Category Archives: John

Sermon Shorts from Spurgeon — Sermon 29: Christ Manifesting Himself to His People

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Then what will be the natural effects of this spiritual manifestation? The first effect will be humility. If a man says, “I have had such and such spiritual communications, I am a great man;” he has never had any communications at all; for “God has respect unto the humble, but the proud he knoweth afar off.” He does not want to come near them to know them, and will never give them any visits of love. It will give a man happiness; for he must be happy who lives near to God. Again: it will give a man holiness. A man who has not holiness has never had this manifestation. Some men profess a great deal; but do not believe any man unless you see that his deeds answer to what he says. “Be not deceived, God is not mocked.” He will not bestow his favors upon the wicked; for while he wild not cast away a perfect man, neither will he respect an evil doer. Thus there will three effects of nearness to Jesus, all beginning with the letter h—humility, happiness, and holiness. May God give them to us!

From the Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit, Volume 1, Sermon 29 by Charles Haddon Spurgeon

The Image of the Invisible God

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The doctrine of Jesus’ divinity is not limited to just the Gospels. The Apostle Paul also affirms Jesus’ divine nature. Here is one such passage which demonstrates this.

Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light: 13 Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son: 14 In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins: 15 Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: 16 For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: 17 And he is before all things, and by him all things consist. (Colossians 1:12-17)

Here Jesus is the One through Whom redemption comes. (vs. 14) Then in verse 15, we see why–Jesus is “the image of the invisible God”. Only the God-man can provide redemption through His blood, because His blood alone is pure–untouched by sin. As 1 John 3:5 states, “And ye know that he [Jesus] was manifested to take away our sins; and in him is no sin.” Jesus’ blood was “precious blood” because He was “a lamb without blemish and without spot”. (1 Peter 1:19)

The word translated “image” is the Greek word from which we get the term “icon”. It communicates that Jesus is the physical form of God who is “invisible” (vs. 15) As John 4:24 states, “God is a spirit”. We cannot see him physically, but Jesus is the physical representation of God. He is truly God in the flesh.

Jesus’ divinity is further supported by verse 16, where He is identified as the Creator of “all things”. Genesis 1:1 is clear that “God created the heavens and the earth” which is certainly included in “all things”. So it logically follows that if God is the Creator and Jesus is the Creator, then Jesus is God.

Verse 17 also speaks to Jesus’ divine nature. Jesus is “before all things”. He is not created. He simply exists. He is the great I AM–the self-existent One, Who we call “God the Son.”

Sermon Shorts from Spurgeon – Sermon 5: The Comforter

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Think not, O poor downcast child of God, because the scars of thine old sins have marred thy beauty, that he loves thee less because of that blemish. O no! He loved thee when he foreknew thy sin; he loved thee with the knowledge of what the aggregate of thy wickedness would be; and he does not love thee less now. Come to him in all boldness of faith; tell him thou hast grieved him, and he will forget thy wandering, and will receive thee again; the kisses of his love shall be bestowed upon thee, and the arms of his grace shall embrace thee. He is faithful; trust him, he will never deceive you; trust him, he will never leave you.

From the Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit, Volume 1, Sermon 5 by Charles Haddon Spurgeon

https://ccel.org/ccel/spurgeon/sermons01/sermons01.v.html

Before Abraham Was, I Am

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Jesus had several interactions with the religious leaders of the Jews. They hated Him because He challenged their authority and often taught contrary to their own teachings. Sometimes, Jesus said things which they thought were simply blasphemous. The passage below is one of these instances.

Then said the Jews unto him, Now we know that thou hast a devil. Abraham is dead, and the prophets; and thou sayest, If a man keep my saying, he shall never taste of death. 53 Art thou greater than our father Abraham, which is dead? and the prophets are dead: whom makest thou thyself? 54 Jesus answered, If I honour myself, my honour is nothing: it is my Father that honoureth me; of whom ye say, that he is your God: 55 Yet ye have not known him; but I know him: and if I should say, I know him not, I shall be a liar like unto you: but I know him, and keep his saying. 56 Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw it, and was glad. 57 Then said the Jews unto him, Thou art not yet fifty years old, and hast thou seen Abraham? 58 Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am. 59 Then took they up stones to cast at him: but Jesus hid himself, and went out of the temple, going through the midst of them, and so passed by. (John 8:52-59)

To understand what made the Jews so angry that they wanted to stone Jesus, we need to look to the Hebrew Scriptures (the Old Testament). When Moses was called by God to lead the Israelites out of Egypt, Moses basically asked God who He was.

And Moses said unto God, Behold, when I come unto the children of Israel, and shall say unto them, The God of your fathers hath sent me unto you; and they shall say to me, What is his name? what shall I say unto them? 14 And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you. (Exodus 3:13-14)

So when Jesus, in John 8:58, stated “Before Abraham was, I am”, the Jews knew exactly what He was saying. Jesus was stating, in no uncertain terms, that He is the same God who spoke to Moses–the great I AM. This infuriated the Jews because they understood that as blasphemy and deserving of death. This was further reinforced by Jesus’ conveying that He existed before Abraham.

Jesus was very clear. He is God because He is the I AM.

Sermon Shorts from Spurgeon – Sermon 4: The Personality of the Holy Ghost

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But is it not said in Scripture, and do we not feel it, dear brethren, that it is the Holy Ghost who regenerates the soul? It is the Holy Ghost who quickens us. “You hath he quickened who were dead in trespasses and sins.” It is the Holy Spirit who imparts the first germ of life, convincing us of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment to come. And is it not the Holy Spirit, who, after that flame is kindled, still fans it with the breath of his mouth and keeps it alive? Its author is its preserver. Oh! can it be said that it is the Holy Ghost who strives in men’s souls; that it is the Holy Ghost who brings them into the sweet place that is called Calvary—can it be said that he does all these things, and yet is not a person? It may be said, but it must be said by fools; for he never can be a wise man who can consider these things can be done by any other than a glorious person—a divine existence.

From the Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit, Volume 1, Sermon 4 by Charles Haddon Spurgeon

https://ccel.org/ccel/spurgeon/sermons01/sermons01.iv.html