Subject:  TBC Today : Quotable Quotes - 5/24/05 |
Author:
Barbara
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Date Posted: 23:41:52 05/24/05 Tue
TBC: Although C.H. Spurgeon spoke and wrote in the 19th Century, his words
are on target for today.
Feeding Sheep or Amusing Goats?
by C.H. Spurgeon
An evil is in the professed camp of the Lord, so gross in its impudence,
that the most short-sighted can hardly fail to notice it. During the past
few years it has developed at an abnormal rate, even for evil. It has worked
like leaven until the whole lump ferments. The devil has seldom done a
cleverer thing than hinting to the Church that part of their mission is to
provide entertainment for the people, with a view to winning them. From
speaking out as the Puritans did, the Church has gradually toned down her
testimony, then winked at and excused the frivolities of the day. Then she
tolerated them in her borders. Now she has adopted them under the plea of
reaching the masses.
My first contention is that providing amusement for the people is nowhere
spoken of in the Scriptures as a function of the Church. If it is a
Christian work why did not Christ speak of it? "Go ye into all the world and
preach the gospel to every creature." That is clear enough. So it would have
been if he had added, "and provide amusement for those who do not relish the
gospel." No such words, however, are to be found. It did not seem to occur
to him . . . .
Again, providing amusement is in direct antagonism to the teaching and life
of Christ and all his apostles. What was the attitude of the Church to the
world? "Ye are the salt," not the sugar candy -- something the world will
spit out, not swallow . . . . I do not hear [Jesus] say, "Run after these
people, Peter, and tell them we will have a different style of service
tomorrow, something short and attractive with little preaching. We will have
a pleasant evening for the people. Tell them they will be sure to enjoy it.
Be quick, Peter, we must get the people somehow!" Jesus pitied sinners,
sighed and wept over them, but never sought to amuse them. In vain will the
Epistles be searched to find any trace of the gospel of amusement . . . .
Lastly, the mission of amusement fails to effect the end desired. It works
havoc among young converts. Let the careless and scoffers, who thank God
because the Church met them half-way, speak and testify. Let the heavy laden
who found peace through the concert not keep silent! Let the drunkard to
whom the dramatic entertainment had been God's link in the chain of their
conversion, stand up! There are none to answer. The mission of amusement
produces no converts. The need of the hour for today's ministry is believing
scholarship joined with earnest spirituality, the one springing from the
other as fruit from the root. The need is biblical doctrine, so understood
and felt, that it sets men on fire.
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