The Bible's Supreme Place
A true love for God's law brings great peace, restfulness, and protection in our lives.
C.H. Spurgeon emphasizes the supreme place of the Bible in the life of a believer, asserting that true love for God's law brings profound peace and protection. He explains that living in accordance with the Scriptures fosters a deep restfulness and equips believers to face trials without being offended or stumbled. The Holy Spirit, through the Word, provides comfort and calms the soul's tempests, allowing believers to navigate both prosperity and adversity with grace. Spurgeon encourages a reverent awe for the Scriptures, which serve as the ultimate authority in a believer's life, leading to joy and acceptance of faith's mysteries.
Text
Great peace have they which love thy law: and nothing shall offend them. (Psalm 119:165)
Yes, a true love for the great Book will bring us great peace from the great God and be a great protection to us. Let us live constantly in the society of the law of the Lord, and it will breed in our hearts a restfulness such as nothing else can. The Holy Spirit acts as a Comforter through the Word and sheds abroad those benign influences which calm the tempests of the soul.
Nothing is a stumbling block to the man who has the Word of God dwelling in him richly. He takes up his daily cross, and it becomes a delight. For the fiery trial he is prepared and counts it not strange, so as to be utterly cast down by it.
He is neither stumbled by prosperity -- as so many are -- nor crushed by adversity -- as others have been -- for he lives beyond the changing circumstances of external life. When his Lord puts before him some great mystery of the faith which makes others cry, "This is an hard saying; who can hear it?" the believer accepts it without question; for his intellectual difficulties are overcome by his reverent awe of the law of the Lord, which is to him the supreme authority to which he joyfully bows. Lord, work in us this love, this peace, this rest, this day.
Sermon Outline
- I. The Peace of Loving God's Law
- A. A true love for God's law brings great peace
- B. The law of the Lord breeds restfulness in our hearts
- II. The Comforting Influence of the Holy Spirit
- A. The Holy Spirit acts as a Comforter through the Word
- B. The Word calms the tempests of the soul
- III. Overcoming Life's Challenges
- A. The Word dwelling in us richly helps us overcome stumbling blocks
- B. We take up our daily cross with delight
Key Quotes
“The Holy Spirit acts as a Comforter through the Word and sheds abroad those benign influences which calm the tempests of the soul.” — C.H. Spurgeon
“Nothing is a stumbling block to the man who has the Word of God dwelling in him richly.” — C.H. Spurgeon
“He takes up his daily cross, and it becomes a delight.” — C.H. Spurgeon
Application Points
- Let us live constantly in the society of the law of the Lord to experience great peace and restfulness.
- The Holy Spirit acts as a Comforter through the Word, calming the tempests of our souls.
- By having the Word of God dwelling in us richly, we can overcome life's challenges and take up our daily cross with delight.