“May the Lord direct your hearts to the love of God and to the steadfastness of Christ.” (2 Thessalonians 3:5 (ESV)
The following is an excerpt from Pastor Charles H. Spurgeon. Spurgeon preached this text on June 17, 1888 at the Metropolitan Tabernacle. He entitled his message The Love of God and the Patience of Christ.
“Having turned the text over many times, I thought that we might be able to gather up a considerable amount of its real meaning if we thought of it thus; first, here are two precious things for us to enter into—the love of God and the patience of Christ, and, secondly, here are two eminent virtues to be acquired by us; the love of God, that is, love to God, and the patience of Christ—the patient waiting for Christ”.
“To begin, then, here are TWO PRECIOUS THINGS FOR US TO ENTER INTO. We cannot enter into them except as the Lord directs our hearts. There is a straight entrance into them, but we do not readily find it. It needs the Holy Spirit to direct our feet along the narrow way which leads to this great blessedness.”
“The first precious thing which we are to enter is the love of God. Beloved, we know the love of God in various ways. Many know it by having heard of it, even as a blind man may thus know the charms of an Alpine landscape. Poor knowledge this! Others of us have tasted of the love of God, have talked about the love of God, have prayed, and have sung concerning the love of God. All very well, but Paul meant a dove of a brighter feather. To be directed into the love of God is quite another thing from all that we can be told of it.”
“A fair garden is before us. We look over the wall, and are even allowed to stand at the door, while one hands out to us baskets of golden apples. This is very delightful. Who would not be glad to come so near as this to the garden of heavenly delights? Yet it is something more to be shown the door, to have the latch lifted, to see the gateway opened, and to be gently directed into the Paradise Sermon #2028 The Love of God and the Patience of Christ Volume 34 Tell someone how much you love Jesus Christ. 3 3 of God. This is what is wanted—that we may be directed into the love of God. Oh, that we may feel something of it while we meditate upon it!”
“This love we ought to know, and if the Lord will lead us into it, we shall know, that it is omnipresent. I mean by this, that whatever condition we may be in, the Lord is still active in love towards us. An omnipresent God means omnipresent love, and omnipotence goes hand-in-hand with omnipresence. The Lord will show Himself strong on the behalf of them that trust Him. His love, which never fails, is attended by a power that faints not, nor is weary. Oh, may the Lord lead you into such love as this! May the Holy Spirit lead you into the innermost secret of this joy of joys, this bliss unspeakable!”
“I would also wish that you may be directed into the love of God as to its entire agreement with His justice, His holiness, His spotless purity. I firmly believe that God loves sinners, but I am equally sure that He hates sin. I do believe that He delights in mercy, but I am equally clear that He never dishonors His justice, nor frustrates the sternest threat of His law. It is our joy that a holy God loves us, and does not find it needful to stain His holiness to save the unclean. We are loved by one so just, so righteous, that He could not pardon us without atonement.”
“I have thus spoken a little upon a vast theme. I fear it will seem to you mere surface-work, and yet I pray that it may lead you to deep knowledge of divine things, so that you may apprehend God’s love as yours, and then may feel the power, the unction, the savor, which come out of His love, making all your heart as sweet and aromatic as a chamber in which a box of precious ointment has been broken. Oh, that Sermon #2028 The Love of God and the Patience of Christ Volume 34 Tell someone how much you love Jesus Christ. 5 5 you might be led into the innermost secret of the Lord’s love till it shall saturate you, influence you, take possession of you, and carry you right away! The Lord direct you into the love of God.”
More to come. May the Lord’s truth and grace be found here. Have a blessed day in the Lord.
Soli deo Gloria!
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