery.
Now it was no doubt the custom to lay on hands at the ordination of
Christian ministers by the Apostles and there was an excellent reason
for it–for gifts were thereby conveyed to the ordained. And when we
can find anybody who can thereby confer some spiritual gift upon us, we
shall be glad to have their hands laid on our heads. But we care not
for empty hands. Rites cease when their meaning ceases. If practiced
any longer they gender to superstition and are fit instruments of
priestcraft. The upholding of the hands of the eldership, when they
give their vote to elect a man to the pastorate, is a sensible
proceeding, and is, I suspect, all the Apostle means when he speaks of
the presbytery. But empty hands, it seems to me, are fitly laid on
empty heads–and to submit to an empty ceremony is the most idle of all
idle waste of time!
If Paul were here and could confer a gift, we should rejoice to receive
it. Yes, and if the meanest man in Christendom, or woman, for that
matter, could confer the smallest drachma of Divine Grace by the
putting on of their hands, we would bow our head in the most humble
manner. Till then we shall beg to decline submitting to the imposition,
or assisting in it. For this reason, and others, we cannot use the text
exactly as it stands in addressing this congregation. But leaving out
the reference to laying on of hands, we may honestly, without violation
of the current of Inspiration, proceed to exhort each one of you to
stir up the gift that is in you!
There are many kinds of gifts. All Christians have some gift. Some may
have but one talent, but all have one at the least. The Great
Householder has apportioned to every servant a talent. No single part
of a vital body is without its office. True, there are some parts of
the body whose office has not been discovered–even the physician and
the anatomist have not been able to tell why certain organs are in the
human frame, or what office they serve–but as even these are found to
be necessary, we are quite sure that they fulfill some useful purpose.
Truly, there are some Christians who might be put in that category–it
might puzzle anybody to know what they are capable of–and yet it is
certain they have some charge committed to them to keep, and, if true
Believers, they are essential parts of the body of Christ.
As every beast, bird, fish and insect has its own place in Nature, so
has every Christian a fit position in the economy of Grace. No tree, no
plant, no weed could be dispensed with without injury to Nature's
perfection. Neither can any sort of gift or Grace be lost to the Church
without injury to her completeness. Every living saint has his charge
to keep–his talent over which he is a steward. A measure of gift is in
all of us, needing to be stirred up. Some have gifts outside of them
rather than within them–gifts, for instance, of worldly position,
estate and substance. These ought to be well
used, and considering that in these times we have a starving world to
deal with, and that one of the great impediments to the spread of the
Gospel is, with some of us, the lack of means for the maintenance of
those who should preach the Word, it does seem a strange thing that
professors should store up God's money and use it as if it were their
own.
When for our orphans, our students, our tract distributors and our
missionaries we need funds, how can men love the Lord with all their
hearts and yet keep their thousands cankering at their bankers, or
their tens resting in their purses? They have not learned to provide
for themselves bags that wax not old. They do not understand that to
keep their money they must give it away–that truly to preserve it they
must dedicate it to God–that which is kept by the miserly for
themselves is not really preserved, but wasted. That which is expended
in the Master's service is laid up in Heaven where neither moth nor
rust can corrupt.
But I am not going to speak about that. I have not much reason to speak
upon that subject to those who are immediately connected with me, for I
have rather to praise you than to upbraid. Most of our dear friends
here serve the Lord with the gifts that are outside of them–not all as
we should, but many with more than ordinary liberality and some up to
the full measure of their means, if not beyond them. There are,
however, exceptions to all rules and there are a few who attend this
place who need more than a gentle hint to excite anything like
generosity in them. But we must go at once to the point in hand–"the
gift that is in you," we have now to speak of. First, the gift that may
be in each one of us. And then, secondly, how we are to stir this gift
up. And in conclusion, we will give reasons for the stirring of it.
I. First, then, WHAT GIFT IS THERE IN US? In some here present there
are gifts of mind which are accompanied with gifts of utterance. It is
no mean thing to be able to read the Scriptures and to see their inner
meaning–to be able to compare spiritual things with spiritual and to
be so taught in other matters so that we are able to see the hand of
God in history and can, upon all such subjects, speak to edification.
It is not everyone who has a mind who has also the gift of utterance,
but where God is pleased to give to any man mind and mouth, he
possesses a gift which he ought abundantly to use.
Many a man is mighty in the Scriptures but not eloquent. When the two
things meet, as in Apollos, and are combined with a fervent spirit, a
man of God has power, indeed! May I suggest that every Christian man
here who is possessed of the faculty of eloquent discourse is bound to
use it for Jesus Christ? Some young men spend their evenings in
Debating Societies and the like, and I have not a word to say against
that, but I have this to say–whatever you may do with this talent in
other directions, the Lord, who has bought you with His blood, if you
are a Christian man–has the first claim upon you and you are bound to
use your powers of utterance in His cause.
"But I am not a minister!" What do you mean by that? Do you find
anything in Scripture about clergy and laity? If so, you have read it
with different eyes from mine! There were men called especially to the
oversight of the Church and the preaching of the Word, but everyone,
according to his gift, also had a call–and there is no man in the
Church of God who has ability to speak who has any license to be
silent. Not only the golden-mouthed orators, but the silver-tongued
speakers–men of the second as well as of the first order–should serve
in the Gospel of the Son of God. I shall not ask any young man whether
he ought to preach, but whether he can prove that he ought not.
Every man is bound to tell another who is in danger, to escape from
that danger. Everyone who has recovered from a dreadful disease is
bound to tell others what remedy was made effectual in his case.
Nothing can excuse us from, in some way or other, spreading abroad the
Gospel of Jesus Christ! And if we have the ability to speak, it will go
hard at last with us if we have been silent with our fellow men. The
stones in the street might surely cry out against some religious
professors who make the Houses of Parliament, the Council Chamber, the
Courts of Justice, the Athenaeum, or the Mechanics' Hall ring with
their voices, and yet preach not Jesus–who can argue points of
politics and the like, but not speak a word for Christ–eloquent for
the world, but dumb for Jesus?
From this may God deliver us! If you have any gift, young man, come out
and use it–or old man, also, if you have laid it by till late in the
day. In these straitened times when the harvest is ripe and the
laborers are few, let every man that has his sickle come forth into the
field. Let no man say, "I pray you have me excused," but by the blood
that bought you, if you have tasted of the Water of Life, cry aloud and
spare not, and be this your message–"Whoever will, let him take the
Water of Life freely."
There are numbers of Believers who have not the gift of utterance with
the tongue, who nevertheless can speak very fluently and admirably with
the pen. If, then, you have the gift of the pen, are you using it for
Christ as you ought? I need
to stir up the gift that is in you. Letters have often been blessed to
conversion! Are you accustomed to write with that view? Perhaps you are
a great contributor to the postal revenue. Let me ask you what sort of
matter it is with which you burden her Majesty's mails? Do you write
letters to your children and friends full of loving testimony to what
the Grace of God has done for you? If you have not done so, dear
Friends, try at once! Jesus wants consecrated pens and in His name I
claim your service!
The writing of tracts and the dissemination of holy Truth by means of
the press are most important–any person who has any gifts in that
direction should be sure to use them. Why are writers upon religion
often so dull, while the world commands talent and vivacity? Many
thousands of pens are running every day upon the most idle nonsense and
mailing booksellers' shelves groan with the literature of fiction! Are
there none who, with splendor of diction or in humbler guise, could
write interestingly of the Gospel and tell of its power among the sons
of men? If there is, in the tribe of Zebulon, any that handle the pen
of the ready writer, let them not keep back from the help of the
Lord–the help of the Lord against the mighty!
Another form of gift that belongs to us is influence. We have all of us
influence of some sort–some more, some less. What an influence the
parent has! To a great extent you mold your children's lives. Some of
us owe what we never can repay to our mothers. What they have done for
us shall make us grateful to them even when they shall slumber in the
dust. The nurse girl who has the care of little children should be very
careful, for a remark she may make without intention may shape the
character–yes, mar or bless the child's character throughout eternity!
And you who associate daily with working men–is there enough among
Christian masters of earnest zeal to use a holy and affectionate
influence among the employed?
If classes are alienated, one from the other, as it is to be feared
they are, is it not because we meet each other just as a matter of
business and that there is little of anything like Christian affection
and communion between the one and the other? Indeed some laugh off the
idea as ridiculous and tell me I know very little of the world to dream
of such a thing! I will leave that question to the day which shall
reveal all things, and I think I know who will prove to be right. Let
every one of us reckon up what influence he has, and having done so,
let us ask God's Grace that we may use it aright. I shall not go into
details here. You are all affecting those round about you for good or
evil. As Christian men you are either leading others to Christ even
unconsciously, or else you are deadening their consciences and leading
them to think there is not much in religion after all–and surely you
would not wish to do that! If you have the gift of influence, I would
stir you up to use it.
Many of the elder members of the Church have another gift, namely,
experience. Certainly, experience cannot be purchased nor taught. It is
given us of the Lord who teaches us to profit. It is a peculiar
treasure each man wins for himself as he is led through the wilderness.
An experienced Christian is put in the Church on purpose that he may
guide the inexperienced–that he may help those who are distressed with
a word of comfort derived from his own experience of God's helping hand
in time of trouble–that he may warn the heedless by the mischiefs he
himself has suffered through carelessness. Now, when an experienced
Christian merely uses his experience for his own comfort, or as a
standard by which to judge his fellow Christians, or makes use of it
for self-exaltation as though he were infinitely superior to the most
zealous young men–such a man mars his talent, does mischief with
it–and makes himself heavily responsible.
Dear Brothers and Sisters, I, who am so young in years compared with
many of you, beseech you who have long walked in the ways of godliness
to use your experience continually in your visitation of the sick, in
your conversations with the poor, in your meetings with young beginners
and in your dealings with backsliders! Let your paths drop fatness! Let
the anointing God has given you fall upon those who are round about
you! May you be of such a sort as a certain clergyman I heard of the
other day. I asked a poor woman "What sort of man is he?" She said, "He
is such a sort of man, Sir, that if he comes to see you, you know he
has been there." I understood what she meant–he left behind him some
godly saying, weighty advice, holy consolation, or devout reflection
which she could remember after he had left her cottage door. May our
venerable friends always have this said of them!
Another gift which many have is the gift of prayer–of prayer with
power–in private for the Church and with sinners. There are some who
have learned by long practice how to knock at Heaven's door so as to
get a readier opening of the door than others. Numbers of these have
coupled with this the gift of utterance in public prayer. Such dear
friends ought not to be absent from the Prayer Meeting except when
absolutely necessary. They should not only be content with
coming to Prayer Meetings that are established, but they should stir up
the gift that is in them and try to establish others in neglected
places. There was never a period when the Church had too much prayer.
"The Sacraments," as they are called, may have been unduly exalted but
who has ever unduly exalted prayer? Bible-readings may degenerate into
mere discussion, and even preaching into a show of oratory–but prayer
has vital elements about it which survive many an injury.
Alas! Alas for Churches that have given up Prayer Meetings! You shall
judge of the Presence of God by the Prayer Meeting as accurately as you
shall judge the temperature of the air by the thermometer. It is one of
the truest signs that God is with the people when they pray–and it is
one of the darkest signs that He has departed when prayer is lacking.
You who have sweet communion with God in private, look upon your
prevalence on the knee not only as a blessing for yourselves, but as a
gift that is bestowed upon you for the good of others. There is another
gift which is a very admirable one. It is the gift of conversation, not
a readiness for chit chat and gossip–(he who has that wretched
propensity may bury it in the earth and never dig it up again)–but the
gift of leading conversation, of being what George Herbert called the
"master-gunner."
When we have that, we should most conscientiously use it for God. There
lived, some 50 years or so ago, a set of great table-talkers who were
asked out to dine because of their lively conversational powers. Now if
this is in any of you, never waste it in mere pleasantries, but say
something worth saying and aim at the highest results. Remember Jesus
was a mighty table-talker, as the Evangelists take care to note. I wish
I could, with discreet adroitness, break in upon a conversation in a
railway carriage and turn it round to the Savior–turn it round to
something worth speaking of. I often envy those of my Brethren who can
go up to individuals and talk to them with freedom. I do not always
find myself able to do so, though when I have been Divinely aided I
have had a large reward.
When a Christian man can get hold of a man and talk to him, it is like
one of the old men of war laying alongside a French ship and giving her
a broadside, making every timber shiver and at last sending her to the
bottom. How many a soul has been brought to Christ by the loving
personal exhortations of Christian people who know how to do it? To be
able, like Elijah, to stretch yourselves upon the dead child–to put
your hands upon his hands, your feet upon his feet and breathe the life
by God's help into the dead–oh, some of you can do this better,
perhaps, than those who are called to speak to hundreds and thousands!
Do use it if you have the ability, and try to get the ability if you
have it not.
Perhaps you possess it and have not found it out. No unconverted person
should come to this place without your speaking to him. And as to a
person attending the Tabernacle three Sundays without being spoken to
by some Christian, it ought to be an impossibility and would be if all
were in a right warm-hearted state, earnestly desiring the salvation of
others! May God teach us, if we can converse personally with
individuals, to furbish up the gift, keep it in good condition and
continually use it. My inventory of the gifts which are in us is not
complete, nor is it intended to be. Each person may have a separate
gift. Even the gift to be able to lie still and suffer is not a small
one. The gift of being able to be poor and content is not to be
despised. The gift of nursing the sick or of interesting children
should be lovingly employed. Neither ought any talent to be wrapped in
a napkin. But, whatever it is, the word is, "Stir up the gift which is
in you."
II. And this brings us, secondly, to the consideration of HOW WE ARE TO
STIR UP OUR GIFTS. First, we should do it by examination to see what
gifts we really have. There should be an overhauling of all our stores
to see what we have of capital entrusted to our stewardship. May I ask
you for a minute to sit quietly and take stock of all God has given
you? Remember you shall assess yourself, for I am sure your manhood,
not to say your self-esteem, will not let you put yourself down as
utterly without gifts.
If somebody were to speak of you depreciatingly, you would very soon
defend yourself and argue for your own capacity in many departments. I
would put you on your mettle and bring you to acknowledge your
capabilities. Now think of all the abilities you have, dear Brother,
dear Sister. What has God trusted you with? Add up each item and
compute the total sum. What trading-money have you of your Lord's? To
whom much is given, of him much will be required. What, then, has been
given to you? Such an enquiry will help you to stir up the gift that is
in you. The self-examination of every mental faculty, every spiritual
attainment, every form of characteristic force or individual influence
will be an excellent commencement for a more vigorous course of action.
Enquire what you can do, what more you could do, what more you might
learn to do, what more you ought at least to attempt. Diminish nothing
from the just amount of your possibilities and it will greatly tend to
stir you up, if you then
enquire, "How far have I done what I could do? How far have I used all
that has been committed to me? How much of my life has been allowed to
rust and how much has been made bright by wear and tear in the service
of my Master?" It is not a pleasant duty to which I have invited you.
You would be much more gratified if I asked you to consider some
precious promise of the Covenant and certainly I should find it more
consolatory to myself, but this is necessary. Sweet things are
pleasant, but sharp things are often the more beneficial. Pillows for
our heads are not our main desire–we wish, as soldiers of the
Cross–to be found faithful, first of all and above all! We shall have
to give an account before God. Oh, let us give an account before
ourselves, now, in the forum of our own conscience and so stir up the
gift that is in us!
The next mode of stirring up our gift is to consider to what use we
could put the talents we possess. To what use could I put my talents in
my family? Am I doing all I could for the children? Have I labored all
I ought for my wife's conversion–my husband's conversion? Then about
the neighborhood–is there nothing more that I could do for the
salvation of my poor godless neighbors? Perhaps I see them drunk,
profane, unchaste, irreligious, full of all manner of disobedience to
God–can I not, by God's Grace, uplift them? They never come to a place
of worship–have I done all I could to get them there? I was not placed
in that neighborhood without an object. If it is a dark part of London,
I am put there to be a lamp if I am a Christian. Am I shining, then?
Some people prefer to live where there is light and for themselves the
choice is wise, but I think, for usefulness, loving hearts might prefer
to live in bad districts that they might do good. Are you doing all you
can for Jesus? Come, answer like an honest man! Having done so, I have
more for your self-inspection. Will you examine yourself in every
relation in which you stand? As a master, stir up your gift in
reference to those you employ. As a servant, stir up the gift towards
your fellow servants. As a trader, stir up your gift in reference to
those with whom you come in contact. Are you a sailor? Have you stepped
in here tonight? What an opportunity you have, my Friend, in landing on
many shores and doing something for Christ here, and there and
everywhere!
Are you a commercial traveler and do you go to many places? Surely you
might travel for our Lord with Gospel wares to be distributed without
money and without price and yet attend to your own calling, none the
less. If our Churches were in a right state of spiritual health, men
would not first say, "What can I do to make money?" but, "What can I do
to serve Christ, for I will take up a trade subserviently to that." But
if we cannot bring men to that point, we must at least say, (to all of
you who profess to be Christians, at any rate), in whatever condition
you are placed, high or low, rich or poor, you should live unto Christ!
You should each enquire, "What can I do for the Lord in my present
condition? What peculiar service does my position involve?" In this
way, dear Friends, stir up the gift that is in you.
But, next, stir it up not merely by consideration and examination, but
by actually using it. We talk much of working, but working is better
than talking about working. To get really at it and to do something for
soul-winning and spreading abroad the Glory of God is infinitely better
than planning and holding committees. Away with windbags! Let us get to
acts and deeds. None of us know what we can do till we try. The
sportsman will tell you that there may be many birds in a field, but
you know not how many till you walk through and then you discover them
and see them on the wing. When the wheel turns you will be able to see
the force of the current. You will see the speed of the horse when you
put him to his best. Work, work and the tool that is blunt will get an
edge by being used! Shine, and the light you have shall grow in the
very act of shining!
He who has done one thing will find himself capable of doing two, and
doing two will be able to accomplish four– and having achieved the
four will soon go on to 12 and from 12 to fifty! And so, by growing
multiples he will enlarge his power to serve God by using the ability
he has. Does this tire you? Does my subject seem too much like
salvation by works? Nothing is further from my thoughts! I am not, now,
speaking upon salvation at all! Neither am I addressing those who are
seeking after salvation. I am speaking to you who have been saved
already by the Grace of God! You are saved, and on that point all is
done. You are resting in the finished work of Christ. Should it ever
seem hard to you to be stirred up to serve Him? Let the vision of His
tearful face come up to you.
Behold His crown of thorns! Let Him turn His back to you, and count the
gashes the Roman scourges made! Look at Him–a spectacle of blood and
love! And is it possible that any service for Him can, by you, be
considered difficult? To burn at a stake! If we could do it a thousand
times, He well deserves that we should make the sacrifice! To give Him
every pulse and every drop of blood and every breath we breathe–He
well deserves it, glory be to His name! He merits all our
love a thousand times over. I shall not fear to press upon you again
and again and again that you use the gifts which are in you by actual
service of so precious a Master.
And then, dear Friends, in addition to using our gift, every one of us
should try to improve it. We have for years endeavored to stir up the
young Christians of this congregation to educate themselves. By our
evening classes it is intended that young men who preach in the street
may get education in order to better preach the Gospel of Christ. And
out of this congregation have gone hundreds whom God has owned as
ministers of Christ and many such are being trained now. I would have
every man put himself in training. I think every man ought to feel, "I
have been Christ's man with a talent; I will be Christ's man with 10 if
I can. If now I do not thoroughly understand the doctrines of His
Gospel, I will try to understand them. I will read and search, and
learn."
We need an intelligent race of Christians, not an affected race of
boasters of culture–mental fops who pretend to know a great deal and
know nothing–but we need hard students of the Word, adept in theology
like the Puritans of old. Romanism will never do much with people who
know the doctrines of the Word of God–it is a bat and hates sunlight.
Every one of us ought to be students and learners, trying to get more
ability for usefulness as well as to be built up ourselves in our most
holy faith. To the younger members of our Churches, especially, we
speak this. Give yourselves to reading, study and prayer. Grow mentally
and spiritually. You teach in the class–you do well–but could not you
do better if you knew more? And if you address children in the Sunday
schools we are glad of it–but would you not do that better if you
studied more perfectly the Truth of God?
Apollos was not ashamed to be taught, nor need the most successful
laborer be ashamed to learn! Improve your gift, for that is one way of
stirring it up. And then pray over your gifts–that is a blessed way of
stirring them up–to go before God and spread out your responsibilities
before Him. In my own case I have often to cry, "Lord, You have given
me this Congregation, and O it is hard to be clear of the blood of them
all, and to speak with affection and prudence, and courage to all so as
not to leave one unwarned, unhelped, untaught. Help me, my Lord, that I
may leave no one without his portion of meat in due season. Who is
sufficient for these things? Only Your Grace is sufficient for me."
It stirs one up to preach with all his might when he has laid before
God in prayer his weakness. And the ability which God has given him,
too, and asked that the weakness may be consecrated to God's Glory and
the ability accepted to the Lord's praise. Should we not do just the
same, whatever our calling is–take it to the Lord and say, "Assist me,
great God, to live to You. If Your Grace in me is only as a handful of
meal and a little oil, make it hold out–make it hold out! It is not
much I can do, my Master. Help me to do it well and to continue
steadfast and unwearied in it"? Pray over yourself, as it were.
Put your whole self upon the altar and then let the drink-offering be
the pouring out of your tears before God in prayer that He would be
pleased to accept you, to qualify you, to anoint you, to direct you and
bless you in all that you do. This would be the most excellent manner
of stirring up the gift that is in you. O Spirit of the living God,
lead all Your people to downright, earnest and actual service of the
Redeemer, and especially work in us to that end!
III. I will not linger longer there, but close with the third
observation–WHY IS IT THAT WE SHOULD STIR UP THE GIFT THAT IS IN US?
There are many replies to this. One or two will answer our purpose. We
should stir up the gift that is in us because all we shall do, when we
have stirred ourselves to the utmost and when the Spirit of God has
strengthened us to the highest degree, will still fall far short of
what our dear Lord and Master deserves at our hands! Ah, what must
Jesus think of us when He remembers His own love? Was there ever such a
contrast between His furnace seven times hotter and our iceberg
spirits?
He spared not Himself but we are always sparing ourselves. He gives us
everything to the last rag and hangs naked on the Cross. We keep almost
all to ourselves and count self-sacrifice to be difficult. He labors,
is weary and yet ceases not. We are a little weary and straightway we
faint. He continued to preach on, notwithstanding all the ill return
men made. We take offense and throw up our work because we are not
appreciated as we should be. Oh, the little things which put some
workers out of temper and out of heart! Oh, the looks or the not-looks!
The words, or the silence that will make some spirits give up any place
and any service and any work!
"Forbearing one another" seems to have gone out of fashion with many
people. "Forgiving one another even as God for Christ's sake has
forgiven you," is forgotten. Brothers and Sisters, if being doormats
for Christ for all the Church to wipe their feet upon would honor Him,
we ought to think it a great glory to be so used! Among genuine
Christians the
contention is for the lowest place–among sham Christians the
controversy is for the higher positions. Some will ask the question
now-a-days–"Which is the higher office–that of elder or deacon," and
so on. Oh, what triviality!
When the Master was going up to Jerusalem to die, there was a
contention among the disciples which of them should be the
greatest–and so it is with us. At times when Grace is low, our opinion
of ourselves is very high, and then our love to Christ is so little
that we soon take affront and are quick to resent any little insults,
as we think them to be, where perhaps nothing of the kind was meant.
Beloved, may we be saved from all this littleness of soul! And remember
what obligations we are under to our Master–how we should have been
dead in trespasses and sins but for Him–how we should have been in
Hell but for Him–how our expectations tonight would have been "a
fearful looking for of judgment and of fiery indignation" but for Him.
But we are washed and cleansed and on the way to Heaven–and we owe it
all to Him. Therefore let us stir up the gift that is in us and serve
Him with all our might.
Another reason is that these are stirring times. If we are not
stirring, everybody else is. The Church of God, it seems to me, is
traveling along the road to Heaven in a broad-wheel wagon and all the
world is going its own way by express speed. If men become at all
earnest in the cause of God, worldly critics shout out, "Fanaticism!
Excitement!" Did you ever stand on the Paris Bourse–ever hear the
raving, raging excitement of those stock-jobbers as they are trying to
buy various forms of scrip! Nobody says, "Look at these men! See how
fanatical they are!" No, they expect to see excitement on the Bourse.
But if we were half as excited for God and His Gospel, there would be a
hue and cry all over the country, "Here's a set of madmen! Here's a set
of fanatics let loose."
Of good Mr. Rowland Hill they said, "The dear old gentleman's too
earnest." "Why," said he, "When I was at Wotton-Under-Edge I saw a
piece of a gravel pit fall in upon two or three men when I was walking
by, so I went into Wotton as fast as my aged legs could carry me and I
shouted with all my might, 'Help! Help! Help!' and nobody said, 'the
dear old man's too earnest.'" Oh, no, you may be as earnest as you like
about saving people's lives, but if their souls awaken your sympathy,
some lukewarm professor or other is sure to be ready with a wet blanket
to cool your ardor. And yet were there ever times in which the wheels
of life revolved so swiftly as now? The world marches with giant
strides! Everybody is up and awake, but the Church is asleep to a great
extent.
For other things men labor, and tug, and toil and make sacrifices–for
an idea they slaughter their fellow creatures! For the unity of a race
they fatten fields with blood and make rivers run with gore. But to
preach Christ and snatch sinners from the jaws of Hell they require of
us to be chilled–and insist that we must not be too earnest–we must
not go too fast. We must be prudent! We must be cool! From "prudence"
and "coolness" good Lord, deliver us! From "decorum" and "propriety,"
(wherein they stand in the way of our winning souls), good Lord deliver
us! And from every conventionality and every idol that has been set up
among us which prevents our being thoroughly useful and grandly
serviceable to the cause of God, good Lord deliver us! Because these
are stirring times, we ought to stir up the gift that is in us.
And then, again, we must stir up our gift because it needs stirring.
The gifts and Graces of Christian men are like a coal fire which
frequently requires stirring as well as feeding with fuel. You must not
stir it up too much–the poker does not give heat, and stirring up a
man of itself does not make him better–indeed, it is as injurious to a
weak man to stir him up as it would be to an expiring fire in the
grate. But yet there must be stirring and fires go out sometimes for
the lack of it. There are times with us when we become dull and heavy,
doing little or nothing–restless, indifferent– and then it is that we
require rebuking. If there is a solid bottom of real Grace in us, we
only need the poker that we be stirred up and straightway the fire
begins to burn.
How I like to stir up some of you! I remember a dear Brother dropping
in one Thursday night to hear the Word preached–an excellent
Christian, but sluggish–but the Lord touched his heart with the spoken
Word and he began to preach in the streets of the city where he
resides! He has now one of the largest houses of prayer and God has
given him hundreds of souls! He only needed stirring up! Is there no
other Brother here, who, hearing this earnest word shall find it like a
live coal from off the altar, touching his lips and moving him to go
forth and preach the Word and serve his Master according to his
ability? We must, then, dear Friends, stir ourselves up because if we
do not, we may lose the faculty and rob ourselves of the power of
usefulness! The knife which is not used loses its edge and the man who
does not work for God loses much of his ability to do so in the future.
I shall give you another reason, and that is this. If we will but stir
ourselves, Beloved, or rather, if God's Holy Spirit will but stir us,
we, as a Church may expect very great things! I can hardly tell you how
comforted I felt last Monday evening. I said on Sunday, "The Elders and
Deacons will meet to pray, and those of you who love souls and are
concerned about them will kindly come, too, at six o'clock." I was glad
to see many of you who I know love the Lord fervently, and through that
warm Prayer Meeting which we had before our more public gathering, we
felt that we had laid hold upon our God. I know there is a blessing
coming! I am sure of it! I hear "a sound of a going in the tops of the
mulberry trees." The Lord is with us! He never made His people agonize
in secret and join together publicly in deep soul earnestness without
intending to bless them!
We might as well fear, when the months are warm, that there will be no
ripening of the wheat as to say when Christian's hearts are warm
towards God that there will be no conversions. It can't be! Enquiring
saints always make enquiring sinners. If we enquire of God for sinners,
sinners will soon enquire for themselves. Up, therefore! Up, therefore,
Beloved! Stir yourselves, for God is stirring us! And remember, there
will be a great stir by-and-bye. Business will all end, politics will
be done with and all the matters in which you are concerned will be
eternally closed. What a stir there will be in that day! Fallen we
shall stand before the Judgment Seat of Christ to give an account of
the deeds done in the body!
What a stir about ourselves! What a stir about others! Where will they
be? Will they be on the right hand, or on the left? Shall I see my boys
in Heaven, or will they be cast out? What a stir there will be about
your husband or your wife! What a stir there will be about your
neighbors! Think of it! Think of it, I say, and be stirred now! If they
die as they are, they will be damned–they must be. They must sink into
Hell! There is no hope of their escape if they die unsaved.
What a stir there will be throughout all the nations in that day! And,
surely, if we look at it in the light of eternity–in the light of that
tremendous day when Christ, with clouds, shall come–we shall feel that
there is nothing worth living for but serving God! We shall surely feel
that the very core and center of all life is to bring glory to God by
bringing sinners to Jesus Christ! God grant you may live as if you
expected to die! We ought always to preach as though we should go out
of the pulpit into Heaven and we should always to pray in that way. And
we should always spend every day as if we had not another day to spend.
For this we need much of the Holy Spirit's power.
And He rests upon His people! May He come and rest upon us, now, for
Jesus Christ's sake. Amen.
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A Visit to the Tomb