Christian Conversation
A Sermon
Intended for Reading on Lord's-Day, October 7th, 1900,
Delivered by
C. H. SPURGEON,
At the Metropolitan Tabernacle, Newington.
On a Lord's-day Evening in the autumn of 1858.
"They shall speak of the glory of thy kingdom, and talk of thy
power."—Psalm 145:11.
YOU HAVE only to look at the preceding verse, and you will discover, in a
single moment, who are the people here spoken of who shall speak of the
glory of God's kingdom, and talk of his power. They are the saints: "All thy
works shall praise thee, O Lord; and thy saints shall bless thee. They
shall speak of the glory of thy kingdom, and talk of thy power." A saint
will often be discovered by his conversation. He is a saint long before he
knows it; he is a saint as being set apart unto salvation by God the Father
in the covenant decree of election from all eternity; and he is a saint as
being sanctified in Christ Jesus, and called. But he is more especially a
saint as being sanctified by the quickening influence of the Holy Ghost,
which renders him truly sanctified by making him holy, and bringing him into
conformity with the image of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Yet it is
not at all times easy to discern a saint except by Scriptural marks and
evidences. There is nothing particular about the countenance or dress of a
saint to distinguish him from his fellows. The saints have faces like other
men; sometimes, they are sadly marred and furrowed by cares and troubles
which worldlings do not know. They wear the same kind of garments as other
men wear; they may be rich or they may be poor; but, still, there are some
marks whereby we can discern them, and one of the special ways of
discovering a saint is by his conversation. As I often tell you, you may
know the quality of the water in a well by that which is brought up in the
bucket; so may we tell a Christian by his conversation.
It
is, however, much to be regretted that true children of the Lord often talk
too little of him. What is the conversation of half the professors of the
present day? Honesty compels us to say that, in many cases, it is a mass of
froth and falsehood, and, in many more cases it is altogether objectionable;
if it is not light and frivolous, it is utterly apart from the gospel, and
does not minister grace unto the bearers. I consider that one of the great
lacks of the Church, nowadays, is not so much Christian preaching as
Christian talking,—not so much Christian prayer in the prayer-meeting, as
Christian conversation in the parlour. How little do we hear concerning
Christ! You might go in and out of the houses of half the professors of
religion, and you would never hear of their Master at all. You might talk
with them from the first of January to the last of December; and if they
happened to mention their Master's name, it would be, perhaps, merely as a
compliment to him, or possibly by accident. Beloved, such things ought not
to be. You and I, I am sure, are guilty in this matter; we all have need to
reproach ourselves that we do not sufficiently remember the words of
Malachi, "Then they that feared the Lord spake often one to another: and the
Lord hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before
him for them that feared the Lord, and that thought upon his name."
Possibly
some will ask, "Well, sir, how can we talk about religion? Upon what topic
shall we converse? How are we to introduce it? It would not be polite, for
instance, in the company with which we associate, to begin to say anything
about the doctrines of grace, or about religious matters at all." Then,
beloved, do not be polite; that is all I have to say in reply to such a
remark as that. If it would be accounted contrary to etiquette to begin
talking of the Saviour, cast etiquette to the winds, and speak about Christ
somehow or other. The Christian is the aristocrat of the world; it is his
place to make rules for society to obey,—not to stoop down, and conform to
the regulations of society when they are contrary to the commands of his
Master. He is the great Maker of laws; the King of kings, and Lord of lords;
and he makes his people also to be kings. Kings make rules for ordinary men
to obey; so must Christians do. They are not to submit to others; they must
make others, by the worth of their principles, and the dignity of their
character, submit to them. It is speaking too lightly of a Christian's
dignity when we say that he dare not do the right, because it would not be
fashionable. We care nothing for that, for "the fashion of this world
passeth away," "but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever."
Another
says, "What could I speak of? There are so few topics that would be
suitable. I must not speak upon doctrinal subjects, for it would offend one
of the party. They might hold different views; one might be a Wesleyan, one
might be a Baptist, one might be an Independent, one a Calvinist, one an
Arminian;—how could I talk so as to please all? If I spoke of election, most
of them would attack me at once; if I began to speak of redemption, we
should soon differ on that subject, and I would not like to engender
controversy." Beloved, engender controversy rather than have wrong
conversation; better dispute over truth than agree about lies. Better, I
say, is it to dispute concerning good doctrine, far more profitable is it to
talk of the Word of God, even in a controversial manner, than to turn
utterly away from it, and neglect it.
But,
let me tell you, there is one point on which all Christians agree, and that
is concerning the person, the work, and the blessed offices of our Saviour.
Go where you will, professors, if they are genuine Christians, will always
agree with you if you begin to talk about your Saviour; so you need not be
afraid that you will provoke controversy; but supposing the mention of your
Saviour's name does provoke dispute, then let it be provoked. And if your
Master's truth offends the gentlemen to whom you speak of it let them be
offended. His name we must confess; of his glory we will continually talk,
for it is written in our text, "They shall speak of the glory of thy
kingdom, and talk of thy power."
Now,
then, first, here is a subject for conversation: "they shall speak of
the glory of thy kingdom and talk of thy power." Secondly, we will try to
find out some causes why Christians must speak concerning this
blessed subject and then, thirdly, I will very briefly refer to the
effect of our talking more of Christ's kingdom and power.
I.
First, here is A SUBJECT FOR CONVERSATION: "They shall speak of the glory of
thy kingdom, and talk of thy power." Here are two subjects; for God, when he
puts grace into the heart, does not lack a subject upon which we shall
converse.
First,
we are to converse concerning the glory of Christ's kingdom.
The glory of Christ's kingdom should ever be a subject of discourse to a
Christian; he should always be speaking, not merely of Christ's priesthood
or his prophesying, but also of his kingdom, which has lasted from all
eternity; and especially of that glorious kingdom of grace in which we now
live, and of that brighter kingdom of millennial glory, which soon shall
come upon this world, to conquer all other kingdoms, and break them in
pieces.
The
psalmist furnishes us with some divisions of this subject, all of which
illustrate the glory of Christ's kingdom. In the 12th verse he says, "To
make known to the sons of men his mighty acts." The glory of a kingdom
depends very much on the achievements of that kingdom; so, in speaking of
the glory of Christ's kingdom, we are to make known his mighty acts.
We think that the glory of Old England—at least, our historians would say
so,—rests upon the great battles she has fought, and the victories she has
won. We turn over the records of the past, and we see her, in one place,
vanquishing thousands of Frenchmen at Agincourt; at another period, we see
the fleets of the Spanish Armada scattered by the breath of God. We turn to
different battles, and we trace victory after victory, dotted along the page
of history, and we say that this is the glory of our kingdom. Now,
Christian, when you speak of the glory of your Master's kingdom, you must
tell something of his great victories;—how he routed Pharaoh, and cut the
Egyptian Rahab, and wounded the dragon of the Nile; how he slew all the
firstborn in one night; how, at his command, the Red Sea was divided; how
the children of Israel crossed over in safety, and the chivalry of Egypt was
drowned in the flood. Talk ye also of how God overcame Amalek, and smote
Moab; how he utterly cut off those nations that warred against Israel, and
caused them to pass away for ever. Tell how Babylon and Nineveh were made to
rue the day when God smote them with his iron hand. Tell ye to the world how
God hath crushed great nations and overcome proud monarchs; how
Sennacherib's hosts were left dead within their camp, and how those that
have risen up in rebellion against God have found his arm too mighty for
their strength and prowess. Tell of the terrible acts of our Saviour's
kingdom; record his victories in this world; nor cease there. Tell how our
Saviour routed the devil in the wilderness when he came to tempt him. Tell
how he—
"All his foes to ruin hurled,
Sin, Satan, earth, death, hell, the world.
Tell how he hath bruised the head of Satan. Tell how death has lost his
prey. Tell how hell's deepest dungeons have been visited, and the power of
the prince of darkness utterly cut off. Tell ye how antichrist himself shall
sink like a millstone in the flood. Tell how false systems of superstition
shall flee away, like birds of night when the sun rises too brightly for
their dim sight to bear. Tell ye all this, tell it in Askalon and in Gath;
tell it the wide world over, that the Lord of hosts is the God of battles;
he is the conqueror of men and of devils; he is Master in his own dominions.
Tell ye the glory of his kingdom, and rehearse "his mighty acts." Christian,
exhaust that theme if thou canst.
Then,
in speaking of the glory of Christ's kingdom, the next thing we talk of is
its glorious majesty. The psalmist further says, in the 12th verse,
that the saints shall not only "make known God's mighty acts, but also the
glorious majesty of his kingdom." Part of the glory of England consists, not
in her achievements, but in the state and majesty which surround her. In
ancient times especially, monarchs were noted for the great pomp with which
they were surrounded. Thousands of houses must be razed to the ground to
find a site for one dwelling for a king. His palace must be gorgeous with
riches; its halls must be paved with marble, and its walls set with jewels;
fountains must sparkle there; there must be beds of eider on which monarchs
may recline; music, such as other ears do not hear, wines from the uttermost
regions of the earth, and all manner of delights, are reserved for kings;
precious stones and gems adorn their crowns; and everything that is rich and
rare must be brought to deck the monarch, and increase the majesty of his
kingdom.
Well,
Christian, when speaking of Christ's kingdom, you are to talk of its
majesty. Tell of your Saviour's glorious majesty; speak of the many crowns
that he wears upon his head. Tell of the crown of grace which he wears
continually; tell of the crown of victory which perpetually proclaims the
triumphs he has won over the foe; tell of the crown of love wherewith his
Father crowned him in the day of his espousals to his Church,—the crown
which he has won by ten thousand hearts which he has broken, and untold
myriads of spirits which he has bound up. Tell to all mankind that the glory
of your Saviour's majesty far exceeds the glories of the ancient kings of
Assyria and India. Tell that, before his throne above, there stand, in
glorious state, not princes, but angels; not servants in gorgeous liveries,
but cherubs, with wings of fire, waiting to obey his mighty behests. Tell
that his palace is floored with gold, and that he has no need of lamps, or
even of the sun, to enlighten it, for he himself is the light thereof. Tell
ye to the whole world what is the glorious majesty of his kingdom.
But
once more, Christians, in speaking of the glory of Christ's kingdom, you
must talk of its duration, for much of the honour of the kingdom
depends upon the time it has lasted. In verse 13, the psalmist says, "Thy
kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and thy dominion endureth throughout all
generations." If one should say to you, concerning an earthly monarch, "Our
king sits upon a throne which his ancestors have occupied for many
generations;" tell him that a thousand years are to your King but as one
day. If another tells you that his king has crowns which were worn by kings
a thousand years ago, smile in his face, and tell him that a thousand years
are as nothing in Christ's sight. When they speak of the antiquity of
churches, tell them that you belong to a very ancient Church. If they talk
to you of the venerable character of the religion which they profess, tell
them that you believe in a very venerable religion, for yours is a religion
which was from everlasting. Christ's kingdom was set up long before this
world was brought forth; when as yet neither sun, nor moon, nor stars, had
been created, Christ's kingdom was firmly established. I wish Christians
would more often talk about the glory of their Master's kingdom with regard
to the time it has lasted. If you would begin to talk of the past history of
God's Church, you would never have to exclaim, "I have said all that can be
said about it, and I have nothing more to say." You would need eternity to
keep on going back, back, back, until you came to God alone; and then you
might say,—
"In his mighty breast I see,
Eternal thoughts of love to me."
Then
you may speak concerning the future duration of your Master's kingdom. I
suppose, if you were to talk much about the second coming of Christ, you
would be laughed at, you would be thought diseased in your brain; for there
are so few nowadays who receive that great truth, that, if we speak of it
with much enthusiasm, people turn away, and say, "Ah! we do not know much
about that subject, but Mr. So-and-so has turned his brain through thinking
so much about it." Men are, therefore, half-afraid to speak of such a
subject; but, beloved, we are not afraid to talk of it, for Christ's kingdom
is an everlasting kingdom, and we may talk of the glory of the future as
well as of the past. Some say that Christ's Church is in danger. There are
many churches that are in danger; and the sooner they tumble down, the
better; but the Church of Christ has a future that shall never end; it has a
future that shall never become dim; it has a future which shall eternally
progress in glory. Her glory now is the glory of the morning twilight; it
soon shall be the glory of the blazing noon. Her riches now are but the
riches of the newly-opened mine; soon she shall have riches much more
abundant and far more valuable than any she has at present. She is now
young; by-and-by, she will come, not to her dotage, but to her maturity. She
is like a fruit that is ripening, a star that is rising, a sun that is
shining more and more unto the perfect day; and soon she will blaze forth in
all her glory, "fair as the moon, clear as the sun and terrible as an army
with banners." O Christian, here is a topic worthy of thy conversation! Talk
of the glory of thy Master's kingdom. Often speak of it while others amuse
themselves with stories of sieges and battles; while they are speaking of
this or that or the other event in history, tell them the history of the
monarchy of the King of kings; speak to them concerning the fifth great
monarchy in which Jesus Christ shall reign for ever and ever.
But
I must not forget briefly to hint at the other subject of the saints'
conversation: "and shall talk of thy power." It is not simply of
Christ's kingdom of which we are to speak, but also of his power. Here,
again, the psalmist gives us something which will help us to a division of
our subject. In the 14th and 15th verses, mention is made of three kinds of
power of which we ought to speak: "The Lord upholdeth all that fall, and
raiseth up all those that be bowed down. The eyes of all wait upon thee; and
thou givest them their meat in due season."
First,
the Christian should speak of Christ's upholding power. What a
strange expression this is, "The Lord upholdeth all that fall"! Yet remember
John Bunyan's quaint old saying,—
"He that is down needs fear no fall;
He that is low, no pride;
He that is humble, ever shall
Have God to be his guide."
So David says, "The Lord upholdeth all that fall." What a singular
expression! How can he hold up those that fall? Yet those that fall, in this
sense, are the only persons that stand. It is a remarkable paradox; but it
is true. The man who stands on his feet, and says, "I am mighty,—I am strong
enough to stand alone;"—down he will go; but he who falls into Christ's
arms, he who says,—
"But, oh! for this no power have I,
My strength is at thy feet to lie;"—
that man shall not fall. We may well talk, then, of Christ's upholding
power. Tell it to Christians; tell how he kept you when your feet were going
swift to hell; how, when fierce temptations did beset you, your Master drove
them all away; how, when the enemy was watching, he compassed you with his
mighty strength; how, when the arrows fell thickly around you, his mighty
arm did hold the shield before you, and so preserved you from them all. Tell
how he saved you from death, and delivered your feet from falling by making
you, first of all, fall down prostrate before him.
Next,
talk of his exalting power: "He raiseth up all those that be bowed
down." Oh, how sweet it is, beloved, sometimes to talk of God's exalting
power after we have been hewed down! I love to come into this pulpit, and
talk to you as I would in my own room. I make no pretensions to preaching at
all, but simply tell you what I happen to feel just now. Oh, how sweet it is
to feel the praisings of God's grace when you have been bowed down! Cannot
some of us tell that, when we have been bowed down beneath a load of
affliction, so that we could not even move, the everlasting arms have been
around us, and have lifted us up? When Satan has put his foot on our back,
and we have said, "We shall never be raised up any more," the Lord has come
to our rescue. If we were only to talk on that subject in our conversation
with one another, no Christian need have spiritless conversation in his
parlour. But, nowadays, you are so afraid to speak of your own experience,
and the mercy of God to you, that you will talk any stuff and nonsense
rather than that. But, I beseech you, if you would do good in the world,
rehearse God's deeds of raising up those that be bowed down.
Moreover,
talk of God's providing power: "The eyes of all wait upon thee; and
thou givest them their meat in due season." We ought often to speak of how
God provides for his creatures in providence. Why should we not tell how God
has taken us out of poverty, and made us rich; or, if he has not done that
for us, how he has supplied our wants day by day in an almost miraculous
manner! Some persons object to such a book as Huntington's " Bank of Faith,"
and I have heard some respectable people call it "The Bank of Nonsense." Ah!
if they had ever been brought into Huntington's condition, they would see
that it was indeed a bank of faith, and not a bank of nonsense; the nonsense
was in those who read it, in their unbelieving hearts, not in the book
itself. And he who has been brought into many straits and trials, and has
been divinely delivered out of them, would find that he could write a "Bank
of Faith" as good as Huntington's if he liked to do so; for he has had as
many deliverances, and he could rehearse the mighty acts of God, who has
opened his hands, and supplied the wants of his needy child. Many of you
have been out of a situation, and you have cried to God to furnish you with
one, and you have had it. Have you not sometimes been brought so low,
through painful affliction, that you could not rest? And could you not
afterwards say, "I was brought low, and he helped me"? Yes; "I was brought
low, and he helped me out of my distress"? Yes; I see some of you nodding
your heads, as much as to say, "We are the men who have passed through that
experience; we have been brought into great straits, but the Lord has
delivered us out of them all." Then do not be ashamed to tell the story. Let
the world hear that God provides for his people. Go, speak of your Father.
Do as the child does, who, when he has a little cake given to him, will take
it out, and say, "Father gave me this." Do so with all your mercies; go and
tell all the world that you have a good Father, a gracious Father, a
heavenly Provider; and though he gives you a hand-basket portion, and you
only live from hand to mouth, yet tell how graciously he gives it, and that
you would not change your blest estate for all the world calls good or
great.
II.
I must be brief in speaking upon THE CAUSES WHICH WILL MAKE CHRISTIANS TALK
OF THE GLORY OF CHRIST'S KINGDOM AND HIS POWER.
One
cause is, that it is the kingdom of their own King. We do not expect
French people to talk much about the victories of the English; and I suppose
there is no Russian who would pay very many compliments to the prowess of
our arms; but they will all talk about their own monarchs. Well, that is the
reason why a Christian should speak of the glory of his Master's kingdom,
and tell of his power, because it is the kingdom of his own King. Jesus
Christ may be or may not be another man's King; but, certainly he is mine;
he is the Monarch to whom I yield absolute submission. I am no longer an
alien and a stranger, but I am one of his subjects; and I will talk
concerning him, because he is my King.
Secondly,
the Christian must talk of the King's victories, because all those
victories were won for him; he recollects that his Master never fought a
battle for himself,—never slew an enemy for himself. He slew them all for
his people. And if for me,—a poor abject worm,—my Saviour did this, shall I
not talk of the glory of his kingdom, when he won all that glory for me?
Will I not speak of his power, when all that power was exercised for me? It
was all for me. When he died, he died for me; when he suffered, he suffered
for me; and when he led captivity captive, he did it for me. Therefore, I
must and will speak of his dear name. I cannot help testifying to the glory
of his grace in whatever company I may be.
Again,
the Christian must talk of it, because he himself has had a good
share in fighting some of the battles. You know how old soldiers will
"shoulder their crutch, and tell how fields were won." The soldier, home
from the Crimea, when he reads the accounts of the war, says, "Ah! I know
that trench; I worked in it myself. I know the Redan; I was one of the men
who attacked it." He is interested because he had a share in the battle.
"Quorum pars magna fui," said the old soldier, in the days of Virgil; so
we, if we have had a part in the battle, like to talk concerning it. And,
beloved, it is this which makes our battles dear to us; we help to fight
them. Though there was one battle which our great Captain fought alone, and
"of the people there was none with him," yet, in other victories, he has
permitted his people to help to crush the dragon's head. Recollect that you
have been a soldier in the army of the Lord; and that, in the last day, when
he gives away the medals in heaven, you will have one; when he gives away
the crowns, you will have one. We can talk about the battles, for we were in
them; we can speak of the victories, for we helped to win them. It is to our
own praise as well as to our Master's when we talk of his wondrous acts.
But
the best reason why the Christian should talk of his Master is this, if
he has Christ in his heart, the truth must come out; he cannot help it.
The best reason in all the world is the woman's reason, who said she should
do it because she would do it. So it often happens that the Christian cannot
give us much reason why he must talk about his Saviour, except that he
cannot help it, and he will not try to help it. It is in him, and it must
come out. If God has put a fire inside a man's heart, do you think it can be
kept down? If we have grace in our souls, will it never come out in
conversation! God does not put his candles in lanterns through which they
cannot be seen, but he sets them on candlesticks; he does not build his
cities in valleys, but he puts them on hills, so that they cannot be hid. So
he will not allow his grace to be concealed. A Christian man cannot help
being discovered. None of you ever knew a secret believer,—a secret
Christian. "Oh!" you say, "I am sure I have known such a man." But, look
you, he could not have been a secret believer if you knew him, he could not
be wholly secret; the fact that you knew him proves that he could not have
been a secret Christian. If a man says that nobody knows a thing, and yet he
knows it, he contradicts himself. You cannot, then, know a secret believer,
and you never will. There may be, indeed, some who are secret for a time,
but they always have to come out, like Joseph of Arimathaea, when he went
and begged the body of Jesus. Ah! there are some of you sitting in your pews
who fancy I shall never discover you; but I shall see you in the vestry
by-and-by. Some of you keep on coming Sunday after Sunday, and you say,
"Well, I must go by-and-by, and make a profession of faith." Yes, you will
not be able to sit there long; if you have the grace of God within you, you
will be obliged to come out, and put on the Lord Jesus Christ by being
baptized in his name. Why not do so without further delay? If you love your
Lord's name, come out at once, and own it.
III.
Lastly, WHAT WOULD BE THE EFFECT OF OUR TALKING MORE OP CHRIST'S KINGDOM AND
POWER?
The
first effect would be that the world would believe us more. The world
says, "What a parcel of hypocrites Christian people are!" And they are about
right concerning a good many of you. The world says, "Why, just look at
them! They profess a deal of religion; but if you hear them talk, they do
not speak differently from other people. They sing loudly enough, it is
true, when they go to church or chapel; but when do you hear them sing at
home? They go to the prayer-meeting; but have they a prayer-meeting at their
own family altar? Believe them to be Christians? No! Their lives give the
lie to their doctrines, and we do not believe them." If we oftener talked of
Christ, I am sure the world would think us to be better Christians, and they
would, no doubt, say so.
Again,
if our conversations were more concerning Christ, we, as Christian men,
should grow faster, and be more happy. What is the reason of the
bickerings and jealousies between Christians? It is this, because they do
not know one another. Mr. Jay used to tell a story about a man going out,
one foggy morning, and seeing something coming in the fog; he thought it was
a monster. But, by-and-by, as he came nearer, he exclaimed, "Oh, dear me!
that's my brother John!" So it often happens, when we see people at a
distance, and hold no spiritual conversation with them, we think they are
monsters. But when we begin to talk together, and get near to one another,
we say, "Why, it is brother John, after all!" There are more true brethren
about us than we dream of. Then, I say, let your conversation, in all
companies, wherever you may be, be so seasoned with salt that a man may know
you to be a Christian. In this way, you would remove bickerings better than
by all the sermons that could be preached, and be promoting a true
Evangelical Alliance far more excellent and efficient than all the alliances
which man can form.
Again,
if we oftener talked of Christ like this, how useful we might be in the
salvation of souls! O beloved, how few souls have some of you won to
Christ! It says, in the Canticles, "There is not one barren among them;" but
are not some of you barren,—without spiritual children? It was pronounced as
a curse upon one of old that he should die childless. Oh! methinks that,
though the Christian is always blessed, it is half a curse to die
spiritually childless. There are some of you who are childless to-night. You
never were the means of the conversion of a soul in all your lives. You
hardly remember having tried to win anyone for the Saviour. You are good
religious people so far as your outward conduct is concerned. You go to the
house of God, but you never concern yourselves about winning souls for
Jesus. O my God, let me die when I can no longer be the means of saving
souls! If I can be kept out of heaven a thousand years, if thou wilt give me
souls as my wages, let me still speak for thee; but if there be no more
sinners to be converted,—no more to be brought in by my ministry,—then let
me depart, and be "with Christ, which is far better."
Oh,
think of the crowns that are in heaven! "They that be wise shall shine as
the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as
the stars for ever and ever." So many souls, so many gems! Have you ever
thought what it would be to wear in heaven a starless crown? All the saints
will have crowns, but those who win souls will have a star in their crown
for every soul. Some of you, my friends, will wear a crown without a star;
would you like that? You will be happy, you will be blessed, you will be
satisfied, I know, when you will be there; but can you bear the thought of
dying childless,—of having none in heaven who shall be begotten unto Christ
by you,—never having travailed in birth for souls,—never having brought any
to Christ? How can you bear to think of it? Then, if you would win souls,
beloved, talk about Jesus. There is nothing like talking of him, to lead
others to him. I read of the conversion of a servant, the other day. She was
asked how she came to know the Lord, "Well," she said, "my master, at
dinner, happened to make some simple observation to his sister across the
table." The remark certainly was not addressed to the servant; and
her master had no notion that she was listening; yet his word was blessed to
her. It is well to talk behind the door that which you do not mind hearing
afterwards in the street; it is good to speak that in the closet which you
are not ashamed to listen to from the housetop, for you will have to listen
to it from the housetop by-and-by, when God shall come and call you to
account for every idle word you have spoken.
Souls
are often converted through godly conversation. Simple words frequently do
more good than long sermons. Disjointed, unconnected sentences are often of
more use than the most finely polished periods or rounded sentences. If you
would be useful, let the praises of Christ be ever on your tongue; let him
live on your lips. Speak of him always; when thou walkest by the way, when
thou sittest in thy house, when thou risest up, and even when thou liest
down, it may be that thou hast someone to whom it is possible that thou
mayest yet whisper the gospel of the grace of God. Many a sister has been
brought to know the Saviour by a sister's pleadings that were only heard in
the silence of the night. God give you, beloved, to fulfil our text! "They
shall speak of the glory of thy kingdom, and talk of thy power." They
shall do it, mark you; God will make you do it if you are his people. Go
and do it willingly. Begin, from this time forth, and keep on doing it for
ever. Say, concerning other conversation, "Begone far hence! avaunt! Thus
shall be my constant and only theme." Be like the harp of old Anacreon,
which would never sound any other note but that of love. The harpist wished
to sing of Cadmus, and of mighty men of wisdom, but his harp would resound
of love alone. Be, then, like Anacreon's harp,—sing of Christ alone! Christ
alone! Christ alone! Jesus, Jesus only! Make him the theme of your
conversation, for "they shall speak of the glory of thy kingdom, and talk of
thy power." God give you grace so to do, for Christ's sake! Amen.
Click for printer friendly page
Bible Commentary Index |