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C.H. Spurgeon
Charles Haddon Spurgeon (1834 - 1892). British Baptist preacher and author born in Kelvedon, Essex, England. Converted at 15 in 1850 after hearing a Methodist lay preacher, he was baptized and began preaching at 16, soon gaining prominence for his oratory. By 1854, he pastored New Park Street Chapel in London, which grew into the 6,000-seat Metropolitan Tabernacle, where he preached for 38 years. Known as the "Prince of Preachers," Spurgeon delivered thousands of sermons, published in 63 volumes as The New Park Street Pulpit and Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit, still widely read. He founded the Pastors’ College in 1856, training over 900 ministers, and established Stockwell Orphanage, housing 500 children. A prolific writer, he penned classics like All of Grace (1886) and edited The Sword and the Trowel magazine. Married to Susannah Thompson in 1856, they had twin sons, both preachers. Despite battling depression and gout, he championed Calvinist theology and social reform, opposing slavery. His sermons reached millions globally through print, and his library of 12,000 books aided his self-education. Spurgeon died in Menton, France, leaving a legacy enduring through his writings and institutions.
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C.H. Spurgeon emphasizes the necessity of being emptied of self before God can fill us with His purpose and power. He illustrates that both ministers and teachers must first recognize their inadequacy and weakness, which prepares them for divine use. This process of emptying is essential for receiving God's blessings and effectively serving others. Spurgeon likens this transformation to a dish being cleaned and set aside before being filled with heavenly nourishment. Ultimately, he conveys that true effectiveness in ministry comes from a humble acknowledgment of our limitations.
Scriptures
Emptied to Be Filled
Before the minister shall preach the word to thousands, he must be emptied and made to tremble under a sense of inability. Before the Sunday-school teacher shall bring her girls to Christ, she shall be led to see how weak and insufficient she is. I do believe that whenever the Lord is about to use us in his household, he takes us like a dish and wipes us right out and sets us on the shelf, and then afterwards he takes us down and puts thereon his own heavenly meat, with which to fill the souls of others. There must as a rule be an emptying, a turning upside down, and a putting on one side, before the very greatest blessing comes. From a sermon by Charles Haddon Spurgeon entitled "Manoah's Wife And Her Excellent Argument."
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Charles Haddon Spurgeon (1834 - 1892). British Baptist preacher and author born in Kelvedon, Essex, England. Converted at 15 in 1850 after hearing a Methodist lay preacher, he was baptized and began preaching at 16, soon gaining prominence for his oratory. By 1854, he pastored New Park Street Chapel in London, which grew into the 6,000-seat Metropolitan Tabernacle, where he preached for 38 years. Known as the "Prince of Preachers," Spurgeon delivered thousands of sermons, published in 63 volumes as The New Park Street Pulpit and Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit, still widely read. He founded the Pastors’ College in 1856, training over 900 ministers, and established Stockwell Orphanage, housing 500 children. A prolific writer, he penned classics like All of Grace (1886) and edited The Sword and the Trowel magazine. Married to Susannah Thompson in 1856, they had twin sons, both preachers. Despite battling depression and gout, he championed Calvinist theology and social reform, opposing slavery. His sermons reached millions globally through print, and his library of 12,000 books aided his self-education. Spurgeon died in Menton, France, leaving a legacy enduring through his writings and institutions.