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Book Review – Spurgeon’s Sorrows by Zack Eswine

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I had the opportunity to review Spurgeon’s Sorrows by Zack Eswine recently.  I was excited about this for a few reasons.  On the one hand, I’ve benefitted from Eswine’s previous work(s).  Most notably, Sensing Jesus had a profound impact on me.  On the other hand, though, I’ve always been intrigued by Charles Spurgeon.  He was a young, restless, reformed pastor before it was cool.  There’re not too many works that connect Spurgeon, depression and the reader.  So, this volume proved to be an interesting pursuit.
I appreciated the breakdown and opening chapters to orient the reader to the idea of depression.  By the way, the work is laid out in 3 big parts: 1) Trying to Understand Depression, 2) Learning How to Help Those Who Suffer from Depression and 3) Learning Helps to Daily Cope with Depression.  It’s unfortunate to admit, but many in Christian circles don’t know where to begin or how to engage with someone who’s depressed.  We respond in ways like, “Who sinned, this person or their parents?”  And, this opening section unpacking how we understand depression is helpful to see where this comes through, all weaved through the preaching and experience of Spurgeon, a pastor in the 19th century.
The rest of the book is most practical: Learning How to Help Those Who Suffer from Depression (with Chapters entitled Diagnosis Doesn’t Cure, Language for our Sorrows, Helps That Harm and Jesus and Depression) as well as past three, Learning Helps to Daily Cope with Depression (and chapters on Promises and Prayers, Natural Helps, Suicide and Choosing Life and the Benefits of Sorrow).  My big sweeping summary of these final two sections continues on the momentum I built in the first one.  It’s much like this books helps all of us by helping us see that people suffer from depression, it’s not sin and here’s how you can be helped or come along those who need help.  

All in all, what I’d say about this book is that pastors must read it.  We, above all, need to be those who are characterized by grace.  Understanding some of the deep heart hurt of people in new ways would be the benefit of this book (with an eye on practical help).  Others (not pastors) would be helped as well in knowing and applying some help to those battling depression among us.  So many lessons would emerge her for the reader.  I would recommend Spurgeon’s Sorrows for your consideration for the good of others.  

Weekend Recap – Worship God

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My 5/12/13AM sermon is online.  Entitled Worship God, this sermon was an overview of Revelation 4-5 showcasing some reasons why the One seated on the throne and the Lamb are worthy of worship.  This is our eternal pole, our north star.  Here’s how Spurgeon put it (a quote I used in my introduction from The Immutability of God):

“…plunge yourself in the Godhead’s deepest sea—be lost in His immensity. And you shall come forth as from a couch of rest, refreshed and invigorated. I know nothing which can so comfort the soul, so calm the swelling billows of grief and sorrow—so speak peace to the winds of trial—as a devout musing upon the subject of the Godhead.”

Hope you had a great Mother’s Day worshipping God as you honor families.

Stop Being Such A Greedy Pig

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We must guard ourselves against all selfishness, greed and coveting.  As Charles Spurgeon said:

It is not possible to satisfy the greedy.  If God gave them one who world to themselves they would cry for another; and if it were possible for them to possess heaven as they now are, they would feel themselves in hell, because others were in heaven too, for their greed is such that they must have everything or else they have nothing.  

This Sunday, we will look at Hebrews 13:5-6 and its call to contentment.  Search your heart?  Are you greedy, loving money and “more”?  Come Sunday and hear how God is more than enough for anything you need.

Thanks to the Son!

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On Sabbath Evening, January 15, 1860, Charles Spurgeon stepped into the pulpit at New Park Street Chapel to preach a sermon entitled, Special Thanksgiving to the Father from Colossians 1:12-13. This quote from this sermon will be one I use today in transitioning from my own sermon from Colossians 1:11-12 into the Lord’s Supper…

I think, my Brethren, we scarcely need to be told to give thanks unto the Son. The remembrance of that bleeding body hanging upon the Cross is ever present to our faith. The nails and the spear, His griefs, the anguish of His soul and His sweat of agony make much tender touching appeals to our gratitude—these will prevent us always from ceasing our songs and sometimes fire our hearts with rekindling rapture in praise of the Man, Christ Jesus. Yes, we will bless You, dearest Lord. Our souls are all on fire. As we survey the wondrous Cross, we cannot but shout—“O for this love let rocks and hills
Their lasting silence break,
And all harmonious human tongues
The Savior’s praises speak.”

Give thanks to the Son for His work in the Gospel!

Spurgeon on Speaking Well…

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This Sunday, Lord willing, we will be exploring Colossians 1:7-8 and seeing how we can be helpful people in the body of Christ. Again, I quote Spurgeon:

“I like to read of godly men speaking well of one another. Nowadays, it is thought to be a distinguishing work of faithfulness to be able to pick holes in the coats of our fellow Christians. Now we cannot help perceiving some of their defects and sometimes it is our duty to speak of them – and to speak of them faithfully – but let us also observe all the virtues that are to be found in them, otherwise we may despise the work of the Holy Spirit and rob Him of His glory! How kindly Paul speaks of Epaphras, and how kindly Epaphras speaks of the church at Colossae!”

I was struck by these words because we are such a negative culture. We are always quick to voice our disagreements. Paul sets a great tone for encouraging body life. I hope we can take a cue from him and be encouraging people in the body of Christ.

Previewing the Week — The Gospel

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This Sunday, we plan to look at Colossians 1:5-6. Here’s a quote from Spurgeon on this section:

We do not know the grace of God in truth unless it brings forth fruit in us! We may know it with the head very correctly, but we do not truly know it unless it is knowledge in the heart, knowledge in the innner man.

Well said! As always, be meditating on where we’re headed this week and pray that I will have words from God to speak in a way that builds up the body.

The Hope Laid Up In Heaven

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Spurgeon preached a sermon, The Hope Laid Up In Heaven, back on October 13, 1878. This Sunday, I will be preaching on faith, love and hope in Colossians 1:4-5a: “since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love that you have for all the saints, because of the hope laid up for you in heaven.” I thought this might be something you could read to get you ready for the weekend.

Spurgeon on belief…

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Related to camp, where day one focused on repentance and day two on belief, I thought it would be helpful to let Spurgeon weigh in. I was reading his sermon An Appeal To Sinners, in preparation for Sunday’s sermon from Luke 15 this morning and came across the following…

Is there is an infidel here who says he shall be well enough off if he shall die the death of annihilation and shall not live in a future world? Well, my Friend, suppose all men die like dogs, I shall be as well off as you are and I think a little better off, even as to happiness and peace in this world. But if—(and mark you I do not put it so because I doubt it)—if it is true that there is a world to come, I would not like to stand in your place in the next world! If it is so that there is a judgment seat and a Hell—(I put it hypothetically, not because I have a doubt about it, but because you tell me you doubt it though I do not think you really do)—if there is such a place, what will you do then?

Why, even now you shake if a leaf falls in the night. You are terrified if the cholera is in the street. You are alarmed if you are a little sick and you rush to the physician and anyone can impose upon you with his medicines, because you are afraid of death. What will you do in the swellings of Jordan, when death gets hold on you? If a little pain frightens you now, what will you do when your body shall shake and your knees shall knock together before your Maker? What will you do, my Hearer when His burning eyes shall eat into your very soul? What will you do, when amid ten thousand thunders, He shall say, “Depart, depart”?

I cannot tell you what you will do. But I will tell you one thing that you dare not do. That is, you dare not say that I have not as simply as ever I could tried to preach the Gospel to the very chief of sinners. Hear it again— “He that believes on the Lord Jesus Christ shall be saved.” To believe is to trust in Christ—to drop into those blessed arms that can catch the heaviest laden sinner that ever breathed. To believe is to fall flat on the promise—to let Him do all for you until He has quickened you and enabled you to work out what He has before worked in you, “your own salvation.” And even this must be “with fear and trembling.”

The bold part is my emphasis and helpful language to employ when we talk of conversion.

Spurgeon – Christ and His Co-Workers

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In prepping to preach this coming Lord’s Day (7/12), I have really benefitted from C.H. Spurgeon’s sermon on Mark 16:20 – Christ and His Co-Workers. Among many things, I thought this description of how we need to be proclaiming the Gospel was very revealing:

A great many learned men are defending the Gospel—no doubt it is a very proper and right thing to do—yet I always notice that when there are most books of that kind, it is because the Gospel, itself, is not being preached. Suppose a number of persons were to take it into their heads that they had to defend a lion, a full-grown king of beasts! There he is in a cage and here come all the soldiers of the army to fight for him. Well, I would suggest to them, if they would not object and feel that it was humbling to them, that they should kindly stand back, open the door, and let the lion out! I believe that would be the best way of defending him, for he would take care of himself—and the best “apology” for the Gospel is to let the Gospel out! Never mind about defending Deuteronomy or the whole of the Pentateuch—preach Jesus Christ and Him crucified! Let the Lion out and see who will dare to approach Him! The Lion of the tribe of Judah will soon drive away all His adversaries! This was how Christ’s first disciples worked—they preached Jesus Christ wherever they went! They did not stop to apologize, but boldly bore their
witness concerning Him.

Pray that God would work through His Word this Sunday to inspire in us this kind of boldness.

Spurgeon’s Prayer – Die to Self, Live for Him

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I was really helped by Spurgeon’s Autobiography this morning. In Volume 2, Chapter 19, Spurgeon’s wife is recounting some of those early years, particularly one time when they were going through a hard season of ministry. Here’s her recounting:

It was in the garden of a house belonging to one of the deacons, in the suburbs of Croydon, whither my beloved had been taken in hope that the change and quiet would be beneficial, that the Lord was pleased to restore his mental equilibrium, and unloose the bars which had kept his spirit in darkness. We had been walking together, as usual;–he, restless and anguished; I, sorrowful and amazed, wondering what the end of these things would be;–when, at the foot of the steps which gave access to the house, he stopped suddenly, and turned to me, and with the old sweet light in his eyes, (ah! how grievous had been its absence!) he said, “Dearest, how foolish I have been! Why! what does it matter what becomes of me, if the Lord shall be glorified?” — and he repeated, with eagerness and intense emphasis, Philippians 2:9-11: “Wherefore, God also hath highly exalted Him, and given Him a Name which is above every name; that at the Name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in Heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” “If Christ be exalted,” he said, — and his face glowed with holy fervour, — “let Him do so as He pleases with me; my one prayer shall be, that I may die to self and live wholly for Him and His honour. Oh, wifey, I see it all now! Praise the Lord with me!” (p.192)

This is how we should face the hard times. Oh, for grace to honor God in such a manner!