Online Resource Library
Commentary Index | Return to PrayerRequest.com | DownloadCharles Spurgeon Collection: Spurgeon - C.H. - Sermons from Psalms: 093 PSA 145:11 Christian Conversation
TOPIC: Spurgeon - C.H. - Sermons from Psalms (Other Topics in this Collection)
SUBJECT: 093 PSA 145:11 Christian Conversation
Other Subjects in this Topic:
Christian Conversation
Autumn of 1858
by
C. H. SPURGEON
(1834-1892)
"They shall speak of the glory of thy kingdom, and talk of thy power."- Psa_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.
Provided by:
Tony Capoccia
Bible Bulletin Board
Box 314
Columbus, NJ, USA 08022
Internet: hyperlink
Email: tony@biblebb.com
....online since 1986