GOD’S WORD FOR  SEPTEMBER 25

We are using Charles Spurgeon book, “The Risen King.”  It’s a collection of well chosen excerpts from Spurgeon’s  “Easter” sermons in devotional form, put together by Jeff Medders.   Pastor Spurgeon lived from 1834 to 1892  in London, England, and had a unique gift of understanding and showing the depth of our faith.  Thus, his reverential title as the Prince of Preachers.   Even though we’re not in or near that season, every day is a good day to focus on Christ’s sacrifice and victory for us!

HEAR AND DO

Matthew 7:24-27

“Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock:  and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock.

 “But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand:  and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its fall.”

These were the closing words of our Savior’s most famous Sermon on the Mount.  The whole of His hill-sermon was intensely earnest, and that earnestness was sustained to the end, so that the closing words are like glowing coals or sharp arrows of the bow.  Our Lord closes not by displaying His own power of speech but by simply and affectionately giving a warning to those who, having heard His words, are satisfied with only hearing and not putting them into practice.

Consider those two houses.  The main difference between them was not in their walls or roofs, nor in the cheapness or speed of construction.  The main difference was out of sight, underground.  It was all a matter of foundation.

Outward appearance is everything with people but nothing with God.  The essential difference between the true child of God and the one who merely professes faith is not readily discovered, even by spiritual minds.  But the Lord sees it.  It is a secret, mysterious something which the Lord prizes, “for the Lord knows those who are His.” (2 Timothy 2:19). 

Sincere trust in Jesus Christ is counterfeited in a thousand ways and often imitated so accurately that you will only discover the fraudulence by rigid self-examination.  You must lie flat upon Christ, the Rock.  You must depend entirely upon Him; all your hope and all your trust must be in Him. 

Beware of gathering a fictitious religion – borrowing your experience from biographies, picking up godliness second-hand from your mothers and fathers or friends and acquaintances.  Whatever it may cost you of heartbreak and agony, see to it that the sure foundation is reached and the house is so built that it will endure the trials which will inevitably test it.

  I would gladly saturate my writing with tears, so weighty and so essential do I feel this caution to be, both to myself and you.

The true Christian rests peacefully upon Christ.  Troubles come one after another, but they do not sweep us away; they only endear to us the hope which is based upon Christ Jesus.   Then, when at last death comes – that awful flood which will undermine everything that is removable – it cannot find anything to shake in the wise builder’s hope. 

We rest on what Christ has done; death cannot  affect it.  We believe in a faithful God, and dying cannot affect that either.  We believe in the covenant signed and sealed and sanctioned – Christians hold on to the “shalls” and “wills” of an immutable God, all sealed with the blood of the Redeemer;  death cannot affect any of these. 

No matter what is faced, the true Christian lives on the Rock, in the Redeemer, with His Word.

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1 Corinthians 3:21-23

 Therefore let no one boast in men. For all things are yours:  whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas, or the world or life or death, or things present or things to come—all are yours.  And you are Christ’s, and Christ is God’s.

1 Corinthians 15:28

Now when all things are made subject to Him, then the Son Himself will also be subject to Him who put all things under Him, that God may be all in all.

1 Corinthians 15:21

For since by man came death,(Adam)  by Man also came the resurrection of the dead.(Jesus).

1 Corinthians 15:22-23

For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive.  But each one in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, afterward those who are Christ’s at His coming.

1Corinthians 15:25-26

“For He must reign till He has put all enemies under His feet.  The last enemy that will be destroyed is death.”

1 Corinthians 15:53-54

For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality……

then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory.”

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