BEFORE SERMON, AT SERMON AND AFTER SERMON – Charles Spurgeon
BEFORE SERMON, AT SERMON, AND AFTER SERMON
“Therefore lay aside all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted Word, which is able to save your souls. But be you doers of the Word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.” James 1:21, 22.
Introduction Brethren, it is a good thing to be under the sound of the Word of God. Even if the very lowest motive should induce persons to come to hear the Gospel, it is, nevertheless, a good thing that they should come. We have heard of some who have even come to steal—and yet the Word of God has stolen into their hearts. In many cases, in olden times, spies were sent to hear the Protestant divines who preached the Gospel—and these took notes of all that was said, with a view to accuse them of false doctrine that they might be punished—yet in several cases, the spies, themselves, were converted! Such is the power of the Gospel of Christ, that it woos and wins, even, its greatest enemies. He that comes near to its fire, even with the intent to quench it, may find himself overcome by its heat. Master Hugh Latimer, in his quaint manner, when exhorting people to go to church, tells of a woman who could not sleep for many nights, notwithstanding that drugs had been given to her. She said that if they would take her to her parish church she could sleep, there, for she had often enjoyed a quiet slumber under the sermon. And he goes the length of saying that if people even come to the sermon to sleep, it is better than not to come at all for, he adds, in his fine old Saxon, “they may be caught napping.” It is even so. A sick man does well to live where there are physicians, for one day he may be healed. If men are in the heat of a battle, they may be wounded—if they come where Gospel arrows are shot, they may fall under them. Plants that grow in the open are likely to be watered when the shower falls. We dare not say to any man who wills to enter the House of Prayer, “You must not come because your motive is gross and low.” No, you are welcome, anyway! Who knows but that, being in the way, God may meet with you? Being where His Truth is preached, you may hear it—and “faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God.” Yet it will strike you at once that though it is well to come to the hearing of the Word of God in any case, yet it is better to come in a better way. We should endeavor to gather the most we can from the means of Grace and not pluck at them at random. A farmer may feel that there will be sure to be some crop upon his land if he does but seed it, but, if he is a wise man, he is not satisfied with a bare crop—he fertilizes his land heavily and tills it well so that it may bring forth a large return to him—for in these times, the largest harvest is no more than he needs. So, my Brothers, let us so use the holy ordinance of preaching that we may extract the largest possible amount of gold from the ore. Let us so come into the solemn assembly that we may hope to meet with God, there, for this is the chief end of our gathering together. And let us so behave ourselves before the coming, in the coming and after the coming, to the sanctuary, that we may gain the greatest possible profit by our coming together. To hear the Word of the Lord is often made, of the Spirit of God, to be life to dead souls and the most eminent means of further quickening to those who are already alive unto God. Let us not lose a grain of the blessing through our own fault. The Word of the Lord is precious in these days—let us not trifle with it. This morning I shall handle my text with the earnest design of teaching you how to hear. Oh, that the Spirit of God may graciously help me! First, let us note what to do before the sermon—“Lay aside all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness.” Secondly, let us learn how to behave during the sermon—“Receive with meekness the engrafted Word, which is able to save your souls.” And thirdly, here is the instruction for after the sermon—“Be you doers of the Word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.”
I. BEFORE HEARING
Let us consider the fit and proper preparation for listening to the Gospel, or what is to be done before hearing. It will strike every man who thinks about it, that there should be some preparation of the heart in coming to the worship of God and to the hearing of the Gospel. Consider who He is, in whose name we gather, and surely we cannot rush together without thought! Consider whom we profess to worship and we shall not hurry into His Presence as men run to a fire. Moses, the man of God, was warned to take off his shoes when God only revealed Himself in a bush—how should we prepare ourselves when we come to Him who reveals Himself in Christ Jesus, His dear Son? There should be no stumbling into the place of worship half-asleep; no roaming there as if it were no more than going to the theater. We cannot expect to profit much if we bring with us a swarm of idle thoughts and a heart crammed with vanity. If we are full of folly, we may shut out the Truth of God from our minds. We should make ready to receive what God is so ready to bestow. If he was condemned, who came to the wedding feast not having on a wedding garment, what shall we say of those who habitually come into the festivals of our Lord and never think of being meet to be partakers of His royal dainties? What shall we say of those who defile the temple of God by never seeking to have their souls washed from the filthiness of their sin? Certainly there should be a serious preparation when a sinful creature draws near to the most holy God! Brothers and Sisters, when I think of our engagements throughout the week, who of us can feel fit to come into the holy place of the tabernacles of the Most High? I mean not into these tabernacles made with hands, but into the inner spiritual temple of communion with God. How shall we come unto God until we are washed? After traveling so miry a road as that which runs through this foul world, can we come unto God without shaking the dust from off our feet? Can we be busy with earthly cares all the six days of the week and be ready for the holy Sabbath without a thought? I think not! Even in the heathen temples before the solemn mysteries began, the herald cried, “Far hence, you profane! Far hence, you profane!” And should not some herald cry to our wandering thoughts, “Far hence, vain thoughts, for God is here!” When the hour is come for drawing near unto the glorious Lord before whom angels veil their faces as they cry, “Holy, holy, holy,” it becomes us to be devout and humble, holy and earnest. Yes, Brothers and Sisters, if we were always occupied with Divine worship; if we never knew thought or care except for His Glory; if we were altogether dissociated from the entanglements and defilements of the world, I should not be so earnest to speak of preparation before hearing the Word of God! But, alas, it is not so! We are men of unclean lips and we dwell among a people of unclean lips! We have not yet come into the holy country where everyone that salutes us is either saint or angel. We have not yet cut off all the Canaanites—we still have need to watch against them daily. Because of the sin which dwells in us and around us, we have need to wash ourselves in the laver at the tabernacle door before we may come near unto the Most High. There is a common consent among mankind that there should be some preparation for worship. I see the visible signs of it here, today. Before the Sabbath dawned, you began to prepare clean linen and brighter garments than those of common days. It is but an outward and common matter, but still, within the shell there lies a kernel. Man puts off his ordinary weekday garments and puts on his best apparel for the Sabbath because, by instinct, he feels that he should pay some reverence to his God. I fear this change of clothing full often degenerates into a wish to look good before your fellows, but the underlying meaning should be this—“I am going up, this day, to the worship of my God. I will not go, therefore, either in uncleanness of body or of apparel, but will put on the best raiment, that I may show respect to my God and to the assemblies of His house.” My counsel to you is cleanse your hearts rather than your garments! Go before God in newness of spirit rather than in newness of clothing. If of old the Prophet said, “Rend your heart, and not your garments,” so may I say, today, Put on the garments of righteousness and holiness by the Grace of Christ Jesus our Lord, rather than external garments which do but adorn the flesh. Yet, I say, even in that change of raiment there is an admission that there should be God and to worship His holy name. God grant that we may not be forgetful of some kind of special preparation when we go up to hear the Word.
II. DURING HEARING
Secondly, I will talk a little about during hearing. How shall we act while listening to the Word? “Receive with meekness the engrafted Word, which is able to save your souls.” The first thing, then, is receive. That word, “receive,” is a very instructive Gospel word—it is the door through which God’s Grace enters us. We are not saved by working, but by receiving—not by what we give to God, but by what God gives to us—and we receive from Him. In the hearing of the Word, there should be a receiving of it, not into the ears only, but into the understanding, into the heart, into the conscience, together with a laying-up of this good treasure in the memory and the affections. You must receive the Word of God, or it cannot bless you. For, Sirs, the Word of God is a feast, but what comes of it if a man only looks at the banquet? Shall he not go away as empty as he came if he does not receive it? The preaching of the Word of God is as a shower from Heaven, but what happens to the soil if the raindrops fall but none are absorbed into the soil? Of what use is the shower if none is drunk in by the thirsty furrows? A medicine may have great healing power, but if it is not received, it does not purge the inward parts of the body. There must be a receiving of any good thing before the goodness of it can be ours. I love, when I read the Bible, or hear the Word, to throw the doors of my soul wide open—yes, and to open all the windows of my heart. My soul cries, “Come in, most blessed Spirit; come in, Divine Life. You shall not say there is no room for You in the inn! Come, take possession of every chamber of this house of mine and be Master of it from now on and forever.” I pray you, my Brothers and Sisters, do not block up your souls against the incoming tide of the Gospel! On the contrary, break down the dams and let the river flow into you till you are filled with it! Receive the Word of God! Many men are not profited by the Word because it does not penetrate them, but is like water flowing down a slab of marble. The Truth of God must soak into the heart if it is to bless the heart! May the blessed Spirit give us a sweet receptiveness of the Truth, for, otherwise, it is of no use to hear it. Then it is added, “receive with meekness.” Many do not receive the Gospel because they are not of a meek and teachable spirit. They come up to God’s house, but the only seat they will occupy is the Judgment Seat. One would imagine them to be the god of God by their bold talk! Judge not the Word of God, I charge you! You may judge me as you like— small matter shall that be to me, for we are not anxious as to men’s judgment—our judgment is with the living God. If the preacher truly declares the Word of God, woe unto the man who sits in judgment upon it—this same Word shall judge him at the Last Great Day! We stand at the bar to be tried by God’s Word, searched and sifted—but woe unto us if, rejecting every presence of meekness, we ascend the tribunal and summon God, Himself, before us! The spirit of critics ill becomes sinners when they seek the Lord’s mercy. His message must be received with teachableness of mind. When you know it is God’s Word, it may upbraid you, but you must receive it with meekness. It may startle you with its denunciations, but receive it with meekness. It may be there is something about the Truth which, at the first blush, does not commend itself to your understanding. It is, perhaps, too high, too terrible, too deep—receive it with meekness. This is not the spirit of the present age, but it is the spirit which the living God requires of us. It is by receiving with meekness that we receive the Truth of God in the power of it and so it is able to save our souls. Unless you are converted and become as little children, you cannot enter into the Kingdom of Heaven. The door of Heaven is open to those who sit at Jesus’ feet and learn of Him. You are not His servant unless He is your Master. You cannot be said to be His disciple if you question His teaching, for in the questioning of Christ’s teaching lies the rejection of His Person. To doubt Jesus is treason against the authority He claims over every human heart. Receive with meekness if you would be blessed with Divine Grace.
Lastly, and very briefly, let us think of after the sermon. “Be you doers of the Word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.” First, the command is positive—“Be you doers of the Word.” Oh, dear Sirs, I come to this pulpit oftentimes and speak with you, but as I come here, my heart is more and more burdened with this desire—that mine may not be an unprofitable ministry to you! I shall be useless to you unless you are doers of the Word as well as hearers. Sirs, you have heard about repentance and the putting away of filthiness—repent, then, and let your filthiness be put away! May God the Holy Spirit lead you to do so—not only to hear about it—but do it. You have heard us preach continually concerning faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and you know all about believing—but have you believed? Sirs, have you believed? If not, to what use is it for us to cry, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you shall be saved”? We are to admonish you concerning all those blessed duties which spring out of that living faith which works by love—but it is nothing to hear about these virtues unless you possess them! Doing far surpasses hearing! I believe that with a very little knowledge and great doing of what we know, we may attain to a far higher degree of Grace than with great knowledge and little doing of what we know. The man who knows how to keep shop makes no profit by his knowledge if he does not keep a shop. The doctor who knows how to cure the sick is not, therefore, a healer if he never has a patient. The man who knows how to teach children, but never teaches them, is not an instructor of youth. If a schoolmaster teaches the little he does know, he may be a better teacher than a great philosopher who keeps all his wisdom to himself. We value clouds by their rain, and men by their actual doings! The world is always looking to the church, not so much to hear her teachings as to see her doings. Few ask, “What is the doctrine taught at such a meeting house?” The ungodly world cries, “Forget the doctrine! What good is done there?” If the people who attend there are mean, false and hypocritical, the world condemns the tree which yields such fruit! The bulk of men do not read the Bible, but they read you—and if they do not come to hear the minister preach the Gospel, yet they say, “These people who hear him are no better than other people, and why should we trouble to go and listen to him?”
The minister gets the blame which should rightly belong to those who are hearers but not doers of the Word of God! Oh, may the Eternal Spirit work in us all to will and to do of His own good pleasure! There is nothing done by these Sundays. There is nothing done by these pulpits! There is nothing done by these pews! There is nothing done by these vast gatherings unless our hearers are doers of the Word of God! Practice is the harvest—the rest is but the plowing and the sowing. Observe that the command is put negatively. The text says, “not hearers only.” Those who are hearers only are wasters of the Word. What poor creatures hearers are, for they have long ears and no hands! You have heard of him who, one day, was discoursing eloquently of philosophy to a crowd, who greatly applauded him. He thought he had made many disciples, but suddenly the market bell rang and not a single person remained! Gain was to be made and, in their opinion, no philosophy could be compared to personal profit! They were hearers till the market bell rang and then, as they had been hearers only, they quit the hearing, also! I fear it is so with our preaching—if the devil rings the bell for sin, for pleasure, for worldly amusement, or evil gain—our admirers leave us right speedily! The voice of the world drowns the voice of the Word! Those who are only hearers, are hearers but for a time. Some of those now before me are hearers only. We cannot mark your houses by putting a cross upon your doors and writing on them, “Lord, have mercy upon us,” but if I did so, London would seem to be smitten with the plague! Oh that you would cease from this mocking of God and ruining of yourselves! Remember, if any man will be lost, he will most surely be lost who heard the Gospel and refused it! Write that word in great capital letters—if any soul will be lost emphatically, it is he who has been, for years, a hearer only, a hearer where thousands have believed unto eternal life! Over the cell of such a man write, “He knew his duty, but he did it not”—and that cell will be found to be built in the very center of Gehenna—it is the innermost prison of Hell. Willful rejection of Christ ensures woeful rejection from Christ! Take heed, you that deny Him entrance now, lest— “How they deserve the deepest Hell That slight the joys above! What chains of vengeance must they feel Who break the bonds of love!” The text closes with this solemn word—“deceiving yourselves.” Whereupon says Bishop Brownrig, “To deceive is bad, to deceive yourselves is worse, to deceive yourselves about your souls is worst of all.” Alas, there are many in that sad condition! A syllogism may be bad and yet it may look like logic—and such are the hopes which men fashion out of a bare hearing of the Word of God! It is very easy, when you get well accustomed to the Gospel, au fait at it, as they say, to be able to twist it so as to make it seem to favor you, though it condemns you. He who wills to be deceived can feign an acquittal out of a sentence of death! Many think it is all right with them, when it is all wrong with them. They always hear the Gospel—how can they be castaways? They sit under a thoroughly evangelical Divine—how can they be reprobates? They know what is what—they will not consent to hear false doctrine—they have a discriminating faculty and will not abide unorthodox teaching. I am very glad they will not, but they seem to make a god of this discernment. Alas, it is a mere idol! Hundreds believe that because their minister is unquestionably sound in the faith, therefore they are also sound. As they have the good sense to hear him, surely they are first-rate people and the Lord will overlook their faults! Oh, Sirs, be not such fools! Do not deceive yourselves in that way, for there is no truth in this comforting conclusion! The better that which you hear, the more guilty are you if you do not practice it! And the plainer and more straight the Gospel which is taught you, the more inexcusable are you if you do not receive it! When the Gospel comes to you with a heavy knock at the door of your heart, the more terrible your crime if you bolt and bar your door against it, or say, “When I have a more convenient season I will send for you.” God grant to each one of us that when we go home we may attend to the doing of the sermon! You know the old story— I am half ashamed to repeat it, but it is so pat to the point. When Donald came out of church sooner than usual, Sandy said to him, “What? Donald, is the sermon all done?” “No,” said Donald, “it is all said, but it is not begun to be done yet.” Let my sermon be done in your chambers by prayer and in your lives by holiness! Let it be done all through the week by our, each one, seeking to put away all filthiness! Let us cling to the holy Christ, desiring to live His life and breathe His Spirit. God grant it may be so with you all, for Jesus Christ’s sake. Amen.