Author Archives: zachkispert

588. The Prodigal’s Reception — Luke 15:20

“And he arose and came to his father.  But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him.”—Luke 15:20.

Main Points:
1. The condition of many seekers – 5:16
2. The matchless kindness of the Father – 20:11


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The following are select quotes from this sermon.
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O you who know the Lord… while we talk of what he is willing and able to do to the far off sinners, let your souls leap with joyous gratitude at the recollection of how he received you into his love, and made you partakers of his grace in days gone by.

…the sinner is a long way off from God when you consider his utter want of strength to come to God. Even such strength as God has given him is very painfully used. God has given him strength enough to desire salvation, but those desires are always accompanied with deep and sincere grief for sin.

if you had to come to God by the way of your own righteousness you would never reach him, for he is not thus to be found. Christ Jesus is the way. He is the safe, sure, and perfect road to God. He who sees Jesus, has seen the Father; but he who looks to himself will only see despair. The road to heaven by Mount Sinai is impassable by mortal man, but Calvary leads to glory; the secret places of the stairs are in the wounds of Jesus.

I recollect a young prodigal who was received in the same way. Here he stands, it is I, myself. I sat in a little chapel, little dreaming that my Father saw me; certainly I was a great way off. I felt something of my need of Christ, but I did not know what I must do to be saved; though taught the letter of the Word, I was spiritually ignorant of the plan of salvation; though taught it from my youth up, I knew it not. I felt, but I did not feel what I wished to feel. If ever there was a soul that knew itself to be far off from God, I was that soul; and yet in a moment, in one single moment, no sooner had I heard the words, “Look unto me and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth,” no sooner had I turned my eyes to Jesus crucified, than I felt my perfect reconciliation with God, I knew my sins to be forgiven. There was no time for getting out of my heavenly Father’s way, it was done, and done in an instant; and in my case, at least, he ran and fell upon my neck to kiss me. I hope that will be the case this morning; before you can get out of this place, before you can get back to your old doubtings, and fearings, and sighings, and cryings, I hope here the Lord of love will run and meet you, and fall upon your neck and kiss you.

Charles Haddon Spurgeon


Sermon 588, The Prodigal’s Reception, Luke 15, Spurgeon podcast, Spurgeon sermon, Hear Spurgeon, Spurgeon, Spurgeon gospel, evangelism, prodigal son, God the Father

580. God is with Us — Romans 8:31

“It is only when we behold the Lord Jehovah in the person of Jesus Christ that our hope and joy can begin; when we see Deity incarnate, when we see God surrendering the glories of his throne to become man, and then stooping to the shameful death of the cross—it is then that we perceive Emmanuel, “God with us,” and perceiving him, we feel that he is on our side.” ~ C.H.S.

“If God is for us, who can be against us?”—Romans 8:31.

Main Points:
1. How is God for us? – 3:08 
2. Who is against us? – 19:12
3. who is not against us? – 34:27

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It is not every man who can say that God is on his side; on the contrary, the most of men are fighting against the Lord. By nature we are the friends of sin, and then God is against us; with all the powers of justice he is against us for our destruction unless we turn and repent. Is God for us? Remember he is so if we have been reconciled to him by the death of his Son; but an absolute God must be in arms against us, for even our God is a consuming fire. It is only when we behold the Lord Jehovah in the person of Jesus Christ that our hope and joy can begin; when we see Deity incarnate, when we see God surrendering the glories of his throne to become man, and then stooping to the shameful death of the cross—it is then that we perceive Emmanuel, “God with us,” and perceiving him, we feel that he is on our side. Question thyself then, soul, whether thou art in Christ. He who is not with Christ is not with God. If thou art without Christ, thou art without God, and a stranger from the commonwealth of Israel; but if through the sprinkled blood thou canst say that thou art reconciled unto God, then take the full meaning of this text, and feast upon it, and be thou blessed, for “If God be for us, who can be against us?”

All the people of God are wrapped about with the righteousness of Christ, and, wearing that glorious robe, the eye of God sees no fault in them—Jehovah sees no sin in Jacob, neither iniquity in Israel. Christ is seen, and not the sinner; Christ being therefore perfection’s own self, the believer is seen as perfect in him. God regards his people with the same affection as that wherewith he loves his only-begotten Son. He hath pronounced them clean, and clean they are; he hath proclaimed them just, covered with the righteousness of Christ, and just they are.

…it is impossible for any human speech to bring out the depth of the meaning of how God is for us. He was for us before the worlds were made: he was for us, or else he never would have given his Son; he was for us even when he smote the only-begotten, and laid the full weight of his wrath upon him—he was for us, though he was against him; he was for us when we were ruined in the fall—he loved us notwithstanding all; he was for us when we were against him, and with a high hand were bidding him defiance: he was for us, or else he never would have brought us humbly to seek his face. He has been for us in many struggles; we have had to fight through multitudes of difficulties; we have had temptations from without and within—how could we have held on until now if he had not been with us? He is for us, let me say, with all the infinity of his heart, with all the omnipotence of his love; for us with all his boundless wisdom; arrayed in all the attributes which make him God he is for us—eternally and immutably for us…

Depend on it, my brother, thou mayst think thyself to be safe against Satan, but there is a joint in thy harness, and he will find it out; and remember, as one leak may sink a ship, so one weak point may be, and would be thy ruin, if God did not prevent it. But what matters the devil when we have this text—“If God be for us, who can be against us?” The devil is mighty, but God is almighty; Satan is strong, but all strength belongeth unto God. What is Satan, after all, but an enemy who has had his head broken? He is a broken-headed dragon, The Lord has a hook in his nose, and a bridle in his jaws, and he knows how to pull him back. Sometimes I wish he would take him up a link or two, that he might not be so busy amongst some of our Churches; but he is a chained enemy—the Lord lets him go just so far, but never any further.

God the Father cannot be against us. He is our Father; he cannot be against his own children. He hath chosen us, he will not cast us away; he hath adopted us into his family, he will never discard us; he hath been pleased to ordain us unto eternal life, he will never reverse the decree.

…God the Son is not against us. O beloved, how sweetly he has been for us! Methinks I see him now, lifting up that face all covered with bloody sweat, and saying to every believer, “I am for thee; these gouts of gore fall to the dust for you; I sweat great drops of blood that I might redeem you.” He stands before Pilate; and when he is brought forth with the “Ecce homo,” I think I hear him say, “Poor sinner, I am for you.” I see him carrying the cross upon his bleeding shoulders, and every step he takes is to this tune, “I am for you.” I behold him bleeding upon the tree with outstretched hands, and all his wounds, and all the drops of blood which flow from his side, all say, “Christ is for you.” To-day, as he pleads before the eternal throne, this is the tenour of his plea, “I am for you.” When he shall come a second time without a sin-offering, unto salvation, the sound of the mighty trumpet which shall herald his advent, will ring out, “Christ is for you, O ye blood-bought saints.” When he shall sit upon the throne of his Father, and his kingdom shall come, whereof there shall be no end; this shall be the tenour of that kingdom, “I am for my people; I will rule my people righteously, and bless the nations upon earth.” Christ cannot be against you. You cannot look into that dear face of his, and think that he will ever leave you. Your husband is married to you, and he has proved his love by such indisputable tokens, that you must not, oh! you cannot doubt it. Child of God, I almost defy you to doubt the love of your Lord Jesus Christ. How can he put you away? Could he have bought you at such a price—could he have suffered so much for you, and yet leave you, throw you away upon the dunghill? Impossible! impossible! Those wounds for ever seal your everlasting security.

…the Holy Spirit cannot be against us. He must always, as the comforter, comfort his own people; as the illuminator he must lead us into the truth; as the great giver of life he must always quicken us from our death of sin. Whatever power the Holy Spirit has it is all engaged for us, “Lo! I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world.”

Charles Haddon Spurgeon


Sermon 580, God is with us, Romans 8, Spurgeon podcast, Spurgeon sermon, Spurgeon Christmas, predestination, justification, glorification, Spurgeon gospel, God for us,

574. The Superlative Excellence of the Holy Spirit — John 16:7

“God has given two great gifts to his people:
the first is, his Son for us; the second is, his Spirit to us.” ~C.H.S.
In this sermon, Spurgeon makes the case that the presence of the Holy Spirit is more advantageous for the church than the physical presence of Christ would be.

“Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you.”—John 16:7.

Main Points:
1. The bodily presence of Christ was precious – 5:13
2. The Spirit’s presence is better than Christ’s bodily presence – 9:57
3. The presence of the Spirit is superlatively valuable – 22:39
4. View the mysterious Spirit with awe and reverence – 34:46


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As silly children cry because they are called to drink the medicine which will heal their sicknesses, even so do we. Our gracious Saviour, however, loves us too wisely to spare us the trouble because of our childish fears; he foresees the advantage which will spring from our griefs, and therefore thrusts us into them out of wisdom and true affection.

God has given two great gifts to his people: the first is, his Son for us; the second is, his Spirit to us.

Christ crucified is of no practical value to us without the work of the Holy Spirit; and the atonement which Jesus wrought can never save a single soul unless the blessed Spirit of God shall apply it to the heart and conscience. Jesus is never seen until the Holy Spirit opens the eye: the water from the well of life is never received until the Holy Spirit has drawn it from the depths. As medicine unused for want of the physician’s word; as sweets untasted because out of reach; as treasure unvalued because hidden in the earth; such is Jesus the Saviour, until the Holy Spirit teaches us to know him, and applies his blood to our souls.

Remember, brethren, and here is another thought which should make the Spirit very dear to you, that without the Holy Spirit no good thing ever did or ever can come into any of your hearts—no sigh of penitence—no cry of faith—no glance of love—no tear of hallowed sorrow. Your heart can never palpitate with life divine, except through the Spirit; you are not capable of the smallest degree of spiritual emotion, much less spiritual action, apart from the Holy Ghost. Dead you lie, living only for evil, but absolutely dead for God until the Holy Ghost comes and raises you from the grave. There is nothing good in you today, my brother, which was not put there.

Charles Haddon Spurgeon


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561. Expiation — Isaiah 53:10 (Substitutionary Atonement)

“You do understand me, I trust, that God must punish sin, that he must punish you for sin unless some one else will suffer in your stead…” ~ C.H.S.


“You shall make his soul an offering for sin.”—Isaiah 53:10.

Main Points:
1. Sin deserves and demands punishment – 3:29
2. The provision of a substitute is an act of grace – 13:37
3. The most fitting person to be a substitute – 18:55
4. The substitutionary work is complete – 28:12


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I do implore you do not look upon the sacrifice of Christ as an act of mere vengeance on the Father’s part… Oh, no, dear friends, Jesus’ death is the effect of overwhelming and infinite love on the Father’s part, and every blow which wounds, every infliction which occasions sorrow, and every pang which rends his heart, speaks of the Father’s love…

You do understand me, I trust, that God must punish sin, that he must punish you for sin unless some one else will suffer in your stead, that Jesus Christ is the person who did suffer in the room and place of all those who ever have believed on him, who do believe in him, or ever shall believe in him, making for those who believe on him a complete atonement by his substitution in their place. 

Charles Haddon Spurgeon


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560. Christ is Glorious—Let Us Make Him Known — Micah 5:4

Listen as Spurgeon’s love for the Lord and evangelistic zeal burn hot.


“And he shall stand and shepherd his flock in the strength of the Lord, in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God. And they shall dwell secure, for now he shall be great to the ends of the earth.”—Micah 5:4.

Main Points:
1. The perpetual reign of Christ – 4:47
2. The perpetual continuation of his Church – 18:07
3. The greatness of our King – 28:10

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Notice first, that his reign is shepherd-like in its nature. The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them, but our Master washed his disciples’ feet. Earthly monarchs are often tyrants; their yoke is heavy, and their language domineering; but it is not so with our King; his yoke is easy, and his burden is light, for he is meek and lowly of heart. He is a shepherd-king. He has supremacy, but it is the superiority of a wise and tender shepherd over his needy and loving flock; he commands and receives obedience, but it is the willing obedience of the well-cared-for sheep, rendered joyfully to their beloved Shepherd, whose voice they know so well. He rules by the force of love and the energy of goodness. His power lies not in imperious threatenings, but in imperial lovingkindness.

His service is perfect freedom; to be his subject is to be a king; to serve him is to reign. 

There is no such wakeful watchman as the Lord Jesus. Is it not written, “I the Lord do keep it; I will water it every moment: lest any hurt it, I will keep it night and day.” Those eyes never slumber, and those hands never rest; that heart never ceases to beat with love, and those shoulders are never weary of carrying his people’s burdens. The Church may go through her dark ages, but Christ is with her in the midnight. She may pass through her fiery furnace, but Christ is in the midst of the flame with her. Her whole history through, wherever you find the Church, there shall you find the Church’s Lord. The head is never severed from the body, nor is the watchful care of this gracious husband towards his spouse suspended for an instant.

Oh! it is a joyful truth to consider that he who redeemed us was none other than God himself, he who led our captivity captive was Jehovah-Jesus; he who stands to-day representing the interests of his people is very God of very God, he who has sworn that every one of his people whom he hath redeemed by blood shall be brought safe to his Father’s right hand, is himself essential Deity.

Let your light shine before men; let your good works be such, that when they look upon you, they shall know that you have been with Jesus.


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556. The Sinner’s Friend — Matthew 11:19

[Jesus] will never love you less—he cannot love you more. ~ C.H.S.


“A friend of tax collectors and sinners.”—Matthew 11:19.

Main Points:
1. Jesus was the friend of sinners – 2:40
2. Jesus is the friend of sinners still – 20:36

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As soon as Jesus Christ, being born in the likeness of sinful flesh, has come to years of maturity, and has commenced his real life-work, he at once discloses his friendship for sinners by associating with them. You do not find him standing at a distance, issuing his mandates and his orders to sinners to make themselves better, but you find him coming among them like a good workman who stands over his work; he takes his place where the sin and the iniquity are, and he personally comes to deal with it. He does not write out a prescription and send by another hand his medicines with which to heal the sickness of sin, but he comes right into the lazar-house, touches the wounded, looks at the sick; and there is healing in the touch; there is life in the look. The great Physician took upon himself our sicknesses and bare our infirmities, and so proved himself to be really the sinner’s friend. Some people appear to like to have a philanthropic love towards the fallen, but yet they would not touch them with a pair of tongs. They would lift them up if they could, but it must be by some machinery—some sort of contrivance by which they would not degrade themselves or contaminate their own hands. Not so the Saviour. Up to the very elbow he seems to thrust that gracious arm of his into the mire, to pull up the lost one out of the horrible pit and out of the miry clay.

A special providence brings the woman to the well. The conventionalities of society forbid him to talk with her. But he breaks through the narrow bigotry of caste. A Samaritan by birth, he cares not for that; but will that most holy being condescend to have familiar conversation with her—a dishonour to her sex? He will. His disciples may marvel when they come back and find him talking with her, but he will do it. He begins to open up the Word of life to her understanding, and that woman becomes the first Christian missionary we ever hear of, for she ran back to the city, leaving her water-pot, and crying, “Come, see a man which told me all things that ever I did: is not this the Christ?” And they came and believed; and there was great joy in that city of Samaria.

As for the river of the Saviour’s love to sinners, I have only brought you to its banks. You have but stood on the bank and dipped your feet in the flood; but now prepare to swim. So fond was he of sinners that he made his grave with the wicked. He was numbered with the transgressors. God’s fiery sword was drawn to smite a world of sinners down to hell. It must fall on those sinners. But Christ loves them. His prayers stay the arm of God a little while, but still the sword must fall in due time. What is to be done? By what means can they be rescued? Swifter than the lightning’s flash I see that sword descending. But what is that in vision I behold? It falls—but where? Not on the neck of sinners; it is not their neck which is broken by its cruel edge; it is not their heart which bleeds beneath its awful force. No; the “friend of sinners” has put himself into the sinner’s place! and then, as if he had been the sinner, though in him was no sin, he suffers, bleeds, and dies—no common suffering—no ordinary bleeding—no death such as mortals know. It was a death in which the second death was comprehended; a bleeding in which the very veins of God were emptied. The God-man divinely suffered. I know not how else to express the suffering. It was a more than mortal agony, for the divine strengthened the human, and the man was made vast and mighty to endure through his being a God. Being God and man he endured more than ten thousand millions of men all put together could have suffered. He endured, indeed, the hells of all for whom he died, the torments, or the equivalent for the torments, which all of them ought to have suffered—the eternal wrath of God condensed and put into a cup, too bitter for mortal tongue to know, and then drained to its utmost dregs by the loving lips of Jesus. Beloved, this was love. “Herein is love, that while we were yet sinners, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.” “Greater love hath no man than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.” This Christ has done, and he is, therefore demonstrated to be the friend of sinners.

… he will never love you less—he cannot love you more.

If you will select me the grossest specimen of humanity, if he be but born of woman, I will have hope of him yet, because the gospel of Christ is come to sinners, and Jesus Christ is come to seek and to save sinners. Electing love has selected some of the worst to be made the best. Redeeming love has bought, specially bought, many of the worst to be the reward of the Saviour’s passion. Effectual grace calls out and compels to come in many of the vilest of the vile; and it is therefore that I have tried tonight to preach my Master’s love to sinners.

Charles Haddon Spurgeon

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554. Enduring to the End — Matthew 10:22

Spurgeon’s grandfather, an “example of how honorable it is to endure to the end… fell asleep in Christ but a few hours” before this sermon was delivered.

“…the one who endures to the end will be saved.”—Matthew 10:22.

Main Points:
Perseverance is…
1. …the badge of saints – 16:57
2. …the target of our foes – 32:11
3. …the glory of Christ – 40:24
4. …the care of all believers – 44:27

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So have we seen, that earth’s sun may be eclipsed, earth’s stars may go out, and all human glory melt into shame. No true child of God perishes—hold that fast; this is the badge of a true child of God…

Let your prayer be not against death, but against sin.

Charles Haddon Spurgeon


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552. Do You Know Him? — Philippians 3:10

“Seek with the apostle, to give up everything of your own righteousness, and all other objects and aims in life, and say, “This I seek after, that I may know him.””
~ C.H.S.


“That I may know him.”—Philippians 3:10.

Main Points:
1. Knowledge from afar – 8:08
2. More knowledge of Christ – 20:11
3. What is this knowledge? – 31:57
4. Make this knowledge your own – 41:27

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Priest, altar, victim, everything Christ was. He gathers up all in himself, and when I see that he loved me, and gave himself for me, it is not enough to know this fact: I want to know him, the glorious person who does and is all this. I want to know the man who thus gave himself for me. I want to behold the Lamb once slain for me.

Seek with the apostle, to give up everything of your own righteousness, and all other objects and aims in life, and say, “This I seek after, that I may know him.”

…if I know him I shall have a very vivid sense of his personality. “That I may know him.” He will not be to me a myth, a vision, a spirit, but a person, a real solid person, as much real as I am myself, or as my dearest friend can be to me. My soul, never be satisfied with a shadowy Christ. My heart, be thou never content until he hath embraced thy soul, and proved to thee that he is the lover of his people.

…the more I know of Christ, the more I shall want to know. The deeper I plunge the greater the deeps which will be revealed. The higher I climb the loftier will be the summits which invite my eager footsteps. I shall want the more as I get the more. My spiritual thirst will increase, though in another sense it will be entirely quenched.

I wish I had time to urge and press you, believers, onward to seek to know him. Paul, you see, gave up everything for this—you will be seeking what is worth having. There can be no mistake about this. If Paul will renounce all, there must be a reward which is worthy of the sacrifice.

You complain that you do not feel the guilt of sin; that you cannot humble yourself enough. The sight of Christ is the very best means of setting sin in its true colours. There is no repenting like that which comes from a look of Christ’s eye: the Lord turned and looked upon Peter, and he went out and wept bitterly. So it is not a sight of the law, it is the sight of Christ looking upon us which will break our hearts.

A sight of Christ, brethren, will keep you from despondency, and doubts, and despair. A sight of Christ! How shall I stir you to it? It will fire you to duty; it will deliver you from temptation; it will, in fact, make you like him. A man is known by his company; and if you have become acquainted with Christ, and know him, you will be sure to reflect his light. It is because the moon hath converse with the sun, that she hath any light for this dark world’s night; and if you talk with Christ, the Sun, he will shine on you so gloriously, that you, like the moon, shall reflect his light, and the dark night of this world shall be enlightened by your radiance. The Lord help us to know him.

Charles Haddon Spurgeon


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544. Lessons from Lydia’s Conversion — Acts 16:13-14

“…it was assuredly a work of grace, for we are expressly told, “whose heart the Lord opened.” She did not open her own heart. Her prayers did not do it; Paul did not do it; the Lord himself must open the heart, to receive the things which make for our peace.” ~ C.H.S.


“And on the Sabbath day we went outside the gate to the riverside, where we supposed there was a place of prayer, and we sat down and spoke to the women who had come together. One who heard us was a woman named Lydia, from the city of Thyatira, a seller of purple goods, who was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to pay attention to what was said by Paul.”—Acts 16:13-14.

Main Points:
1. Lydia’s conversion in itself – 4:13
2. In contrast with another – 22:26
3. In comparison with that other – 32:09
4. As a model of conversions in our day – 36:20

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…it was assuredly a work of grace, for we are expressly told, “whose heart the Lord opened.” She did not open her own heart. Her prayers did not do it; Paul did not do it; the Lord himself must open the heart, to receive the things which make for our peace. To operate savingly upon human hearts belongs to God alone. We can get at human brains, but God alone can arouse human affections. We may reach them, we grant you, in the natural and common way, but so to reach them, as that the enemy of God shall become his friend, and that the stony heart shall be turned into flesh, is the work of grace, and nothing short of divine power can accomplish it.

“Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, saith the Lord.” He alone can cut the bands which fasten the heart; he alone can put the key into the hole of the door and open it, and get admittance for himself. He is the heart’s master as he is the heart’s maker, and conversion in every case is the Lord’s work alone.

Brethren, I do not think much of a conversion where it does not touch a man’s substance; and those people who pretend to be Christ’s people, and yet live only for themselves, and do nothing for him or for his Church, give but sorry evidence of having been born again. A love to the people of God has ever been a distinguishing mark of the true convert.

Charles Haddon Spurgeon


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515. The Sinner’s Advocate — 1 John 2:1

“He seems to say to the great Father in the day when the sinner stands arraigned—“Yes, my Father, that sinner was unrighteous, but remember that I was accepted as his substitute; I stood to keep the law for him… I have covered him from head to foot with my doing and my dying; I have so arrayed him that not even the angels are adorned as he is, for though they may be clothed with the perfect righteousness of a creature, I have given him the righteousness of God himself…” ~ C.H.S.


“My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.”—1 John 2:1.

Main Points:
1. The saint is still a sinner – 6:48 
2. Our sins do not deprive us of Christ – 22:53 
3. The Advocate is provided for sinners – 27:56 
4. Practically remembering this truth – 37:15 

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Is God so good?—then I will not grieve him. Is he so ready to forgive my transgressions?—then I will love him and offend no more. Gratitude hath bands which are stronger than iron, although softer than silk. Think not, sirs, that the Christian needs to be flogged to virtue by the whip of the law! Dream not that we hate sin merely because of the hell which follows it! If there were no heaven for the righteous, the sons of God would follow after goodness, because their regenerated spirit pants for it; and if there were no hell for the wicked, from the necessity of his new-born nature the true Christian would strive to escape from all iniquity. Loved of God, we feel we must love him in return. Richly, yea, divinely forgiven, we feel that we cannot live any longer in sin. Since Jesus died to rid us from all uncleanness, we feel that we cannot crucify our Lord afresh, and put him to an open shame. We need no nobler or more cogent arguments to lead a man to thorough consecration to God’s cause and detestation of all evil than those fetched from the free grace of God.

The Christian no longer loves sin: it is the object of his sternest horror; he no longer regards it as a mere trifle, plays with it, or talks of it with unconcern. He looks upon it as a deadly serpent, whose very shadow is to be avoided. He would no more venture voluntarily to put its cup to his lip than a man would drink poison who had once almost lost his life through it. Sin is dejected in the Christian’s heart, though it is not ejected. Sin may enter the heart, and fight for dominion, but it cannot sit upon the throne.

He chose us when we were sinners; he bought us when we were sinners; he loved us when we were dead in trespasses and sins; and if we are as bad as that to-day, he loves us still. If our right to heaven rested on the covenant of works, that unstable tenure, it would soon fail us; but seeing it rests on the covenant of grace, which has no conditions in it, but which is of pure immutable grace from first to last, therefore be it known unto you, O sons of God, that notwithstanding all your faults and failings, wanderings and backslidings, he is your God and you are his children; he will be your God to all eternity, and you shall be his children world without end.

Notice next, it is “Jesus Christ the righteous.” This is not only his character, but it is his plea. It is his character, and if my advocate be righteous then I am sure he would not take up a bad cause… therefore if I sin, if I be put down among the any men that sin, yet if he pleads for me my case must be good, for he would not take up a bad one. But how can he do this? Why, because he meets the charge of unrighteousness against me by this plea on his part, that he is righteous. He seems to say to the great Father in the day when the sinner stands arraigned—“Yes, my Father, that sinner was unrighteous, but remember that I was accepted as his substitute; I stood to keep the law for him, and gave my active obedience; I went up to the cross and bled, and so gave my passive obedience; I have covered him from head to foot with my doing and my dying; I have so arrayed him that not even the angels are adorned as he is, for though they may be clothed with the perfect righteousness of a creature, I have given him the righteousness of God himself; I am become unto my people the Lord their righteousness; see, I have taken the jewels out of my crown to bedeck them; the garments from my own back to cover them, and the blood from my own veins to make the dye in which I have dipped their garments, till they are purpled with imperial glory.” What can there be asked more for the sinner than this? Jesus Christ the righteous stands up to plead for me, and pleads his righteousness; and mark, he does this not if I do not sin, but if I do sin. There is the beauty of my text. It does not say—“If any man do not sin we have an advocate;” but “if any man sin we have an advocate,” so that when I have sinned, and come creeping up to my closet with a guilty conscience and an aching heart, and feel that I am not worthy to be called God’s son, I have still an advocate, because I am one of the any men that sin. I sin, and I have an advocate. Oh! I know not how to express the joy I feel in my soul to be able to put it so! It is not—“If any man be righteous we have an advocate;” it is not—“If any man be prayerful, and careful, and godly, and walk scripturally, and in the light,” and so on, but “If any man sin we have an advocate.” Oh! my soul, there is the music of God’s heart in those words; music such as the prodigal heard at the festival which welcomed his return. “If any man sin we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.”

Every day I find it most healthy to my own soul to try and walk as a saint, but in order to do so I must continually come to Christ as a sinner. I would seek to be perfect; I would strain after every virtue, and forsake every false way; but still, as to my standing before God, I find it happiest to sit where I sat when first I looked to Jesus, on the rock of his works, having nothing to do with my own righteousness, but only with his. Depend on it, dear friends, the happiest way of living is to live as a poor sinner and as nothing at all, having Jesus Christ as all in all.

Charles Haddon Spurgeon