Read freely text sermons and articles by the speaker T. Austin Sparks in text and pdf format. He was ordained as a Baptist pastor at the age of 24, and from 1912 to 1926 led three congregations in Greater London. During these years, he was also closely related to Jessie Penn-Lewis and her publication and speaking ministry, the "Overcomer Testimony."
Among the many books that he wrote, at least three are regarded as Christian classics: The School of Christ, The Centrality and Supremacy of the Lord Jesus Christ and We Beheld His Glory. The primary theme of Sparks' books is the exaltation of the Lord Jesus Christ. He mentored Watchman Nee for many years and was very influential in his understanding of the Church Life.
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The Pierced Ear of the Servant
Reading: Ex. 21:5-6; Deut. 15:12-18.
Here we have the ear of the servant, and right on the surface there lies the connection between love, the ear, and abiding service. Love here is connected with the bored ear, and becomes the basis of this continuous ... read more
The Place and Work of the Holy Spirit
There is one line running right through this letter to the Galatians which seems to reveal perhaps the main factor in spiritual growth: the place and work of the Holy Spirit. We should do well if we were to follow that line through at this time. There are ... read more
The Place of God in His House
Reading: Isaiah 6:1-7.
“In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and His train filled the temple. Above it stood the seraphims: each one had six wings; with twain he covered his face, and with twa ... read more
The Positive Nature of the Holy Spirit
I came to cast fire upon the earth; and would that it were already kindled! But I have a baptism to be baptized with; and how am I straitened till it be accomplished! (Luke 12:49,50).
Being assembled together with them, he charged them not to depart fr ... read more
The Power and Challenge of the Kingdom of God
But I tell you of a truth (I tell you very definitely, emphatically, positively). There are some of them that stand here, who shall in no wise taste of death, till they see the kingdom of God" (Luke 9:27).
"The former treatise I made, O Theophilus, c ... read more
The Power and Presence of the Lord Jesus Christ
Reading: II Peter 1:16-19
"Concerning which salvation the prophets sought and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you: searching what time or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did point unto, ... read more
The Power of His Resurrection - Closing Scenes
Reading: 2 Kings 13:14-25.
In these verses we read of the closing scenes in the life of Elisha. There are three things which stand out.
1. The arrow of the Lord's deliverance.
2. The smiting of the ground with the arrows.
3. The body of the dead ... read more
The Prayer Beside the Altar
That part of the gospel by John which we have now reached has come to be known under two titles: "The High Priestly Prayer" and "The Holy of Holies." We might well combine them and speak of John 17 as "The High Priest in the Holy of Holies." This ch ... read more
The Presence of the Lord: "The Lord is With Us"
Reading: Exodus 25:8; John 1:14:
"And let them make Me a sanctuary; that I may dwell among them."
"And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth." ... read more
The Principle of Resurrection
"... and salt without prescribing how much" (Ezra 7:22).
"Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost its savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out and trodden under foot of men" (Matth ... read more
The Principle of Travail
The seed plot of this series of meditations is found in a little fragment at the end of the letter to the Galatians:
“And as many as shall walk by this rule, peace be upon them, and mercy, and upon the Israel of God”(Galatians 6:16).
We will put alo ... read more
The Priority of the Kingdom
"Be not anxious... which of you by being anxious... why are ye anxious? ...Be not therefore anxious... But seek ye first his kingdom, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you" (Matthew 6:25,27,28,31,33).
Let us remind ourse ... read more
The Prize of the On-High Calling
Reading: 2 Cor. 12:1; Phil. 3:12-14.
The Overcomer's Declaration
We are going to gather up what we have already said, and present it in a simple and definite way. In the words which we have read, penned by Paul to the Philippians, we have the Overc ... read more
The Prize of the On-High Calling
Reading: 2 Cor. 12:1; Phil. 3:12-14.
The Overcomer's Declaration
We are going to gather up what we have already said, and present it in a simple and definite way. In the words which we have read, penned by Paul to the Philippians, we have the Overc ... read more
The Process of Reproduction
Reading: Acts 10:1-11:18.
The New Creation Man in Process of Formation
Acts 10 follows on what we were considering in our last message. It concerns this particular dispensation or age of the Holy Spirit, and the specific object which the Holy Spirit ... read more
The Proclamation of the Kingdom
"And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world for a testimony unto all the nations; and then shall the end come" (Matthew 24:14).
Let us first analyse this verse, noticing its particular words.
"This Gospel [literally, 'go ... read more
The Purpose of Companions
"Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of a heavenly calling" (Hebrews 3:1).
"For we are become partakers of Christ, if we hold fast the beginning of our confidence firm unto the end" (Hebrews 3:14).
Our first thing to do is to consider briefly th ... read more
The Purpose of God
It is of immense help, in contemplating the manifold activities and energies of God, to be able to gather everything into one inclusive, comprehensive, and concrete issue. The Bible, from Genesis to the Revelation, covers a wide range and includes a vas ... read more
The Purpose Of God
Keeping in mind the passages that we have been considering (Isaiah 6, 2 Chronicles 26, and John 12:37-41), let us try to summarise what we have been saying so far.
GOD REQUIRES A PEOPLE OF PURPOSE
We have noted, firstly, that, in relation to His ful ... read more
The Purpose of the Ages
“...No one knoweth the Son, save the Father...”—Matt. 11:27.
“...it was the good pleasure of God... to reveal His Son in me...”—Gal. 1:15,16.
“...I count all things to be loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord...”—Phil. 3:8 ... read more
The Quality of Divine Life
We have pointed out that the Greek word for disciple means 'a learner', but I want to make a correction to that. The Gospels were not all written originally in Greek, but in Aramaic, and in Aramaic the word 'disciple' does not mean a student, but an a ... read more
The Quest of the Eyes of Flame
Reading: Revelation 1:1-20; 2:1.
By way of a brief introductory word let us focus your attention upon what we feel to be the Lord's concern with His people at this time.
In the second and third chapters of the Book of the Revelation we have the L ... read more
The Reinforcement of Spirituality
In the life of the people of God, whether individually or corporately, there constantly occur times of crisis, or turning-points. The Old Testament describes many such times of particular and peculiar peril in the life of the Lord's people, and shows how ... read more
The Reiterated Appeal
Very early in this letter to the Hebrews the writer, having made a many-sided and very great comparison and contrast between the greatest persons and things of the old dispensation and Jesus the Son of God, launches an inclusive appeal and warning in supe ... read more
The Relatedness of All Else
Reading: Rev. 21:22; 22:3; Matt. 4:8-10; 1 Cor. 15:28.
"Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve."
"... That God may be all in all."
"... The Lord God the Almighty, and the Lamb, are the temple thereof."
In our prev ... read more
The Relationship Between The Cup and The Fire
Reading: Mark 10:35-39; Matthew 26:27,28,39,42; Luke 22:20; John 18:11; 1 Corinthians 10:16; 11:26.
I came to cast fire upon the earth; and would that it were already kindled! But I have a baptism to be baptized with; and how am I straitened till it be ... read more
The Release of the Lord
That enlargement through straitening is an abiding law of the Kingdom of the Heavens in this age is a well-known truth. Its implications are various and its instances are numerous. One of its too oft-unrecognized implications is that efforts at enlargem ... read more
THE RELEVANCE OF CHRIST
THE words "Christ shall be magnified in my body" (Philippians 1:20) not only provide the key to the epistle to the Philippians but also the secret of Paul's radiant and fruitful life. All through the four chapters he took pleasure in expressing his joy ... read more
The Relevance of Christ (Philippians)
The words "Christ shall be magnified in my body" (Philippians 1:20) not only provide the key to the epistle to the Philippians but also the secret of Paul's radiant and fruitful life. All through the four chapters he took pleasure in expressing his joyf ... read more
The Responsibility of The Christian
Our final word will be very simple, but I trust vital. I ask you to look again at the Letters to Timothy, with special reference to four very brief series, or groups, of fragments.
Here is the first series:
1 Tim. 1:11: "...the gospel... which was ... read more
The Rest And The Courage Of Faith (Hebrews 4:9)
"There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God" (Heb 4:9).
"So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief" (Heb. 3:19).
"Then the children of Judah came unto Joshua in Gilgal: and Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenezite said u ... read more
The Resurrection or Spiritual Body
The origin of the life of a child of God as such is spiritual—"that which is born of the Spirit is spirit" (John 3:6). The sustenance also of the life of such is spiritual. "As the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father; so he that eat ... read more
The Resurrection, Ascension and Exaltation of Christ
We have now reached so far on in our consideration as to make wise and profitable a brief review before we take the next specific steps.
We began these meditations by noting that the Bible focuses everything upon a primal rift and rupture in Heaven and ... read more
The Retrospective Feature
I want at this point to return for a few moments to the matter of the boards of the Tabernacle, referred to in our first chapter, when we saw God's provision for reinforcing the corners, the turning-points, with an extra board. Turning-points or angles a ... read more
The Return of Grace
We proceed to a further small fragment in this great matter which has been opened to us concerning the change from the old Israel to a new Israel, which was declared by the Lord Jesus Himself when He said to the leaders and representatives of the old Isra ... read more
The Revelation of the Father (John 16:1 - 17:26)
Reading: John 16:1 - 17:26
I want you just to pass your eye over that prayer again - "He said, Father... O Father... I come to thee. Holy Father, keep them... As thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee... Father, that which thou hast given me... O ri ... read more
The Rights of God
There are three short series of passages of Scripture in connection with each of these to which I would direct you at the outset.
The Christ
Col. 1:13-18; Heb. 2:5-10,16; Eph. 1:22; 4:10.
The Church
Eph. 1:22; 2:14-16; 3:20-21.
The Antichrist
... read more
The Rights of God and Grace
Reading: Luke 4:17–27.
“And there was delivered unto Him the book of the prophet Isaiah. And when He had opened the book, He found the place where it was written, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He hath anointed Me to preach the gospel to t ... read more
The Saving Power of Divine Vision (Proverbs 29:18)
(A Message as Spoken)
"Where there is no vision, the people perish" ("the people cast off restraint" - R.V.). (Proverbs 29:18).
That verse might be translated, "Where there is no vision, the people disintegrate" or "fall apart" or "go to pieces".
... read more
The School of Sonship unto Adoption
READING: Rom. 8:14,17,19,21,23,29; Gal. 4:5-7; Eph. 1:5-6; Heb. 1:1-2; 3:6-8,14-15; 5:8-14; 12:5-7,9,11.
Continuing our contemplation of the spiritual house, we are now to consider the matter of the School of sonship unto adoption. I hesitate to go ove ... read more
The Sealing of His Brethren
“...In whom ye also, having heard the word of the truth, the gospel of your salvation, — in whom, having also believed, YE WERE SEALED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT OF PROMISE, WHICH IS AN EARNEST OF OUR INHERITANCE, unto the redemption of God’s own possession, un ... read more
The Secret Revealed
“...it hath now been revealed unto His holy apostles and prophets in the Spirit”;
“According to the purpose of the ages (R.V. margin) which He purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Eph. 3:5,11).
As we now arrive at the very heart of the whole matter, it ... read more
The Sending Out of Spies
We are continuing in the first five chapters of the Book of Joshua, but I want to read two verses from the New Testament:
"By faith they passed through the Red sea as by dry land: which the Egyptians assaying to do were swallowed up. By faith the wall ... read more
The Serpent, The Curse: Jesus Lifted Up
(6) The Serpent, the Curse: Jesus Lifted Up
"And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: that whosoever believeth may in him have eternal life" (John 3:14,15).
Here is the Old Testament backgroun ... read more
The Servant
Reading: Isa. 52:13-15; 53:1-12.
"Behold, my servant..." (Isa. 52:13).
"Behold, the Lamb of God" (John 1:29).
"Behold, the man!" (John 19:5).
"Behold, your King!" (John 19:14).
We are going to be quite brief and simple in what we say in ... read more
The Servant's Continual Need of Grace
Reading: Luke 9:28-36; Matt. 17:1-9; Mark 14:66-72; 2 Pet. 1:18.
One would not put these Scriptures together in this way - for it would seem rather unfair to Peter - but for the fact that this account given in "Mark" of Peter's denial was virtually ... read more
The Servant's Hands
"Moses put of the blood... upon the thumb of their right hand" (Lev. 8:24).
"If thy right hand causeth thee to stumble, cut it off" (Matt. 5:30).
"Ye yourselves know that these hands ministered unto my necessities" (Acts 20:34).
"We toil, work ... read more
