“That ye may know how that the
Lord doth put a difference between the Egyptians and Israel.” Exodus 11:7
Suggested Further Reading: Ephesians 4:17-32
A stern rough argument might
move us to be separate from the world. But once again, how is it possible for
us to honour Jesus Christ, while there is no difference between us and the
world? I can imagine that a man may not profess to be a Christian, and yet he
may honour his master; that however is a matter of imagination, I do not know
of an instance; but I cannot imagine a man professing to be a Christian, and
then acting as the world acts, and yet honouring Christ. Methinks I see my
Master now; he stands before me. He has more than those five blessed wounds. I
see his hands running with blood. “My Master! My Master!” I cry, “where didst
thou get those wounds? Those are not the piercings of the nails, nor the gash
of the spear-thrust; whence come those wounds?” I hear him mournfully reply,
“These are the wounds which I have received in the house of my friends;
such-and-such a Christian fell, such-and-such a disciple followed me afar off,
and at last Peter-like denied me altogether. Such a one of my children is
covetous, such another of them is proud, such another has taken his neighbour
by the throat, and said, “Pay me what thou owest,” and I have been wounded in
the house of my friends.” O, blessed Jesus, forgive us, forgive us, and give us
thy grace that we may do so no more, for we would follow thee whithersoever
thou goest; thou knowest Lord we would be thine, we would honour thee and not
grieve thee. O give us now of thine own Spirit, that we may come out from the
world and be like thyself,—holy, harmless, undefiled, and separate from
sinners.
For meditation: Does
the Lord have to ask you “Will ye also go away?” May he enable us to reply as
Simon Peter did (John 6:67-69).
Sermon no. 305
26 March (Preached 25 March 1860)
26 March (Preached 25 March 1860)
C.H.
Spurgeon
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