On December 5, 1858, at the tender age of 24, Charles Haddon Spurgeon preached his finest sermon. What makes a great sermon? For a soul winner like Spurgeon, a test of greatness is the number of souls converted. Of this sermon, Charles confessed, “I don’t think I have ever preached another sermon in which so many souls were won to God.” From start to finish, the riveting exhortation, “”, is full of earnest pleas for sinners to come to Christ.
evangelistic tone
Although he was preaching on Sunday morning to the church assembled for worship, Charles does not assume that he is speaking only to the redeemed. Near the end of the sermon, he wittily speaks out against professing assistants who don’t live up to the high standards of the gospel.
Spurgeon points out many reasons why people refuse to come to Christ. Perhaps they are mutilated and blinded by sin. He then details the wonders of conversion to all who are willing to listen. Such willingness to expose hypocrisy and call sinners to conversion reveals the tone of this great sermon: extraordinarily evangelistic.
“I urge you, then, to look to Jesus Christ so that your load may be lightened. Sinner, you will never regret it.”
pleading with sinners
Pleading with his listeners to look to Christ, Spurgeon reminds them of the fragility of his life.
“What are they going to do in the midst of the flooding streams of the Jordan without a Savior? Death beds are cold things without the Lord Jesus Christ.”
Many strong men have died from the least of accidents. The date is December 5th, some listeners may not see Christmas coming. In such a large crowd, perhaps two or three will have left for the New Year. Charles is deliberately threatening, his goal being that more people can enjoy the sweetness of salvation.
“Come on then, let the threat have power over you. I am not telling you to threaten you for no reason, but with the hope that a brother’s threat can lead you to the place where God has prepared the gospel banquet.
Spurgeon makes the matter urgent. Time cannot be wasted. With a desperate plea, unable to bear the thought of his hearers being damned in everlasting fire, the passionate preacher makes his plea:
“I have no authority to ask you to come to Christ tomorrow. The Lord has not invited you to come to Him next Tuesday. Sinner, in the name of God I command you to repent and believe… It seems to me that all the hairs on my head stand on end at the thought of the damnation of any of my listeners.”
responding to objections
Twice in his sermon, Spurgeon speaks to objecting listeners who think they are too sinful to come to Christ. He offers good news to those who are spiritually poor.
“You have no faith, you have no virtue, you have no good works, you have no grace, and what is worse, you have no hope. Ah, my Lord has sent you an unmerited invitation. Come and be welcome to the wedding party of his love ”.
To those who oppose and think they are very guilty, those who call themselves “the greatest of sinners”, Charles exposes his false title. The greatest of sinners was Saul of Tarsus, and he is already in heaven! Even the worst sinner alive is still only the second worst, most reason to come to Christ. Spurgeon knows from experience that no one can sin too much to be outside of God’s grace. He was in despair and darkness, believing himself to be the most sinful and vile of creatures, when God saved him during a fateful snowstorm in 1850.
“The worse a man’s condition is, the more reason he should go to the hospital or see a doctor. The poorer you are, the greater reason you have to accept the charity offered to you by another. Now, Christ does not seek any merit from you. He gives freely. The worse you are, the more welcome you are.”
Without excuses
When he began to preach in the Surrey Gardens Music Hall, Spurgeon determined that “whether my hearers receive the gospel, or reject it, they must at least understand it.” He recalled that a friend once said as they were leaving, “There are eight thousand people this morning who will have no excuse on the day of judgment.” Despite the unwarranted criticism, Spurgeon preached with a high evangelistic fervor that day.
“It is of little importance to me to be condemned by the judgment of men, for my Master put his stamp very clearly on that message.”
Many heard the gospel clearly and understood it. However, after pleading, threatening, and pleading, Spurgeon acknowledges that some still will not be moved. Only God can save.
“What can we do then? We can now appeal to the Spirit… I cannot force them, but You, O Spirit of God, who have the key to the heart, You can force them”.
Spurgeon preached thousands of sermons. He also knew that conversions alone do not make a ministry great, only faithfulness. What makes this sermon great? God used him to faithfully point to Christ and convert sinners. That is why it is worthy of our consideration.
Read the entire sermon, “Force Them In”, .
Originally posted on . Translated by Felipe Ceballos Zúñiga.