The Christian’s Motto

A SERMON DELIVERED ON LORD'S-DAY MORNING, MARCH 22, 1874,

BY C. H. SPURGEON,

AT THE METROPOLITAN TABERNACLE, NEWINGTON.

"I always do those things that please Him." John 8:29.

OUR Lord Jesus stood alone as the Advocate of right and truth in the
days when He dwelt among men. It is true He had a few followers, but
they were so slow to learn and so weak in action that they rather
increased His difficulties than rendered Him assistance. He was a
solitary Champion in the midst of armies of foes. Those foes were
powerful, cunning, cruel and exceedingly active, yet He was calm,
unmoved and faced them without fear. He was never put to the blush by
them and never turned His back in retreat. Our Lord was victorious all
through the campaign of His ministry. I may say of Him that He went
forth conquering and to conquer–and on the Cross He gained His
crowning victory!

Since you, also, will meet with enemies, would you learn to be as calm
as He? Since difficulties must beset your pathway, would you possess
the same strength as He? Would you, in fact, live as He lived, and,
finishing your course, would you enter into His joy? Then study well
the records of His sublime career and you will see that the secret of
His power was the Presence of His God–"He that sent Me is with Me."
And the secret of His comfort was fellowship with Jehovah–"He has not
left Me alone." If you would know how you can enjoy the Presence and
fellowship of the Lord– and all the power and comfort which come
thereby, the Savior tells you the secret in the following words–"For I
always do those things that please Him."

If we would have God with us, we must be agreed with Him. "Shall two
walk together unless they are agreed?" Remember the words of the Lord
Jesus, how He said, "He that has My commandments and keeps them, he it
is that loves Me, and he that loves Me shall be loved of My Father, and
I will love him and will manifest Myself to him" (John 14:21). To do
the things which please God is the way to secure His Presence and
consequent power and happiness. I shall, at this time, endeavor to set
forth the Savior before you all under two aspects–as the Mediator, in
which office we delight to trust Him, and as the Model, in which
Character we endeavor to imitate Him. May the Holy Spirit so illuminate
our minds that under both aspects our souls may be greatly blessed as
we gaze upon our Lord.

I. First, then, as THE MEDIATOR. He says of Himself, as God-Man, the
appointed Redeemer, the sent Son of God, "I always do those things that
please Him." This was and is true of our Lord every way. Of His
Incarnation we read those memorable words–"Lo, I come: in the volume
of the Book it is written of Me, I delight to do Your will, O My God:
yes, Your Law is within My heart." In the same Psalm He describes
Himself as a servant whose ears had been opened or bored that He might
be a servant forever. And in another place He says, "He wakens morning
by morning; He wakens My ear to hear as the learned." The Son of God
was willing to come to earth to do His Father's will and His birth at
Bethlehem was one of the points in which He pleased the Father.

He was also doing the things which pleased the Father during His
obscure life as the carpenter's Son. We know but little of it, and it
is vain, by pencil or tongue, to attempt to paint what Scripture has
left beneath the veil of silence. But we know this much of it, that He
was about "His Father's business" and that "He grew in favor with God
and man." He was the "holy Child Jesus," and therefore must have done
the things which pleased God. At the end of His retirement, when He
came forth at 30 years of age, the Father set the seal upon the past as
well as bore witness to the present when He spoke with an audible voice
from the excellent Glory, and said, "This is My beloved Son, in whom I
am well pleased."

His subjection to His earthly parents and His reverent silence till the
hour was come to speak were things which pleased the Father. When He
entered upon His public and active service He began well, for He
commenced, by an act of which He said, "Thus it becomes us to fulfill
all righteousness." It was at His Baptism that the Father expressed His
pleasure in Him and the Spirit descended upon Him. His Baptism was an
emblem and a type of the perfect obedience which He intended to
render–it set forth His immersion into depths of suffering, His
sinking in death and burial, His

rising again from the tomb–and His ascension into Heaven for us.
Doubtless, all these are to be seen by the spiritual eye in the
symbolic rite practiced in Jordan's waves. Blessed are they who follow
the Lamb where ever He goes!

Immediately after this our Lord was led by the Spirit into the
wilderness where He was tempted of the devil. His going there and His
threefold victory over the Tempter were well-pleasing to God. Did not
Jehovah send His angels to minister to Him? And what was this but a
token that He had pleased God by defeating the arch-enemy? Throughout
His life our Lord was always acceptable to God and fulfilled in very
deed that ancient Word of the Prophet Isaiah, in his 42nd chapter, at
the 21st verse, in which he spoke and said, "The Lord is well-pleased
for His righteousness' sake; He will magnify the Law and make it
honorable."

He magnified the ceremonial Law by coming under it and observing it
until the time when it passed away. He magnified the moral Law, for He
obeyed every precept–both of the first and of the second table–and
could say to all His accusers, "Which of you convicts Me of sin?" He
was perfect in all His ways! There is not one action upon which a
question can be raised by any candid observer as to the exactness of
its justice and its full conformity to the perfect law of right and
love. He always did the things which pleased God and He had God's
attestation of this–for though the splendor of His Godhead was veiled
when He dwelt here, yet gleams of it burst forth here and there–as if
the Father would let men know that the lowly Mediator was still great
with God.

See Him on Tabor where He was transfigured and you see how the Father
loved Him! It was the Man Christ Jesus who there talked with Moses and
Elijah, while Peter, James and John were eyewitnesses of His
majesty–of which Peter has written–"For He received from God the
Father honor and glory, when there came such a voice to Him from the
excellent glory, This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. And
this voice which came from Heaven we heard, when we were with Him in
the holy mount." It is clear, then, that the Glory of our Lord was
looked upon by the Apostles as a token of the Father's love to Him.
Listen, also, to that Voice which answered Him out of Heaven when He
prayed, "Father, glorify Your name. Then came there a Voice from
Heaven, saying, I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again."

The miracles, also, proved His acceptableness with God, for they were
not only evidences of His own power, but tokens of His Father's good
pleasure. And therefore, Peter, in his famous sermon spoke in this
fashion, "Jesus of Nazareth, a Man approved of God among you by
miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by Him in the midst of
you, as you yourselves also know." Everywhere the Father gave forth
signs that He had not left Him alone, but was with Him, because He did
His will. As a servant, for our sakes, He pleased not Himself, but
suffered the zeal of His Father's house to eat Him up. From the first
day in which He spoke to John at the Jordan, to the day in which He was
taken up into His Glory, He always did the things that pleased God.

His death, which was His own voluntary act, was the most pleasing of
all, if there could be degrees where all was perfect. He was, indeed,
all-pleasing to the Father when rising up from supper He said, "Let us
go hence," and He went without a murmur to be "obedient to death, even
the death of the Cross." That bloody sweat in Gethsemane, when He
conquered Nature's fears and took the cup of trembling, saying, "Not as
I will, but as You will"–was not that the doing of the things which
pleased God? Do you not remember that notable saying of the Prophet,
"It pleased the Father to bruise Him"? There was a Divine satisfaction
given to the Father in the willing, the submissive, the believing, the
triumphant pangs of Jesus!

On Calvary He was pressed with grief beyond measure, yet He did not
fail to bear all the pleasure of the Lord in silent submission–a
submission which must have greatly pleased the Lord. On the Cross He
was tried as gold in the furnace, but no dross was found in Him. On the
accursed tree the stress of the world's sin lay on Him and yet He did
not wish to depart from the enterprise which He had undertaken till He
had been obedient to the Father and accomplished all His will, even to
the endurance of death itself! He always did the things which pleased
God.

Having already made the text encompass parts of our Lord's work which
were subsequent to the time when He uttered it, I shall push on yet
further, for I have facts beneath my feet and I would remind you that
our Lord still always does those things that please God. It pleased God
that He should ascend and sit at His right hand. It pleased God that
there He should be our forerunner, preparing our heavenly mansions for
us. He is accepted, we know, for we, also, are "accepted in the
Beloved." It is the Father's good pleasure to give us the kingdom and
therefore it is His pleasure that

our Divine Representative should take the kingdom on our behalf. The
intercession of Jesus, also, is always sweet with God. The Father
always hears Him–and hears us, also, when we plead His name.

And when He shall, "so come in like manner as He went up to Heaven."
When He shall, "take to Himself His great power and reign," and when on
the clouds of Heaven He shall appear to judge the quick and dead, He
will still always do the things which please God. Yes, let me say it
joyfully, the saving works of Jesus are lovely in the Father's eyes!
Whenever our Lord Jesus says to a sinner, "I absolve you," it pleases
God. Whenever the Savior calls a wanderer to Himself and draws Him to
holiness by the attractions of His love, it pleases God. What else is
meant by the passage, "The pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in His
hand. He shall see of the travail of His soul, and shall be satisfied"?

It is the pleasure of God that sinners should find a complete Savior in
Jesus. The Father has no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but had
rather that he should turn unto Him and live, but there is joy in the
heart of God Himself over sinners that repent. Sheep brought back to
the fold are rejoiced over by Him of whom we sing, "We are the people
of His pasture and the sheep of His hand." Prodigals leaving their
riotous living are pressed to the Father's bosom and cause pleasure to
the soul of the benign Deity. Oh, returning Sinners, you have not to
ask Christ to appease the Father, for the Father, Himself, loves you
and your salvation gives Him joy!

As for the benefit which Christ bestows upon saints, the matchless
blessings which He has received as "gifts for men," and scatters among
His people–these all please the Father. It pleased the Father that in
Him should all fullness dwell, and it pleases Him when of His fullness
we receive Grace for Grace. Oh, Brothers and Sisters, if you are rich
in Divine Grace, you are not rich with gifts which the Father grudges!
And if you shall ask for more, it is your Father's good pleasure that
you should have them! Receive them freely, for He freely gives! Delight
yourself in them, for the Father delights to see you partaking of His
Son's abundance! Be of good courage, Sinners, when you come with empty
hands. And be of good courage, you impoverished Saints, when you come
with hungry mouths, for Jesus Christ, in giving freely, will only do
what pleases the Father!

I feel greatly comforted by this text when I think that whatever Christ
has done and is doing pleases God. The Gospel, which is the sum and
substance of the doings of Jesus, is always acceptable with God. It is
a sweet savor unto God in every place. It delights the Father that
Jesus Christ should be preached. I have often thought, when I have been
extolling my Lord and Master, "Well, if not a soul in the place yields
itself to Jesus, nevertheless, thanks be unto God who always causes us
triumph in every place, for we are unto God a sweet savor, as well in
them that perish as in them that are saved!" If Christ is preached, a
sweet oblation is presented–sweeter than the incense of Araby–and it
delights the Most High more than costly frankincense. As of old He
smelled a "sweet savor of rest" when Noah brought the victim and laid
it on the altar, so when Christ is lifted up, God takes pleasure in
Him, and delights when men glorify His Son.

Thus I have spoken very feebly about our Lord Jesus as the Mediator. No
man nor angel can fitly set Him forth–He is too fair, too perfect for
description. Earth cannot show His rival nor Heaven His equal! He is
good and only good! All glory to His name! He has glorified the Father
and He can say to the fullest, "I always do those things that please
Him."

II. Now, Brothers and Sisters, we have stern work to do. We have not
merely to look, but we have to be transformed as we look. We are now to
behold our Lord as THE MODEL and to copy His example. Truly we shall
need the Spirit of God to hold our hand or we shall never write
according to such a Copy as He has set us. It is the business of every
Christian to be able to say, "I always do those things which please
Him." Come, Believers, and lovingly muse upon our Lord Jesus as our
Model!

Here at the outset let me remind you that this will imply that we,
ourselves, are rendered pleasing to God. Remember that as long as a
man, himself, is obnoxious to God, everything he does is also
obnoxious. From a sinner comes nothing but sin–an evil tree brings
forth evil fruit–a foul fountain pours forth polluted waters. It is
vain, therefore, to think, any one of you, that you can do anything
that is pleasing to God till, first of all, you, yourselves, are
reconciled unto Him. The way of reconciliation is only by Jesus Christ.
When your persons are pleasing, your works will be pleasing. But until
you are personally acceptable to God through Jesus Christ everything
that you do is displeasing–and even those things which you think to be
virtues are only, as Augustine called them–"splendid sins," mere
glittering dross, lacking the essential purity and preciousness of the
pure gold of love.

Paul says, "They that are in the flesh cannot please God." And again He
says, "Without faith it is impossible to please
Him"–impossible–whatever is thought, attempted, or done by you! Even
acts of religion are only pretentious

forms of sin until the nature is renewed, the heart changed, and the
man, himself, washed in the blood of Christ and covered with His
righteousness. Therefore, I shall have to speak entirely and only to
those who have been, by the redemption and righteousness of Christ,
made pleasing to God. And I hope that they, having obtained the major
blessing of personal acceptance, will press forward for the further
blessing of sanctification, that they may always do the things which
please their gracious God.

In pleasing God there is implied an avoiding of all things which would
displease Him. We cannot say we, "always do the things which please
Him" unless we earnestly renounce the follies which vex His Holy
Spirit. Now, you know what the works of the flesh are, and those, as
defiled garments, are to be put off that we may go in unto the wedding
in the new garment. Like leaven they are to be swept out of the house
that we may keep the paschal feast. We must put off and lay aside all
pride, whether it is the pride of talent, the pride of
self-righteousness, the pride of wealth, the pride of dress, the pride
of rank, or the pride of spiritual attainments–for even a haughty word
is detestable with God. Among the things which the Lord hates we find
prominently mentioned a proud look. If a proud look is His abomination,
what must pride,

itself, be?

It is written, "The Lord resists the proud." This implies that their
views and designs are contrary to His own and He sets Himself to oppose
them. He carries on continual war with Pharaohs and Senacherib. The
moment He sees a man great in his own esteem He resolves to bring him
down, as He did the boastful monarch of Babylon. He lifts up those that
are bowed down, but He casts down the mighty from their seats. If we
are proud, we cannot do that which pleases God. In fact, we cannot
please Him at all. Sloth is another vice which the Lord abhors. He
calls the idle servant in the parable, "You wicked and slothful
servant." "He that knows his master's will and does it not, the same
shall be beaten with many stripes." "He that knows to do good and does
it not, to him it is sin."

God is not pleased with those who are idle, wasters of their talents
and their time, even though they may plead that they are gentle folks
and have no need to labor. An idle nobleman is as much to be blamed as
an idle farmer. Christians, if you always do the things that please
God, you must be diligent servants–He takes no delight in sluggards
and those who are lovers of ease. God is not pleased with
unwatchfulness, careless walking, indifference to His commands, or
neglect of cleansing the heart. Those virgins who were not thoughtful,
forgot to take oil in their vessels with their lamps, and, in
consequence, their lamps went out and they could not enter the marriage
feast with the bride. Beloved, you must walk carefully, earnestly,
zealously with God, or you cannot please Him. He is a Jealous God and
we must jealously watch even our thoughts, or we shall soon offend Him.

Neither is He pleased with anger, which is not only, as far as we are
concerned, a temporary insanity, but as God judges it, it is murder! He
that is of a quick and hasty spirit. He that bears ill will against
another. He that seeks revenge is not acceptable with God. To a God of
Love, malice is abominable! He would have us do good as He does and
spread happiness all around as He does. Cross, crabbed, morose natures
do not please the Lord! Unkind husbands, fractious wives, rebellious
children and domineering parents are far from pleasing Him. God cannot
smile upon oppression, craftiness, greed, or the grinding of the poor.
Neither is "covetousness, which is idolatry," pleasing with God. He
that is covetous, angers the great Giver of all good, whose liberal
soul cannot endure churls and misers.

The same is true of all worldliness. The lust of the eyes. The lust of
the flesh. The pride of life–these are things which God condemns. In
them He has no pleasure whatever. O you Believers, I pray you purge
yourselves of all filthiness of the flesh and of the spirit! And as for
the deeds of darkness, have no fellowship with them, but rather reprove
them! Come out from among them, be you separate, touch not the unclean
thing and then you will please your heavenly Father. God is equally
displeased with unbelief. Doubts of His power, His love, His
faithfulness. Trembling lest He should not keep His promise, lest,
after all, His Word should fail–this is not pleasing in His sight!

Neither is it pleasing to Him that good men should be cambered with
much serving and should complain of the labor of His service–He would
not have His servants think Him a hard Master. Brothers and Sisters, He
would have us serve Him with joyfulness! Free from care because we cast
our care upon Him! Free from fear because we wholly confide in Him.
Above all, He would have us free from murmuring–"Neither murmur you as
they also murmured, who were destroyed of the Destroyer." His dear Son
was free from everything of this kind. And as He was, so are you, also,
in this world–therefore closely copy Him and lay aside all these evil
things by the help of His Holy Spirit.

Here is the place to say that it should be our intent and earnest
design to please the Lord. We shall not do this by accident–we must
give our whole souls to the work and labor mightily. No arrow reaches
this target if the bow is drawn at a venture–the heart must aim with
earnest intent and vehement desire. May the Holy Spirit work in us to
will after this fashion–and then in due time we shall be sure that He
will work in us, also, to do of His good pleasure. We will continue the
same strain but touch another key. Remark attentively that the text
does not deal with negatives, though it implies them. Christ did not
say, "I do not the things which displease Him," but He said, "I always
do those things that please Him."

The sentence is positive and practical, relating to actual deeds and
not to negatives. We must copy our Master in all the practical
virtues–and what a Model He is! What a pattern He has set before us!
Brethren, what was the most conspicuous thing in the life of Christ? I
cannot tell you–everything is so conspicuously admirable! There is a
harmony, a blending of every virtue in the life of Christ so that you
can scarcely put your finger upon one thing and say, "This was superior
to the rest." But if there is some excellent things more marked than
others, one of them is prayerfulness! How continually do we read, "as
He was praying," or, "as He was praying in a certain place," or, "every
man went to his own home, and Jesus went to the Mount of Olives."

We are told that He spent whole nights in prayer upon the mountain
side–He was always in communion with God. For God to speak out of
Heaven to Him was not a strange thing, for Christ was always speaking
up into Heaven to His God. Be you such! It cannot please the great
Father for His child not to speak to Him by the hour together, and to
be indifferent to Him–to give Him no word, either of request or of
thanksgiving. Alas, I fear some professors seldom speak with their
heavenly Father in spirit and in truth! If we fail here, we certainly
fail in one of the things which please Him. Next in Christ's life, one
of the more prominent qualities was His love–His love to God. We ought
to love God with all our hearts and spend and be spent for His Glory.
It must be our meat and drink to do the will of Him that sent us, and
to finish His work if we are to do the things which please Him.

But our great Exemplar also showed the warmest love to men. How He
pitied the fallen! With what tenderness He spoke to sinners! How gently
did He warn! How sweetly did He woo! Brethren, we must be gentle, too.
That which is hard and domineering savors more of the princes of the
Gentiles than of the lowly Lamb–we must put it away. Like our Master
and Lord, we must wash the disciples' feet and bear one another's
burdens. Gently, kindly, tenderly, we must labor for the good of all
and not consider ourselves. This is to do the things which please God.
If we would follow Christ, we must practice self-denial, for He
"pleased not Himself." It should be said of us as of Him, "He saved
others, Himself He cannot save."

Did you ever, in anything, find Christ making provision for Himself?
Can you discern a speck of selfishness in His Nature? There is a crown
before Him, but He will not have it–yet He longs to see us crowned!
What does He care about being made a king? His joy is that the Lord
reigns! He felt it better to obey His Father than to sit on a Throne.
Oh that we might catch His spirit! The life of Christ is peculiar, too,
from its separateness from sinners. He was with sinners–He ate and
drank with them. He went to their marriage feasts and sat at their
banquets–but He was as distinct from them as the sun from the ash-heap
upon which it shines. He was outside the camp in Spirit, even when He
was in it in Person. He bore reproach all His life and last of all bore
it up to Calvary. We, too, must be different from other men–not
conformed to this world–but transformed by the renewing of our minds.

It is folly to be singular except when to be singular is to be
right–and then we must be bravely singular for Christ's sake. And in
the lonely path of holy nonconformity we shall find Jesus more near
than ever we knew Him to be in the whole course of our lives! I cannot
enlarge here. The picture is so beautiful that merely to dwell upon a
touch or two of the pencil is to give you no idea of the matchless
perfection of the work. Be as He was! Copy Him as disciples should copy
their Master! Furthermore, my dear Brothers and Sisters, if you want to
know what things please God, let me refer you to one or two passages of
Scripture. David says in the 69th Psalm, the 30th verse, "I will praise
the name of God with a song, and will magnify Him with thanksgiving.
This, also, shall please the Lord better than an ox or bullock that has
horns and hoofs."

The Apostle says in Hebrews 13:16, "But to do good and to communicate
forget not: for with such sacrifices God is well pleased." Let us,
then, constantly praise God! Let us have hymns in store for moments
when we can sing and thoughts in store for moments when the tongue must
be silent–but when the heart may yet sing aloud unto the Most

High. Bless the Lord, for whoever offers praise glorifies Him. A
thankful spirit is always pleasing to God. Therefore cultivate it and
shake off, as you would shake off a viper from your hand, the spirit of
murmuring against the Most High! Yonder thankful, humble, poor woman
may please God better than the most talented minister who is evermore
complaining of the dispensations of God.

John tells us in his first Epistle, third chapter and 22nd verse, that
we are to "do those things that are pleasing in His sight," and he
adds, "This is His commandment, that we should believe on the name of
His Son Jesus Christ, and love one another." Faith, therefore, is one
of the pleasing Graces. We read of Enoch that, "before his translation
he had this testimony, that he pleased God. But without faith it is
impossible to please Him." Love to the Brethren is another of the
Graces which please God. He would have us love His people, care for the
poor, relieve those that are sick and cheer those who are cast down.
Brethren, if you would please the Lord, put aside all petty jealousies
and labor to prevent disunion, for brotherly love is one of the most
pleasing sights which the Father of mercies sees. It is as the dew of
Hermon, as the dew that descended upon the mountains of Zion, for there
the Lord commanded the blessing, even life for evermore.

Read, furthermore, in Colossians the first chapter, from the 10th
verse, a long list of excellences. "That you might walk worthy of the
Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and
increasing in the knowledge of God, strengthened with all might,
according to His glorious power, unto all patience and long-suffering
with joyfulness; giving thanks unto the Father, which has made us meet
to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light." So you see,
you sufferers, your resignation to the Divine will, your patience under
a smarting rod–these are all well-pleasing to God! And these and all
the other Graces of the Spirit are the things, which, through Jesus
Christ, are pleasing in His sight.

Now, note particularly this, that these things must be actually done.
"I DO," says Christ, "those things which are pleasing." It will not
suffice to talk about them, nor to even pray about them–they must be
done. Do not merely feel charmed with a virtue, and fascinated with a
duty–but go and actually carry it out. Let not the purpose be
strangled in its birth, but let it be born into actual being. There is
a word in the text which is a hard one to put in practice–
"always,"–"I always do those things that please Him." It will not
suffice to say, "I do the things that please God when I go out to
worship." I hope you do, but the Christian must aim to say, "I always
do."

At home, Husband, there must be such a discharge of your relationship,
that as a husband and as a father you please God. My good Sister, it
must be as a wife and a mother that you please God. In all those
relationships, at all times, you must act as in His sight. True
religion is perhaps better tested at the fireside than anywhere else.
What a man is at home, that he is, and though he is a saint abroad, if
he is a devil at home–you may depend upon it that the last is his real
character! At the same time, we must not think that our religion ends
at home. I do not suppose we shall, but if we do we are mistaken–we
must always do the things that please the Lord.

There must not be, at any moment about our Christian career, anything
we should not like God to see, for He does see. Neither must we be
where we would not like Christ to find us. Neither must we even think
as we would not have Jesus know that we think. This is a high standard,
but our Lord Jesus Christ sets it before us, and it is not for us to
alter the pattern which He has given–"I always do," He says–"the
things that please Him." Are there not many things, dear Friends, which
you have done in former times which you will not do again now you have
been reminded of your failings? There are many things which certain
Christian people leave undone, which they will attend to at once if
they realize the full meaning of this text–"I always do the things
that please Him." Always!

I have known some persons take a holiday from Christ's service
sometimes. They say, "Once a year, surely, one may indulge." What would
you do if you might be indulged? Because whatever you would do if you
had your own way is the best test of your heart. If holiness is
slavery, then depend upon it, you are the slave of sin! When I have
heard of Christian men attending doubtful amusements as an occasional
treat, I have seen at once which way their hearts went–they evidently
loved the pleasures of sense better than spiritual joys. Where either a
man's pleasure or treasure is, there his heart is–and whatever gives
you the most pleasure is really your god. To be flattered is the
greatest delight of many– their god is themselves. "To make money is
my greatest delight," says one. Then the golden calf is your god.
Whatever is your greatest joy and treasure, that is your heaven and
your God–and if you do not find the greatest pleasure in the things of
God, then you do not know what the new life means–and neither will you
ever know the pleasures which are at God's right hand!

Dear Brothers and Sisters, I beseech all of you to notice that by
always doing the things which please God, the Holy Spirit enabling us
to do so, we shall enjoy and retain the Presence of the Father. "He
that sent Me is with Me, He has not left Me alone, for I always do
those things which please Him." Do you complain that you do not enjoy
fellowship with God? Do you tell me that the joys of religion have not
been yours for many a day? Do you come with long faces and complain
that you find the way to Heaven very rough? God has a controversy with
your souls–there is some hidden evil within–or some evil habit which
does not please Him.

Is not that hint of mine enough for you without my pressing it? Does
not your tender conscience say, "I will examine myself. I will ask God
to search me, and I will solemnly promise to Him–

'The dearest idol I have known, Whate'er that idol be Shall now be
dashed from off its throne That I may come to Thee.

Let no pleasurable sin become an image of jealousy to provoke the Lord
our God! As you love the Lord, and I know you do–as you would not
grieve your crucified Master, ask Him to search you and see if there is
any evil way in you and deliver you from it–that you may always do the
things which are pleasing in His sight. Furthermore, by so doing, we
shall not only have communion with God, but we shall be girded with His
strength. "He that sent Me is with Me."

What is the reason why some workers for God do not succeed? They cannot
succeed–it is not possible–for they are in an evil case. Here is a
man trying to build a wall with a broken arm. He makes slow progress,
for he can hardly lift a brick into its place. Here is another man
trying to run a race while he is lame in his feet–he will be far
behind when the winner passes the goal. Here is a man trying to leap
whose every muscle is weak–he would be more at home in an infirmary.
Personal spiritual health is essential to vigorous, successful,
Christian effort! And that health depends upon our living near to God.
If we do that which is pleasing in God's sight the Lord will be with us
in our work–but only if we strive to always do what pleases Him.

Suppose a minister to have been living through the week a careless,
prayerless life–he may preach his best, but as he is not a vessel fit
for the Master's use–he may not reckon upon being used by the Lord. If
the Sunday school teacher goes to her class after indulging in light
conversation or in an angry temper–is there any wonder that souls are
not converted by her teaching? If the city missionary does not find
souls blessed in his district, need he wonder, when upon looking within
he sees a cold heart–and upon looking without he sees a negligent
life? A mother wonders that her children are not saved and yet it would
be a far greater wonder if they were, when her general conduct and
spirit are taken into consideration!

A father has been astonished that his boys have not turned out
Christians, while everyone except himself can see that it would have
been a thousand miracles if they had become religious, for their
father's religion is of that sour, melancholy, rigid, frigid, unlovely
type that you could not suppose anybody could like unless they had a
partiality for sour grapes and bitter aloes. We must get rid of the
things that displease God if we are to be useful! And when that is
done, then shall we be able to say, "He that sent Me is with Me; the
Father has not left Me alone."

Now I close, and closing I ask you–is this too high a Model for you?
Would you prefer an example which would let you abide content in a
measure of sin? I hear many say, "I love Christ," but their love does
not make them imitate the Lord! I fear that they do not know Him and if
they did, they would not love Him, but would think Him a deal too
precise and self-denying. There is such a thing as loving a Christ of
our imagination–not the Christ of the New Testament whose Character is
absolute perfection. Do you love the holy Jesus? If you do, then I am
sure you do not think His Character too elevated, or His example too
pure. No, you say, "Lord, I love this holy living, I only wish I could,
in all things, copy it. Oh, for more holiness! Grant it to me!"

Do you think it is impossible to act as Jesus did? Then I must ask you
another question–Do you think the Holy Spirit has not yet come, or do
you conceive that the Holy Spirit is deficient in power–so that He can
only lead men up to a certain point and must, there, necessarily cease
working? Do you not believe that all things are possible with Him? Do
you not believe that all things are possible to Him that believe? I
grant you that men do not live as my text requires and that the most of
professors do not even try to do so–but the fault is in
themselves–not in the Holy Spirit! He is able to do exceeding
abundantly above what we ask or even think!

Somebody asked me the other day whether I thought Christians could be
quite perfect, and, I have no doubt, expected a long pompous speech
from me! But I cut him short, for my secret thought was, "Well, you are
a fine fellow to be asking such a question, for there is no danger of
your coming anywhere near that condition." That question from most men
is about as consistent as if a beggar should come to my door for bread
and then request to see me. I go to the door, and he says, "Sir, I have
a very difficult question to put to you–do you think every man in
England might make his fortune and be worth a million of money?" What a
question for a man in rags to agitate! Surely he might put off that
inquiry till he is worth two pence, himself, and can pay for his
night's lodging. I say to him, "My good fellow, you are not at all in
danger of becoming too rich, and have no need to raise questions about
millions. Get out of your rags and make yourself commonly decent before
you puzzle your head over that."

It is too early for most professors to be discussing the higher life
and entire sanctification. They are like babies taking the measure of
giants. I am sick of seeing a set of beggarly professors whose poverty
of Divine Grace is manifest to everybody but themselves, shaking their
heads at those good Brothers who preach up a high standard of Grace.
They need be under no alarm about growing too devout, too prayerful, or
too holy! They may go a long way before they will be mistaken for
perfect! I do not believe in a great deal which our modern
perfectionists say about themselves–and I should think a deal more of
them if they thought less of themselves–but at the same time I labor
under no dread as to any of them becoming too good. Nor dare I set up a
lower object of sanctified aspiration than that which Jesus has set
before us in the command, "Be you perfect, even as your Father in
Heaven is perfect."

Have you failed to do as the text says? Then grieve over it! Do you
wish to do as Jesus did? Then He will help you, for He works mightily
with us. Commit yourself unto His teaching. Give yourself up to the
purifying power of His Spirit, and He will bear you up to heights of
Divine Grace and glories of character which you have never thought you
could reach–but which, when you reach them, will not puff you up–for
you will feel constrained to cry, "Not unto us, not unto us, but unto
Your name give praise!"

If we have done all, we are unprofitable servants–we have only done
that which it was our duty to have done–and therefore unto Grace shall
be the praise through the precious blood of Christ, forever and ever.
Amen.

PORTION OF SCRIPTURE READ BEFORE SERMON–Luke 14. HYMNS FROM "OUR OWN
HYMN BOOK"–460, 259, 815.
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