Spurgeon on Romans and the Gospel of John . Daily Devotions (Issue 2)

These devotional readings are largely taken from expository thoughts shared by Spurgeon at the end of his sermons. Going through a Bible passage verse by verse, he would make brief comments with his usual candour and practicality, applying the text directly to his hearers.

They have been collated from the Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit, and lightly edited for clarity and cohesion.

Day 1 . Tuesday

Day 1 . Tuesday

Romans chapter 14 verses 10-12

But why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou set at nought thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God. So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.

The doctrine of judgment to come is introduced here for a very practical reason. Paul saw among Christians the much too common habit of judging one another.

The stronger believers understood that the coming of Christ had done away with the ceremonial distinctions of the former dispensation. The weaker brethren, still scrupulous concerning days and meats, feared that Christian liberty might lead to sin. The strong looked down upon the weak as superstitious, while the weak condemned the strong as careless. They were both wrong, for they were judging one another.

Paul therefore said, in effect, “Do not judge one another. What have you to do with judging? There is a judgment yet to come.” He mentioned the future judgment so that its solemn influence might draw them away from the mischievous meddlesomeness of judging one another when the Judge is already at the door.

“Why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou set at nought thy brother?” He whom you judge or despise is your brother. You may call the weak one superstitious, but he is your brother. You may call the strong man licentious because he enjoys his liberty, but he is your brother.

Are not all believers one family in Christ? Wherever the root of the matter is found, there exists an overwhelming argument for unity. Why, then, will you take your brother by the throat, drag him before your judgment seat, make him answer to you, and then condemn him? Shall a brother condemn a brother?

Within the circle of Christian communion there should be esteem for one another and a readiness to defend each other. We should be anxious rather to excuse infirmity than to discover imperfection. Perfect love should cast out suspicion. We should have confidence in our brethren, remembering that Christ our Lord is able to uphold them even as He has upheld us.

This judging among Christians is also an anticipation of the judgment day. There is to come a day when men shall be judged after a better fashion than you and I can judge. How dare we travesty God’s great assize by mounting the throne ourselves and pretending to rehearse the solemn transactions of that tremendous hour?

Judgment will come soon enough. Why need you hurry it on by ascending the throne yourself? Cannot God do His own work? “Vengeance is mine; I will repay,” saith the Lord. The Saviour’s command concerning the tares and the wheat was, “Let both grow together until the harvest.” At harvest time He will give the reapers directions for separating the true wheat from that which only resembled it. As for us, the present command is, “Judge nothing before the time.”

We are bound to distinguish between open wickedness and outward holiness by the marks God has given us: “By their fruits ye shall know them.” But between brother and brother, differing upon lesser matters, and between Christian and Christian, each seeking to obey his conscience, we are not to exercise mutual condemnation.

Come, brethren! Here is work enough for us all in dragging the great net to shore. Why sit down now and attempt to put the good into vessels and cast the bad away? That work may be left until later. For the present, let us haul the net to shore with all our might.

When we condemn the saints, we intrude ourselves into the office and prerogative of Christ. “We shall all stand before the judgment seat of God.” That is the true throne of judgment.

Many persons twist words into meanings which were never intended by those who spoke them. Others imagine evil against their brethren. They dream that they have been slighted, and then harsh judgments follow. Once imagine that you have been badly treated, and you will soon think that everything is done out of spite to you; the next step is to think spitefully of others.

After we have done our utmost to hold our little court, summon this man and that man before us, and pronounce sentence, what is it at best but child’s play, and at worst a usurpation of the rights of Christ Jesus? He alone reigns as Lawgiver in His church, and He alone shall sit as Judge.

Such condemnation is needless. If any man is worthless, the Judge will condemn him. You need not interfere with the business of the great Supreme. He will manage the affairs of men far better than you can.

Your judgment is also unprofitable. You would spend your time much more profitably by remembering that you yourself will be examined by an unerring eye. Your own account books must be sent in and examined item by item. Therefore look well to your own matters.

If you were watching your own heart, out of which are the issues of life; if you were watching your own tongue and bridling it; if you were observing your opportunities for usefulness and looking to your Master’s eye, you would be doing something far better than censuring others. It would be more to the glory of God, more to the gain of the church, and more to the comfort of your own soul.

“So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.”

The judgment will be universal. The strong brother must stand before God, and so must the weak. No elevation in piety will exclude us from that solemn test, and no weakness will serve as an excuse. The man of one talent and the man of ten talents must alike be reckoned with.

Yet the Christian need not fear the judgment to come when he knows that he is in Christ. Who fears to enter a just court when he knows that by the highest authority he has already been cleared?

Hark! the herald gives forth the challenge: “Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God’s elect?” God Himself is there, the faithful and all-seeing God. Does He lay anything to their charge? Far from it: “It is God that justifieth.”

“But,” you say, “the believer has sinned.” Yes, but that sin has been forgiven, and he possesses a righteousness which answers every demand of the law. “Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who also maketh intercession for us.”

Therefore tremble not at the doctrine that we shall all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, but pray that we may have boldness in the day of judgment. The Lord Jesus is able to present us faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy.

Still, the judgment will be personal. “Every one of us shall give account of himself to God.” Each man shall stand apart, and each shall answer for himself.

We shall give an account of our own actions, thoughts, words, and intentions. More than this, we shall give account of ourselves: of the state of our hearts, whether we repented, whether we believed, whether we loved God, whether we were truthful and faithful.

We shall also give account of our judgments of others. We shall not answer for what they did, but we shall answer for our daring to judge and condemn them.

Did you ever consider, you who judge others, that you are laying down the standard by which you will be judged yourself? “With what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged.” Those who are severe towards others often expect great leniency towards themselves, but it will not be so at the last.

The Judge may say, “They condemned themselves. They condemned their own faults when they saw them in others. They used their sharpest judgments against sins less grievous than their own. Out of their own mouths let sentence be given.”

The judgment will also be divine. Therefore it will be according to truth. God will make no mistakes. He will not impute wrong to us undeservedly, nor give us credit for right because we bore the appearance of it. He will search the very heart of the matter.

He will test us by the supreme standard of perfect justice. We judge ourselves by one another. If we are as prayerful or gracious as others, we suppose all is well. But the balances of the sanctuary are more exact. There is another standard: truth and grace in the heart, real love to God, and conformity to the image of Christ.

That judgment will be searching. “The Lord pondereth the hearts.” He will not judge after the sight of the eyes, but will search out our secrets. Then shall the foundations be tested, and all that a man rested upon shall be tried, whether it was the Rock of Ages or the mere sand of presumption.

Yet I cannot close amid these clouds. The very Scripture from which Paul quotes the solemn words, “Every knee shall bow,” also contains the sweet Gospel invitation: “Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth.”

The message of mercy stands beside the prophecy of judgment.

Come, then, guilty soul, and bow before your God before He ascends the throne of judgment. Do willingly now what you must otherwise do unwillingly at the last. Confess that He is King and ought to be obeyed. Confess that you have grievously broken His law.

Come and be your own accuser. Condemn yourself. Bow your head when God’s law condemns you, and own that you deserve divine wrath.

Then look again to your God and Saviour and say, “My Lord, I know that Thou art my Judge, but Thou art also my Redeemer. I accept the place of condemnation, but I see that Thou didst stand there on my behalf—the Just for the unjust, my Substitute, bearing my sin and punishment.

“Blessed Lord, I accept Thee as my Substitute. I yield myself to Thee. I stand tried, condemned, punished, dead, and raised again in Thee; and therefore pardoned, acquitted, justified, beloved, and accepted for Jesus’ sake.”

Bold shall I stand in that great day,
For who aught to my charge shall lay?
While through Thy blood absolved I am
From sin’s tremendous curse and shame.

Amen.

Day 2 – Wednesday

Romans chapter 15 verses 1-33

Verse 1. We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves.

When we are free from scruples upon any point, and feel that there are things that we may do because we are strong, yet let us not do them if thereby we should grieve others who are weak. Let us think of their infirmities and whatever liberty we may feel entitled to claim for ourselves, let us look at the matter from the standpoint of other people as well as from our own, that we may bear the infirmities of the weak, and not seek to please ourselves.

Verses 2–3. Let every one of us please his neighbour for his good to edification. For even Christ—

Our Master, and Lord, and great Exemplar—”For even Christ”—

Verse 3. Pleased not himself; but as it is written, The reproaches of them that reproached thee fell on me.

He took the most trying place in the whole field of battle. He stood where the fray was hottest. He did not seek to be among His disciples as a king is in the midst of his troops, guarded and protected in the time of strife, but He exposed Himself to the fiercest part of the conflict. What Jesus did, that should we who are His followers do—no one of us considering himself and his own interests—but all of us considering our brethren and the cause of Christ in general.

Verse 4. For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning,—

This is as if somebody had said, “Why, Paul, it was David who said what you just quoted.” “Yes,” he replies, “I know that I quoted David, but he spoke in his own person concerning his Lord, ‘for whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning.'”

Verses 4–5. That we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope. Now the God of patience and consolation—

“Comfort” is really the word he used, turning into prayer the thought which had been suggested by his use of the words “patience and comfort.” “Now the God of patience and comfort”—

Verse 5. Grant you to be likeminded, one toward another, according to Christ Jesus:

“Make you to be unanimous, not concerning that which is evil, but that you may be of one mind in your likeness to Christ Jesus.” What a blessed harmony it would be if not only all in any one church, but all in the whole of the churches were likeminded one toward another according to Christ Jesus! It will be so when He gathers those who are now scattered. But may we never hope to have it so here on earth? I cannot tell, but at any rate, let us all strive after it. Let us all endeavor to pitch our tune according to Christ’s keynote, and the nearer we get to that, the less discord there will be in the psalmody of the church. We shall be likeminded with one another when we become likeminded with Christ, but not till then.

Verses 6–7. That ye may with one mind and one mouth glorify God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Wherefore receive ye one another, as Christ also received us to the glory of God.

Christ did not receive us because we were perfect, because He could see no fault in us, or because He hoped to gain something at our hands. Ah, no! But in loving condescension covering our faults and seeking our good, He welcomed us to His heart. So, in the same way, and with the same purpose, let us receive one another.

Verse 8. Now I say that Jesus Christ was a minister of the circumcision for the truth of God, to confirm the promises made unto the fathers:

It was to Abraham and his descendants that the promise was made that, in him and in his seed, all the nations of the earth should be blessed. So our Lord came, as a Jew, to be “a minister of the circumcision.” Let us never forget that He came to those whom we are apt to forget, and perhaps even to despise, “to confirm the promises made unto the fathers.”

Verses 9–12. And that the Gentiles might glorify God for His mercy; as it is written: For this cause I will confess to thee among the Gentiles, and sing unto thy name. And again he saith, Rejoice, ye Gentiles, with his people. And again, Praise the Lord, all ye Gentiles; and laud him, all ye people. And again, Esaias saith, There shall be a root of Jesse, and he that shall rise to reign over the Gentiles; in him shall the Gentiles trust.

There were plain indications, in the Old Testament, that the blessing was meant for the Gentiles as well as for the Jews. But still, it was made known to the Jews first, and we must never forget that.

Verse 13. Now the God of hope—

Turn back to the fourth verse and note the expression, “that we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope.” Then read in the fifth verse, “The God of patience and comfort” and see how Paul here goes back to that last word in the fourth verse, “Now the God of hope”—

Verses 13–16. Fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost. And I myself also am persuaded of you, my brethren, that ye also are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, able also to admonish one another. Nevertheless, brethren, I have written the more boldly unto you in some sort, as putting you in mind, because of the grace that is given to me of God. That I should be the minister of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles, ministering the gospel of God, that the offering up of the Gentiles might be acceptable, being sanctified by the Holy Ghost.

Now would have been the time for Paul to say that he had been made a minister “to offer the unbloody sacrifice of the mass,” if such a thing had been right. To offer up the daily sacrifice, as the so-called “priests” aver that they now do. But he says nothing of the sort and even when he represents the Gentiles as being offered up, he does not speak of any sacrifice going therewith, but says that it “might be acceptable, being sanctified by the Holy Ghost.”

Verses 17–27. I have therefore whereof I may glory through Jesus Christ in those things which pertain to God. For I will not dare to speak of any of those things which Christ hath not wrought by me, to make the Gentiles obedient, by word and deed, through mighty signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God; so that from Jerusalem, and round about unto Illyricum, I have fully preached the gospel of Christ. Yea, so have I strived to preach the gospel, not where Christ was named, lest I should build upon another man’s foundation: but as it is written, To whom he was not spoken of, they shall see: and they that have not heard shall understand. For which cause also I have been much hindered from coming to you. But now having no more place in these parts, and having a great desire these many years to come unto you; whensoever I take my journey into Spain, I will come to you: for I trust to see you in my journey, and to be brought on my way thitherward by you, if first I be somewhat filled with your company. But now I go unto Jerusalem to minister unto the saints. For it hath pleased them of Macedonia and Achaia to make a certain contribution for the poor saints which are at Jerusalem. It hath pleased them verily; and their debtors they are.

For these Achaeans and Macedonians had received the Gospel from the saints in Jerusalem. The Gentiles had been made partakers of their spiritual things, so it was their duty to minister to the poor Christian Jews in carnal things.

Verses 27–28. For if the Gentiles have been made partakers of their spiritual things, their duty is also to minister unto them in carnal things. When therefore I have performed this, and have sealed to them this fruit,—

That is, “when I have delivered the money, and obtained a receipt in full for it, when I have discharged my duty in this matter,”—

Verses 28–29. I will come by you into Spain. And I am sure that, when I come unto you, I shall come in the fulness of the blessing of the gospel of Christ.

He was sure of that, but he did not know how he would go in other respects. He did not know that he would go to Rome as a prisoner, he could not foresee that he would be sent there as an ambassador in bonds, and little, I ween, did he care in what manner he would go, so long as he had the absolute certainty that he should go “in the fulness of the blessing of the gospel of Christ.”

Verses 30–31. Now I beseech you, brethren, for the Lord Jesus Christ’s sake, and for the love of the Spirit, that ye strive together with me in your prayers to God for me; that I may be delivered from them that do not believe in Judea; and that my service which I have for Jerusalem may be accepted of the saints;—

For there were some saints in Jerusalem who were very narrow minded, and who hardly thought it right to accept anything from Gentiles. They had not got clear of their Jewish bonds, and Paul was a little afraid lest what he was taking to them might not be acceptable, so he asked the Romans to pray about that matter. Is there anything about which believers may not pray? If there be, then we have no right to have anything to do with it. Bring everything before God in prayer, for all right things may lawfully be prayed about. So Paul asked the Christians in Rome to pray about that matter of his journey to Jerusalem, and also to pray for his return,—

Verses 32–33. That I may come unto you with joy by the will of God, and may with you be refreshed. Now the God of peace be with you all. Amen.

Day 3 – Thursday

John chapter 1, verses 1–34

May the Holy Spirit, who inspired these words, inspire us through them as we read them!

Verses 1–2. In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God.

The divine Logos, whom we know as the Christ of God. “In the beginning was the Word.” The first words of this Gospel remind us of the first words of the Old Testament, “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.” Even then “the Word” was. He existed before all time, even from everlasting.

I know not how the deity of Christ can be more plainly declared than in His eternal duration. He is from the beginning. In His glory He was “with God.” In His nature He “was God.”

As we have been singing—

“Ere sin was born, or Satan fell;”

ere there was a creation that could fall, “the same was in the beginning with God.”

Verse 3. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.

He that hung upon the cross was the Maker of all worlds. He that came as an infant, for our sake, was the Infinite. How low He stooped! How high He must have been that He could stoop so low!

Verses 4–5. In him was life; and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.

Essentially, eternally. It never has done so; it never will. You may sometimes call the darkness the ignorance of men, or the sin of men. If you like, you may call it the wisdom of men, and the righteousness of men, for that is only another form of the same darkness. “The light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.”

Verses 6–9. There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe. He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light. That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.

How very different is the style of this verse from those that precede it! How grand, how sublime, are the evangelist’s words when he speaks of Jesus! How truly human he becomes, how he dips his pen in ordinary ink when he writes, “There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.” Yet that was a noble testimony to the herald of Christ. John the Baptist was “a man sent from God.”

Dear friends, if you and I know our real destiny, and are the servants of God, we are sent that men might, through us, believe in Jesus. John was a special witness, but we ought all to be witnesses to complete the chain of testimony. Every Christian should reckon that he is sent from God to bear witness to the great Light, that through Him, men might believe.

There was no light from John, except what he reflected from his Lord. All the light comes from Jesus. Every man who comes into the world with any light borrows his light from Christ. There is no other light; there can be no other. He is “the Light of the World.”

Verses 10–13. He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not. He came unto his own, and his own received him not. But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

This is a sad verse. He was a stranger in His own house. He was unknown amidst His own handiwork. Men whom He had made, made nothing of Him. “The world knew him not,” did not recognize Him.

That favoured circle, the Jewish nation, where revelation had been given—even there, there was no place for Him. He must be despised and rejected even by His own nation.

To receive Christ, a man must be born of God. It is the simplest thing in all the world, one would think, to open the door of the heart and let Him in; but no man lets Christ into his heart till first God has made him to be born again, born from above.

Verse 14. And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.

They who saw Christ on earth were highly privileged, but it is a spiritual sight of Him alone that is to be desired, and we can have that even now. How full of grace, how full of truth, He is to all those who are privileged to behold Him!

Verses 15–16. John bare witness of him, and cried, saying, This was he of whom I spake, He that cometh after me is preferred before me: for he was before me. And of his fullness have all we received, and grace for grace.

I wish that we could all say that. Even out of this company, many can say it, and linking our hands with those who have gone before us, and those who are still with us in the faith, we say unitedly, “Of his fullness have we all received,” and we hope to receive from it again tonight, for it is still His fullness. There is never a trace of declining in Him. It was fullness when the first sinner came to Him, and it is fullness still. It will be fullness to the very end.

“And grace for grace.” We get grace to reach out to another grace, each grace becoming a stepping-stone to something higher. I do not believe in our rising on the stepping-stones of our dead selves. They are poor stones; they all lead downwards. The stepping-stones of the living Christ lead upwards, grace for grace, grace upon grace, till grace is crowned with glory.

Verses 17–18. For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ. No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.

We know that the law came by Moses. The law has often burdened us, crushed us, convinced us, condemned us. Let us be equally clear that grace and truth come by this divine channel, “Jesus Christ.”

We do not want to see God apart from Christ. I am perfectly satisfied to see the Eternal Light through His own chosen medium, Christ Jesus. Apart from that medium, the light might blind my eyes. “No man hath seen God at any time.” Who can look on the sun? What mind can look on God? But Christ does not hide the Father; He manifests Him. “The only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.”

Verses 19–23. And this is the record of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, Who art thou? And he confessed, and denied not; but confessed, I am not the Christ. And they asked him, What then? Art thou Elias? And he saith, I am not. Art thou that prophet? And he answered, No. Then said they unto him, Who art thou? that we may give an answer to them that sent us. What sayest thou of thyself? He said, I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the Lord, as said the prophet Esaias.

Not “I am the Word,” but “I am the voice.” Christ is the essential Word; we are but the voice to make that Word sound across the desert of human life.

You see, even as a voice, John was not original. That straining after originality, of which we see so much today, finds no warrant among the true servants of God. Even though John is only a voice, yet he is a voice that quotes the Scriptures, “Make straight the way of the Lord, as said the prophet Esaias.” The more of Scripture we can voice, the better. Our words, what are they? They are but air. His Word, what is it? It is “grace and truth.” May we continually be lending a voice to the great words of God that have gone before!

Verses 24–27. And they which were sent were of the Pharisees. And they asked him, and said unto him, Why baptizest thou then, if thou be not that Christ, nor Elias, neither that prophet? John answered them, saying, I baptize with water: but there standeth one among you, whom ye know not; he it is, who coming after me is preferred before me, whose shoe’s latchet I am not worthy to unloose.

Ah, dear friends, although it was a lowly expression that John used, you and I often feel that we want something that goes lower even than that. What are we worthy to do for Christ? Yet there are times when, if there is a shoe-latchet to be unloosed, we are too proud to stoop to do it. When there is something to be done that will bring no honour to us, we are too high and mighty to do it. O child of God, if you have ever been in that condition, be greatly ashamed of yourself!

John was first in his day, the morning star of the light of the Gospel, yet even he felt that he was not worthy to do the least thing for Christ. Where shall you and I put ourselves? Paul said that he was “less than the least of all the saints.” He ran away with a title that might have been very appropriate for us. Well, we must let him have it, I suppose, and we must try to find another like it, or if we cannot find suitable words, God help us to have the humble feeling, which is better still!

Verses 28–29. These things were done in Bethabara beyond Jordan, where John was baptizing. The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.

John preached a sacrificial Saviour, a sin-bearing Saviour, a sin-atoning Saviour. You and I have nothing else to preach. Let each of us say—

“’Tis all my business here below
To cry, Behold the Lamb!”

Verses 30–33. This is he of whom I said, After me cometh a man which is preferred before me: for he was before me. And I knew him not: but that he should be made manifest to Israel, therefore am I come baptizing with water. And John bare record, saying, I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it abode upon him. And I knew him not: but he that sent me to baptize with water, the same said unto me, Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending, and remaining on him, the same is he which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost.

Although John knew the Saviour personally, he did not know Him officially. He had a token given to him by God, by which he was to know the Messiah, and he did not officially know Him till he had that token fulfilled.

John would not know of his own judgment. No doubt he was morally certain that Jesus was the Christ. He had been brought up with Him, he knew His mother, he had heard of His wondrous birth. John and Jesus must have been often together, but he was not to use his own judgment in this case, but to wait for the sign from heaven, and until he witnessed it, he did not say a word about it. When he saw the Holy Ghost descend upon Him, then he knew that it was even He.

Verse 34. And I saw, and bare record that this is the Son of God.

Hear ye, then, the witness of John. The Christ, who came from Nazareth to be baptized of him in Jordan, He on whom the Holy Ghost descended like a dove—this is the Son of God. This is the sin-bearing Lamb. Oh, that you and I might fulfil John’s expectation, for he spoke that we might believe. He, being dead, yet speaketh. May we believe his witness, and be assured that “this is the Son of God.”

Day 4 – Friday

John chapter 1, verses 37–51

Verses 37–39: “And the two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus… He saith unto them, Come and see.”

There is ever the same Worker in the conversion of the soul, and yet different methods for breaking the heart and binding it up again are continually employed. Every sinner must be quickened by the same life, made obedient to the same Gospel, washed in the same blood, clothed in the same righteousness, filled with the same divine energy, and eventually taken up to the same heaven. Yet in the conversion of no two sinners will you find matters precisely the same. God still will be the God of variety.

The first two disciples were the fruits of preaching. They heard John speak, and they followed Jesus. We may well expect that the major part of conversions should be the result of the public ministry of the Word. Wherever there is the most Gospel preaching, you will find the most conversions.

But the preacher must be a man taught of God, and his great subject must ever be Christ. John did not cry, “Behold the Lion!” but, “Behold the Lamb of God.” He held up Jesus as the great sin-bearer. If souls are to be brought to God, this must still be the burden of every ministry—”Behold the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world.”

The process is full of instruction. A spirit of inquiry was first stirred up. They followed Christ, not yet as disciples, but as seekers. Then Jesus turned and looked upon them, and asked, “What seek ye?” What a question! Whatever the awakened heart truly seeks—pardon, peace, purity, rest—it is all to be found in Christ.

When they asked, “Master, where dwellest thou?” His answer was, “Come and see.” This is still His invitation. The best way to know the power of Christ is to trust Him. They came, they saw, they abode with Him, and they remained His faithful disciples.

“O make but trial of His love!
Experience will decide
How blest are they, and only they,
Who in His truth confide.”

Verses 40–42

“He first findeth his own brother Simon… And he brought him to Jesus.”

As soon as ever a man is found by Christ, he begins to find others. The first instinct of the newborn life is to desire the good of others. True grace puts an end to all spiritual monopoly.

Relationship has a very solemn claim upon our first efforts. Andrew first found his own brother Simon. Let religion begin at home. There may be a call to teach others, but certainly there is an imperative call to seek the salvation of those nearest to us.

Andrew little knew what Simon would become. Peter would stand forth as a prince among the apostles, yet it was Andrew who brought him to Christ. You may think yourself deficient in gifts, yet God may make you the means of bringing to Jesus one who shall greatly serve His church.

Andrew’s testimony was simple and positive: “We have found the Messias.” He neither argued nor adorned his message. He simply declared what he had found.

When Simon came, Jesus first revealed what he was: “Thou art Simon.” Then He declared what grace would make him: “Thou shalt be called Cephas.” Such is the work of Christ in every conversion. Nature is discovered; grace is bestowed. The old man is exposed; the new man is created.

Verses 43–44

“Jesus… findeth Philip, and saith unto him, Follow me.”

Sometimes no visible instrument appears. Christ Himself speaks with sovereign power.

There have been those who, in the midst of business, have suddenly been arrested by eternal thoughts. Others have awakened in the night with eternity laid upon their hearts. The Word heard years before has been made living by the direct operation of the Holy Spirit.

Jesus spoke but two words: “Follow me.” They were enough.

To follow Christ is the whole picture of Christian discipleship. Follow Him in doctrine; believe what He teaches. Follow Him in faith; trust Him implicitly with your soul. Follow Him in life; make Him your example. Follow Him in obedience, in worship, in service, in secret prayer, and in public witness. According to your measure, tread in the footsteps of your Lord and Master.

Verses 45–51

“Philip findeth Nathanael… Jesus answered… Before that Philip called thee, when thou wast under the fig tree, I saw thee.”

Nathanael’s case brings together several gracious workings of God.

He was already an honest seeker. Under the fig tree he had been praying, longing for the Messiah. Such preparation did not save him, but it made him ready for Christ.

Then Philip brought him the joyful news: “We have found him, of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets, did write.” Though Nathanael objected, Philip wisely answered only, “Come and see.”

At last Christ Himself spoke the word that searched his heart: “Before that Philip called thee, when thou wast under the fig tree, I saw thee.”

Ah, seeking soul, Christ sees you. Before you sought Him, He had already looked upon you. When you pour out your heart in secret, He sees. When your prayer rises, “Lord, save me, or I perish,” He sees.

If you truly desire salvation, it is because He has already begun His gracious work toward you. Like Philip, we would gladly bring every seeking soul to Jesus; but unless Christ Himself speaks to the conscience, no man can truly believe.

Yet when He does speak, faith answers immediately: “Rabbi, thou art the Son of God; thou art the King of Israel.”

To such believing souls comes a gracious promise: “Thou shalt see greater things than these.” You shall know the joy of pardon. You shall see prayer ascending to God and mercy descending upon your soul. You shall behold heaven opened, and all the blessings of the covenant flowing through the Son of man.

Judge not your conversion by the manner in which it came, but by its fruit. Does it bring you to Jesus? Are you resting upon Him now? If so, go your way rejoicing. Whether you came by preaching, by the loving word of a friend, by the direct call of Christ, or by many gracious providences leading you onward, if you are now trusting wholly in the Lamb of God, your sins, which are many, are forgiven.

But if you are resting anywhere except upon Jesus Christ, your refuge is a refuge of lies. May God deliver you from every false hope, and bring you now to rest upon the finished work and perfect sacrifice of the Son of God. Then, with Andrew, Peter, John, Philip, and Nathanael, you shall stand before the throne to praise Him who is the Son of God and the King of Israel.

Day 5 – Saturday

John chapter 2, verses 1–11

Verses 1–2

“And the third day there was a marriage in Cana of Galilee; and the mother of Jesus was there: and both Jesus was called, and his disciples, to the marriage.”

Our Lord’s first sign was no accident of circumstance. As we may often judge of a man’s course by its beginning, so we may learn the whole tenor of our Lord’s ministry from this first miracle.

He did not choose Jerusalem, nor the temple courts, nor the houses of the great, but a quiet village in Galilee. He worked no miracle before priests or rulers, but in the home of humble people whose names have long been forgotten. He thus sheds His blessing upon the common places of life. Marriage, the last relic of paradise left among men, He hastened to honour with His presence. He comes, not merely to sanctify public worship, but family life. Happy are those homes into which Christ has been invited, for He is no unwilling guest, and where He dwells He delights to bestow His blessing.

Observe, too, that His first miracle was one of pure beneficence. Moses began with miracles of judgment; Jesus begins with a deed of mercy. He came, not to destroy men’s lives, but to bless them. Throughout this present dispensation He reveals Himself as full of love, kindness and bounty. If you come to Him, you will find His heart going out towards you with life, peace and joy.

Verses 3–5

“And when they wanted wine, the mother of Jesus saith unto him, They have no wine. Jesus saith unto her, Woman, what have I to do with thee? mine hour is not yet come. His mother saith unto the servants, Whatsoever he saith unto you, do it.”

Mary’s faith was genuine, though not without imperfection. She believed firmly in her Son, yet she erred in attempting to direct the manner and time of His working. Our Lord gently but decidedly teaches that His actions are governed only by His Father’s will. No earthly relationship could prescribe His course.

Yet Mary’s faith did not fail beneath the rebuke. She quietly turned to the servants and said, “Whatsoever he saith unto you, do it.” She still expected Him to act, and expected rightly.

May we possess such a faith. There are times when the Lord seems to delay His help, or answers us in ways we had not expected. Let us not therefore distrust Him. If He does not act according to our wisdom, it is because He acts according to His own. His hour is always the right hour.

Verses 6–8

“And there were set there six waterpots of stone… Jesus saith unto them, Fill the waterpots with water. And they filled them up to the brim. And he saith unto them, Draw out now…”

The need at Cana became the occasion for Christ’s glory. Had the wine not failed, this miracle would never have been wrought. It is often our greatest blessing when our own resources fail us, for then there is room for Christ to display His power.

The servants were required to perform only the simplest task. They filled the vessels with water and afterwards drew out as they were commanded. There were no difficult conditions, no mysterious ceremonies, no display of power. Our Lord simply willed, and the work was done.

Thus He still deals with sinners. He does not demand some great achievement before He blesses them. He asks only the obedience of faith. As you are, trust Him. As you are, obey His voice. He who changed the water into wine can change the heart of stone into a heart alive unto God.

How majestic is His working! He spoke no incantation, used no visible instrument, sought no applause. Divine power works without effort. He who created all things by His word can as easily transform the deepest sorrow into abiding joy.

Verses 9–10

“When the ruler of the feast had tasted the water that was made wine… Thou hast kept the good wine until now.”

Here our Lord manifested both the greatness of His bounty and the excellence of His gifts.

He did not merely provide enough to prevent embarrassment. He gave the best. He does not measure out His mercies by drops, but fills His vessels to the brim. He bestows not only life, but abundant life; not merely grace to endure, but grace to rejoice; not merely pardon, but assurance, peace and delight in God.

His blessings always surpass expectation. Men give their best first and afterwards that which is inferior. Christ reserves His richest gifts. The believer finds that the nearer he comes to his Lord, the sweeter His fellowship becomes. Even here we taste the first fruits of heaven; and at last, in the marriage supper of the Lamb, the joy which Christ provides shall never fail.

Verse 11

“This beginning of miracles did Jesus in Cana of Galilee, and manifested forth his glory; and his disciples believed on him.”

This miracle was a sign. It revealed who Jesus is.

He was truly man, sitting among the wedding guests, sharing their ordinary life. Yet He was also truly God, whose will commands creation itself. Water instantly received the qualities of wine because the Creator stood among His creatures.

He manifested His glory quietly. There was no parade of power, no desire for admiration. The servants knew only that they had obeyed His command. The ruler of the feast knew only that the wine was of surpassing excellence. Yet through that simple act His divine majesty shone forth.

The disciples had already believed through the testimony of John the Baptist, and through personal fellowship with their Master. This miracle did not create their faith; it strengthened it. If He could thus command nature by His mere will, then nothing could ever be beyond His power.

They learned that no unforeseen emergency could surprise Him. The want at Cana arose suddenly, yet He was already sufficient for it. So it is with every trial of His people. The difficulty may come unexpectedly to us, but never to Him. When the hour of need arrives, His provision is already prepared.

They learned also that nothing connected with Christ can finally fail. He was but a guest at that marriage, yet because He was there, the feast could not end in shame. How much more shall those who are united to Him find that He never forsakes the work of His own hands!

Finally, they discovered that He delights to employ the weakest means. Water, six earthen vessels and humble servants became instruments for displaying the glory of the Son of God. So He still uses poor earthen vessels for His service, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.

John does not merely say that the disciples believed Him, or even believed on Him. They believed into Him. They cast themselves wholly upon Him. Their future, their hopes, their labours and their lives were entrusted to His keeping.

May ours be the same faith. Believe in Him. Believe His word. Believe upon Him. Better still, believe into Him, until your whole life is hidden in His. Then the weak and watery resources of nature shall be transformed by His grace into that rich and abiding joy which He alone can give.

Day 6 – Sunday

John chapter 3 verses 1-18

If you were called in to see a person who was dying and wished to read a chapter from the Word of God, and you were afraid that the sick one did not know the way of salvation, you could not select a better portion than the one we are about to read. I have chosen it in the hope that some may now learn from it what they must do to be saved.

Verses 1–2. There was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews: the same came to Jesus by night.

Perhaps he was very busy during the day. It is better to come to Jesus at night than not to come to Him at all. All hours are convenient to Christ—you may come to Him when you are at home tonight. When everybody else is asleep, Jesus is still awake.

In all probability, however, Nicodemus did not wish to commit himself by coming to Christ by day. He had not yet tried and tested Him, so he would not be thought to be Christ’s follower till he had first had a quiet private talk with Him. As a ruler of the Jews, he was wise in acting thus discreetly.

Verse 2. And said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him.

He admitted the truth as far as he could see it. The miracles of Christ proved Him to be a divinely-commissioned teacher. Always be willing to go as far as you can go in the pursuit of truth. If you cannot see everything at once, see all that you can see. Be not of a caviling spirit—be frank and teachable as this man was.

Verse 3. Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.

It is such a mystery, a thing of such a marvelous character, that his old nature cannot see it. He must have new eyes. He must be a new man, he must be born again before he can “see the kingdom of God.”

Have you caught this idea, my dear hearer? Do you understand that you cannot polish yourself up to a certain point and then see the kingdom of God? You must be born again. There must be a radical change in you, a new birth, a birth from above, if you are even to see the kingdom of God.

Verses 4–5. Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother’s womb, and be born? Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.

At first Jesus said that a man could not see the kingdom of God except he was born again. Now He tells Nicodemus that a man cannot enter the kingdom except he is born of water and of the Spirit. There must be a cleansing—he must be “born of water.” There must be a spiritual life—he must be “born of the Spirit,” or he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.

Verse 6. That which is born of the flesh is flesh;

Nothing more. However godly your father, however gracious your mother, all that is “born of the flesh is flesh.”

Verse 6. And that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.

There must be, then, a Spirit-birth, or else you have no spirit—you belong not to the spiritual realm—and you cannot see and you cannot enter the spiritual kingdom.

Verses 7–8. Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again. The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof,—

The sounding of the wind blowing through the trees—

Verse 8. The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth:

Where it begins, whither it goes, or where it comes to an end, you cannot tell.

Verse 8. So is every one that is born of the Spirit.

You do not know where the spirit-life begins and you cannot tell to what it will lead. There are heights to which the spirit-life can carry you, of which you have never dreamed—this is a mystery beyond your understanding.

Verse 9. Nicodemus answered and said unto him, How can these things be?

He did not deny that they might be, but he asked how they could be. Ah, many a man has asked the same question! “How may I be made anew? How may I become a new creature?” Only He that makes all things can make all things new. The new birth is as great a wonder as creation itself, and there is as much, and a great deal more, to be wrought upon you to make you a Christian as has been wrought upon you to make you a man.

Verse 10. Jesus answered and said unto him, Art thou a master of Israel, and knowest not these things?

These truths lie on the very doorstep of our holy religion. There are deeper and higher mysteries than these.

Verses 11–12. Verily, verily, I say unto thee, We speak that we do know, and testify that we have seen; and ye receive not our witness. If I have told you earthly things,

Commonplace things, the lower things of faith. “If I have told you these”—

Verse 12. And ye believe not, how shall ye believe, if I tell you of heavenly things?

There are mysteries in our holy religion which we would not tell to everybody. It would be casting pearls before swine to mention them to unregenerate men. Christ tells Nicodemus that the primary truths must be believed before the more advanced doctrines can be revealed.

Verse 13. And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven.

It is Christ who knows everything. He understands all mysteries. He can teach all truth, for He has been in heaven, He came down to earth, and He has gone back again to heaven.

Now, perhaps, some of you will be saying, “How are we to be saved? If there is no salvation without the new birth, how can we obtain the new birth?” Listen. The same chapter which tells you of the mystery of regeneration, tells you of the simple way of salvation by faith in Christ.

Verses 14–15. And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.

“Whosoever.” If you believe in Christ, you are born again. If you trust Him, you have the new life. This simple way of salvation is not contradictory to the way of salvation by the new birth, it is the same thing stated in a form that we can comprehend.

Verse 16. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

This text has saved thousands of souls. The constellation in the heavens, called the Great Bear, has in it the two pointers which direct the eye of the observer to the pole star—and this verse points to Christ so clearly, so distinctly, that many have found Him by it, and have lived.

Let me read it again, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”

Verses 17–18. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already,—

Not, “shall be condemned at the last,” though that also is true, but “He that believeth not is condemned already”—

Verse 18. Because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

May the Lord bless to us the reading of this very simple Gospel chapter, for our Lord Jesus Christ’s sake! Amen.

Day 7 – Monday

John chapter 3 verses 13-36

Verse 13. And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven.

We are in the stairway, now, between heaven and earth. Christ has came down. Christ has gone up, and yet He was always there—a mystery, but one that is true, and now, today we can go up by thought and prayer, and blessings can come down, and Christ is always there. “He is at the Father’s side, the Man of Love, the Crucified.”

Verses 14–15. And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.

What a glorious word! Here is the Gospel in a verse, the whole Bible in a line or two. If we believe in Him this morning, we have eternal life—not merely life, but life similar to the very life of God Himself—eternal life. We have in us that which will outlast the world, the sun, the moon, and the stars. We have a life which, being like the life of God, we shall live forever and ever.

Verses 16–17. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

Condemnation does come to the world through Christ, because the world rejects Him, but that was no part of God’s design in sending Him. His design is salvation—salvation only. Oh! that we might so believe as to answer to the divine purpose in the sending of His Son.

“He that believeth on him is not condemned,” not even now, notwithstanding every sin he has committed, he is not condemned. “But he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.” Unbelieving is the condemning sin—it seals upon us the condemnation of every other sin. If you do not believe in Christ this morning, my hearer, you are not in a state of probation, you are condemned already. He that believes on Him is not in a state of probation, he is not condemned. He is already acquitted, he is at this moment free from condemnation before the judgment seat of God.

Verses 19–21. And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.

You see why men do not come to Christ—they do not want to give up their sin—they do not want to be made uneasy in it. They are afraid of being reproved. You see why saintly men come to Christ, for they take a delight in beholding Him, and in having their faith and their grace made manifest, both to themselves and to onlookers.

Verses 22–24. After these things came Jesus and his disciples into the land of Judaea; and there he tarried with them, and baptized. And John also was baptizing in Aenon near to Salim, because there was much water there: and they came, and were baptized. For John was not yet cast into prison.

So he was busy until he was cast into prison. He would not waste an hour while he had an opportunity of doing good. He did it with all his heart. John! are you here in this sanctuary at this moment, not yet laid up, not yet obliged to keep your bed? Work while you can then—spend every moment in your Master’s service.

Verse 25. Then there arose a question between some of John’s disciples and the Jews about purifying.

Is it not a come-down—from reading about looking to Christ and loving, to a contention about purifying? There always are in the church more or less idle quarrels about the dress of the preacher, about the mode of administering sacraments, and so on—a discussion about purifying.

Verse 26. And they came unto John, and said unto him, Rabbi, he that was with thee beyond Jordan, to whom thou barest witness, behold, the same baptizeth, and all men come to him.

“They are leaving you.” They felt an envy on behalf of John because his influence appeared to be declining. John was quite a stranger to this feeling. He loved to see his Master grow, even at the cost of his own effacing.

Verse 27. John answered and said, A man can receive nothing except it be given him from heaven.

No spiritual power, no power to bless his fellow men, except it come from God. Shall I quarrel with God, therefore, if He gives to this man more power than He gives to me? Shall I dispute about it? It is God’s sovereign will and He does as He pleases.

Verses 28–29. Ye yourselves bear me witness, that I said, I am not the Christ, but that I am sent before him. He that hath the bride is the bridegroom: but the friend of the bridegroom, which standeth and heareth him, rejoiceth greatly because of the bridegroom’s voice: this my joy therefore is fulfilled.

They were vexed, but John was joyful. He loved to hear of Jesus prospering.

Verse 30. He must increase, but I must decrease.

So he did. This is John’s one song, last of his utterances almost. He preaches no more sermons that are recorded. He must now go to prison, and there lie in a silence which he could scarcely bear. It was very hard for John to be quiet. He had an active, noble mind, and he became the victim, we fear, of doubts when he was shut up in prison. The breezy air of the wilderness suited him much better than the dull, heavy atmosphere of a prison.

I daresay some of you may feel this at this time—do not set it down to spiritual results, to spiritual causes—set it down to the atmosphere, for so it is. We often feel dull and heavy, but heaviest when the heart is in a heavy air. Every wind that rises blows away despair. So we must not think too much of our feelings, which even the wind can change.

Verse 31. He that cometh from above is above all: he that is of the earth is earthly, and speaketh of the earth: he that cometh from heaven is above all.

However good a man may be, he is earthly—there is flesh and blood about him akin to the earth—and even if he handles heavenly things, the earthiness of the preacher peeps out every now and then. Christ had nothing of that about Him—He was above all.

Verse 32. And what he hath seen and heard, that he testifieth; and no man receiveth his testimony.

Sad note! The news that all men went to Christ pleased John, but the fact that none received His testimony, comparatively none, grieved his heart.

Verses 33–34. He that hath received his testimony hath set to his seal that God is true. For he whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God: for God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto him.

There is an infinite spiritual power about the words of Christ—they are the words of God, and the Holy Spirit concentrates all His energy in those words.

Verses 35–36. The Father loveth the Son, and hath given all things into his hand. He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.

So John’s last words are thunder. His dying speech has in it the word most terrible to all of you who believe not in Christ, “The wrath of God abideth on him.”

Day 8 – Tuesday

John chapter 4 verses 1-42

Verses 1–3. When therefore the Lord knew how the Pharisees had heard that Jesus made and baptized more disciples than John, (though Jesus himself baptized not, but his disciples,) He left Judaea, and departed again into Galilee.

Our Lord knew that the Pharisees would assail Him now that He was prospering, and gathering disciples. He therefore, went away from them, as He did on other occasions. Whenever the cause of God grows, Satan is sure to be violent against it.

Notice that our Savior did not Himself baptize His followers. Now, if baptism depended upon the character or the office of the baptizer, Jesus would certainly have done it, but to show us that the person baptizing does not impart any grace to the person baptized, our Lord baptized not, but left that work to His disciples.

Verse 4. And he must needs go through Samaria.

Men say that, “‘Must’ is for the king,” but our King puts Himself under an imperative “must,” under a divine necessity. Though obliged to do nothing, yet He obliges Himself to do deeds of mercy and grace.

Verses 5–6. Then cometh he to a city of Samaria, which is called Sychar, near to the parcel of ground that Jacob gave to his son Joseph. Now Jacob’s well was there.

Holy men often impart an interest to the very place which they inhabit. We should not have cared anything about Sychar, or its well, if Jacob had not been there. Where godly men have been, the ground is sacred. How much more so where the God of men comes to visit us!

Verse 6. Jesus therefore, being wearied with his journey, sat thus on the well: and it was about the sixth hour.

Only half a day spent on His journey, yet He is weary. See, brethren, how He was compassed with infirmity. Our Great High Priest so truly took our flesh, that He was wearied with His journey. He that rolls the stars along was weary in the middle of the day. So weary was He that He sat in the very attitude of weariness, as best He could, on the curb of the well, “Jesus therefore, being wearied with His journey, sat thus on the well.”

Verse 7. There cometh a woman of Samaria to draw water: Jesus saith to her, Give me to drink.

Wonderful words of condescension! The Creator is asking drink of His creature. Perfect Holiness is asking of a sinner. He without whom there were no clouds, or rain, or springs, or wells, says to a sinful woman, “Give me to drink.”

Verses 8–9. (For his disciples were gone away unto the city to buy meat.) Then saith the woman of Samaria unto him, How is it that thou, being a Jew, askest drink of me, which am a woman of Samaria? for the Jews have no dealings with the Samaritans.

In effect, the woman said, “Now that you are thirsty, you can ask drink of me, but at another time, proud Jew that you are, you would not speak to a Samaritan.” Surely, this was rather a brusque answer, if not really rude. If she had known who it was to whom she was speaking, she would not have answered Him thus.

Verse 10. Jesus answered and said unto her, If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water.

Something better than the water from Jacob’s well. Though you have denied Him a simple draught of water, He would not have denied you something infinitely better, namely, living water. She little knew what that living water was.

Verses 11–12. The woman saith unto him, Sir, thou hast nothing to draw with, and the well is deep: from whence then hast thou that living water? Art thou greater than our father Jacob, which gave us the well, and drank thereof himself, and his children, and his cattle?

That last word, “cattle,” lets us see wherein the water of Jacob’s well could never be compared to the living water that Jesus gives. If beasts can partake of it, it is not that high and spiritual thing which immortal souls need, which Jesus came to give. Unwittingly, the woman had answered her own question, “Art thou greater than our father Jacob?”

Verses 13–14. Jesus answered and said unto her, Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again: but whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.

If Christ gives you grace, it is eternal life that He gives you, it is not a life that can die, it is not a grace that you can lose. It is everlasting life, a supply of living water which turns to a spring or well, and always remains within the heart that receives it.

Verse 15. The woman saith unto him, Sir, give me this water, that I thirst not, neither come hither to draw.

She had caught the Lord’s meaning so far as the perpetuity of the water was concerned, but still she did not know what the living water was. It was all a riddle to her, as I am afraid it is to some of you. There is many a Doctor of Divinity who cannot explain what the living water is.

Verse 16. Jesus saith unto her,—

As she had apparently learned nothing by His instruction, He now tried another plan with her, and began to deal with her conscience.

Verses 16–17. Go, call thy husband, and come hither. The woman answered and said, I have no husband. Jesus said unto her, Thou hast well said, I have no husband:

Praise people whenever you can. There was nothing good about this woman, but she had spoken the truth, “Thou hast well said, I have no husband.” Our Lord purposely laid the emphasis on the last word.

Verse 18. For thou hast had five husbands; and he whom thou now hast is not thy husband: in that saidst thou truly.

What an exposure of the life she was living! Jesus laid bare what she and her companion in sin may have thought that no man knew, “He whom thou now hast is not your husband: in that saidst thou truly.”

Verse 19. The woman saith unto him, Sir,—

She is getting more respectful now. When conscience begins to work, men treat the ministry with greater deference.

Verses 19–20. I perceive that thou art a prophet. Our fathers worshipped in this mountain;

How pleased she was to get away from that unpleasant subject of her five husbands and the man who was not her husband! How anxious people are to salve their consciences by discussing religious matters of a general character! When you come a little too close to them, they edge off if they can, so this woman said, “Our fathers worshipped in this mountain.”

Verses 20–21. And ye say, that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship. Jesus saith unto her, Woman, believe me,—

Our Savior gave the woman good Gospel advice, “Woman, believe me”

Verses 21–22. The hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father. Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews.

They have the oracles of God. The Savior comes of the Jews. They are right as far as they follow the instruction they have received, and you Samaritans are wrong in keeping to the law of Moses alone, and rejecting the rest of the Scriptures.

Verses 23–24. But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.

All the true worship in the world is of God’s seeking. None would ever worship Him aright if He did not lead them to it. He seeks them, and then they seek Him.

Verses 25–26. The woman saith unto him, I know that Messias cometh, which is called Christ: when he is come, he will tell us all things. Jesus saith unto her, I that speak unto thee am he.

Now were her eyes opened. That last word had made her see.

Verse 27. And upon this came his disciples, and marvelled that he talked with the woman:

How big they were, how wise in their own conceit to be astonished that Christ was talking with a woman! The followers of Christ often get much too big for their places, and too big to please their Master too. Though “they marveled that he was speaking with a woman,” as the Revised Version translates it.

Verse 27. Yet no man said, What seekest thou? or, Why talkest thou with her?

They dared not do that. They had too much awe of Him. But do you know, I have often wished that they had done so? I should like to have read what Christ would have said to them. How He would have reproved them for thinking that He had degraded Himself by talking with a woman, or with anybody. Our Savior would have vindicated woman’s place in the world in a way that one might have liked to have heard.

Verse 28. The woman then left her waterpot, and went her way into the city,—

Why should she stop any longer? The faces of the disciples did not look pleasant, but their Master had comforted her. She would not stop to lose that comfort by hard words from the disciples, she “went her way into the city.”

Verses 28–32. And saith to the men, Come, see a man, which told me all things that ever I did: is not this the Christ? Then they went out of the city, and came unto him. In the mean while his disciples prayed him, saying, Master, eat. But he said unto them, I have meat to eat that ye know not of.

O beloved, there is a wonderful fascination about the blessed work of soul-seeking! When one is really anxious to bring a sinner to the Savior, eating and drinking are often forgotten. As the hunter of the chamois, in the heat of the chase leaps from crag to crag, and is oblivious of danger, and forgets all about the time for his meals, so he that hunts after a precious soul, to win it for Christ, forgets everything else. He is altogether absorbed in this holy pursuit—the Master was more absorbed in it than any of us are ever likely to be.

Verses 33–35. Therefore said the disciples one to another, Hath any man brought him ought to eat? Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work. Say not ye, There are yet four months, and then cometh harvest? behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest.

That was probably an old Oriental proverb, used by lazy men who never thought it time to get to work, but Jesus said, “Do not use the idler’s language any longer. Now, at once, there is work for you to do.”

Verses 39–40. And many of the Samaritans of that city believed on him for the saying of the woman, which testified, He told me all that ever I did. So when the Samaritans were come unto him, they besought him that he would tarry with them: and he abode there two days.

Two days of Christ’s personal ministry—what might not come of that?

Verses 41–42. And many more believed because of his own word; and said unto the woman, Now we believe, not because of thy saying: for we have heard him ourselves, and know that this is indeed the Christ, the Savior of the world.

Would God that many might be brought to know that Christ, the Saviour, tonight! Amen.

Day 9 – Wednesday

John chapter 4 verses 46-53

John 4:46–47
And there was a certain nobleman, whose son was sick at Capernaum. When he heard that Jesus was come out of Judaea into Galilee, he went unto him, and besought him that he would come down, and heal his son: for he was at the point of death.

This narrative illustrates the rise and progress of faith in the soul. The point is not to hear about these things only, but to have them repeated in your own soul. The same living Christ is here, and his help we as greatly need as ever did this nobleman. May we seek it as he sought it, and find it as he found it!

Trouble first of all led this courtly personage to Jesus. Had he been without trial, he might have lived forgetful of his God and Saviour; but sorrow came to his house, and it was God’s angel in disguise. It may be that you are in trouble, and, if so, I pray that affliction may be the black horse upon which mercy shall ride to your door. Blessed is the discipline of the great Father when tribulation bruises the heart to repentance, and repentance leads us to seek and find pardon.

The particular form of trial which visited this nobleman was the sickness of his child. The father’s heart was sadly wounded because his dear boy was at the point of death. No doubt he had tried all the remedies known to the times; and now, having heard of Jesus of Nazareth, he resorted to him with eager petition and desperate hope. He might never have thought of seeking Jesus if it had not been for that dear dying boy.

The nobleman’s faith rested at first entirely upon the report of others. He had never seen Jesus nor heard him speak, but he believed the report of credible persons. Many are in the early stages of faith. They have heard friends say that the Lord Jesus receives sinners, puts away sin, calms the conscience, changes the nature, hears prayer, and sustains his people under trouble. Faith often begins in that way. This faith which comes of a true report is a spark of heavenly fire. Take care of it. May God grant you grace so to pray that the spark may increase into a flame!

Such faith as the nobleman had, he turned to practical use at once. Friend, you do not yet know how great my Lord is, and what wonderful things he does for those who put their trust in him; but use what faith you have. Bring before the Lord the trial of the hour. Though your faith be only a spark, I would not blow it out, nor will the Lord Jesus do so, for a smoking flax he will not quench. If you have any desire towards him, and any degree of faith in him, let it live, and lead you to the dear Master’s feet.

His faith led him personally to Christ and personally to pray to him. If your faith leads you to beseech Christ to have mercy upon you, it is the faith which saves the soul. It may be little as a grain of mustard seed, but its importunity shows that there is pungency in it—it is true mustard.

Notice also the argument the nobleman used. He urged no merit, but pleaded the misery of the case. He did not plead that the boy was of noble birth, nor that he was a lovely child, but that he was at the point of death. His extremity was his reason for urgency. When you are taught by grace to pray aright, you will urge those facts which reveal your own danger and distress, not those which would make you appear rich and righteous. Plead the greatness of your necessity and the direness of your need. Cry, “O God, have mercy upon me, for I need mercy!” This is the key which opens the door of mercy.

John 4:48 Then said Jesus unto him, Except ye see signs and wonders, ye will not believe.

The nobleman’s faith was true as far as it went, but it was hindered by a desire for signs and wonders. Many believe that the Lord Jesus can save, but they have fixed in their minds the way in which he must do it. They prescribe dark convictions, vivid dreams, strange sensations, or remarkable movements of providence. They lay down a programme and demand that the free Spirit should pay attention to it.

Our Lord will not be laid under constraint. He will save whom he wills, and he will save as he wills. His gospel is not, “Suffer so much horror and despair, and live,” but, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved.” He comes to many and calls them effectually by the soft whispers of his love. They simply trust him and enter into immediate rest. Let him save you as he wills.

Yet the nobleman’s faith could endure a rebuff. Though the Master’s words sounded sharp, the father did not give up his suit and turn away. Jesus was his only hope; therefore he would not leave him. O soul, cling to your Lord, come what may! Though he should rebuke you, do not leave him. To whom else can you go?

John 4:49 The nobleman saith unto him, Sir, come down ere my child die.

Limited was that faith, for he still thought it essential that our Lord should journey to Capernaum to work the cure. But note how intense, eager, and persevering was his pleading. If his faith failed in breadth, it excelled in force. Dear anxious friend, pray and pray again; hold on and hold out; cry on and cry out—never cease till the Lord of love grants you an answer of peace.

John 4:50 Jesus saith unto him, Go thy way; thy son liveth.

The man believed the word of Jesus over the head of all his former prejudices. He had thought that Christ could heal only if he came down to Capernaum; but now he believed though Jesus remained where he was and only spoke the word.

Will you believe the Lord Jesus Christ upon his bare word? Without laying down any rules as to how he shall save you, will you trust him? Have you not heard of his passion and death upon the cross for the guilty? Do you not know that he that believeth in him hath everlasting life? Have done with saying, “Make me feel this, and I will believe thee.” Trust your soul with Christ, believing that he can save you.

The nobleman proved the sincerity of his faith by immediately obeying Christ. Had he not believed the word, he would have lingered and continued pleading, looking for favourable signs. But he was satisfied with the word of the Lord and went his way without another word. “Thy son liveth” was enough for him.

The Lord Jesus deserves to be taken at his word and trusted in real earnest. The nobleman did not wait for a sign: he heard the word, and upon that word he hung his confidence. O seeking soul, wait no longer for feeling, evidence, or sign, but trust your everlasting all upon the word which Christ’s blood has sealed.

John 4:51–53
And as he was now going down, his servants met him, and told him, saying, Thy son liveth. Then enquired he of them the hour when he began to amend. And they said unto him, Yesterday at the seventh hour the fever left him. So the father knew that it was at the same hour, in the which Jesus said unto him, Thy son liveth: and himself believed, and his whole house.

The father travelled with the leisure of confidence. He felt sure that his son was well, and therefore the fever of anxiety left the father even as the fever had left his child. This consecrated restfulness befits a solid faith. Give Christ not a half faith, but a whole faith. On his bare word let your soul repose. Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for him. Trust, and be not afraid.

The servants’ message came like an echo of the word of Jesus: “Thy son liveth.” The father found that at the very moment when Jesus spoke, the fever left the child. His experience came to the aid of his faith. He had believed the bare word of Jesus; now he saw that word fulfilled, and believed in Jesus in the fullest sense—for his body and his soul, for all that he was and all that he had.

Then his family also believed. Not only was the child cured, but the whole household was cured. The father did not know, when he went pleading about his boy, that he himself needed to be saved; but now salvation had come to the whole family, and the fever of sin and unbelief was gone with the other fever. May the Lord work such a wonder in all our houses!

Day 10 – Thursday

John chapter 5 verses 1-23

Verse 1. After this there was a feast of the Jews; and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.

For He had respect to the law. As long as the law lasted, Christ observed it. Oh, that we were as careful to obey the rules of the Gospel as our Lord was to observe the ritual of the law! Moreover, He went up to Jerusalem because He had an opportunity of addressing great numbers of people there. While I have been resting at Menton, I have been very glad to be of service to a few friends who were either seeking the Savior, or needing some guidance in their spiritual life, but I cannot tell you how happy I am to be once more in the Tabernacle, preaching to the great congregation!

Fishermen like to cast their nets where there are plenty of fish, and fishers of men delight to be where there are many men who may be enclosed in the Gospel net. “After this there was a feast of the Jews; and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.”

Verse 2. Now there is at Jerusalem by the sheep market a pool, which is called in the Hebrew tongue Bethesda, having five porches.

This pool of Bethesda was rightly called “the house of mercy,” but it might have just as truly been named, “the house of misery,” for its “five porches” were the abode of many who were in misery, and who needed mercy.

Verse 3. In these lay a great multitude of impotent folk,—

Invalid persons, diseased, and scarcely able to move.

Verse 3. Of blind, halt, withered, waiting for the moving of the water.

What a sight for the Great Physician to look upon! The whole world must have been to Him like one huge hospital, full of “impotent folk, blind, halt, withered.” Wherever He went, He was surrounded by the sick, and sad, and suffering, those who were afflicted physically, mentally, and spiritually. But there was a special reason for the gathering together of so many sufferers at the pool of Bethesda.

Verse 4. For an angel went down at a certain season into the pool, and troubled the water: whosoever then first after the troubling of the water stepped in was made whole of whatsoever disease he had.

It was the last remnant of miracle. Such things were common enough in Judea in her better days, but now the times of the prophets had ceased, and the day of miracles was almost over. Here, at Bethesda, were just a few relics and remnants of the good old days. Only one was cured, he that stepped into the pool first after the angel had troubled the water. It was but a scanty power that was left to the troubled water, but it was quite enough, if only one in a thousand was healed, to bring a crowd of people to wait around the pool.

If only one person in a year were saved, I should not wonder if you thronged the place to hear the Gospel that saved him, but your privilege is much greater. Here all who come, if they will hear and believe, shall find healing. It is not the first only, but even unto the last who shall step into the pool that shall be healed.

Verse 5. And a certain man was there, which had an infirmity thirty and eight years.

That was a great proportion of the man’s life. If he was a full-grown man when he was attacked with the infirmity, he had now become old and grey. What a long time to be afflicted, thirty and eight years! Have we not with us at this time some who have been afflicted with the soul-sickness of sin more than thirty and eight years?

Verse 6. When Jesus saw him lie,—

The Great Physician fixed His eyes on him, for his was an extraordinary case. Probably he was known and talked of as the man who had been paralyzed eight and thirty years. Note that it does not say, “When the man saw Jesus,” but “when Jesus saw him.” He did not know Jesus, possibly he had not even heard of His healing power and compassionate love. He was not seeking Jesus, Jesus was seeking him. It was so with many of us, and therefore we sing—

“Jesus sought me when a stranger,
Wandering from the fold of God;
He, to rescue me from danger,
Interposed His precious blood.”

When Jesus saw the impotent man—

Verse 6. And knew that he had been now a long time in that case,—

And a long time in that place, too—

Verse 6. He saith unto him, Wilt thou be made whole?

That must have seemed a strange question. What was he there for, if not to be made whole? But I will show you, by and by, that there was wisdom in the question of Jesus. It was no idle curiosity that moved Him to inquire of the man whether he was willing to be made whole.

Verse 7. The impotent man answered him, Sir, I have no man, when the water is troubled, to put me into the pool: but while I am coming,—

Shuffling along, as best I may, to the water’s edge—

Verse 7. Another steppeth down before me.

Then, of course, the curative miracle is wrought, and the curative power of the water is gone until another season, when the angel troubles it again.

Verses 8–9. Jesus saith unto him, Rise, take up thy bed, and walk. And immediately the man was made whole, and took up his bed, and walked: and on the same day was the sabbath.

This is our Sabbath. Oh, that we might have the same miracle wrought here tonight, upon many spiritually impotent folk!

Verses 10–11. The Jews therefore said unto him that was cured, It is the sabbath day: it is not lawful for thee to carry thy bed. He answered them,—

And he did answer them, too. It was a crushing answer.

Verse 11. He that made me whole, the same said unto me, Take up thy bed, and walk.

That was his warrant. None but God could have made him whole. God can set aside any of His laws if He pleases, at any rate, whatever He commands, must be right.

Verse 12. Then asked they him, What man is that which said unto thee, Take up thy bed, and walk?

They asked, “What man” had given this command. Why, if it had been a mere man who had said it, the impotent man could not either have taken up his bed, or have walked!

Verse 13. And he that was healed wist not who it was: for Jesus had conveyed himself away, a multitude being in that place.

He never sought notoriety, but avoided popular demonstrations in His favor. The man who had been healed had exercised faith in Jesus, but he knew very little about Him. A certain something in the air and mien of Christ had won his faith, but he did not know His name, or who He was. How small may be your knowledge, and yet you may be saved by true faith!

Verse 14. Afterward Jesus findeth him in the temple, and said unto him, Behold, thou art made whole: sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee.

Probably, this man’s illness had been caused by sin. Christ bids him henceforth keep clear of sin, lest a worse calamity should come upon him.

Verse 15. The man departed, and told the Jews that it was Jesus, which had made him whole.

Full of joy, full of delight, he must tell out the name of Him who had cured him, as grateful patients like to sound the praises of their physician when he has been the means of healing them.

Verse 16. And therefore did the Jews persecute Jesus, and sought to slay him, because he had done these things on the sabbath day.

This was a mere pretense, an idle excuse for their enmity. They not only hated Christ, but they must besmear Him with their calumnies, and make Him out to be an evil-doer although He was goodness itself.

Verse 17. But Jesus answered them, My Father worketh hitherto, and I work.

The whole work of nature is continued on Sabbath days as well as other days. Stars shine through the Sabbath night, and the sun rises and sets on the Lord’s-day as on all the days of the week. God’s work continues. “My Father worketh,” says Christ, “and I work.” “My work is my Father’s work, and that goes on whatever the day may be.”

Verse 18. Therefore the Jews sought the more to kill him, because he had not only broken the sabbath, but said also that God was his Father, making himself equal with God.

They did not understand Him to preach Unitarianism, they understood Him to proclaim His own true and proper Godhead, and He never contradicted them, for He was God.

Verse 19. Then answered Jesus and said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do: for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise.

Christ’s work runs parallel with that of the Father. The Father and the Son ever work in perfect harmony with one another.

Verses 20–22. For the Father loveth the Son, and showeth him all things that himself doeth; and he will show him greater works than these, that ye may marvel. For as the Father raiseth up the dead, and quickeneth them; even so the Son quickeneth whom he will. For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son:

The Son, as well as the Father, is the Quickener of the dead. The Son is also the Judge of all men.

Verse 23. That all men should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father. He that honoreth not the Son honoreth not the Father which hath sent him.

As the universal Judge, the Lord Jesus is to be honored by all men, “even as they honour the Father.” Whatever others may do, or not do, we will honor the Father, we will honour the Son, and we will honor the Holy Spirit, three in one and one in three, the one God of Israel, for ever and ever.

Day 11 – Friday

(Taken from a gospel message published in the Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit in January 1914.)

John chapter 5 verse 25

John chapter 5 verse 25 Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live.

What is it to be spiritually dead? Observe a spiritually dead man. He walks abroad, and sees the fields full of abundant harvests. At nightfall he looks up to the skies and marks the glorious scenery of night. By day he climbs the mountains, beholds the valleys beneath in all their smiling beauty, and gazes upward at the golden sun above.

God is to be seen in all these—God manifestly the Creator, Preserver, and Benefactor of mankind—but this man does not perceive him. He sees no God.

His power to realize spiritual things has failed, or else his ears would hear the voice of God in the sounding tops of the pines, his eyes would see the name of God written in golden letters athwart the midnight sky, his every sense would perceive God, and his inmost soul drink deep of God; but he is dead, and therefore he cannot.

As it is in nature and with the gifts of providence, so especially it is in outward religion. The man sings as others sing, bows his head as others do in prayer, and listens as others do to the preaching of the Word; but it is a heavy, dull, monotonous service to him.

Yet others sitting by his side have found the profoundest pleasure in those sacred engagements. They have been carried as on eagles’ wings up to heaven; their souls have been filled with joy and peace.

Why is this? The things ministered, and the man who ministered them, were the same. Ah! the one was dead, while the others lived. God was in the sermon, but the carnally minded man, being dead, perceived him not.

The natural man is dead to eternal things. How quick-eared he is to the things of time—how swift to perceive their value, and in what haste to grasp them if he can!

But the eternal realities which God has revealed in Scripture the man neither cares to hear about, nor, hearing them, do they excite any desires within his spirit. To the fleeting shadows he is wide awake, but to substantial verities sound asleep; after the poor gewgaws and child’s bubbles of this mortal state he is all agog, but as to the solid joys and lasting pleasures of an eternal world he shows no desire.

Open this holy Bible before him. There was never such another; no angel ever gazed upon a page more rich with glory than this. This Book opens to us immortality and gives us the news of eternal love. Set the natural man down before it.

It is to him a mere history, or a dry book of dogmatic matters. He sees nothing in it that can charm him. To the sightless eyeballs the brightest jewels flash back no radiance. He is dead, yea, to Christ himself the man is dead.

When Christ is preached—the Father’s Son, the virgin’s child, the condescending Savior, the ascending Conqueror, the exalted King with glory crowned—the people of God delight to hear of him; but exhibit this Savior to the natural man, and he perceives nothing. How should he? He is dead in trespasses and sins.

John 5:25. The dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God.

Jesus Christ is in Scripture called “the Word.” The distinct, articulate manifestation of Deity is Jesus Christ. He came from heaven, condescended to become a babe, to be nursed in a manger. He was God. What did that child—human, yet divine—say? “God has pity upon man, and has not left him. He is about to establish an intimate relationship between himself, the great and the glorious, and man, the weak and the pitiable.” That meant pity, mercy, fellowship, and hope to the race of man.

Jesus passed a life in the midst of all our sorrows and infirmities. This meant compassion—a united passion, a fellow-feeling, a kindred suffering. It seemed to say, “God is not indifferent to your woes. You have fallen through your sins, but God pities you; God feels for you. He has come down to you; he has taken upon himself manhood that he may suffer with man.”

At last, in agony extreme, he offered up his life on the accursed tree. What did he say to us then? He said, “God is just. Taking upon myself your nature, and taking also your sins, as your substitute I have to suffer.”

Christ Jesus’ suffering is a loud word from God to this effect: “I pity you men, but your sins I must punish. I cannot pass them by. If they are laid upon my Son, I must prostrate my Son beneath their load.” This is God’s Word—justice as well as compassion; pity, but pity consistent with severity.

Moreover, Jesus rose again from the dead, and now he ever lives at the right hand of God. Christ, the living One, is God’s Word to us that we shall be delivered from the wrath to come if we trust in him, even as he himself was delivered when he rose again from the dead and ascended into glory.

There is a way in which God can be just and yet tender to you. If you trust his dear Son, your sins shall not destroy you; Christ’s sufferings shall stand instead of yours, and you shall live.

If you will lean fully on Jesus, fling away both your love of sin and your love of your own righteousness, and rest where God would have you rest, God shall be reconciled to you, and you shall be his child, and you shall live for ever and ever.

John 5:25. And they that hear shall live.

Whenever any dead soul does live, it is through the Word; but it is not through the voice of the preacher. That is but an instrument and nothing more. The real voice that makes dead souls live is the voice of Christ Jesus.

This Word must come home to your heart and conscience, and be applied by the Holy Ghost thereto, so that you prove its power and feel its energy. Through the Holy Ghost it is that the voice of Christ is heard in the soul.

Yet while Christ speaks to the dead, power is communicated to them that they may have it and use it. “The dead shall hear,” and do notice, “They that hear shall live.”

Faith and repentance are gifts of God; the voice that saves is the voice of Christ; but the point of personal salvation is reached when the man actively hears and receives the truth.

I entreat you to hear the Gospel, but do not think that the mere hearing of it with your outward ears will be enough. Ask the Lord to open your inward ears, to quicken you from your spiritual death, and give you to derive profit. Thirst for his blessing, pant for it, long for it.

To desire grace is an evidence that you have grace in a measure, and to seek Christ earnestly is already to have something from Christ, a foretaste of the feast they enjoy who find him.

How is it with you? Are you saved? Are you awakened? Are you seeking? Are you finding? If this Book be true, and Christ’s Gospel a verity, it is time that you turned unto God with full purpose of heart.

Day 12 – Saturday

(Taken from a gospel sermon preached at New Park Street Chapel on 2nd December 1855.)

John chapter 5 verse 40

And ye will not come to me, that ye might have life.

Our text implies that men by nature are dead. No being needs to go after life if he has life in himself. The text speaks very strongly when it says, “Ye will not come to me, that ye might have life.” Though it says it not in words, yet it does in effect affirm that men need a life more than they have themselves. We are all dead unless we have been begotten unto a lively hope.

First, we are all of us by nature legally dead. Though Adam did not die naturally in the moment when he ate the forbidden fruit, he died legally; that is to say, death was recorded against him. As soon as the judge puts on the black cap and pronounces the sentence, the man is reckoned to be dead at law. Though perhaps a month may intervene before he is brought upon the scaffold to endure the sentence, yet the law looks upon him as a dead man.

You ungodly sinners who have never had life in Christ are alive by reprieve; but do you know that you are legally dead? God considers you as such. You talk mightily of your own standing, goodness, and morality—but where is it? Scripture says you are “condemned already.” You are not to wait to be condemned at the judgment day; that will be the execution of the sentence.

Besides being legally dead, we are also spiritually dead. In the day that Adam ate that fruit, his soul died. His imagination lost its mighty power to climb into celestial things and see heaven; his will lost its power always to choose that which is good; his judgment lost all ability to judge between right and wrong decidedly and infallibly. Every power of his ceased as to its moral vitality. Virtue, holiness, integrity—these were the life of man; but when these departed, man became dead. And now every man, as far as spiritual things are concerned, is “dead in trespasses and sins.”

Do not conceive, O moral man, that you will be able to stand before God in your morality; for you are nothing but a carcass embalmed in legality—a corpse arrayed in some fine robes, but still corrupt in God’s sight. And think not, O possessor of natural religion, that you may by your own might and power make yourself acceptable to God. You are dead! You may array the dead as gloriously as you please, but still it would be a solemn mockery.

And ye will not come to me, that ye might have life.

In Christ Jesus there is life. The life of a sinner is in Christ. The first means whereby we get life is by feeding upon the flesh and blood of the Son of God—living in him, trusting in him, believing in his grace and power.

First, there is legal life in Christ. Just as every man by nature, considered in Adam, had a sentence of condemnation passed upon him, so I, if I am a believer, and you, if you trust in Christ, have had a legal sentence of acquittal passed upon us through what Jesus Christ has done.

O condemned sinner! you may be sitting condemned like the prisoner in his cell, but ere this day has passed away you may be as clear from guilt as the angels above. We know our sins are pardoned because Christ suffered punishment for them. We know that we never can be punished ourselves, for Christ suffered in our stead. The Passover is slain for us; the lintel and doorpost have been sprinkled, and the destroying angel can never touch us.

Then there is spiritual life in Christ Jesus. As the man is spiritually dead, God has spiritual life for him. There is not a want which is not supplied by Jesus; there is not an emptiness in the heart which Christ cannot fill; there is not a desolation which he cannot people; there is not a desert which he cannot make to blossom as the rose.

O ye dead sinners, spiritually dead, there is life in Christ Jesus! We have seen the dead live again. We have known the man whose soul was utterly corrupt, by the power of God seek after righteousness. We have known the man whose views were carnal, whose lusts were mighty, whose passions were strong, suddenly, by irresistible might from heaven, consecrate himself to Christ and become a child of Jesus.

We can say to every sinner, however dead, there is life in Christ Jesus. Though you may be rotten and corrupt in your grave, he who raised Lazarus has raised us, and he can say even to you, “Lazarus, come forth.”

There is also eternal life in Christ Jesus. If eternal death be terrible, eternal life is blessed. “I give unto my sheep eternal life; and they shall never perish.” Eternal life—not a life which they are to lose, but eternal life. If I lost life in Adam, I gained it in Christ. If I lost myself for ever, I find myself for ever in Jesus Christ.

And ye will not come to me.

By nature no man will come to Christ. I might preach to you for ever; I might beg of you upon my knees, with tears in my eyes, and show you the horrors of hell and the joys of heaven, the sufficiency of Christ and your own lost condition; but you would none of you come unto Christ of yourselves unless the Spirit that rested upon Christ should draw you.

The fall broke man up entirely. It did not leave one power unimpaired. They were all shattered, debased, and tarnished. Like some mighty temple, the pillars might be there, the shaft and the column might be there, but they were all broken. The conscience of man sometimes retains much of its tenderness—still it has fallen. The will, too, is not exempt. Your fallen nature was put out of order. Your will, among other things, has clean gone astray from God.

No man by nature thinks he wants Christ. He conceives that he does not need him. He thinks he has a robe of righteousness of his own; that he is well dressed; that he is not naked; that he needs not Christ’s blood to wash him. No man knows his need until God shows it to him; and until the Holy Spirit reveals the necessity of pardon, no man will seek pardon.

Men do not like Christ’s way of saving them. It is so humbling. The gate of heaven is not quite high enough for their heads, and they do not like stooping. That is the chief reason ye will not come to Christ: ye cannot get to him with your heads straight up in the air, for Christ makes you stoop when you come. When the sinner hears that it is all Christ or no Christ—a whole Christ or no Christ—he says, “I shall not come,” and turns upon his heel.

Yet every man who comes to Christ shall be saved. Christ is “able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him”—unto the uttermost extent of their sin, the uttermost depths of their sorrows, and the uttermost duration of their existence. There is no one upon earth who can go beyond God’s “uttermost.”

Every man that comes shall find the door of Christ’s house opened—and the door of his heart too. If they were as bad as devils, Christ would receive them. “Him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.”

Go home, then, with this thought: “I am by nature so perverse that I will not come unto Christ, and that wicked perversity of my nature is my sin.” We do not preach this doctrine to excuse you, but to humble you. God humble us all.

Day 13 – Sunday

(Taken from a sermon preached at the Metropolitan Tabernacle on 11th October 1868.)

John chapter 5 verse 44

John 5:44 How can ye believe, which receive honour one of another, and seek not the honour that cometh from God only?

The moral character has a great effect upon the faith. The Scribes and Pharisees, through being proud, stilted, and fond of titles, were unable to believe in Christ; and there are other faults which effectually prevent men from becoming the disciples of our blessed Master.

They considered that they had the key of knowledge. They knew already by far too much to be taught anything more; and consequently, while publicans and harlots heard Christ and rejoiced to listen to him, out of all those who were continually cavilling and finding fault, how few ever won the blessing!

It is not because a truth is plain that therefore all men see it. There are some men in such a condition of mind, of such a blinding sort, that even if the truth could be plainer still, it would be the most unlikely thing in all the world that they should receive it. There may be something about their characters which renders it impossible for them to be believers in Christ.

One such hindrance is a self-righteous idea of one’s self. The man thinks that he is not as other men are, and though he does not say so, he is rather proud of himself. At the bottom of his heart he is convinced that nobody is worthy of greater respect than he is.

But the Gospel tells him that he is fallen, and that for him there is no salvation except upon the footing of pure grace apart from merit. The Gospel denies that he has any merit. It pulls off from him all those finely woven raiments of his in which he boasted himself, and makes him stand naked before the bar of God.

Look at yourself in the light of God’s law—that spiritual law which judges your thoughts and comes home to your imaginations. What if your outward life be pure; yet can you stand such a test as that? You know you cannot. Believe not, then, yourself to be rich and increased in goods, for you are poor—you are penniless in the presence of God.

How can ye believe while you take honour to yourselves and flatter yourselves? You must be humbled. You must be brought low, or else faith in Christ can never reside in your bosoms.

John 5:41

I receive not honour from men.

The gratification of the senses, of the ear and the eye, cannot be devotion. It is for the heart to draw near to God. It is to learn that God is a Spirit, and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth. It is to learn that the broken heart is the best sacrifice.

To come humbly and confess our sins, to come with lowly reverence and trust in the great Lamb of God, is acceptable worship—not the mere chanting or singing of the lips, or the bending of the knee, or the joining in a liturgical service; but for the inner man to bow itself before the unseen God—the vital part of our nature to come into contact with him who lives and hears prayer.

There is something greater, something deeper about salvation than mere externals. Let the child of God beware lest even his worship should become a receiving of honour from men rather than a seeking of the honour which comes from God only.

There are many, too, whose faith is hindered because they have a besetting sin that they cannot give up. There is the bottom of most men’s doubts. They would not doubt if they did not sin. There lies the secret spring of unbelief in many hearts. They feel that Christ’s service is too hard and exacts too much—too great a self-denial, too much of coming out from the world.

And yet Jesus asks us to give up nothing that is really for our good. Jesus takes away from us no pleasure that is a true pleasure, no enjoyment that exalts the mind or makes a man truly blessed. It is true he takes away that poisoned cup. Who would permit you to drink it who had a care for you? It is true he takes away from you that dagger of sin, that poisoned viper which is only nestling in your bosom to destroy you. Who that loved you would let you have these dangerous things about you? Jesus Christ asks us only for such self-denial as shall promote our everlasting welfare.

John 5:44

And seek not the honour that cometh from God only.

There are some who are lovers of gain. How can they believe in Jesus when their whole life is spent in money-grabbing? How many spend their whole lives in getting and scraping for themselves alone—no consideration for the church of Christ or for the poor and needy, but only for themselves!

When Christ says, “Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal,” but bids us seek another and a better portion, where things endure without end, the heart that lives for gain turns from him. How can men believe in him if they live for gain?

Others are so downright cowardly that it would be very difficult for them to believe anything which involves the slightest opposition. How men are afraid of one another—afraid of poor worms, afraid of poor sinners like themselves who shall wither before the face of the terrible Judge of all the earth!

If you do love Christ, say so; and if the world hiss, what does it matter to you if you get Christ’s smile? What have we to do to cringe before the world’s frown or to court its smile? God grant that we may rise into the full stature of spiritual manhood and be not ashamed to follow Jesus through good report and through evil report.

John 5:42

But I know you, that ye have not the love of God in you.

Ever since I have trusted in the Son of God to save me, I have been conscious of a very remarkable change which has passed over my entire nature. I look up to the starlit sky at night and think, “The God who made this great universe and orders it all, I really love. I would not do a thing contrary to his will if it were not for my poor infirmities. I would do and I would wish to be whatever that great invisible God would wish me to do and to be.”

I know there was a time when I did not think about him at all; but now I can say, “I am reconciled to him. I am one with him. His will is my will, and I desire to do whatever he bids me do.” That same thing which has made me love God has made me desire to be truthful, honest, kind, and generous; and when I have not done right, I feel a pricking within my heart which I did not feel once. There is set up within me a wonderful standard which was not there before.

A thing which makes me love God, and makes me live and feel so, cannot be a lie. There is still the old nature, and we have to grapple with it, to our own shame and sorrow; but there is also a new nature with better desires and feelings.

God has punished Jesus, his dear Son, instead of those who trust him. Those who trust him are forgiven. That trust, that sense of forgiveness, operates upon the mind, leads the mind to gratitude, and influences it to love. The man loves God, chooses what he once rejected, and runs now in the ways of God which were once tedious to him.

Let us, then, give up all belief in ourselves and trust the incarnate God who hung on Calvary and bled for sinners. Let us seek no honour but that which comes from God only; and, receiving Christ afresh by faith, may gratitude, holiness, courage, and love abound in us to the glory of God.

Day 14 – Monday

John chapter 6 verses 1-21

Verses 1–2. After these things Jesus went over the Sea of Galilee, which is the Sea of Tiberias. And a great multitude followed him, because they saw his miracles which he did on them that were diseased.

Many of them curiosity-mongers wanting to see more wonders wrought, others of them sick themselves, and anxious to be healed. Wherever Jesus went, a throng went with Him.

Verse 3. And Jesus went up into a mountain, and there he sat with his disciples.

That was His frequent posture when His disciples were gathered around Him. He sat at His ease and talked to His hearers. He was not very demonstrative in His oratory, but spoke calmly and quietly, and left the truth to find its own way into the minds and hearts of men.

Verses 4–5. And the passover, a feast of the Jews, was nigh. When Jesus then lifted up his eyes, and saw a great company come unto him, he saith unto Philip, Whence shall we buy bread, that these may eat?

They were in a lonely place out in the wilderness, where the people had no means of obtaining food, and Jesus knew that they would soon be faint with hunger, so He consulted with Philip as to what was to be done. It is great kindness and condescension on our Lord’s part to consult with His followers. He often did it, not that He needed their advice or help, but because they needed to be taught how to think and how to act for the good of others.

Verse 6. And this he said to prove him: for he himself knew what he would do.

Observe the complex character of Christ—as man, He consulted with Philip—as God, He knew beforehand what He would do.

Verse 7. Philip answered him, Two hundred pennyworth of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one of them may take a little.

Two hundred pennyworth must have seemed an enormous amount to poor Philip, for all Christ’s disciples had made themselves poor by following Him. The bag that Judas carried probably scarcely ever had as much as that in it. If it were all spent, it would not go far towards feeding five thousand men, beside the women and children.

Verses 8–9. One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, saith unto him, There is a lad here, which hath five barley loaves, and two small fishes: but what are they among so many?

These small fishes were commonly cured and dried by that lake—little fish very much resembling sardines or anchovies—and they were eaten dry as a relish with bread. This lad had five barley cakes and a couple of these little fish, that was all.

Verse 10. And Jesus said, Make the men sit down. Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down,—

Jesus would have everything done decently and in order. The people obeyed Christ’s command and sat down, we are told by Mark, “in ranks, by hundreds and by fifties.”

“There was much grass in the place.” Our Lord has a carpet in His banqueting hall, such a carpet as Solomon in all his glory could not have made. “There was much grass in the place. So the men sat down”—

Verses 10–11. In number about five thousand. And Jesus took the loaves; and when he had given thanks,—

Among the Jews, it is always the master of the house who gives thanks. They do not call upon a child to say grace, but the father of the family, like a priest in his own house, stands up, and pronounces a blessing upon the food. It is a beautiful thought that Christ thus made Himself, as it were, the Father of that large family, the Head and Provider for those many thousands of people.

Verse 11. He distributed to the disciples, and the disciples to them that were set down; and likewise of the fishes as much as they would.

“As much as they would.” That is Christ’s measure for those who gather at His table—it is only your own will that limits the amount of grace that you may have.

Verses 12–13. When they were filled, he said unto his disciples, Gather up the fragments that remain, that nothing be lost. Therefore they gathered them together, and filled twelve baskets with the fragments of the five barley loaves, which remained over and above unto them that had eaten.

I am sorry to say that it is a mark of very poor people that they are often very wasteful people. These beggars who had come only to be fed, were not satisfied to eat till they were satisfied, but they threw down pieces of bread, just as I frequently see, in the streets of London, great pieces of bread thrown away. It should not be so, for bread is the staff of life.

Among the Egyptians, they are always peculiarly careful that never a portion of bread should be wasted, nor should it ever be as in a city like this where there are so many persons who are starving for lack of bread. But while I see the carelessness and wastefulness of the crowd, I also notice the carefulness and economy of Christ. He who could make food enough to feed the thousands at His will yet would not waste a crust.

I think a large-hearted liberality should always be consistent with a strict economy. I have heard of one who called at a rich man’s door to ask for a subscription, and he heard him scolding the servant for wasting a match. “Ah!” he thought, “I shall get nothing out of him.” Yet he received from that very man a larger subscription than from anybody else upon whom he called during that day. Christ would give anything, but He wasted nothing—let us imitate His example.

Verse 14. Then those men, when they had seen the miracle that Jesus did, said, This is of a truth that prophet that should come into the world.

But the faith that comes by the way of the stomach is not worth much. If people are converted by loaves and fishes, bigger loaves and bigger fishes will make them go the other way—converts made thus are of small worth.

Verses 15–17. When Jesus therefore perceived that they would come and take him by force, to make him a king, he departed again into a mountain himself alone. And when even was now come, his disciples went down unto the sea, And entered into a ship, and went over the sea toward Capernaum. And it was now dark, and Jesus was not come to them.

Then it was very dark. Ah, my dear friends, perhaps you know what it is to be in trouble and to mourn an absent Lord. This is a direful description of an especially dark night for the disciples—“It was now dark, and Jesus was not come to them.”

Verses 18–19. And the sea arose by reason of a great wind that blew. So when they had rowed about five and twenty or thirty furlongs, they see Jesus walking on the sea, and drawing nigh unto the ship: and they were afraid.

Do you wonder that they were filled with fear? It seemed so strange a sight—a man walking on the waves of the sea.

Verse 20. But he said unto them, It is I; be not afraid.

Then they must have felt at ease at once as soon as they knew that it was Jesus who was walking towards them upon the water. Lord, if it is You, fear would be foolish on our part. We are only too glad to have Your company.

Verse 21. Then they willingly received him into the ship: and immediately the ship was at the land whither they went.

No sooner was Jesus with them than they were where they wanted to be. The presence of Christ works wonders for us. We are soon at our haven when the Lord of heaven comes to us.