Before Sermon, at Sermon, and after Sermon – James 1:21,22

A Sermon Delivered on Lord's Day Morning June 28, 1885 by C.H.Spurgeon.

"Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls. But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves"-James 1:21- 22.


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 the 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 wooeth and winneth 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; but 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. A sick man doeth 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, "Thou must not come, because thy motive is gross and low." Nay, thou art welcome, anyhow. Who knoweth but that, being in the way, God may meet with thee. Being where his truth is preached, thou mayest hear it; and "faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God" Rom 10:17.

I. 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 put off his shoes from off his feet 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?. 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 nigh to the most holy God.
Brethren, 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 travelling 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? 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, brethren, 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; 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 every one that saluteth us is either saint or angel. We have not yet cut off all the Canaanites, but we have need to watch against them daily. Because of the sin which dwelleth 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.

II. I will talk little about DURING HEARING.

How shall we act while listenig to the word? "Receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your soul" James 1:21. 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 to us. 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 therein 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. Ye may judge me as you like; small matter shall that be to me; for we are not anxious as to men's judgment, but 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, and searched, and sifted; but woe unto us if, rejecting every pretence of meekness, we ascend the tribunal, and summon God Himself before us. 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.Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye cannot enter into the kingdom of heaven. The door of heaven is open to those who sit at Jesus' feet, and learn of him. Thou art not his servant unless he is thy Master. Thou canst not be said to be his disciple if thou dost 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 grace. What is this which is to be received? "Receive with meekness engrafted word." We are not bidden to receive with meekness men's words for they are many, and there is little in them; but receive with meekness God's word, for it is one, and there is power in each word which proceedeth out of His mouth. One word of God created the heavens and the earth; by the word of God the heavens still stand; one word of His shall ere long shake act only earth but also heaven; therefore, hear with meekness that word; that word which testifies of sin, and of its sure punishment; that word which testifies of grace most large and free, and of an atonement provided by the Only Begotten Son of the Father, by which sin is put away in consistency with justice and holiness. Receive with meekness the word of the Lord in its entirety and unity. Reject no part of it but receive the whole.

III. Lastly, and very briefly, let us think of AFTER SERMON. "Be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves" James 1:22. First, the command is positive-"Be ye doers of the word." Oh, dear sirs, I come to this pulpit oftentimes and speak with you, but as I come hither my heart is more and more burdened with this desire: that mine may not be an unprofitable ministry unto you. I shall be useless to you unless you are doers of the word as well as hearers. Sirs, ye have heard about repentance and the putting away of filthiness: repent, then, and let your filthiness be put away. May God the
Holy Ghost lead you to do so-not to hear about it, but do it. Ye 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 avail is it for us to cry, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved" Acts 16:31? 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. The text closes with this solemn word: "deceiving your own selves." 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. 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 again, but it is so pat to the point. When Donald came out of kirk 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.

brother lalasticlala, today is Sunday, can nairalanders learn how to behave today??


please help move to front page.

thanks and happy Sunday.

ok.

lalasticlala