The Spurgeon Series 1855 & 1856. Charles H. Spurgeon

one who thinks it not stooping, but rather esteems others better than himself, counts it his honour to sit with the poorest of Christ’s people, and says, “If only my name may be written in the obscurest part of the book of life, it is enough for me, so unworthy am I of his notice!” Be like Christ in his humility.

      9. So might I continue, dear brethren, speaking of the various characteristics of Christ Jesus; but since you can think of them as well as I can, I shall not do so. It is easy for you to sit down and paint Jesus Christ, for you have him drawn out here in his word. I find that time would fail me if I were to give you an entire likeness of Jesus; but let me say, imitate him in his holiness. Was he zealous for his Master? So should you. Always go about doing good. Let no time be wasted. It is too precious. Was he self-denying, never looking to his own interest? So should you. Was he devout? So be fervent in your prayers too. Had he deference to his Father’s will? So submit yourselves to him. Was he patient? So learn to endure. And best of all, as the highest portraiture of Jesus, try to forgive your enemies, as he did; and let those sublime words of your Master, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing,” always ring in your ears. When you are prompted to revenge; when hot anger starts, bridle the steed at once, and let it not dash forward with you headlong. Remember, anger is temporary insanity. Forgive as you hope to be forgiven. Heap coals of fire on the head of your foe by your kindness to him. Good for evil, remember, is Godlike. Be Godlike then; and in all ways and by all means, so live that your enemies may say, “He has been with Jesus.”

      10. II. Now, WHEN SHOULD CHRISTIANS BE LIKE THIS? for there is an idea in the world that people ought to be very religious on a Sunday, but that it does not matter what they are on a Monday. How many pious preachers are there on the Sunday who are very impious preachers during the rest of the week! How many are there who come up to the house of God with a solemn countenance, who join in the song and profess to pray, yet have neither part nor lot in the matter, but are “in that gall of bitterness and in the bonds of iniquity!” This is true of some of you who are present here. When should a Christian, then be like Jesus Christ? Is there a time when he may strip off his regimentals — when the warrior may unbuckle his armour, and become like other men? Oh! no; at all times, and in every place let the Christian be what he professes to be. I remember talking some time ago with a person who said, “I do not like visitors who come to my house and introduce religion; I think we ought to have religion on the Sunday, when we go to the house of God, but not in the drawing room.” I suggested to the individual, that there would be a great deal of work for the upholsterers if there was no religion except in the house of God. “How is that?” was the question. “Why,” I replied, “we should need to have beds installed in all our places of worship, for surely we need religion to die with, and, consequently, every one would want to die there.” Indeed, we all need the consolations of God at last; but how can we expect to enjoy them unless we obey the precepts of religion during our life? My brethren, let me say, be like Christ at all times. Imitate him in public. Most of us live in some sort of public place; many of us are called to work before our fellow men every day. We are watched; our words are caught; our lives are examined — taken to pieces. The eagle eyed, argus eyed world observes everything we do; and sharp critics are upon us. Let us live the life of Christ in public. Let us take care that we exhibit our Master, and not ourselves — so that we can say, “It is no longer I who lives, but Christ who lives in me.” Take heed that you carry this into the church too, you who are church members. Be like Christ in the church. How many there are of you like Diotrephes, seeking preeminence. How many are trying to have some dignity and power over their fellow Christians, instead of remembering that it is the fundamental rule of all our churches, that there all men are equal — alike brethren, alike to be received as such. Carry out the spirit of Christ, then, in your churches, wherever you are; let your fellow members say of you, “He has been with Jesus.”

      11. But, most of all, take care to have religion in your houses. A religious house is the best proof of true piety. It is not my chapel, it is my house — it is not my minister, it is my home companion — who can best judge me; it is the servant, the child, the wife, the friend, that can discern most of my real character. A good man will improve his household. Rowland Hill once said he would not believe a man to be a true Christian, if his wife, his children, his servants, and even the dog and cat, were not the better for it. That is being religious. If your household is not the better for your Christianity — if men cannot say, “This is a better house than others,” then do not be deceived — you have nothing of the grace of God. Do not let your servant, upon leaving your employ, say, “Well, this is a queer sort of a religious family, there was no prayer in the morning; I began the day with my drudgery; there was no prayer at night, I was kept at home all the Sunday; once a fortnight, perhaps, I was allowed to go out in the afternoon, when there was nowhere to go where I could hear a gospel sermon; my master and mistress went to a place where of course they heard the blessed gospel of God; — that was all for them; as for me, I might have the dregs and leavings of some overworked curate in the afternoon.” Surely Christian men will not act in that way. No! Carry out your godliness in your family. Let every one say that you have practical religion. Let it be known and read in the house, as well as in the world. Take care of your character there; for what we are there, we really are. Our life abroad is often only a borrowed part, the actors part of a great scene, but at home the mask is removed, and men are what they seem. Take care of your home duties.

      12. Yet again, my brethren, before I leave the point, imitate Jesus in secret. When no eye sees you except the eye of God, when darkness covers you, when you are concealed from the observation of mortals, even then be like Jesus Christ. Remember his ardent piety, his secret devotion — how, after laboriously preaching the whole day, he stole away in the midnight shades to cry for help from his God. Remember how his entire life was constantly sustained by fresh inspirations of the Holy Spirit, derived by prayer. Take care of your secret life: let it be such that you will not be ashamed to read it at the last great day. Your inner life is written in the book of God, and it shall one day be opened before you. If the entire life of some of you were known, it would be no life at all: it would be a death. Indeed, even of some true Christian we may say, it is scarcely a life. It is a dragging on of an existence — one hasty prayer a day — one breathing, just enough to save our souls alive, but no more. Oh my brethren strive to be more like Jesus Christ. These are times when we need more secret prayer. I have had much fear all this week. I do not know whether it is true; but when I feel such a thing I like to tell it to those of you who belong to my own church and congregation. I have trembled lest by being away from our own place, you have ceased to pray as earnestly as you once did. I remember your earnest groans and petitions — how you would assemble together in the house of prayer in multitudes, and cry out to God to help his servant. We cannot meet in such style at present; but do you still pray in private? Have you forgotten me? Have you ceased to cry out to God? Oh! my friends, with all the entreaties that a man can use, let me appeal to you. Remember who I am, and what I am — a child, having little education, little learning, ability, or talent; and here am I called upon week after week to preach to this crowd of people. Will you not, my beloved, still plead for me? Has not God been pleased to hear your prayers ten thousand times? And will you now cease, when a mighty revival is taking place in many churches? Will you now stop your petitions? Oh! no; go to your houses, fall upon your knees, cry aloud to God to enable you still to hold up your hands like Moses on the hill, that Joshua below may fight and overcome the Amalekites. Now is the time for victory: shall we lose it? This is the high tide that will float us over the bar; now let us put out the oars; let us pull by earnest prayer, crying for God the Spirit to fill the sails! You who love God, of every place and every denomination, wrestle for your ministers; pray for them; for why should God not even now pour out his Spirit? What is the reason why we are to be denied Pentecostal seasons? Why not this hour, as one mighty band, fall down before him, and entreat him for his Son’s sake, to revive his drooping church? Then all men would discern, that we are truly the disciples of Christ.

      13. III. But now, thirdly, WHY SHOULD CHRISTIANS IMITATE CHRIST? The answer comes very naturally and easily. Christians should be like Christ, first, for their own sakes. For their honesty’s sake and for their credit’s sake, let them not be found liars before God and men. For their own healthful state, if they wish