Sermon Outline

1. Introduction—a summary of Spurgeon’s life

2. Devoted to God the Father

3. Devoted to the Holy Spirit

4. Devoted to Christ and the Gospel

Introduction

Remember your leaders, those who spoke to you the word of God. Consider the outcome of their way of life, and imitate their faith. Hebrews 13:7

When we read a biography of great men or women, especially great Christians it can be inspiring but also discouraging. When you consider Spurgeon’s life, his giftings and the depth and breadth of his ministry and then you compare it to your own puny life it can result in condemnation. We must realize that throughout human history and especially in the history of Israel and the church God has raised up men who were mighty gifted and used by him in many ways. I think that we must bow at his sovereignty and thank him for these gifts to his people.

And when we think about great Christian men it’s good to keep in mind that the Bible was written to the “everyman”. To the “ordinary” Christian. It’s inferred that most believers fit into this category. Yes, there will be a Charles Spurgeon, a William Carey, a John Bunyan and for us a Phil Sasser. But for the most part most of us are “ordinary” Christians.

Now an “ordinary” Christian, one who has Jesus Christ and the power of the Spirit is in some sense an extra-ordinary person. That is the glory of gospel transformation. When someone looks at your life and says “well I know him, and in some ways he’s a lot like me. But he has something else that makes him “exceptional/different”.

Discipleship for the Christian man is often seeing and then imitating or at least being motivated to emulate the strengths of other men. And I know in our church examples of this abound! We have so many godly men and gifted men - just keep your eyes open and ears open - observe and listen and you will see and hear the grace and gifts of God in other men’s lives.

And it’s a good thing to seek to emulate their example. It’s not that you are seeking to be that other man - we each are unique people that the Lord has created. But we can seek to imitate other’s character qualities and strengths and giftings as they imitate Christ. That’s part of Christian discipleship.

What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you. Philippians 4:9

And we can do that with one another and we can also do this with historical figures in Scripture and in church history. 

Spurgeon’s Life - A Quick Summary

I want to start off by giving you a quick overview of his life and then go to a few lessons from his life that I think apply to our calling as Christian men. We will have a time to pray for one another at the end, so keep that in mind. 

It does not do Spurgeon credit to summarize his life and ministry in such a short amount of time or take a few lessons for there is much more we could say but here goes:

• Born June 19, 1834. His parents were devout reformed Christians. His grandfather was a pastor. The missionary Richard Knill spent several days with Spurgeon while visiting his grandfather in 1844; he announced to him and his family that the child would one day preach the gospel to great multitudes

• Spurgeon grew up reading and loving reformed theology, especially the Puritans. But as a young man he was somewhat like Martin Luther in that he could not grasp the free gift of grace in Christ. Like Luther he was very much aware of his sins and tormented by that and even yearned to suffer in some way to pay for his sins. He also kicked against the goads not wanting to surrender to Christ. 

• At age 15 on a Sunday morning he because of a snow storm stopped in at a Primitive Methodist church. The pastor was unable to be there because of the storm so either a deacon or church member preached that morning. It may not have been the greatest sermon in church history. It was from Isaiah 45:22. Look unto me and be saved all the ends of the earth. At the end of the service he begin to look directly at Spurgeon and said young man look to Jesus Christ. Look, look, look. You have only to look and live. 

• He was radically changed/converted. 

• Ah Charles I have often prayed that the Lord would make you a Christian but I never asked that you become a Baptist. 

• Later that year he begin preaching and was soon asked by a nearby country church to become their pastor. Age 17. 

• The church quickly grew to 400 people. His fame began to spread and was known as the boy preacher. At not yet age 20 he was called and accepted the pastorate at New Park City Chapel in London. It was a Reformed Baptist church with a rich history.

• The following year he republished the Second London Baptist Confession of 1689. 

• He became known as the Prince of Preachers and because of demand began to publish his sermons which were sent around the world. At one point his readership totaled 25,000 in nearly 40 different languages. 

• The church built a new building and named it the Metropolitan Tabernacle. It could seat 5,000 with standing room of another 1000. Every time he preached for the next 31 years it was full. 

• He married his wife, Susannah, in 1855. They had twin boys both of whom became Baptist preachers. His wife suffered poor health most of her adult life though she outlived her husband and was still active in ministry despite her health issues. 

• Spurgeon himself suffered both in his body and his soul. He had painful bouts of gout and kidney problems. He also struggled with depression/melancholy. Both forms of these sufferings allowed Spurgeon to minister to many Christians who were battling adversity and trials.

• He also suffered or battled the besetting sin of pride. He called it his “darling sin”. 

Pride is a deadly sin… Forget expressions which feed your vanity and if you find yourself relishing the unwholesome morsels, confess your sins with deep humiliation… Knowing something myself of those secret whippings which our good Father administers for his servants when he sees them unduly exalted. I heartedly add my own solemn warnings against your pampering the flesh by listening to the praises of the kindest friends you have. They are injudicious and you must beware of them. 

• He suffered much criticism both from the world but also from other Christians especially during his early years in London. He also suffered because of his stand for the gospel and gospel truths. Included in that was the fact that his sermons and books were burned in the US, in the South because of his strong opposition to slavery. But he was undeterred in his zeal for Christ and for truth. 

• Spurgeon was a church man and his church was given to the ministering to the city of London and beyond. This every member ministry model included ministry to orphans, widows, police officers, prostitutes, sailors, immigrants, the sick and the blind. Zealous for good works. 

• He and his church were involved in planting 187 churches, many through the Pastors College he started. 

• Much more. 

• Died February 11, 1892 at age 57. 

Devoted To God the Father

Spurgeon was a gifted preacher, pastor, writer, evangelist and leader. And yet it may be that his greatest strength was his devotion to God. Once he came to faith he was a man wholly devoted to the Lord. In 2 Corinthians 11 Paul speaks of sincere and pure devotion to Christ. This would be a good description of Charles Spurgeon’s life and ministry. It was out of that devotion to God that Spurgeon served the Lord and ministered mightily for His glory. 

Alex DiPrima uses the words spiritual earnestness to describe his preaching but also I think you could extend that to his entire life. DiPrima goes on about his preaching and sermons: they were born of “ conviction, zeal, urgency, unction and passion. All his soul went with its utterance. This was reflected in his preaching but also in how he led his life. This devotion to God was one of the main qualifications for those who wanted to attend his Pastor’s College: 

He always believed vital communion with God and a near walk with Christ needed to be the pulsating center of a pastor’s ministry. 

— Alex DiPrima

This zealous devotion was seen in many ways but here are some areas that I think are instructive for us. As we look at these it is encouraging that though Spurgeon was a uniquely gifted preacher and Christian way above our pay grade, yet we share many of his core doctrines and values.

Prayer

Spurgeon was a man of prayer. He gave the prayer meeting a very high priority in the church and felt that one of the clearest evidences of the Spirit’s work in a person’s heart is a love for prayer. A thousand people would attend their prayer meetings. Asked about his success: my people pray for me. (I’m going to quote Spurgeon often because the message is on him. Think of it as him preaching to us) 

He who lives without prayer, he who lives with little prayer, he who seldom reads the Word, and he who seldom looks up to heaven for a fresh influence from on high—he will be the man whose heart will become dry and very barren. However, he who falls in secret on his God, who spends much time in holy retirement, who delights to meditate on the words of the Most High, and whose soul is given up to Christ—such a man must have an overflowing heart. As his heart is, such will his life be. 

— Charles Spurgeon

His devotion to God was reflected in his devotion to his family: Though both of them suffered health issues most of their adult lives Charles and Susannah very much loved one another for their entire married life. Spurgeon taught his sons to love the Bible. He had daily devotions with his family and encouraged them to study the historic confessions of faith like the Westminster Catechism and the Second London Confession of 1689. 

He was devoted to worship of God. The Metropolitan Tabernacle sang all their hymns a cappella. Their singing became famous throughout the English - speaking world. Future American President, James Garfield wrote of the Tabernacle singing in 1867 “The whole building was filled and overflowed with the strong volume of song. The music made itself a living, throbbing presence, that entered your nerves, brain, heart and filled and swept you away in its resistless current. (only sing good doctrine)

Out of his devotion to God he was also devoted to the local church. He felt there was more to the ministry of the church than preaching. It was to be a gathering place for God’s people. 

If I had never joined a church till I had found one that was perfect, I should never have joined one at all; and the moment I did join it, if I had found one, I should have spoiled it, for it would not have been a perfect church after I had become a member of it. Still, imperfect as it is, it is the dearest place on earth to us.

— Charles Spurgeon

We should seek to emulate Spurgeon in his devotion to God and the concentric circles of life. For the Christian man this is being devoted to God, his family, his vocation and ministry and to his local church. Give yourselves to these and though you may not be a Charles Spurgeon you will bear much fruit and be great in the kingdom of God.

Of all of these spheres of life we must make our devotion to God pre-eminent. All the other areas of life that we are devoted to must flow out of our commitment and love for God our Father. This spring and summer we had a lot of rain. So much that even in mid August my lawn was very green. But then we went a number of weeks with little or no rain. Now my lawn is very dry and burnt and looks barren. If we do not continue to cultivate our devotional life it will dry up. So how can we keep our heart and devotion to God burning warmly and consistently? (a heart for God) We want to have a vital experiential relationship with the Lord. 

Proverbs 4 tells us to “watch over your heart with all vigilance for from it flows the springs of life.” Often when we read that as men we think of the area of purity and guarding it against carnal thoughts - and we must do that! But we must most importantly watch over our heart and make sure it is well watered with the joy of His presence. We must learn to daily make ourselves happy in God. 

Different men do this differently but here are some suggestions. Read the Psalms. They will motivate you in your zeal for God and your worship of God. Second, sing. Delight yourself in God. Sing a song or two—learn to worship God in private. Make it a daily priority to get a few minutes where you are delighting yourself in the Lord. Yes we are called to do other things in prayer but as the Westminster Confession states the chief end of man is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever. If you are a man happy in God then all your efforts (and challenges) in the home and at work and in the church will be influenced by that. It’s hard to keep a joyful man down. We minister to others not just by what we do but also how we do it. I’m not talking about an artificial joy but one rooted in our relationship with God. 

Devoted To The Holy Spirit

Spurgeon was definitely a Spirit filled man. He spoke often of the person and work of the Spirit. One of the books printed on Spurgeon’s sermons is titled Spurgeon on The Holy Spirit. It has 19 sermons on the Holy Spirit and is over 450 pages. He was keenly aware of our ongoing need for the work of the Spirit in our lives.

Was he a cessationist or a continuationist? Well yes. In some ways he was both. He articulated that certain gifts of the Spirit had ceased (tongues, prophecy and healing). Obviously his preaching was greatly anointed by the Holy Spirit. But he also on many occasions operated in revelatory gifts of the Spirit. Some would label them prophecies, some would say they were words of knowledge. 

For example on a number of occasions when he was preaching he would out of the blue point at someone and read their mail. Telling them that he knew they had stolen gloves from their master or were currently drinking or one had his shop opened on Sunday and was charging excessive prices. John 4: “Come, see a man who told me all that I ever did.”

I could tell as many as a dozen similar cases in which I pointed at somebody in the hall without having the slightest knowledge of the person, or any idea that what I said was right, except that I believed I was moved by the Spirit to say it.

— Charles Spurgeon

And I find this to be true with many cessationists—that they have a category for the Lord moving subjectively in their lives. If you press them they would cautiously agree that the Lord does operate this way. They are somewhat wary of opening that door too far e-we prophecy in part). But Spurgeon was clearly a man of the Spirit. 

This may be argued by some but it seemed as if he believed in a baptism or filling of the Spirit and a re-filling. 

No matter what level of spiritual maturity we are on, we need renewed appearances, fresh manifestations, new visitations from on high. While it is right to thank God for the past and look back with joy to His visits to you in your early days as a believer, I encourage you to seek God for special visitations of His presence. 

— Charles Spurgeon

Let us not be satisfied with the sip that saves but let us go to the baptism that buries the flesh and raises us in the likeness of the risen Lord: even that baptism into the Holy Ghost and into fire that makes us spiritual and sets us all on flame with zeal for the glory of God and eagerness for usefulness by which that glory may be increased among the sons of men. 

— Charles Spurgeon

I’m not trying to say he was a classical Pentecostal or Charismatic, but like Martyn Lloyd-Jones he was a man committed to Reformed doctrine and the power and presence of the Spirit. We might not see things exactly the same in terms of the operation of the baptism or filling of the Spirit as Spurgeon but I think the important thing is that they desired and demonstrated a zeal for the ministry of the Spirit. They realized they needed more than their own natural strength and gifts. That you didn’t “get” all of the Spirit’s power at conversion. That there were second and third experiences of the Holy Spirit. And this should encourage us—don’t be worried with all the “right” ways of receiving the Spirit as much as desiring it and asking for it and expecting it in faith. 

And Spurgeon would often articulate the things that keep us from walking in the power of the Spirit. 

You will not discover a believer who has not at certain periods in his life been caused to groan because the spirit of self-confidence has risen in his heart and prevented him for feeling the absolute necessity of the Holy Spirit. This has led him to put his confidence in the mere strength of nature, the strength of good intentions, the strength of strong resolutions instead of relying upon the might of God and the Holy Spirit alone. 

— Charles Spurgeon

Galatians 3 is clear—we access the power of the Spirit by faith not by works of the law including our own God given strengths. In the sermon on the Mount Jesus expresses persistent pursuit. It’s as we ask and seek and knock in faith that we receive more of the Spirit. But we must do that in faith. “The flow of the Spirit comes through trust.” (initial and ongoing)

Another area that Spurgeon would cite for lack of the Spirit’s power and presence is worldliness. And another would be passivity and indifference. We must allow his admonishments to not condemn but spur us on to more seeking of the Spirit’s presence. 

None of us have participated in His operations as we might have done; we have sipped where we might have drunk; we have drunk where we might have bathed; we have bathed up to the ankles where we might have found rivers to swim in. Alas, for many Christians it must be affirmed they have been naked and poor and miserable when they might have been clad in golden garments in the power of the Holy Spirit, rich and increased in goods. He waits to be gracious but we linger in indifference like those of whom we read “So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief.”

— Charles Spurgeon

One of the temptations and challenges to living in an affluent society is we are often too much at ease, too comfortable and thus too indifferent to our need and to the opportunity to the power and blessings of having more of the Holy Spirit in our lives. Some questions to ask yourself:

• What do I believe about the filling and refilling of the Spirit? 

• In what areas of my life have I assumed on my own strength or some other agency other than the power of the Holy Spirit? 

• Do I need to have someone pray for me in that regards?

May we imitate our brother Spurgeon and seek to be men of the Holy Spirit. Men who are regularly asking, seeking and knocking for more of the Spirit’s power (spiritual discipline).

Devoted to the Christ and the Gospel

Lastly and most importantly Charles Spurgeon was a gospel man. He was very much like Paul who said in I Corinthians 2:

For Christ did not send me to baptize but to preach the gospel, and not with words of eloquent wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power… And I, when I came to you, brothers, did not come proclaiming to you the testimony of God with lofty speech or wisdom. 2 For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. I Corinthians 1:17 and I Corinthians 2:1-2

Spurgeon was a man devoted to the Bible and Reformed doctrine. Someone called him the last of the Puritans. However he did not allow his Scriptural doctrines to supersede the primacy of Christ in his life. 

I am never ashamed to avow myself a Calvinist… I do not hesitate to take the name of Baptist.. but if I am asked to say what is my creed I think I must reply “It is Jesus Christ”... Christ Jesus who is the sum and substance of the gospel who is in himself all theology, the incarnation of every precious truth and the life. 

— Charles Spurgeon

He was committed to theological fidelity and he encountered criticism for that. But he was very committed to unity in the body of Christ. 

(DiPrima) He freely acknowledged the church’s Calvinistic and Baptistic distinctives but deliberately subordinated them to the broader gospel unity the church shared with the larger Christian family. He was perfectly content to fellowship with other Christians who he disagreed with on secondary doctrinal and practical issues.

He was a man utterly devoted to Jesus Christ and His church. His sermons were very Christ centered. Make Christ the diamond setting of every sermon. He was described as a man of the people who could communicate gospel truths to them. He exuded the warmth and tenderness of the Savior towards sinners. He embodied the heart of Christ. The love of God in Christ. He wanted people to walk away with the highest possible thoughts of the love of God in Christ and a sense of having experienced God’s presence among them in worship. To see Christ clearly and to treasure him as Lord and Savior was the grand object of the Tabernacle’s worship gatherings. 

He painted loving and compelling pictures of Christ our Savior and Lord and called men and women to come follow Him. He did not soft pedal the cost of becoming a Christian. But he did it against the backdrop of the glorious King and Savior our Lord Jesus. He told people of the bigness of their sins but the greater bigness of the saving power of the gospel.

The bridge of grace will bear your weight, brother. Thousands of big sinners have gone across that bridge, yea, tens of thousands have gone over it. Some have been the chief of sinners and some have come at the very last of their days but the arch has never yielded beneath their weight. I will go with them trusting to the same support. It will bear me over as it has for them. 

— Charles H. Spurgeon

We live in an age where information has exploded. It is readily available to us at the click of a link. Information of all types. And like most technological advances it can be a blessing or a curse. The negative part of that for the Christian is that we can be tempted to be distracted or seduced by things that may be important but are not critical to our lives and doctrine. We must watch that we do not become like those described in Acts 17 (a thin)

Now all the Athenians and the foreigners who lived there would spend their time in nothing except telling or hearing something new. Acts 17:21

In our theology and in the affections of our heart we must keep Jesus Christ and Him crucified pre-eminent. The person and the work of our Savior must be our foundation and the source of our ongoing joy and strength. I mentioned this reference before but here is the entire verse found in I Corinthians 11.

But I am afraid that as the serpent deceived Eve by his cunning, your thoughts will be led astray from a sincere and pure devotion to Christ. II Corinthians 11:3

We are saved by placing our faith in Jesus Christ and the message of the gospel. We are preserved by our faith in our Savior and the good news of his life, death and resurrection. This is our great hope and the hope and message we should seek to communicate to others. Mark 1:15 tells us that at the beginning of his ministry Jesus went about proclaiming the gospel of God, 15 and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.”

One of our core values as a church is doctrine. May the doctrine of Christ always be like a banner flying over our church and our lives. Over our worship, over our prophecies, and our fellowship—Like Spurgeon may our first love continue to be our first love until we see Him face to face.