Always Causeth Us to Triumph
The sermon emphasizes the importance of keeping a peaceful and gentle attitude, even in difficult circumstances, and the choice between peace and a grievance.
A.B. Simpson emphasizes the importance of maintaining a sweet spirit amidst life's challenges and provocations. He encourages listeners to heed the gentle reminder to 'keep sweet' when faced with irritation or temptation to hold grudges. Simpson asserts that while we cannot maintain this sweetness on our own, God will help us if we genuinely desire it and choose to let go of grievances. He highlights the choice between clinging to hurt feelings or embracing the peace that surpasses understanding. Ultimately, the sermon offers hope that God provides the love and peace we truly seek.
Text
How these words help us! Think of them when people rasp you, when the devil pricks you with his fiery darts, when your sensitive, self-willed spirit chafes or frets. Let a gentle voice be heard above the strife, whispering, "Keep sweet, keep sweet!" And, if you will but heed it quickly, you will be saved from a thousand falls and kept in perfect peace. True, we cannot keep ourselves sweet, but God will keep us if He sees that it is our fixed, determined purpose to be kept sweet, and to refuse to fret or bear a grudge or retaliate. The trouble is, we may at times enjoy a little irritation and morbidness. We want to cherish the little grudge, and sympathize with our hurt feelings and nurse our little grievance.
God will give us all the love we really want and honestly choose.
We can have our grievance, or we can have the peace that passeth all understanding; but we cannot have both. There is a balm for a thousand heartaches, and a heaven of peace and power in these two little words-keep sweet.
Sermon Outline
- The Importance of Keeping Sweet points: null
- The Dangers of Irritation and Morbidness points: - Cherishing grudges and sympathizing with hurt feelings - Nursing grievances and retaliating
- God's Promise to Keep Us Sweet points: - If we fix our purpose to be kept sweet - If we refuse to fret or bear a grudge
- The Choice Between Peace and Grievance points: null
Key Quotes
“There is a balm for a thousand heartaches, and a heaven of peace and power in these two little words-keep sweet.” — A.B. Simpson
“God will give us all the love we really want and honestly choose.” — A.B. Simpson
“We can have our grievance, or we can have the peace that passeth all understanding; but we cannot have both.” — A.B. Simpson
Application Points
- Choose to focus on peace and love, rather than irritation and morbidness.
- Refuse to cherish grudges and sympathize with hurt feelings.
- Fix your purpose to be kept sweet, and God will give you all the love you really want and honestly choose.