Son of Man, What Is the Vine Tree More Than Any Tree
C.H. Spurgeon's sermon emphasizes the importance of humility and recognizing our dependence on God's grace as His chosen people.
C.H. Spurgeon emphasizes the humbling nature of God's grace in his sermon, reminding believers that they are God's vine, fruitful only through His goodness and the continual influence of the Spirit. He urges them to reject pride, recognizing that their worth comes solely from God's grace and not from their own merits. Spurgeon calls on believers to reflect on their origins and the transformative power of divine grace, which distinguishes them from what they would have been without it. He warns against the folly of pride, highlighting that all they possess is a gift from God, making them debtors rather than boastful. Ultimately, he encourages a posture of humility, acknowledging their dependence on Christ for life and fruitfulness.
Text
These words are for the humbling of God's people; they are called God's vine, but what are they by nature more than others? They, by God's goodness, have become fruitful, having been planted in a good soil; the Lord hath trained them upon the walls of the sanctuary, and they bring forth fruit to His glory; but what are they without their God? What are they without the continual influence of the Spirit, begetting fruitfulness in them? O believer, learn to reject pride, seeing that thou hast no ground for it.
Whatever thou art, thou hast nothing to make thee proud. The more thou hast, the more thou art in debt to God; and thou shouldst not be proud of that which renders thee a debtor. Consider thine origin; look back to what thou wast. Consider what thou wouldst have been but for divine grace. Look upon thyself as thou art now. Doth not thy conscience reproach thee? Do not thy thousand wanderings stand before thee, and tell thee that thou art unworthy to be called His son? And if He hath made thee anything, art thou not taught thereby that it is grace which hath made thee to differ?
Great believer, thou wouldst have been a great sinner if God had not made thee to differ. O thou who art valiant for truth, thou wouldst have been as valiant for error if grace had not laid hold upon thee. Therefore, be not proud, though thou hast a large estate--a wide domain of grace, thou hadst not once a single thing to call thine own except thy sin and misery. Oh! strange infatuation, that thou, who hast borrowed everything, shouldst think of exalting thyself; a poor dependent pensioner upon the bounty of thy Saviour, one who hath a life which dies without fresh streams of life from Jesus, and yet proud! Fie on thee, O silly heart!
Sermon Outline
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I
- Understanding God's People as His Vine
- The Nature of Fruitfulness
- The Role of Divine Grace
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II
- Rejecting Pride
- Recognizing Our Origins
- The Influence of the Spirit
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III
- The Danger of Self-Exaltation
- The Call to Humility
- Living as Dependents on God's Grace
Key Quotes
“O believer, learn to reject pride, seeing that thou hast no ground for it.” — C.H. Spurgeon
“Whatever thou art, thou hast nothing to make thee proud.” — C.H. Spurgeon
“Oh! strange infatuation, that thou, who hast borrowed everything, shouldst think of exalting thyself.” — C.H. Spurgeon
Application Points
- Reflect on your spiritual journey and recognize the role of God's grace in your life.
- Practice humility by acknowledging that all your blessings come from God.
- Cultivate a mindset of gratitude, understanding that you are a steward of God's gifts, not the owner.