Summary
Charles Spurgeon in his work Lectures to My Students covers a wide
range of material that is important to any man considering entering into the
ministry. His work ranges from the need for us to have our own salvation
securely in place all the way to how we conduct our daily conversation with
those around us. As we read through the material we can notice a theme that
appears, Spurgeon not only covers things that are of importance when dealing
with sermons and our time in the pulpit, he covers the focus of our hearts.
Spurgeon advocates for us to be
extremely dependent upon prayer no matter if it’s during worship or our own
private time with God. He believes our lives should be a continuous out pouring
of prayer, he says, “I take it that as a minister he is always praying.
Whenever his mind turns to his work, whether he is in it or out of it, he
ejaculates a petition, sending up his holy desires as well-directed arrows to
the skies. He is not always in the act of prayer but he lives in the spirit of
it.” (Spurgeon
2010, 43)
Spurgeon
gives advice about how we should handle the text of our sermons. He tells us
that we should not be afraid to spiritualize the text sometimes, but when we do
we must do it with extreme caution. He warns us, “Within limit, my brethren, be
not afraid to spiritualize, or to take singular texts. Continue to look out
passages of Scripture, and not only give their plain meaning, as you are bound
to do, but also draw from them meanings which may not lie upon their surface.” (Spurgeon
2010, 101) The
most important part of our sermon must be the clear presentation of the Gospel.
He says, “Brethren, first and above all things, keep to plain evangelical
doctrines; whatever else you do or do not preach, be sure incessantly to bring
forth the soul-saving truth of Christ and him crucified.” (Spurgeon 2010, 79) While we are
presenting the gospel we must do it in manner that does not show this life we
live according to Christ as drab or dull, but full of life. Because Christ
himself told us, “I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.”(John
10:10b ESV) If we cannot be excited by this then neither will our hearers.
Spurgeon says, “It is not the order of nature that rivers should run uphill,
and it does not often happen that zeal rises from the pew to the pulpit.” (Spurgeon
2010, 326)
Critique and Evaluation
This text was highly enjoyable to read as a
student, and as someone looking to pursue a career as a full-time pastor. His
insights are invaluable for anyone doing ministry. When he spoke of people
complaining of the want of zeal being the most zealous (Spurgeon 2010, 332) , this was
inspirational. Another area he touched on was how ministers can sometimes
become so cold to those around them because all they chose to do is be with
God, but forget to be with people. He tells us, “Take care, also, to be on most
familiar terms with those whose souls are committed to your care. Stand in the
stream and fish. Many preachers are utterly ignorant as to how the bulk of the
people are living; they are at home among books, but quite at sea among men.” (Spurgeon
2010, 337)
Spurgeon did well in his section on
ministerial progress when he exclaimed, “In our modes of speech we should aim
at being ‘all things to all men.’ He is the greatest master of oratory who is
able to address any class of people in a manner suitable to their condition,
and likely to touch their hearts.” (Spurgeon
2010, 223)
The point he is making is a good one, if we are able to adjust our mode of
presentation but not the meaning we become more effective than if we present
the material the same way no matter where we are. In the text he warns against praying too
long, which can happen sometimes just as a desire to seem pious. His warning
reads, “It is necessary in prayer to draw near unto God, but it is not required
of you to prolong your speech till everyone is longing to hear the word
‘Amen.’”
One of the most difficult sections, yet
instructive, dealt with the call to ministry. He says, “That which finally
evidences a proper call, is a correspondent opening in providence, by a gradual
train of circumstance pointing out the means, the time, the place of actually
entering upon the work.” My question is how long must we wait for that evidence
to appear? Do you have to be called as pastor of a church, or can you begin
leading a Bible study to be affirmed? Because he says elsewhere that to be a
pastor you must also posses the ability to teach others (Spurgeon 2010, 29) .
Personal Application
This text is one that I believe I will look
back over time and again in the future. It impacted me in ways that are not
easy to describe, there were points in the text that brought doubt about my
path in life; then there were times I had great joy about the things I could
see the Lord lining up, or doing as Spurgeon was describing them. I have long
felt called to become a pastor and questioned the Lord about this because
things never seemed to fall in to place for this calling on my life. However,
when I read these words I was comforted, “This desire should be one that
continues with us, a passion which bears the test of trial, a longing from
which it is quite impossible for us to escape, though we may have tried to do
so; a desire, in fact which grows more intense with the lapse of years, until
it becomes a yearning, a pinning, a famishing to proclaim the Word.” (Spurgeon
2010, 29)
After reading this my heart leaped for joy because it described my situation
perfectly.
Another area that spoke to my heart dealt with
our ordinary conversation. While most men can afford to casually allow a
conversation to slip in to ungodliness we must always be watchful of what we
say. Spurgeon says, “…a minister, wherever he is, is a minister, and should recollect
that he is on duty. A policeman or a soldier may be off duty, but a minister
never is.” (Spurgeon
2010, 172)
By realizing that I am always on duty then we may use our general conversation
as a means of change, because the one person I am speaking with could come to
know the Lord through our general conversation and never have stepped foot
inside of a church. (Spurgeon
2010, 179)
It was also encouraging to me to read that he
was a fan of expository preaching because I tend to enjoy that much more than
general topical preaching. These words offered me great encouragement for my
current ministry and future service, “I am sure that no preaching will last so
long, or build up a church so well, as the expository.” (Spurgeon 2010, 218) Lastly, and far be
it from least, was the reminder that we are not just tending after the sheep in
the flock , but searching for the lost one to bring back into the fold. He
struck a nerve when he said, “In many instances ministerial success is
traceable almost entirely to an intense zeal, a consuming passion for souls,
and an eager enthusiasm in the cause of God, and we believe that in every case,
other things being equal, men prosper in the divine service in proportion as
their hearts are blazing with holy love.” (Spurgeon
2010, 325)
Bibliography
Spurgeon, Charles Haddon. Letcures to My Students.
Peabody: Hendrickson Publishers Marketing, LLC, 2010.
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