Not Enough Self-Denial In Gospel Missions
February 8, 2010 2 Comments
“We have not enough self-denial; and that is one reason why we do not prosper. Far be it from me to say aught against the self-denial of those worthy brethren who have left their country to cross the stormy deep to preach the Word. We hold them to be men who are to be had in honor; but still, I ask Where is the self-denial of the apostles now-a-days? I think one of the greatest disgraces that ever was cast upon the church in those days was that last mission to Ireland.
Men went over to Ireland; but, like men who have valor’s better part, – brave, bold men, –they came back again, which is about all we can say of the matter. Why do they not go there again? Why, they say the “Irish” hooted them. Now, don’t you think you see Paul taking a microscope out of his pocket, and looking at a little man who should say to him, “I shall not go there to preach, because the Irish hooted me!”
“What?” he says, “is this a preacher? What a small edition of a minister he must be, to be sure!”
“O! but they threw stones at us; you have no idea how badly they treated us!”
Just tell that to the Apostle Paul. I am sure you would be ashamed to do so.
“O! but in some places the police interfered, and said we should create only a riot.”
What would Paul have said to that? The police interfering! I do not know that we have any right to care about governments. Our business is to preach the Word; and, if we must be put in the stocks, there let us lie; there would no hurt come of it at last.
“O! but they might have killed some of us.”
That is just it. Where is that zeal which counted not its life dear, so that it might win Christ? I believe that the killing of a few of our ministers would have prospered Christianity. However we might mourn over it, – and none more than myself, – I say, the murder of a few dozen of them would have been no greater ground for grief than the slaughter of our men by hundreds in a successful fight for hearth and homes. I would count my own blood most profitably shed in so holy a struggle.
How did the Gospel prosper aforetime? Were there not some who laid down their lives for it? and did not others walk to victory over their slain bodies? and must it not be so now?
If we are to start back, because we are afraid of being killed, Heaven knows when the Gospel is to spread over the world. – we do not.”
- from Spurgeons’ sermon “Gospel Missions”
“I shall not go there to preach, because the Irish hooted me!”
What a wit! Sharp, to the quick, true. It sure does seem that we’ve allowed our culture to put us on a leash, giving us a park here and there wherein we can do our business without being hooted at. And we abide therein. For fear of backlash from family & friends or for fear of reprisals from men in blue.
May we humble ourselves before our great God and repent of being nannies – and go forth proclaiming Christ crucified to dead people everywhere.
Yea, I was convicted by this Spurgeon article. What a preacher. This guy was not afraid of anyone. He was opposed and ridiculed by the establishment of his day. I have to believe that the reason he was so hated is the hardness of the hearts of the people. He did indeed have a wit about him.
Too many people today write these guys off as “dead white guys”. Well, guess what. The thing that made Spurgeon, Edwards, and other special is not their race, nationality, or gender- it was their calling given by God and their faithfulness in obedience to that calling.
I agree with Manfred that we are too concerned about being “hooted”. I get hooted at my church. Anyone else?
T.