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No matter what trouble you're facing, you've got good news: a pledge from God that He is always for you through thick and thin. -------- Thank you for listening! Your support of Joni and Friends helps make this show possible. Joni and Friends envisions a world where every person with a disability finds hope, dignity, and their place in the body of Christ. Become part of the global movement today at www.joniandfriends.org Find more encouragement on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and YouTube.
A new MP3 sermon from The Narrated Puritan is now available on SermonAudio with the following details: Title: Christ, The Son of Man Subtitle: Words of Warning Speaker: C. H. Spurgeon Broadcaster: The Narrated Puritan Event: Audiobook Date: 7/20/2026 Length: 12 min.
A new MP3 sermon from Grace Audio Treasures is now available on SermonAudio with the following details: Title: Therefore we do not lose heart Subtitle: Puritan Devotional Speaker: C. H. Spurgeon Broadcaster: Grace Audio Treasures Event: Devotional Date: 7/19/2026 Bible: Matthew 6:19; 2 Corinthians 4:16-18 Length: 3 min.
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A new MP3 sermon from The Word and the Cross is now available on SermonAudio with the following details: Title: All of Grace, 9 Subtitle: Spurgeon sermons Speaker: C. H. Spurgeon Broadcaster: The Word and the Cross Event: Teaching Date: 7/18/2026 Length: 12 min.
A new MP3 sermon from Grace Audio Treasures is now available on SermonAudio with the following details: Title: The golden pipe through whom the Father's eternal love flows to His people! Subtitle: Puritan Devotional Speaker: C. H. Spurgeon Broadcaster: Grace Audio Treasures Event: Devotional Date: 7/17/2026 Bible: Ephesians 2:7; Galatians 2:20 Length: 4 min.
1 John 5:13 reveals the purpose for which the apostle wrote his first letter: “These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God.” Again emphasising that the Scriptures are written by the Holy Ghost for our profit, and to be received as such, Spurgeon then gets closer to his text. Under the influence of the Holy Spirit, John has written with a particular purpose, and this is a purpose which we ought to pursue. The bulk of the sermon is given over the first heading, as the same Spirit who gave the Word carries along its preacher, exploring the assurance of the believer in connection with the faith which is in the believer's heart. This being thoroughly established, Spurgeon also insists that we ought to follow up on John's purpose. If the apostle so wrote, we ought not to neglect what he has said, and the direction he has given, but rather to rejoice in the prospect and engage in the pursuit of this assurance. It is a rich sermon, doctrinally careful and experimentally full, with a practical edge. Read the sermon here: https://www.mediagratiae.org/resources/the-blessing-of-full-assurance Check out the new From the Heart of Spurgeon Book! British: https://amzn.to/48rV1OR American: https://amzn.to/48oHjft Connect with the Reading Spurgeon Community on Twitter! https://twitter.com/ReadingSpurgeon Sign up to get the weekly readings emailed to you: https://www.mediagratiae.org/podcasts-1/from-the-heart-of-spurgeon. Check out other Media Gratiae podcasts at www.mediagratiae.org Download the Media Gratiae App: https://subsplash.com/mediagratiae/app
1 John 5:13 reveals the purpose for which the apostle wrote his first letter: "These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God." Again emphasising that the Scriptures are written by the Holy Ghost for our profit, and to be received as such, Spurgeon then gets closer to his text. Under the influence of the Holy Spirit, John has written with a particular purpose, and this is a purpose which we ought to pursue. The bulk of the sermon is given over the first heading, as the same Spirit who gave the Word carries along its preacher, exploring the assurance of the believer in connection with the faith which is in the believer's heart. This being thoroughly established, Spurgeon also insists that we ought to follow up on John's purpose. If the apostle so wrote, we ought not to neglect what he has said, and the direction he has given, but rather to rejoice in the prospect and engage in the pursuit of this assurance. It is a rich sermon, doctrinally careful and experimentally full, with a practical edge.
A new MP3 sermon from Audiobooks by C. H. Spurgeon is now available on SermonAudio with the following details: Title: Las bodas del Cordero Subtitle: V.41 Metropolitan Tabernacle Speaker: C. H. Spurgeon Broadcaster: Audiobooks by C. H. Spurgeon Event: Audiobook Date: 9/1/1895 Bible: Revelation 19:9 Length: 46 min.
A new MP3 sermon from Audiobooks by C. H. Spurgeon is now available on SermonAudio with the following details: Title: Por qué algunos buscadores no son salvos Subtitle: V.41 Metropolitan Tabernacle Speaker: C. H. Spurgeon Broadcaster: Audiobooks by C. H. Spurgeon Event: Audiobook Date: 5/5/1893 Bible: 2 Samuel; Isaiah 59:1 Length: 46 min.
A new MP3 sermon from Audiobooks by C. H. Spurgeon is now available on SermonAudio with the following details: Title: «Tu primer amor» Subtitle: V.41 Metropolitan Tabernacle Speaker: C. H. Spurgeon Broadcaster: Audiobooks by C. H. Spurgeon Event: Audiobook Date: 2/10/1895 Bible: Jeremiah 2:2 Length: 46 min.
A new MP3 sermon from Audiobooks by C. H. Spurgeon is now available on SermonAudio with the following details: Title: El salmo de aflicción de Hemán Subtitle: V.41 Metropolitan Tabernacle Speaker: C. H. Spurgeon Broadcaster: Audiobooks by C. H. Spurgeon Event: Audiobook Date: 10/6/1895 Bible: Psalm 88:13 Length: 43 min.
A new MP3 sermon from Audiobooks by C. H. Spurgeon is now available on SermonAudio with the following details: Title: Bajo arresto Subtitle: V.41 Metropolitan Tabernacle Speaker: C. H. Spurgeon Broadcaster: Audiobooks by C. H. Spurgeon Event: Audiobook Date: 3/3/1895 Bible: Galatians 3:23 Length: 49 min.
A new MP3 sermon from Audiobooks by C. H. Spurgeon is now available on SermonAudio with the following details: Title: Palabras de aliento Subtitle: V.41 Metropolitan Tabernacle Speaker: C. H. Spurgeon Broadcaster: Audiobooks by C. H. Spurgeon Event: Audiobook Date: 12/22/1895 Bible: John 15:9 Length: 47 min.
Alan Skorski recently interviewed ordained Minister and Heritage Foundation Visiting Fellow, Luke Moon, who returned to Heritage following the Tucker Carlson fiasco last year, in which President Kevin Roberts initially refused to distance the think tank from Tucker Cralson, following his interview with Holocaust denier, racist groyper, Nick Fuentes. During the interview, Moon said that he had several conversations with Carlson, who sought his counsel on how to shed the “antisemitism” label. After advising Carlson on the necessary steps needed to redeem himself, “Tucker doubled down on his antisemitism,” according to Moon. Luke returned to Heritage as a Visiting fellow to combat antisemitism, from both the right and left. Moon spent last decade focusing his attention on raising awareness about persecuted Christians in the Middle East and encouraging Christian support for Israel and the Jewish people. During the interview, Moon spoke about the Marxist/Islamist alliance. While taking about Wisconsin Gubernatorial candidate and other DSA candidates, the frequent refrain is, " "None of us are free until Palestine is free." Moon asks, "Why is it important for the DSA activists and candidates to declare this idea? It is because the liberation of Palestine means the end of Israel. And Israel is a stand-in for God. To destroy Israel is to destroy God which would bring about liberation from God's commands and expectations." Israel is the living testimony that the God of the Bible makes promises and keeps them. You cannot look at a reconstituted Jewish state in the ancient homeland — after two thousand years of exile — and call it a coincidence. It is a provocation to every worldview that denies a sovereign God who acts in history. Karl Marx was once asked who he hated the most in Britain and his answer was a British preacher named Charles Spurgeon. Spurgeon was a revivalist preacher who was leading thousands of working-class people to faith and taking away Marx's army. Marx hated him for it. Similarly, the Islamists demand total submission to Allah. The God revealed in scripture, particularly through Israel and the Church, is a rival truth claim that must be suppressed. When Islamists come to power, the churches and synagogues are destroyed. The ones that aren't destroyed are turned into museums or government-controlled PR outlets. Back in 2014, when I started advocating for Christians in the Middle East, there were over 450,000 Christians in Iraq. Twelve years later, there are less than 185,000. There are more Christians in Israel than Iraq. Alan Skorski Reports 16JULY2026 - PODCAST
A real faithful reader of this Warm Thoughts column sent some real gems of thought which I used in a recent column. It was like a Christmas or birthday present to receive them. Today is my birthday, and I decided I would share with you some more of the thoughts she sent me. Thank you for the birthday gift. And the Christmas gift too, as it is Christmas in the summer at the little home on the prairie.A good listener is not only popular everywhere, but after a while he knows something. Common sense is not so common. A gentle word like summer rain may soothe some heart and banish pain. What joy or sadness often springs from just the simple little things? Courage is resistance to fear mastery of fear, not absence of fear. Mark Twain. Form good habits. They are as hard to break as bad ones. Many men owe the grandeur of their lives to their tremendous difficulties. Spurgeon. The greater the obstacle, the more glory in overcoming it. Moliere. Not the cry, but the fight of the wild duck leads the flock to fly and follow. Chinese proverb. What we hope to do with ease, we must first do with diligence, Samuel Johnson. It isn't that they can't see the solution. It is that they can't see the problem. G.K. Chesterton. Responsibility educates. Wendell Phillips. If A equals success, then the formula is A equals x plus Y and Z, keeping your mouth shut. Albert Einstein. Anger does as much damage to the vessel in which it is stored as it does to anything upon which it is poured. No person, even the humblest sort, can be strong, gentle, pure, and good without the world being made better by the existence of that goodness. To be trusted is a greater compliment than to be loved. Do not keep the alabaster boxes of your love and tenderness sealed up until your friends are dead. Fill their lives with sweetness. Speak approving, cheering words, while their ears can hear them, and while their hearts can be thrilled and made happier by them. Good ideas need landing gear as well as wings. In the warmth of this summer, may you have many warm thoughts.Warm Thoughts from the Little Home on the Prairie Over a Cup of Tea Written by Dr. Luetta G Werner. Published in the Marion Record, July 18th, 2002.Download the Found Photo Freebie and cherish your memories of the past.Enjoy flipping through the Vintage Photo Book on your coffee table.I hope you enjoyed this podcast episode! Please follow along on this journey by going to visualbenedictions.com or following me on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest. You can listen to the podcast on Apple Podcast,Spotify,Stitcher, and Overcast. And don't forget to rate and review so more people can tune in! I'd greatly appreciate it.Till next time,Trina
Charles Spurgeon was the most widely read preacher of the 19th century. He published over 3,500 sermons & 135 books. One day, one of Spurgeon's spiritual friends asked him, "When are you going to stop smoking cigars?" Spurgeon replied, "When I start smoking to excess." To which his friend responded, "What is excess?" Spurgeon replied, "Two at a time." As Believers, we need to exercise caution regarding legalism, asceticism & mysticism. Also, we need to be careful in how we handle someone else's non-conformity. Join us for our sermon "Spiritual Deception pt.2" from Colossians 2:20-23, where we'll find encouragement in the only thing that leads to righteousness; our faith in the personhood & work of Jesus!
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Spurgeon encourages unbelievers to come to Christ by answering many of their fears.
One of Spurgeon's best sermons.
There are a number of sermons which touch on this topic, or deal with it directly, during this season of Spurgeon's ministry. It is not a change of emphasis so much as a change of tone. He often, throughout his ministry, celebrates the reliability and clarity of the Word of the Lord. In the background here, though, is the Downgrade Controversy, the increasing theological liberalisation of Christianity, revealing where real faith and mere nominalism divide. That context means that some of Spurgeon's sermons, while remaining essentially pastoral, also become more polemical. Some take on an edge, as this one does, as the preacher considers what it means that “the mouth of the Lord has spoken it.” This is our warrant for teaching scriptural truth; this is the claim of God's Word upon your attention; this gives to the Word of God its distinct character; this makes the truth of Scripture a ground of great alarm to many; and, this makes the Word of God the reason and the rest of our faith. While there is conviction to establish and comfort the child of God, so there is a persistent resistance to and assault upon the errors that were becoming current, and sadly remain so, undermining the confidence that we may and must have in the Scriptures as the breathed-out and written-down Word of God. Read the sermon here: https://www.mediagratiae.org/resources/jthe-infallibility-of-scripture Check out the new From the Heart of Spurgeon Book! British: https://amzn.to/48rV1OR American: https://amzn.to/48oHjft Connect with the Reading Spurgeon Community on Twitter! https://twitter.com/ReadingSpurgeon Sign up to get the weekly readings emailed to you: https://www.mediagratiae.org/podcasts-1/from-the-heart-of-spurgeon. Check out other Media Gratiae podcasts at www.mediagratiae.org Download the Media Gratiae App: https://subsplash.com/mediagratiae/app
There are a number of sermons which touch on this topic, or deal with it directly, during this season of Spurgeon's ministry. It is not a change of emphasis so much as a change of tone. He often, throughout his ministry, celebrates the reliability and clarity of the Word of the Lord. In the background here, though, is the Downgrade Controversy, the increasing theological liberalisation of Christianity, revealing where real faith and mere nominalism divide. That context means that some of Spurgeon's sermons, while remaining essentially pastoral, also become more polemical. Some take on an edge, as this one does, as the preacher considers what it means that "the mouth of the Lord has spoken it." This is our warrant for teaching scriptural truth; this is the claim of God's Word upon your attention; this gives to the Word of God its distinct character; this makes the truth of Scripture a ground of great alarm to many; and, this makes the Word of God the reason and the rest of our faith. While there is conviction to establish and comfort the child of God, so there is a persistent resistance to and assault upon the errors that were becoming current, and sadly remain so, undermining the confidence that we may and must have in the Scriptures as the breathed-out and written-down Word of God.
The Carey Nieuwhof Leadership Podcast: Lead Like Never Before
Matt Chandler doesn't pull punches. The lead pastor of The Village Church joins Carey to talk about why wearing a cape doesn't help anyone, the death of secularism, and why the church is all wood and no fire. Matt also opens up about the moment he almost quit, what Spurgeon taught him about suffering, and why he stopped neglecting the Holy Spirit.
https://anchorbaptist1611.com/
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A thoroughly experimental sermon, in which Spurgeon takes Job as something of a template for all believers, suggesting that Job was favoured (as others may sometimes be) with particularly vivid impressions of God, some striking sense of his majesty and the glory of his perfections. Such views of the Lord truly make an impression upon us, bringing us low in ourselves. This is no generic sense of lowness, according to Spurgeon, but rather a profound consciousness of sin, which in turn leads to a heartfelt repentance, which our preacher unpacks in some detail. Here, particularly, Spurgeon brings the truth of God's Word close to home, pressing it into your hearts, and asking how we hope to deal with God if such a man as Job was so profoundly humbled by this glimpse of his glory. Of course, his answer lies in the righteousness of Christ alone, by whom only we can stand accepted before God, our sins put away and a righteousness established for us in which God himself delights. Incidentally, it might be worth a glance at the texts read before Scripture noted, as usual, at the end of this sermon. Usually, it would be a chapter, or a portion of one. On this occasion, it is the bulk of two chapters, with a selection from two others. If nothing else, this reminds us that Spurgeon is conscious of the broader context of the texts which he preaches, and seeks to situate each sermon within the broad sweep of Scripture, the book in question, and the immediate scope of the text itself. Read the sermon here: https://www.mediagratiae.org/resources/healing-by-the-stripes-of-jesus Check out the new From the Heart of Spurgeon Book! British: https://amzn.to/48rV1OR American: https://amzn.to/48oHjft Connect with the Reading Spurgeon Community on Twitter! https://twitter.com/ReadingSpurgeon Sign up to get the weekly readings emailed to you: https://www.mediagratiae.org/podcasts-1/from-the-heart-of-spurgeon. Check out other Media Gratiae podcasts at www.mediagratiae.org Download the Media Gratiae App: https://subsplash.com/mediagratiae/app
A thoroughly experimental sermon, in which Spurgeon takes Job as something of a template for all believers, suggesting that Job was favoured (as others may sometimes be) with particularly vivid impressions of God, some striking sense of his majesty and the glory of his perfections. Such views of the Lord truly make an impression upon us, bringing us low in ourselves. This is no generic sense of lowness, according to Spurgeon, but rather a profound consciousness of sin, which in turn leads to a heartfelt repentance, which our preacher unpacks in some detail. Here, particularly, Spurgeon brings the truth of God's Word close to home, pressing it into your hearts, and asking how we hope to deal with God if such a man as Job was so profoundly humbled by this glimpse of his glory. Of course, his answer lies in the righteousness of Christ alone, by whom only we can stand accepted before God, our sins put away and a righteousness established for us in which God himself delights. Incidentally, it might be worth a glance at the texts read before Scripture noted, as usual, at the end of this sermon. Usually, it would be a chapter, or a portion of one. On this occasion, it is the bulk of two chapters, with a selection from two others. If nothing else, this reminds us that Spurgeon is conscious of the broader context of the texts which he preaches, and seeks to situate each sermon within the broad sweep of Scripture, the book in question, and the immediate scope of the text itself.
(Záznam z Konference pro ženy 2025) Marie je manželkou Joshe Ehlerse a mámou tří dětí. Studovala teologii a hudbu na Spurgeon's College a Union University. Momentálně spolu s manželem zakládají sbor Kostel Jinak v Olomouci, kde slouží především v oblasti chval a práce se ženami. Olomouc vnímají s manželem jako strategické město – historické univerzitní centrum plné mladých lidí hledajících smysl a komunitu. Věří, že právě zde může vzniknout církev, která bude autentická a zakořeněná v Boží pravdě. Článek Ženy, seberte odvahu v rodině / Marie Ehlers se nejdříve objevil na KOSTEL Jinak.
But if it's from God… Acts 5 by William Klock There was a package slip from Canada Post below the mail slot when I got here last Friday. I was kind of annoyed, because not only did I have no idea where the package was from, for some reason I had to go all the way over to the post office in Comox to pick it up. And when they handed it to me I was perplexed. The sender was just some distribution company. The box was large and heavy. A mystery. And when I got it home and opened it up, it was still a mystery. A boxed set of about fifteen books from a ministry called Be United in Christ. Nice looking hardcovers. The set looks expensive. A few of them were reprints of books by Jonathan Edwards, Jeremiah Burroughs, and Charles Spurgeon, but frustratingly none of the others say a word about their authors and I couldn't find much online about the ministry itself or who's behind it. The books are a generous gift. But do I just put them out for you all to take home and read? Edwards, Burroughs, Spurgeon are okay. Puritans, not Anglicans, but still part of the same general theological tradition—for the most part. But are they there just to get me to trust the other anonymous books? I don't know. This is the shepherd's dilemma. I don't have time to read them or really even to meaningfully skim them. The problem would be solved if I knew something about who sent them. And I think that illustrates well what St. Luke is getting at in our text today. We'll be looking at Acts 5. [Page 1084 in the pew Bibles.] And at first Acts 5 might seem like a series stories or events that are related only because they happened in the order Luke presents them, but are kind of otherwise “random”. But the more I thought about the Chapter, the more a common theme started to take shape. So far, Luke has shown us the birth of the church through the preaching of Peter and the work of the Spirit. And then he's shown us the church taking shape, not just as some new religion—which I think is how we're often (wrongly!) prone to seeing it—but as the fulfilment of God's promises to Israel. Luke shows us the church as the new temple. God has returned to his people as he promised, but not to the bricks-and-mortar temple on the mountaintop above Jerusalem. Instead, he's come to indwell the people whom Jesus has purified with his blood. This is a human temple meant to one day fill the whole earth and with it God's presence. And Luke has shown us the church not just as a family, but as the family that Israel was always supposed to be, but failed to be; the family in which God is fulfilling his promises through Jesus and the Spirit; the family in which his kingdom, his new creation, his renewed humanity is being born. It's a community meant to take up the vocation of Jesus and to be prophets, priests and kings, proclaiming the good news about the lordship of Jesus to Jerusalem and Judah—and eventually to the whole world. But as we've seen, it's not just the proclamation. It's not just the preaching. That's absolutely necessary. But it's the lived community—the “family-ness”—of the church that backs up the message and says that this is the real deal. Because Israel had been talking the talk for a thousand years. But Israel ended up in exile in Babylon because she failed over and over to walk the walk. You can't preach light while living in darkness. You can't claim to be God's people while you worship idols. You can't proclaim new creation while living like the old. That's why, at the end of Chapter 4, which we saw last week, Luke talked for a second time about the way the church in Jerusalem became a family and took care of those in need. They were actively living out the bounty and generosity of God and his new creation. As the new Israel, they were a little land of milk and honey. And Luke held up Jospeh the Levite as particularly exemplary, because he unselfishly sold some land and brought the proceeds to the apostles to help their ministry. It wasn't a requirement for church membership. It sounds like Joseph was wealthy and so he used his wealth to build up the church and it was his way of living out new creation. And it was obviously unique—not something everyone did—because they nicknamed him Barnabas, which means “son of encouragement”. And that leads straight into Acts 5 and the story of Ananias and Sapphira. This couple wanted the same sort of attention Barnabas was getting. Luke writes, “There was, however, a man named Ananias with his wife, Sapphira. He sold some property and, with his wife's knowledge, kept back part of the price. He brought the rest and laid it at the apostle's feet. ‘Ananias!' said Peter. ‘Why did the Satan fill your heart to make you tell a lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back part of the price of the land? While it was still yours, it belonged to you, didn't it? And, when you sold it, it was still in your power. Why did you get such an idea in your heart? It isn't men that you've lied to; it's God!' When Ananias heard these words he fell down and died. Everyone who heard about it was scared out of their wits. The young men got up, took him away, wrapped up his body and buried him. After an interval of about three hours, his wife came in, not knowing what had happened. Peter spoke to her. ‘Tell me,' he said, ‘did you sell the land for this much?' ‘Yes,” she replied, ‘that was the price.' ‘So why,' Peter answered, ‘did you agree together to put the Holy Spirit to the test? Look, the feet of those who have buried your husband are at the door and they will carry you out too!' At once she fell down at his feet and died. The young men were just coming in and they found her dead, so they took her out and buried her beside her husband. Great fear came upon the whole gathering and on all who heard about these things.” Great fear! No kidding. Now, growing up—and for years afterward—I thought this was a story about “tithing”. In Sunday school we would sing a song about how Ananias and Sapphira got together to conspire a plot to cheat the church and get ahead. They knew God's power but did not fear it, tried to cheat the Holy Spirit. Peter prophesied it and they both dropped dead. Uh! (That “Uh!” was the good part—one of the few times you could be rowdy in church.) And the chorus of the song went on to sing about how God loves a cheerful giver, give him all you've got. It had me terrified as a kid. I didn't have any income, but I knew that someday when I did, I'd better give God his due or I might drop dead. No one ever talked about the part where they lied about what they were giving. And no one ever paid attention to the context of the story. It is a terrifying story. Even the people in the church who saw it and heard about, Luke writes, were pretty terrified. But the way we usually hear about Ananias and Sapphira, I think, gets us worried about the wrong thing. Because, Brothers and Sisters, this is isn't a story about tithing; it's a story about the need for holiness. It's a story that reminds us that if we're going to be God's temple, if we're going to be the place where he dwells in the person of his Spirit, if we're going to be the place where the world meets God, we need to take holiness seriously. The first thing that ought to tip us off here is the way these first chapters of Acts are all centred on the temple. More specifically, they're focused on how the church has become the new temple and how it—particularly through Peter and John spending their days in the old temple—how the church is confronting and challenging the old: the old temple, the old Israel, and the priests and elders associated with both. The second thing that ought to tip us off is the nature of the story. It's not a common thing, even in the Bible, for God to just suddenly strike someone dead. But the few times we do see that happen, what's it associated with? Think Nadab and Abihu, Aaron's sons, playing around with the holy things of God and offering “strange fire” on the altar. Zap. Dead. Instantly. And poor Uzzah when David's men were rescuing the ark of the covenant from the Philistines. They didn't carry it the way God had told them to. Instead, they put it on a cart. And the cart started to tip and Uzzah—well meaning, but horribly wrong—reached out to steady it. And zap! Uzzah was struck dead on the spot. I can think of a few other slightly less dramatic. There was Achan who, in the ruins of Jericho, stole some of the treasure that belonged to the Lord. His sin had consequences for the whole community of Israel in their next battle, but maybe most importantly, it was the Lord who revealed the guilty to Joshua. And Achan and his family died. Or King Uzziah who arrogantly entered the temple to burn incense and was immediately struck with leprosy. The point is this, Brothers and Sisters, if you're going to walk with God, holiness is not an option. The wages of sin is death. For the vast majority of us, living and then dying is just so normal that sometimes we need a reminder that life is God's gift, that sin separates us from God, and that we die because of that separation. Sometimes the reminders are instantaneous, dramatic, and terrifying. Other times they play out over generations. Like Israel herself: generation after generation of faithlessness and idolatry that eventually led, for the northern kingdom, to annihilation—national death—and for the southern kingdom exile. St. Paul warns the Corinthians that some of them are sick and dying because they've abused the Lord's Supper. In John's revelation, Jesus warns the churches that if they aren't faithful, if they fail to properly represent him and his kingdom, he will take away their lampstands. They will, as churches, die. God requires holiness of his people and holiness is serious business. The church is God's means of making the good news of Jesus known. The church is God's means of making his new creation visible and real in the world. And if we undermine the credibility of the gospel through unholiness—well, God is patient—most of the time—but if we refuse to repent, he will make us witnesses to his power and sovereignty through his discipline rather than his blessing. Ananias and Sapphira lied because they wanted a reputation they hadn't earned. How do we misrepresent the gospel and the kingdom and Jesus? In what way do we or does the church compromise our witness? What idols have we set up alongside the cross? What things do we do that bring public shame on Jesus and the Spirit? What compromises our holiness? And do our compromises and our idolatries and our hypocrisies run so deep or are they so common that maybe we no longer even see them. But people out there do. And God does. Brothers and Sisters, that's what the story of Ananias and Sapphira is about. But Acts 5 is more than a terrifying warning to holiness. It's also an exhortation. Look at verse 12: “Many signs and wonders were performed by the apostles amongst the people. They were all together in Solomon's Porch, while none of the others dared join them, though the people spoke highly of them. But more people, a crowd both of men and women, believed in the Lord and were added to their number. They used to bring the sick into the streets and place them on beds and mats so that at least Peter's shadow might fall on them as he went by. Crowds gathered from the towns around Jerusalem, bringing people who were sick or infested with unclean spirits. All of them were cured.” God struck down the people who were compromising the church's gospel witness, but he blessed the ministry of Peter. As Luke notes, after the confrontation with the Jewish authorities, no one dared to join him, but when Peter went out with boldness to proclaim the good news, God made him a walking pocket of new creation. It makes me think of the dead temporarily raised on Good Friday, as if the shockwave of life was so powerful it had an almost undiscriminating effect as it went out from the cross. The same sort of thing happens with Peter. I think when we read this, our modern democratic mindset has us wondering why we don't see this happening today. Why doesn't this happen when my shadow falls on people when I'm walking around. And again, I have to come back to the biblical witness itself. The point of miracles is that they don't happen every day. And when they do happen, even in the Bible, they cluster around those times and places where God is doing something new. They clustered around Jesus and now we see them clustering around the apostles, validating them in the same way they validated Jesus. And they're happening right at the gate of the temple—God's not so subtle way to announce that, yes, he's come back to dwell with his people just as he promised, but he's not dwelling in the holy of holies in the bricks-and-mortal temple; he's come to dwell in this people purified and made even holier than the holy of holies by the blood of Jesus. Think of it like a rocket launch. There's a blast of almost uncomprehensible power that launches a rocket off the ground and into orbit. Once it's up there, it just needs a little nudge from time to time to keep it there. This was God's way of launching the gospel. Now, verse 17: “Then the high priest got up and all who were with him, namely the group called the Sadducees. They were filled with zeal [think “righteous indignation”] and seized the apostles and put them in the public jail. But an angel of the Lord came in the night, opened the prison doors, and brought them out. ‘Go and take your stand in the temple,' he said, ‘and speak all the words of this life to the people.' When they heard this, they went in at early morning and began to teach. When the high priest arrived with his entourage, they called the official assembly and all the elders of the sons of Israel, and they sent to the prison to have the apostles brought in. But when the attendants went they didn't find them in the prison. So they came and reported back. ‘We found the jail shut up with maximum security,' they said, ‘and the guards were standing in front of the doors. But when we opened up we found no one inside.' When they heard these words, the commander of the temple police and the chief priests were at a loss about them, with no idea what had happened. But then someone came with a message for them. ‘Look!' he said. ‘The men you put in prison are standing in the temple and teaching the people.' Then the commander went with his attendants and brought them. They didn't use force, though, because they were afraid that the people might stone them.” Luke has a sense of humour. So does God. The high priest is full of zeal. This idea of “zeal” characterised what the Jews of those days thought of as faithfulness. Their heroes were men like Phinehas, who speared a law-breaking idolater to the ground; like Judas Maccabbeus, who led a revolt against the pagan Geek rulers of Israel. They were zealous for God and for his law and they burned with anger at anyone who compromised it. And that's how they felt about the apostles. Peter and John, just like Jesus, were challenging the temple. The temple leaders wanted them dead, but they also feared the people. Everyone else could see new creation and the power of God—life—bursting into the world, but all these guys could see was a threat to the status quo. And so they throw the apostles into jail. And God sends an angel to set them free and not just that, but to send them straight back to the temple, to the place where they were arrested. And there's an urgency to the angel's words. “Go back the temple. Take your stand. Speak the words of this life to the people.” The miracles were wonderful. The miracles said that God was doing something, that new creation life was breaking in. That there was something about the apostles. But Brothers and Sisters, miracles without preaching lead to superstition. Good works without preaching leave people applauding the people doing the good works. It's our proclamation, our preaching, our announcement of the good news about Jesus, crucified and risen and lord, that makes sense of the miracles and the good works. It's the preaching that points people to Jesus—not just in a generic sense to “God”, but specifically to Jesus. It's the preaching that makes clear that in the Messiah, God has provided a sacrifice that purifies us from the stain of sin to make us fit to be his temple, filled with his own Spirit, to bring his grace and his mercy and his love and his holiness and his new creation to the world. It's our life as God's working model of new creation that attracts people, but it's our preaching that calls them specifically to Jesus in repentance and faith. This whole chapter is a reminder that preaching alone without holiness and without living out new creation is not enough, but that it's also not enough to live out that new creation, to be a heaven on earth people, even to work miracles. It has to be accompanied by the proclamation of the good news about Jesus. Otherwise we're like the mystery box of books. Who's this from? Should I trust it? So the angel sends them back to preach. And there they are preaching in the temple just as the priests assemble to hold court. And they send for the accused and no one can find them, until someone runs in and shouts: “They're back preaching right under your noses!” “So,” Luke goes on in verse 27, “they brough them and stood them in the assembly. The high priest questioned them. ‘We gave you strict orders, didn't we?' he demanded. ‘We told you not to teach in this name, but look what you're doing. You have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and you're trying to bring this man's blood on us.' ‘We must obey God, not men!' responded Peter and the apostles. ‘The God of our fathers raised Jesus after you had laid violent hands on him and hanged him on a tree. God exalted him to his right hand as leader and saviour, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins. We are witnesses of these things and so is the Holy Spirit, which God gave to those who obey him.' When they heard this, they were infuriated and wanted to kill them. But then a Pharisee by the name of Gamaliel stood up in the assembly. He was a law-teacher, highly respected by all the people. He ordered the men to be put outside for a short while. ‘Men of Israel,' he said to the gathering, ‘be careful what you do to these men. Before these times Theudas rose up, claiming to be someone special and about four hundred men went off to join him. But he was killed and all the people who trusted him were dispersed. The movement came to nothing. After that Judas the Galilean arose in the days of the census and drew a crowd after himself. But he was killed and all those who trusted him were scattered. So my advice to you now is this. Leave off from these men; let them be. You see, if this plan or work is merely human in origin, it will come to ruin. But if it's from God—well, you won't be able to stop them. You might even be found to be fighting against God.' They were persuaded by him and called the apostles back in. They beat them and told them not to speak in the name of Jesus. Then they let them go. They, however, went out from the presence of the assembly celebrating, because they had been reckoned worthy to suffer disgrace for the name. And all day, in the temple and from house to house, they did not stop teaching and proclaiming the Messiah.” The assembly has the apostles beaten, but they know the scriptures. They've seen how Jesus suffered and died as part of his ministry to fulfil those scriptures. So Peter and John and the others take this opposition as confirmation. And Luke goes into these details here, because this is going to be a pattern throughout the book of Acts. Suffering for the name of Jesus is a privilege. But he also highlights the importance of the church's integrity to its—to our—witness. Again, we are God's temple. He's returned as he promised, not to the stone building that once sat over Jerusalem, but by filling us—the people purified and made holy by the blood of Jesus. The beauty of a human temple is that it can grow and grow and grow until it fills the earth with God's presence, with his wisdom, with his gospel life. But it's also important that the temple remain pure. Jesus has purified it. The Holy Spirit has sanctified it. But we're still human. We're not perfect—not yet. Brothers and Sisters, this is why, as Paul puts it, we need to put on the Messiah. To put off the old, corrupt, sinful and selfish way of being human and put on Jesus and the new life of the gospel, the new life of the Spirit. To be the holy people Jesus and the Spirit have made us. To walk in integrity: in our personal affairs, in our relationships, in our marriages, in our business, in our politics, in our finances, in our life together as the church, as the temple. We really do need to be the new humanity and God's new creation. We need to be—so much as Jesus and the Spirit make it possible—to be God's future right here in the present. And we need to take our stand and proclaim the name of Jesus so that when people notice our holiness and our integrity, they'll also know that it's not just us, but that it's all about this Jesus who died and rose again—for us, for them, for the sake of all creation—to forgive, to purify, to heal, and to set to rights. I can't say exactly what it's supposed to look like. Acts was unique. The rocket ship was launching. Now it's in orbit. Our shadows are highly unlikely to heal anyone, and yet Peter's shadow and Peter's preaching really do represent the ministry of the faithful church to bring healing to the world, to wipe away tears, to announce what Jesus has done and what Jesus is doing and what Jesus will, finally, one day finish as we bring hope to the world. Do it with integrity, Brothers and Sisters. And do it in holiness. Let us pray: O God, the protector of all who trust in you, without whom nothing is strong, nothing is holy: Increase and multiply upon us your mercy; that, with you as our ruler and guide, we may so pass through things temporal, that we lose not our hold on things eternal; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
"How may faith be illustrated?" asks Spurgeon. There follows a delightful collection of everyday examples of faith taken from the visible world.
This sermon is numerically significant on several levels. It is the two thousandth sermon, the last sermon of Volume XXXIII in the Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit, and a sermon prepared to be read on the first day of the year of 1888. As so often with these ‘major marker' sermons (ones that break through particular numerical boundaries), and all the more so when those markers are loaded up like this, Spurgeon deliberately returns to the very core of his ministry and the delight of his own soul—the atoning sacrifice of the Lord Jesus. The sermon is itself is of the utmost simplicity, as Spurgeon seeks to come to the text, and to come at the congregation. He shows how, in the verse in question, God treats sin as a disease and provides a cure for that disease in the stripes of the Lord Christ, a disease which is immediately and completely effective wherever it is applied. In truth, Spurgeon never strays very far from this theme, but an occasion like this makes it all the more imperative for him to state once more the touchstone of his ministry. Read the sermon here: https://www.mediagratiae.org/resources/healing-by-the-stripes-of-jesus Check out the new From the Heart of Spurgeon Book! British: https://amzn.to/48rV1OR American: https://amzn.to/48oHjft Connect with the Reading Spurgeon Community on Twitter! https://twitter.com/ReadingSpurgeon Sign up to get the weekly readings emailed to you: https://www.mediagratiae.org/podcasts-1/from-the-heart-of-spurgeon. Check out other Media Gratiae podcasts at www.mediagratiae.org Download the Media Gratiae App: https://subsplash.com/mediagratiae/app
From the beginning of this journey in 1981, how I was providentially led to my first solid Christian Books. My awakening and my early pilgrimage. How I went from reading Kenneth Hagin and Watchman Nee to within 6 months reading A. W. Pink and Martyn Lloyd-Jones, Spurgeon and Jonathan Edwards. Given in an autobiographical entertaining way.
This sermon is numerically significant on several levels. It is the two thousandth sermon, the last sermon of Volume XXXIII in the Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit, and a sermon prepared to be read on the first day of the year of 1888. As so often with these 'major marker' sermons (ones that break through particular numerical boundaries), and all the more so when those markers are loaded up like this, Spurgeon deliberately returns to the very core of his ministry and the delight of his own soul—the atoning sacrifice of the Lord Jesus. The sermon is itself is of the utmost simplicity, as Spurgeon seeks to come to the text, and to come at the congregation. He shows how, in the verse in question, God treats sin as a disease and provides a cure for that disease in the stripes of the Lord Christ, a disease which is immediately and completely effective wherever it is applied. In truth, Spurgeon never strays very far from this theme, but an occasion like this makes it all the more imperative for him to state once more the touchstone of his ministry.
A new MP3 sermon from Maidenbower Baptist Church is now available on SermonAudio with the following details: Title: The Heart—A Gift for God (sermon 1995) Subtitle: From the heart of Spurgeon Speaker: C. H. Spurgeon Broadcaster: Maidenbower Baptist Church Event: Podcast Date: 6/19/2026 Bible: Proverbs 23:26 Length: 27 min.
A new MP3 sermon from The Narrated Puritan is now available on SermonAudio with the following details: Title: Effective Prayer Speaker: C. H. Spurgeon Broadcaster: The Narrated Puritan Event: Audiobook Date: 6/22/2026 Bible: Job 23:3-4 Length: 45 min.
A new MP3 sermon from The Narrated Puritan is now available on SermonAudio with the following details: Title: The Soul Winner's Life and Work Subtitle: The Soul Winner Speaker: C. H. Spurgeon Broadcaster: The Narrated Puritan Event: Audiobook Date: 6/20/2026 Bible: Proverbs 11:30 Length: 39 min.
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We are saved by grace through faith. Spurgeon gives concise defintions of both.
This briefer sermon is ‘intended for reading', which usually indicates a sick man writing or editing a previous address for distribution. Brevity here does not undermine simplicity, clarity, or pungency! The text is short: “My son, give me your heart.” The sermon is straightforward, looking at the love which lies behind the request for wisdom, then at the wisdom which guides the loving request, and then a pressing application to be wise by attending to this wise admonition. Here the more practical elements of the sermon come to the fore, although—as we often see with Spurgeon—he usually sows fruitful seeds of thought along the way, quite apart from any more formal element of application. The last paragraph confirms our earlier expectations as well as informing our understanding: the sermon is an ‘occasional address' (delivered on a specific occasion), in this case an appeal for funds for hospitals (when such were typically privately and charitably supported). Now we know not only when the address came, but we appreciate more fully why Spurgeon has been pressing for the heart—because once our heavenly Father has our heart, he has our hands, too, in cheerful dispensation of our good things. In addition, the final appeal is pleasingly quirky—before the plate is being passed round for the collection of money, Spurgeon passes around his own invisible plate, for the collection of hearts. Read the sermon here: https://www.mediagratiae.org/resources/the-heart-gift-for-god Check out the new From the Heart of Spurgeon Book! British: https://amzn.to/48rV1OR American: https://amzn.to/48oHjft Connect with the Reading Spurgeon Community on Twitter! https://twitter.com/ReadingSpurgeon Sign up to get the weekly readings emailed to you: https://www.mediagratiae.org/podcasts-1/from-the-heart-of-spurgeon. Check out other Media Gratiae podcasts at www.mediagratiae.org Download the Media Gratiae App: https://subsplash.com/mediagratiae/app
On Juneteenth, Brian From walks through the history behind the holiday — the more than two-year gap between the Emancipation Proclamation and the day Union troops finally reached Galveston, Texas to declare freedom for 250,000 enslaved Texans — and what it means for the church to commemorate and remember well. A Johnson & Johnson executive says a cure for certain cancers could realistically be within reach in the next decade, and Brian roots that hope in something deeper: our ultimate hope isn't the eradication of disease, but the eradication of sin and death through Christ. Ahead of Father's Day, a moving reflection on the "fathers in the faith" who shape us beyond our biological dads, paired with the extraordinary final words ever preached by Charles Spurgeon before his death. Three San Francisco Giants pitchers wrote a Bible verse about God's covenant on their caps during Pride Night, sparking backlash — Brian walks through what happened and why he thinks they handled a genuinely difficult moment with restraint. A look back at Matt Chandler's 2021 warning against churches becoming ideologically uniform rather than spiritually unified. The story of Jonah, reframed as a story about judgmentalism and the failure to recognize our own desperate need for grace. And a closing word from 1 Peter 5 on casting anxiety on a Father who genuinely cares for you.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
You may not know this, but in addition to Reasonable Theology I also run a site dedicated to the life and ministry of Charles Spurgeon. I'm excited to share that I just launched a brand new CHSpurgeon.com!This complete redesign includes:3500+ sermons searchable by volume, topic or Scripture Historical context for each sermon volumeDevotionals, books, articles, interviews, and moreSpurgeon quote generator Interactive timeline of Spurgeon's life and ministryExplore it here: https://chspurgeon.comSupport the showGET THE NEWSLETTEREach edition of the Reasonable Theology newsletter contains my latest article or podcast episode PLUS:A Theological Word or Phrase Explained Quickly and ClearlyA Painting Depicting a Scene from Scripture or Church HistoryAudio of a Hymn or other Musical Selection to EnjoyA Recommended Book or Resource to Expand Your LibrarySUBSCRIBE HERE
Our forthcoming volume, Spurgeon's Pastoral Wisdom, has been compiled and edited by Geoff Chang. Composed of contributions from Spurgeon to the Sword and Trowel magazine on the topic of the church and ministry, it will encourage, inform, and challenge readers to love and serve Christ's church better. We sit down with Geoff to discuss Spurgeon as a pastor, some of his convictions about the church and ministry, and what readers can expect to find in this new volume. Geoff Chang is the Curator of the Spurgeon Library at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, Kansas City, Missouri, where he is also an Assistant Professor of Historical Theology. Some of Geoff's books (written, compiled, or edited): Spurgeon the Pastor: Recovering a Biblical and Theological Vision for Ministry US Bookseller: https://www.wtsbooks.com/products/spurgeon-the-pastor-recovering-a-biblical-and-theological-vision-for-ministry-9781087747842?srsltid=AfmBOoo9J5OUv6iKNYdNQ05SK8nKra4Z_VcVFY6P_qp7hsBWwwfxcstd UK Bookseller: https://www.keithjones.co.uk/spurgeon-the-pastor-9781087747842/?cat=0 The Army of God: Spurgeon's Vision for the Church US Bookseller: https://www.wtsbooks.com/products/army-of-god-spurgeons-vision-for-the-church-9781527108738 UK Bookseller: https://tabernaclebookshop.org/products/the-army-of-god?srsltid=AfmBOopOIuxDsNhJ2_gu4gm5jsXF14P3F8LBsd_xNcbJgkjktDsXPxLh Charles Spurgeon, Christ Our All: Poems for the Christian Pilgrim, compiled by Geoff Chang. US Bookseller: https://www.wtsbooks.com/products/christ-our-all-poems-for-the-christian-pilgrim-9781087772745?srsltid=AfmBOopoSbXzGU1EY2ntwroC3ZScvaXgG79V1nzZ4-NVZuHjMLXQRMNA UK Bookseller: https://icmbooks.co.uk/product/37235/Christ-Our-All-Poems-for-the-Christian-Pilgrim Explore the work of the Banner of Truth: www.banneroftruth.org Subscribe to the Magazine (print/digital/both): www.banneroftruth.org/magazine Leave us your feedback or a testimony: www.speakpipe.com/magazinepodcast
This briefer sermon is 'intended for reading', which usually indicates a sick man writing or editing a previous address for distribution. Brevity here does not undermine simplicity, clarity, or pungency! The text is short: "My son, give me your heart." The sermon is straightforward, looking at the love which lies behind the request for wisdom, then at the wisdom which guides the loving request, and then a pressing application to be wise by attending to this wise admonition. Here the more practical elements of the sermon come to the fore, although—as we often see with Spurgeon—he usually sows fruitful seeds of thought along the way, quite apart from any more formal element of application. The last paragraph confirms our earlier expectations as well as informing our understanding: the sermon is an 'occasional address' (delivered on a specific occasion), in this case an appeal for funds for hospitals (when such were typically privately and charitably supported). Now we know not only when the address came, but we appreciate more fully why Spurgeon has been pressing for the heart—because once our heavenly Father has our heart, he has our hands, too, in cheerful dispensation of our good things. In addition, the final appeal is pleasingly quirky—before the plate is being passed round for the collection of money, Spurgeon passes around his own invisible plate, for the collection of hearts.
This video uses the historic London cemetery of Bunhill Fields as a living tapestry to illustrate the enduring impact of faithful, often uncelebrated, Christian ministry across generations. Through the graves of influential figures like John Bunyan, John Owen, William Blake, and the Wesleys, the message underscores how God often raises up humble, dedicated servants—particularly young and unheralded ones—to carry forward His work with lasting influence. The narrative highlights a recurring pattern: the most transformative eras in church history have often followed the model of investing in young, passionate leaders rather than seeking fame or celebrity. The contrast between the church's golden age under C.H. Spurgeon—a young pastor chosen for faithfulness rather than reputation—and its subsequent decline after seeking star power serves as a sobering reminder of the value of spiritual maturity over cultural prominence. Ultimately, the sermon calls the church to prioritize faithful stewardship, continuity, and the quiet power of godly character over the allure of celebrity, drawing strength from the legacy of those who lived and died in faithful service.
A thousand times a year, someone sits across the table from Jeremy Stalnecker and says: "I've tried everything. If this doesn't work, I'm not going to make it." How is a gentle and lowly Jesus the answer to that? Dane Ortlund, pastor of Naperville Presbyterian and author of the runaway evangelical bestseller Gentle and Lowly, sits down with Jeremy to break down the Jesus most Christian men have never been taught. The Jesus who, as Spurgeon noted, only once told us what was in his own heart. The Jesus whose default is mercy and whose anger always requires provocation. The Jesus with nail-scarred arms who, according to 1 Corinthians 12, feels your trauma more acutely than you do. This is one of the most theologically rich conversations on the channel - anchored in Matthew 11:28-30, with stops in Hebrews 1, John 14, Exodus 34, and 1 Corinthians 12. If you've ever pictured Jesus as a watered-down, decaffeinated, domesticated version of God, this conversation will reset that picture. RESOURCES MENTIONED• Dane Ortlund, Gentle and Lowly: The Heart of Christ for Sinners and Sufferers (Crossway): https://www.crossway.org/books/gentle-and-lowly-tpb/• Thomas Goodwin, The Heart of Christ in Heaven for Sinners on Earth - the 400-year-old book that wrecked Dane• Dane Ortlund, Edwards on the Christian Life (Crossway) CONNECT WITH DANE• Website: https://www.daneortlund.com• Naperville Presbyterian Church: https://www.naperpres.org • X (formerly Twitter): @daneortlund KEY VERSES• Matthew 11:28-30 - "Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden"• Hebrews 1:3 - Jesus, the exact representation of God• John 14:9 - "If you've seen me, you have seen the Father"• Exodus 34:6 - "The Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious, slow to anger"• 1 Corinthians 12 - We are the body of Christ Subscribe for more interviews, biblical breakdowns, and conversations with men who've been there: https://www.youtube.com/@MarchOrDieShow?sub_confirmation=1 Hit Subscribe, share this episode with your community, and drop a comment on what landed hardest for you. Want more reinforcement? Subscribe to our newsletter, The Forward Edge, to go beyond the podcast and dig deeper into these topics and more: https://marchordie.substack.com! Join us daily for encouragement and biblical truth with the Mighty Oaks Daily Devotional, you can sign up for reminders: https://mightyoaksprograms.org/daily-devotional or text JOIN to (832) 333-8794 Follow March or Die:https://instagram.com/MarchOrDie https://Facebook.com/MarchOrDieShow https://TikTok.com/March_or_Die Follow Jeremy:https://instagram.com/jeremystalnecker https://jeremystalnecker.com Follow Sean:https://instagram.com/seantopgunkennard https://youtube.com/@SeanTopGunKennard Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.
This video uses the historic London cemetery of Bunhill Fields as a living tapestry to illustrate the enduring impact of faithful, often uncelebrated, Christian ministry across generations. Through the graves of influential figures like John Bunyan, John Owen, William Blake, and the Wesleys, the message underscores how God often raises up humble, dedicated servants—particularly young and unheralded ones—to carry forward His work with lasting influence. The narrative highlights a recurring pattern: the most transformative eras in church history have often followed the model of investing in young, passionate leaders rather than seeking fame or celebrity. The contrast between the church's golden age under C.H. Spurgeon—a young pastor chosen for faithfulness rather than reputation—and its subsequent decline after seeking star power serves as a sobering reminder of the value of spiritual maturity over cultural prominence. Ultimately, the sermon calls the church to prioritize faithful stewardship, continuity, and the quiet power of godly character over the allure of celebrity, drawing strength from the legacy of those who lived and died in faithful service.
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By October of 1887 the Downgrade Controversy—the battle against doctrinal decay in the professing church of Christ—was in full swing. Letters had appeared in The Sword and the Trowel over the previous months, and Spurgeon himself had entered the fray through August and into September. The sermon which we consider today is clearly the fruit of that conflict, with Spurgeon feeling “as if the text had been newly written for the present occasion, for it is in every syllable most suitable to the immediate crisis.” That text is Zephaniah 3:16–18, where the Lord calls his people to faithful labour and promises his saving and succouring mercies to them. Spurgeon handles the text by looking at the present trials of God's people, the glorious consolation which they have in the midst of those trials, and the brave conduct which ought to characterise them in the face of those trials. Many of us see the unhappy inheritance of the theological liberalism which took root at the end of the nineteenth century. While we may not be of the generation which saw the downgrade, we can—if we continue to heed Spurgeon's call to arms—be a generation which seeks to recover some of the lost ground. Read the sermon here: https://www.mediagratiae.org/resources/a-sermon-for-the-time-present Check out the new From the Heart of Spurgeon Book! British: https://amzn.to/48rV1OR American: https://amzn.to/48oHjft Connect with the Reading Spurgeon Community on Twitter! https://twitter.com/ReadingSpurgeon Sign up to get the weekly readings emailed to you: https://www.mediagratiae.org/podcasts-1/from-the-heart-of-spurgeon. Check out other Media Gratiae podcasts at www.mediagratiae.org Download the Media Gratiae App: https://subsplash.com/mediagratiae/app
Most Christians think the debate over spiritual gifts comes down to one question: do they still happen or don't they? Dr. Vern Poythress, 50-year New Testament professor at Westminster Theological Seminary, says both cessationists and continuationists are asking the wrong question. ABOUT THIS EPISODE:Dr. Poythress proposes the term "analogous gifts" — the idea that the gifts of the Spirit are genuine, Spirit-empowered works modeled after Christ's own prophetic, priestly, and kingly ministry, but subordinate to it. Not identical to what the apostles did. Not a lower-tier substitute. Analogous with the same Spirit, the same source, a different level of authority.This reframing has real stakes for the cessationist/continuationist divide. The tension in the body of Christ right now isn't just academic: it's shaping how whole churches think about prophecy, tongues, healing, and what it means to be filled with the Spirit. Dr. Poythress argues that if Gaffin is right about New Testament prophecy being infallible, that doesn't end the conversation, but just moves it. There's still a genuine, non-inspired, Spirit-empowered gifting that needs to be accounted for. And if Grudem is right, continuationists still need to reckon with what discernment and testing actually look like in practice.Joshua and Dr. Poythress also discuss the history of cessationism, why it developed as a response to Roman Catholic claims, how the Reformation fought on two fronts (Rome and the enthusiasts), and why figures like Samuel Rutherford and even C.H. Spurgeon complicate the neat cessationist narrative. The episode doesn't try to solve the debate. It tries to widen the table.0:00 – Introduction0:44 – Guest: Vern Poythress3:05 – Analogous Gifts Explained14:52 – Cessationism vs. Completionism20:34 – Canon and Prophecy30:06 – Puritan Prophesying Language44:04 – RC Sproul's Voice53:15 – Pursuing Spiritual Gifts59:09 – Closing ThoughtsGROW IN THE GIFTS OF THE SPIRIT PLAYLIST: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLMsjeViSScFGpsFnIkPFAIzI4BFoAy3zQABOUT THE GUEST:"What are Spiritual Gifts?" by Dr. Poythress https://frame-poythress.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/PoythressVernWhatAreSpiritualGifts.pdfSubscribe to The Remnant Radio newsletter and receive our FREE introduction to spiritual gifts eBook. Plus, get access to: discounts, news about upcoming shows, courses and conferences - and more. Subscribe now at TheRemnantRadio.com. Support the showABOUT THE REMNANT RADIO: The Remnant Radio exists to equip believers who are hungry for the radical middle of both Word and Spirit. Subscribe for twice-weekly content on theology, church history and the gifts of the Spirit.