Call Upon the Lord
The sermon emphasizes the importance of calling upon the Lord for deliverance and trusting in His promises amidst urgent needs.
Charles E. Cowman, inspired by Joel 2:32, encourages believers to call upon the name of the Lord for deliverance instead of seeking help from others or relying on their own plans. He emphasizes the immediacy and simplicity of turning to God in times of need, highlighting that God's promise of deliverance is available to anyone who calls upon Him. Cowman urges listeners to trust in God's ability to provide solutions, reminding them that their role is to obey His commands and not to dictate His actions.
Text
"And it shall come to pass that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be delivered" (Joel 2:32).
Why do not I call on His name? Why do I run to this neighbor and that when God is so near and will hear my faintest call? Why do I sit down and devise schemes and invent plans? Why not at once roll myself and my burden upon the Lord?
Straightforward is the best runner--why do not I run at once to the living God? In vain shall I look for "deliverance anywhere else; but with God I shall find it; for here I have His royal shall to make it sure.
I need not ask whether I may call on Him or not, for that word "Whosoever" is a very wide and comprehensive one. Whosoever means me, for it means anybody and everybody who calls upon God. I will therefore follow the leading of the text, and at once call upon the glorious Lord who has made so large a promise.
My case is urgent, and I do not see how I am to be delivered; but this is no business of mine. He who makes the promise will find ways and means of keeping it. It is mine to obey His commands; it is not mine to direct His counsels. I am His servant, not His solicitor. I call upon Him, and He will deliver. --C. H. Spurgeon
Sermon Outline
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I
- Understanding the promise of deliverance
- The significance of calling on the Lord
- The assurance of God's response
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II
- The futility of seeking help elsewhere
- Recognizing God's nearness
- The importance of immediate action
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III
- The meaning of 'whosoever'
- Personal application of God's promise
- The urgency of our needs
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IV
- Obedience to God's commands
- Trusting in God's wisdom
- The role of faith in deliverance
Key Quotes
“And it shall come to pass that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be delivered.” — Charles E. Cowman
“In vain shall I look for 'deliverance anywhere else; but with God I shall find it.'” — Charles E. Cowman
“I am His servant, not His solicitor. I call upon Him, and He will deliver.” — Charles E. Cowman
Application Points
- Make it a habit to call upon the Lord in times of need rather than seeking help from others.
- Trust that God has the power to deliver you from your burdens, no matter how urgent they seem.
- Recognize that obedience to God's commands is essential in experiencing His deliverance.