Jason K. Allen's Blog

Lord’s Day Meditation: “Mighty to save.” by C. H. Spurgeon (Morning and Evening, January 14, Morning)

“Mighty to save.” (Isaiah 63:1)

By the words “to save” we understand the whole of the great work of salvation, from the first holy desire onward to complete sanctification. The words are multum in parro: indeed, here is all mercy in one word. Christ is not only “mighty to save” those who repent, but he is able to make men repent. He will carry those to heaven who believe; but he is, moreover, mighty to give men new hearts and to work faith in them. He is mighty to make the man who hates holiness love it, and to constrain the despiser of his name to bend the knee before him. Nay, this is not all the meaning, for the divine power is equally seen in the after-work. The life of a believer is a series of miracles wrought by “the Mighty God.” The bush burns, but is not consumed.

He is mighty to keep his people holy after he has made them so, and to preserve them in his fear and love until he consummates their spiritual existence in heaven. Christ’s might doth not lie in making a believer and then leaving him to shift for himself; but he who begins the good work carries it on; he who imparts the first germ of life in the dead soul, prolongs the divine existence, and strengthens it until it bursts asunder every bond of sin, and the soul leaps from earth, perfected in glory. Believer, here is encouragement. Art thou praying for some beloved one? Oh, give not up thy prayers, for Christ is “mighty to save.” You are powerless to reclaim the rebel, but your Lord is Almighty. Lay hold on that mighty arm, and rouse it to put forth its strength. Does your own case trouble you? Fear not, for his strength is sufficient for you. Whether to begin with others, or to carry on the work in you, Jesus is “mighty to save;” the best proof of which lies in the fact that he has saved you. What a thousand mercies that you have not found him mighty to destroy!

“Jehoshaphat made ships of Tharshish to go to Ophir for gold: but they went not; for the ships were broken at Ezion-Geber” by C.H. Spurgeon (Morning and Evening, January 13, Morning)

“Jehoshaphat made ships of Tharshish to go to Ophir for gold: but they went not; for the ships were broken at Ezion-Geber” (1 Kings 22:48)

Solomon’s ships had returned in safety, but Jehoshaphat’s vessels never reached the land of gold. Providence prospers one, and frustrates the desires of another, in the same business and at the same spot, yet the Great Ruler is as good and wise at one time as another. May we have grace today, in the remembrance of this text, to bless the Lord for ships broken at Ezion-geber, as well as for vessels freighted with temporal blessings; let us not envy the more successful, nor murmur at our losses as though we were singularly and specially tried. Like Jehoshaphat, we may be precious in the Lord’s sight, although our schemes end in disappointment.

The secret cause of Jehoshaphat’s loss is well worthy of notice, for it is the root of very much of the suffering of the Lord’s people; it was his alliance with a sinful family, his fellowship with sinners. In 2 Ch. 20:37, we are told that the Lord sent a prophet to declare, “Because thou hast joined thyself with Ahaziah, the Lord hath broken thy works.” This was a fatherly chastisement, which appears to have been blest to him; for in the verse which succeeds our morning’s text we find him refusing to allow his servants to sail in the same vessels with those of the wicked king. Would to God that Jehoshaphat’s experience might be a warning to the rest of the Lord’s people, to avoid being unequally yoked together with unbelievers! A life of misery is usually the lot of those who are united in marriage, or in any other way of their own choosing, with the men of the world. O for such love to Jesus that, like him, we may be holy, harmless, undefiled, and separate from sinners; for if it be not so with us, we may expect to hear it often said, “The Lord hath broken thy works.”

(Morning and Evening, January 11, Morning)

“These have no root.” (Luke 8:13)

My soul, examine thyself this morning by the light of this text. Thou hast received the word with joy; thy feelings have been stirred and a lively impression has been made; but, remember, that to receive the word in the ear is one thing, and to receive Jesus into thy very soul is quite another; superficial feeling is often joined to inward hardness of heart, and a lively impression of the word is not always a lasting one. In the parable, the seed in one case fell upon ground having a rocky bottom, covered over with a thin layer of earth; when the seed began to take root, its downward growth was hindered by the hard stone and therefore it spent its strength in pushing its green shoot aloft as high as it could, but having no inward moisture derived from root nourishment, it withered away. Is this my case? Have I been making a fair show in the flesh without having a corresponding inner life? Good growth takes place upwards and downwards at the same time.

Am I rooted in sincere fidelity and love to Jesus? If my heart remains unsoftened and unfertilized by grace, the good seed may germinate for a season, but it must ultimately wither, for it cannot flourish on a rocky, unbroken, unsanctified heart. Let me dread a godliness as rapid in growth and as wanting in endurance as Jonah’s gourd; let me count the cost of being a follower of Jesus, above all let me feel the energy of his Holy Spirit, and then I shall possess an abiding and enduring seed in my soul. If my mind remains as obdurate as it was by nature, the sun of trial will scorch, and my hard heart will help to cast the heat the more terribly upon the ill-covered seed, and my religion will soon die, and my despair will be terrible; therefore, O heavenly Sower, plough me first, and then cast the truth into me, and let me yield thee a bounteous harvest.

(Morning and Evening, January 10, Morning)

“There is laid up for me a crown of righteousness.” (2 Timothy 4:8)

Doubting one! thou hast often said, “I fear I shall never enter heaven.” Fear not! all the people of God shall enter there. I love the quaint saying of a dying man, who exclaimed, “I have no fear of going home; I have sent all before me; God’s finger is on the latch of my door, and I am ready for him to enter.” “But,” said one, “are you not afraid lest you should miss your inheritance?” “Nay,” said he, “nay; there is one crown in heaven which the angel Gabriel could not wear, it will fit no head but mine. There is one throne in heaven which Paul the apostle could not fill; it was made for me, and I shall have it.” O Christian, what a joyous thought! thy portion is secure; “there remaineth a rest.” “But cannot I forfeit it?” No, it is entailed. If I be a child of God I shall not lose it. It is mine as securely as if I were there. Come with me, believer, and let us sit upon the top of Nebo, and view the goodly land, even Canaan.

Seest thou that little river of death glistening in the sunlight, and across it dost thou see the pinnacles of the eternal city? Dost thou mark the pleasant country, and all its joyous inhabitants? Know, then, that if thou couldst fly across thou wouldst see written upon one of its many mansions, “This remaineth for such a one; preserved for him only. He shall be caught up to dwell forever with God.” Poor doubting one, see the fair inheritance; it is thine. If thou believest in the Lord Jesus, if thou hast repented of sin, if thou hast been renewed in heart, thou art one of the Lord’s people, and there is a place reserved for thee, a crown laid up for thee, a harp specially provided for thee. No one else shall have thy portion, it is reserved in heaven for thee, and thou shalt have it ere long, for there shall be no vacant thrones in glory when all the chosen are gathered in.

(Morning and Evening, January 9, Morning)

“I will be their God.” (Jeremiah 31:33)

Christian! here is all thou canst require. To make thee happy thou wantest something that shall satisfy thee; and is not this enough? If thou canst pour this promise into thy cup, wilt thou not say, with David, “My cup runneth over; I have more than heart can wish”? When this is fulfilled, “I am thy God”, art thou not possessor of all things? Desire is insatiable as death, but he who filleth all in all can fill it. The capacity of our wishes who can measure? But the immeasurable wealth of God can more than overflow it. I ask thee if thou art not complete when God is thine? Dost thou want anything but God? Is not his all-sufficiency enough to satisfy thee if all else should fail? But thou wantest more than quiet satisfaction; thou desirest rapturous delight. Come, soul, here is music fit for heaven in this thy portion, for God is the Maker of Heaven. Not all the music blown from sweet instruments, or drawn from living strings, can yield such melody as this sweet promise, “I will be their God.”

Here is a deep sea of bliss, a shoreless ocean of delight; come, bathe thy spirit in it; swim an age, and thou shalt find no shore; dive throughout eternity, and thou shalt find no bottom. “I will be their God.” If this do not make thine eyes sparkle, and thy heart beat high with bliss, then assuredly thy soul is not in a healthy state. But thou wantest more than present delights–thou cravest something concerning which thou mayest exercise hope; and what more canst thou hope for than the fulfillment of this great promise, “I will be their God”? This is the masterpiece of all the promises; its enjoyment makes a heaven below, and will make a heaven above. Dwell in the light of thy Lord, and let thy soul be always ravished with his love. Get out the marrow and fatness which this portion yields thee. Live up to thy privileges, and rejoice with unspeakable joy.

Preaching is essential to the life and ministry of a pastor. Admittedly in the 21st Century, pastors wear many hats and carry out many responsibilities. Preaching is his first priority, but not his only one. But within the context of the local church, preaching is the pastor’s preeminent role. It is what makes the preacher indispensable in the life of the local church. It has always been this way.

To preach means to herald, to lift up one’s voice, to proclaim. It is to speak boldly, even loudly, without fear. It is to unapologetically make known the truth of God.

God sent forth the prophets of old to preach. The gospels tell us both John the Baptist and Jesus came preaching. At Pentecost, the church was birthed through preaching. Throughout Acts, the preaching of the Apostles upended the world and fertilized the church. The office of deacon was formed to facilitate prayer and the ministry of the Word. Paul customarily went to the Synagogue and reasoned from the Scriptures.

As we come to the Pauline epistles, we are told in 1 Timothy 3:1-7 that the elder must be “able to teach.” In I Timothy 4, Paul told Timothy until he came to “give attention to the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation, and to preaching.” And, of course, in 2 Timothy 4:2, Paul charged Timothy—and through Timothy, us—to “preach the Word.”

Church history teaches us this as well: the men who have most mightily advanced the church and shaken the world have done so through the pulpit. Peter preached. Paul preached. Augustine preached. Luther preached. Calvin preached. Knox preached. Edwards preached. Whitefield preached. Spurgeon preached.

As Protestants, our own church life reinforces this. Our architecture places the pulpit front and center. In as much as we have a liturgy, it features preaching as the central component. Our jargon reinforces this point (or at least once did): pastor search committees were once called “pulpit committees,” a call to ministry was a “call to preach,” and the pastor was often simply called “the preacher.”

Paul’s Last Words are Lasting Words

Paul’s final charge to Timothy to preach the word carries a particular weight and enjoys a lasting endurance as a ministerial charge. And it should. In context, there is a certain heft to Paul’s exhortation to Timothy. They are the dying words of a dying man to a distressed church and a discouraged son in the faith.

Paul knew his death was near and he knew that empire-wide persecution of Christians was underway. This had accelerated mass defections from the church. Apostasy and disavowal of the faith were too common. Timothy himself was vacillating, equivocating, in need of strength and personal fortification.

Every man called to preach can easily read himself into 2 Timothy 4:2. It has a certain romance to it. It has a magnetic pull, calling us to it again and again. We easily identify with Timothy, we hear Paul’s voice, as it were, we feel his concern, and we desire to heed his admonitions.

It is Paul’s word to Timothy, to the church, and, in a real way, to us. The pastor is to be a preacher—he must preach the Word.

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*This article is an excerpt from Letters to My Students, Vol. 2, On Pastoring, by Jason K. Allen.

Available to purchase online at Amazon.com and at Lifeway  Learn more at jasonkallen.com.

(Morning and Evening, January 7, Morning)

“For me to live is Christ.” (Philippians 1:21)

The believer did not always live to Christ. He began to do so when God the Holy Spirit convinced him of sin, and when by grace he was brought to see the dying Saviour making a propitiation for his guilt. From the moment of the new and celestial birth, the man begins to live to Christ. Jesus is to believers the one pearl of great price, for whom we are willing to part with all that we have. He has so completely won our love, that it beats alone for him; to his glory, we would live, and in defense of his gospel we would die; he is the pattern of our life and the model after which we would sculpture our character. Paul’s words mean more than most men think; they imply that the aim and end of his life was Christ–nay, his life itself was Jesus. In the words of an ancient saint, he did eat, and drink, and sleep eternal life.

Jesus was his very breath, the soul of his soul, the heart of his heart, the life of his life. Can you say, as a professing Christian, that you live up to this idea? Can you honestly say that for you to live is Christ? Your business–are you doing it for Christ? Is it not done for self-aggrandizement and for family advantage? Do you ask, “Is that a mean reason?” For the Christian it is. He professes to live for Christ; how can he live for another object without committing a spiritual adultery? Many there are who carry out this principle in some measure; but who is there that dare say that he hath lived wholly for Christ as the apostle did? Yet, this alone is the true life of a Christian–its source, its sustenance, its fashion, its end, all gathered up in one word–Christ Jesus. Lord, accept me; I here present myself, praying to live only in thee and to thee. Let me be as the bullock which stands between the plough and the altar, to work or to be sacrificed; and let my motto be, “Ready for either.”

            Among evangelical churches, the call to ministry is often misunderstood. Some view the call to ministry as an altogether personal, individual decision. If one believes themselves to be called to ministry, that settles it. What gives the church, or any other deliberative body, the right to question what God called me to do? If a person self-identifies as called to ministry, that is evidence enough, so the argument goes.

            Others view God’s call as an entirely mystical, subjective experience. They believe that to evaluate one’s call to ministry in objective terms is altogether unspiritual. They shrug off biblical expectations for ministry, such as I Timothy 3:1-7 and Titus 1:6-9. They view God as too big, too dynamic to confine himself to his written Word. If someone thinks the Spirit is leading them into ministry, one need not be held up by biblical or congregational expectations.

            What is more, others view the call to ministry in human, professional terms. They view a seminary degree, or some other ministerial credential, as sufficient qualification for ministry service. Just like attorneys, physicians, and other professionals are marked out by their formal training, so are ministers to be. Earn a degree or gain a license for ministry and then pursue religious work accordingly. It is as simple as that.

            Still others view the call to ministry as a one-time experience, and the biblical qualifications for ministry a one-time threshold to cross. They believe calling to be a past-tense reality. Perhaps on the front-end of ministry one needed a church’s affirmation and to meet biblical qualifications found in places like I Timothy 3:1-7, but now it is a settled matter. Additionally, so goes the argument, God leads you into ministry, as a life calling, but is indifferent to where and how you serve throughout your life. In other words, you are free to move and maneuver the ministerial ranks as you desire, not as God leads.

            Lastly, many evangelicals view the call to ministry as something one does not pursue; but reluctantly surrenders to undertake. In fact, the common phrase “surrender to ministry” suggests as much. Yes, God initiates the call to ministry, not man. Moreover, in a sense, the spiritual office is to seek the man and not vice versa. But the Apostle Paul makes clear that “If any man aspires to the office of overseer, it is a fine work he desires to do.”[1] Note the words, “aspire” and “desire.” It is not only appropriate, but necessary, for one entering ministry to desire the work of ministry!

       Clarity out of Confusion

            As a college student wrestling with the call to ministry, I was confused. It all seemed imperceptibly mystical and mysterious to me. I thought I sensed God’s call to ministry, but was unsure of precisely what I was to be looking for. I desired to serve in ministry, but thought that desire inappropriate, perhaps a sign of pride or unhealthy ambition.

            In God’s kind providence a friend pointed me to I Timothy 3:1-7 and Charles Spurgeon’s Lectures to My Students. Reading Spurgeon’s book, especially his section on the call to ministry, and meditating on I Timothy 3:1-7 were of enormous help, giving me a breakthrough of clarity and certainty.

Paul’s words to Timothy (and similarly to Titus, in Titus 1:6-9) framed my call to ministry then—and still do. Read and reflect carefully on this passage.

It is a trustworthy statement: if any man aspires to the office of overseer, it is a fine work he desires to do.An overseer, then, must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, temperate, prudent, respectable, hospitable, able to teach,not addicted to wineor pugnacious, but gentle, peaceable, free from the love of money. He must be one who manages his own household well, keeping his children under control with all dignity(but if a man does not know how to manage his own household, how will he take care of the church of God?),and not a new convert, so that he will not become conceited and fall into the condemnationincurred by the devil. And he must have a good reputation with those outside the church, so that he will not fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.[2]

Additionally, Spurgeon’s Lectures to My Students is a timeless work on ministry service. In fact, I deliberately played off of Spurgeon’s classic in the title of this book series, Letters to My Students, as my own tribute to Spurgeon, who is widely acclaimed as the prince of preachers. Spurgeon helpfully unpacks signs of the call to ministry, most especially the first sign as “an intense, all absorbing desire for the work.”[3] For me, this point was clarifying—and even liberating and compelling for my life and my call to ministry. I learned God had placed that desire in my heart. That assurance propelled me forward, launching me to the next stage of reflection and deliberation.

The Gravity of the Call to Ministry

As I continued to pursue ministry service, I increasingly sensed the gravity of that calling. Doing so did not dissuade me, but it did awaken me to the majesty of ministry service. I found myself resonating with Charles Bridges, who wrote on the gravity of ministry some 200 years ago. Consider his words with me.

Who, whether man or angel, ‘is sufficient’ to open ‘the wisdom of God in a mystery’–to speak what in its full extent is ‘unspeakable’–to make known that which ‘passeth knowledge’–to bear the fearful weight of the care of souls? Who hath skill and strength proportionate? Who has a mind and temper to direct and sustain so vast a work? If our Great Master had not himself answered these appalling questions by his promise–‘My grace is sufficient for thee;’ and if the experience of faith did not demonstrably prove, that ‘our sufficiency is of God;’ who, with an enlightened apprehension, could enter upon such an awful service; or, if entered, continue in it?[4]

In order to find our balance here, we should review the Apostle Paul’s words to the Ephesian believers. He writes in Ephesians 4:11-15,

And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ; until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ. As a result, we are no longer to be children, tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming; but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ.

In the context, Paul unpacks for us how God is building his church, and how essential pastors and teachers are to his plan. Furthermore, he shows how Christ equips his church and how the church is central to God’s eternal purpose and redemptive plan.

Notice what Paul says in verse 11. He begins by unpacking specific offices Christ has established for the church. The first two, apostles and the prophets, have long been understood to be first-century offices given for a season until the church was established and the canon of Scripture was closed.

But in verse 11, we see that Christ has given his church leaders today and for all times in the form of evangelists, pastors, and teachers. These leaders have been given their proper role and function by none other than Christ himself. If this calling by Christ is not weighty enough in and of itself, Paul goes on to state the reason Christ has given his church these leaders is “for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ” (v. 12). This results in a church that is

[1]  1 Timothy 3:1

[2] 1 Timothy 3:1-7

[3] Charles Spurgeon, Lectures to My Students (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1979), 26.

[4] Charles Bridges, The Christian Ministry (Edinburgh: Banner of Truth, 1958), 4-5.

Among evangelical churches, the call to ministry is often misunderstood. Some view the call to ministry as an altogether personal, individual decision. If one believes themselves to be called to ministry, that settles it. What gives the church, or any other deliberative body, the right to question what God called me to do? If a person self-identifies as called to ministry, that is evidence enough, so the argument goes.

            Others view God’s call as an entirely mystical, subjective experience. They believe that to evaluate one’s call to ministry in objective terms is altogether unspiritual. They shrug off biblical expectations for ministry, such as I Timothy 3:1-7 and Titus 1:6-9. They view God as too big, too dynamic to confine himself to his written Word. If someone thinks the Spirit is leading them into ministry, one need not be held up by biblical or congregational expectations.

However we view calling, we must be sure about God’s qualifications for ministry and certain he has set us apart for such service. Along these lines, review with me seven questions, indicators that God has called you into the ministry.

1.              Does your character match God’s expectations? First Timothy 3:1-7 and Titus 1:6-9 are paramount here. You should carefully review and reflect on these passages. Moreover, you should invite others to assess your life along these lines, and remember that these qualifications are not a one-time threshold to cross, but are an ongoing expectation for the minister.

2.              Do you desire the work of ministry? As we have seen, longing for the work of ministry is not only appropriate, it is essential. That inner longing for ministry will serve as a magnet, pulling you forward throughout various seasons and trials of ministry. If ministry is one of many opportunities before you, each seeming similarly attractive, that is a sign that you may not be called to the ministry. As the Apostle Paul makes clear, you should desire the work of ministry.

3.              Are you gifted to teach the Word?  As you review I Timothy 3, you will note the only real difference between the office of the deacon and the office of the elder is the ability to teach. Of course, there are varying levels of accomplishment. Gifting, training, experience, and a host of other factors will determine how strong you are as a preacher and/or teacher, but the pastor must have a baseline ability to minister God’s Word to God’s people.

4.              Do you currently see fruit from your ministry activities? By this, I mean: Have you seen God bless some of your efforts in the ministry so far? Have people seemed to benefit from your teaching and preaching? Have you been able to lead anyone to Christ? These are just a few questions that you can use to gauge the fruit of your labor. If you have not seen any fruit so far, that does not mean necessarily you should give up. Rather, go to your pastor and seek more opportunities, and pray fervently for God to bless your efforts.

5.              Are you passionate about the gospel and the Great Commission? A passion for the gospel is a good sign that the Lord is calling you to ministry. As we shall see in the pages ahead, when Paul reflected in Romans 10 on the gospel, he was emphatic that people cannot hear the gospel message without a messenger delivering it to them. If the idea of people coming to faith in Christ does not stir you, that is not a good sign.

6.              Does your church affirm your calling? Ultimately, all the preceding questions are to be adjudicated by the local church. The Bible indicates the local church is responsible to call out the called. More specifically, the local church is responsible for who it calls to minister to the congregation. The church knows best how fit an individual in their midst is for ministry. Look to them for affirmation.

7.              Finally, are you willing to surrender? As I wrote earlier, the idea of surrendering to ministry is often misunderstood, and I once misunderstood it. But, the one who would minister faithfully must be submissive to God’s call whenever and wherever he issues it. That is not just as you enter ministry, it is throughout your ministry. Throughout your ministry, God will call you to specific tasks and to specific people, some more desirable than others. Will you follow wherever he leads?

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*This article is an excerpt from Letters to My Students, Vol. 2, On Pastoring, by Jason K. Allen.

Available to purchase online at Amazon.com and at Lifeway  Learn more at jasonkallen.com.

(Morning and Evening, January 6, Morning)

“Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.” (1 Peter 5:7)

It is a happy way of soothing sorrow when we can feel–“HE careth for me.” Christian! do not dishonour religion by always wearing a brow of care; come, cast your burden upon your Lord. You are staggering beneath a weight which your Father would not feel. What seems to you a crushing burden, would be to him but as the small dust of the balance. Nothing is so sweet as to

“Lie passive in God’s hands,

And know no will but his.”

O child of suffering, be thou patient; God has not passed thee over in his providence. He who is the feeder of sparrows, will also furnish you with what you need. Sit not down in despair; hope on, hope ever. Take up the arms of faith against a sea of trouble, and your opposition shall yet end your distresses. There is One who careth for you. His eye is fixed on you, his heart beats with pity for your woe, and his hand omnipotent shall yet bring you the needed help. The darkest cloud shall scatter itself in showers of mercy. The blackest gloom shall give place to the morning. He, if thou art one of his family, will bind up thy wounds, and heal thy broken heart. Doubt not his grace because of thy tribulation, but believe that he loveth thee as much in seasons of trouble as in times of happiness. What a serene and quiet life might you lead if you would leave providing to the God of providence! With a little oil in the cruse, and a handful of meal in the barrel, Elijah outlived the famine, and you will do the same. If God cares for you, why need you care too? Can you trust him for your soul, and not for your body? He has never refused to bear your burdens, he has never fainted under their weight. Come, then, soul! have done with fretful care, and leave all thy concerns in the hand of a gracious God.