I Pray Not That Thou Shouldst Take Them Out of the World
Christ's prayer for His people is not for their instant removal by death, but for them to stay in the flesh and glorify God.
C.H. Spurgeon emphasizes that while believers long for the day they will be with Jesus, He does not pray for their immediate removal from the world. Instead, Christ desires His followers to remain on earth to fulfill their purpose and to be a blessing to others. Spurgeon warns against the selfish desire to escape troubles, urging Christians to focus on glorifying God through their lives, even amidst struggles. He reminds us that our time on earth is valuable and that we should trust in God's timing for our ultimate homecoming. The sermon encourages believers to embrace their earthly journey while relying on God's strength to endure.
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It is a sweet and blessed event which will occur to all believers in God's own time--the going home to be with Jesus. In a few more years the Lord's soldiers, who are now fighting "the good fight of faith" will have done with conflict, and have entered into the joy of their Lord. But although Christ prays that His people may eventually be with Him where He is, He does not ask that they may be taken at once away from this world to heaven. He wishes them to stay here. Yet how frequently does the wearied pilgrim put up the prayer, "O that I had wings like a dove! for then would I fly away and be at rest;" but Christ does not pray like that, He leaves us in His Father's hands, until, like shocks of corn fully ripe, we shall each be gathered into our Master's garner.
Jesus does not plead for our instant removal by death, for to abide in the flesh is needful for others if not profitable for ourselves. He asks that we may be kept from evil, but He never asks for us to be admitted to the inheritance in glory till we are of full age. Christians often want to die when they have any trouble. Ask them why, and they tell you, "Because we would be with the Lord." We fear it is not so much because they are longing to be with the Lord, as because they desire to get rid of their troubles; else they would feel the same wish to die at other times when not under the pressure of trial.
They want to go home, not so much for the Saviour's company, as to be at rest. Now it is quite right to desire to depart if we can do it in the same spirit that Paul did, because to be with Christ is far better, but the wish to escape from trouble is a selfish one. Rather let your care and wish be to glorify God by your life here as long as He pleases, even though it be in the midst of toil, and conflict, and suffering, and leave Him to say when "it is enough."
Sermon Outline
- I. Christ's Prayer for His People
- A. He prays for their ultimate removal to heaven
- B. He does not pray for their instant removal by death
- II. The Purpose of Abiding in the Flesh
- A. To abide in the flesh is needful for others
- B. To abide in the flesh is profitable for ourselves
- III. The Importance of Being Kept from Evil
- A. Christ asks that we may be kept from evil
- B. He does not ask for us to be admitted to the inheritance in glory till we are of full age
Key Quotes
“He wishes them to stay here.” — C.H. Spurgeon
“Christ does not plead for our instant removal by death, for to abide in the flesh is needful for others if not profitable for ourselves.” — C.H. Spurgeon
“Rather let your care and wish be to glorify God by your life here as long as He pleases, even though it be in the midst of toil, and conflict, and suffering, and leave Him to say when 'it is enough'.” — C.H. Spurgeon
Application Points
- Let your care and wish be to glorify God by your life here as long as He pleases.
- Do not desire to depart if your motivation is to escape from trouble, but rather to glorify God by your life here.
- Abide in the flesh with a right spirit, as Paul did, because to be with Christ is far better.