My First Spurgeon Sermon!

The year was 1970. I was in my freshman year at Bob Jones University in Greenville, S.C. I had occasion to join what was termed, "Prayer Band," an after dinner meeting in the classroom building to pray for missionaries. Each group was dedicated to a certain continent or country. I chose Europe, mainly because my future brother-in-law, Tom Coffman attended. And though I visited others, for four and a half years I stayed with this group. 

In the course of a meeting, someone usually led a brief devotional related to prayer, then we took 3 x 5 cards of missionaries and prayed through them for the remainder of the time. When I was first asked to speak, I thought, "I should check out the bookstore and see if there are any resources that might be of help." It was then that I first became aware of Charles Haddon Spurgeon, specifically his "Twelve Sermons on Prayer." And, Oh, what a treasure I found!

I remember the first sermon I read was from Psalm 147:9, "He giveth his ravens to eat." 

First, I was amazed that he chose such a text for the subject of prayer. An eighteen year old, I wasn't used to hearing sermons preached on such obscure texts. (Or, I couldn't remember having heard any). But this was a legitimate application which glorified the richness of God's Word. That I am sure is true.

Second, from this inauspicious text, Spurgeon wove the most wonderfully moving call to Christians to trust in a God who, if he will feed these birds (who hardly care for their own) will certainly feed or hear our prayers! I was honestly astonished. I felt as though I had entered into another world, which though it had obviously existed before, seemed to have newly emerged right there under my very nose! I knew nothing of Spurgeon until that day--at least, not that I can recollect. 

Third, that was a watershed moment in my life, for it introduced me to the "Prince of Preachers" who was to continue having a profound effect upon me for the rest of my life. So common were this man's words upon my lips that even in seminary, my classmates used to jokingly refer to me as "Spurgeon." That's what the reading of new writers can do. Not every time, of course. But once in a while, you stumble onto a great treasure--in this case, one that has cultivated a lifetime of spiritual nourishment. That was (I can't believe it) 38 years ago! In the course of obeying God in prayer, I was introduced to this giant of the faith. That's often how God works, isn't it? He leads us as we are walking with him along the way. And many of the benefits we derive were neither the subjects of our prayers, nor were we able to anticipate them. God is so good!