These are highlights of a sermon by Charles Spurgeon about Christmas, given on 12/24/1863.
"EVERY season has its own proper fruit: apples for autumn, holly berries for
Christmas. The earth brings forth according to the period of the year, and with man there is a time for every purpose under heaven. At this season,
the world is engaged in congratulating itself and in expressing its
complimentary wishes for the good of its citizens; let me suggest extra and
more solid work for Christians. As we think to-day of the birth of the
Savior, let us aspire after a fresh birth of the Savior in our hearts; ...that we may go again to the Bethlehem of our spiritual nativity and do our first works, .....
I selected this text this morning because it seemed to indicate to me four
ways of serving God, four methods of executing holy work and exercising
Christian thought. Each of the verses sets before us a different way of sacred service. Some, it appears, published abroad the news, told to others
what they had seen and heard; some wondered with a holy marvelling and
astonishment; one, at least, according to the third of the verses, pondered,
meditated, thought upon these things; and others, in the fourth place,
glorified God and gave him praise.
-the mystery of God incarnate for our sake, bleeding and dying that we might neither bleed nor die, descending that we might ascend, and wrapped in swaddling bands that we might be unwrapped of the grave-clothes of corruption.
Here, dear brethren, is one way for you to keep a right holy, and in some
sense a right merry, Christmas. Imitate these humble men, of whom it is
said, “When they had seen it they made known abroad the saying which
was told them concerning the child.”
WONDER, ADMIRATION, AND ADORATION.
Let me suggest to you that holy wonder at what God has done should be
very natural to you. That God should consider his fallen creature, man, and
instead of sweeping him away with the besom of destruction should devise
a wonderful scheme for his redemption, and that he should himself
undertake to be man’s Redeemer, and to pay his ransom price, is, indeed, marvellous!
You will observe there was an exercise on the part of this blessed woman of
“And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying
which was told them concerning this child. And all they that heard
it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds.
But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart.
And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the
things that They had heard and seen, as it was told unto them.” — Luke 2:17-20.
which was told them concerning this child. And all they that heard
it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds.
But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart.
And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the
things that They had heard and seen, as it was told unto them.” — Luke 2:17-20.
"EVERY season has its own proper fruit: apples for autumn, holly berries for
Christmas. The earth brings forth according to the period of the year, and with man there is a time for every purpose under heaven. At this season,
the world is engaged in congratulating itself and in expressing its
complimentary wishes for the good of its citizens; let me suggest extra and
more solid work for Christians. As we think to-day of the birth of the
Savior, let us aspire after a fresh birth of the Savior in our hearts; ...that we may go again to the Bethlehem of our spiritual nativity and do our first works, .....
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| Spurgeon |
ways of serving God, four methods of executing holy work and exercising
Christian thought. Each of the verses sets before us a different way of sacred service. Some, it appears, published abroad the news, told to others
what they had seen and heard; some wondered with a holy marvelling and
astonishment; one, at least, according to the third of the verses, pondered,
meditated, thought upon these things; and others, in the fourth place,
glorified God and gave him praise.
1
To begin then, in the first place, we find that some celebrated the Savior’s birth by PUBLISHING ABROAD what they had heard and seen; As for us, beloved, have we also not something to relate which demands utterance? If we talk of Jesus, who can blame us?-the mystery of God incarnate for our sake, bleeding and dying that we might neither bleed nor die, descending that we might ascend, and wrapped in swaddling bands that we might be unwrapped of the grave-clothes of corruption.
Here, dear brethren, is one way for you to keep a right holy, and in some
sense a right merry, Christmas. Imitate these humble men, of whom it is
said, “When they had seen it they made known abroad the saying which
was told them concerning the child.”
2
We set before you, now, another mode of keeping Christmas, by HOLY WONDER, ADMIRATION, AND ADORATION.
Let me suggest to you that holy wonder at what God has done should be
very natural to you. That God should consider his fallen creature, man, and
instead of sweeping him away with the besom of destruction should devise
a wonderful scheme for his redemption, and that he should himself
undertake to be man’s Redeemer, and to pay his ransom price, is, indeed, marvellous!
3
A third manner of holy work, namely, HER SACRED HEART PONDERING AND PRESERVING,.....She wondered: she did more-she pondered. You will observe there was an exercise on the part of this blessed woman of
the three great parts of her being;
her memory-she kept all these things;
her affections-she kept them in her heart;
her intellect-she pondered them, considered them, weighed them, turned them over; so that memory, affection, and understanding, were all exercised about these things.
Note the way in which her concern was shown; she was a woman, and the grace which shines best in the female is not boldness-that belongs to the masculine mind; but affectionate modesty is a feminine beauty, and hence we do not read so much of her telling abroad as pondering within. No doubt she had her circle, and her word to speak in it; but for the most part she, like another Mary, sat still in the house.
Oh, beloved, here is blessed Christmas work for you, if, like Mary, you lay up all these things in your heart and ponder upon them.
4
The last piece of holy Christmas work is to come. “The shepherds
returned,” we read in the twentieth verse, “GLORIFYING AND PRAISING GOD for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto
them.” Returned to what? Returned to business to look after the lambs and
sheep again. Then if we desire to glorify God we need not give up our
business.
returned,” we read in the twentieth verse, “GLORIFYING AND PRAISING GOD for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto
them.” Returned to what? Returned to business to look after the lambs and
sheep again. Then if we desire to glorify God we need not give up our
business.
Some people get the notion into their heads that the only way in which they
can live for God is by becoming ministers, missionaries, or Bible women.
Alas! how many of us would be shut out from any opportunity of
magnifying the Most High if this were the case. The shepherds went back
to the sheep-pens glorifying and praising God.
can live for God is by becoming ministers, missionaries, or Bible women.
Alas! how many of us would be shut out from any opportunity of
magnifying the Most High if this were the case. The shepherds went back
to the sheep-pens glorifying and praising God.
Shepherds glorified God, and so may
you. Remember there is one thing in which they had
a preference over the
wise men. The wise men wanted a star to lead them; the shepherds did not.
The wise men went wrong even with a star, stumbled into Jerusalem; the
shepherds went straight away to Bethlehem. Simple minds sometimes find
a glorified Christ where learned heads, much puzzled with their lore, miss him.
you. Remember there is one thing in which they had
wise men. The wise men wanted a star to lead them; the shepherds did not.
The wise men went wrong even with a star, stumbled into Jerusalem; the
shepherds went straight away to Bethlehem. Simple minds sometimes find
a glorified Christ where learned heads, much puzzled with their lore, miss him.