The True Convert
A true convert prizes Christ above all else, prioritizing Him over ordinances, saints, and even heaven itself.
Thomas Brooks emphasizes that a true convert values Christ above all else, declaring that while ordinances, saints, and heaven are sweet and precious, Christ surpasses them in glory and worth. The believer's deepest longing is for Christ, desiring not only to possess Him but to be filled with His fullness. Brooks contrasts the desires of the ambitious, the pleasure-seeker, and the covetous with the singular desire of the believer, which is solely for Christ. This sermon calls believers to prioritize their relationship with Christ above worldly pursuits and pleasures.
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The true convert prizes Christ above all.
Ordinances are sweet--but Christ is more sweet.
Saints are precious--but Christ is far more precious.
Heaven is glorious--but Christ is infinitely more glorious.
The first thing that I would ask, if I might have it, says
the believer--is Christ. And the next thing that I would
ask, if I might have it--is more of Christ. And the last
thing that I would ask, if I might have it--is that I might
be satiated and filled with the fullness of Christ.
Let the ambitious man take the honors of the world--my
desire is to have Christ. Let the voluptuous man swim in
all the pleasures of the world--my desire is to have Christ.
And let the covetous man tumble up and down in all the
gold and silver of the world--my desire is to have Christ--
and it shall be enough to my soul.
Sermon Outline
- The True Convert's Desire
- Priorities of the True Convert
- The World's Allurements vs. Christ
- Ambition and honors are not enough
- Pleasures and wealth are not satisfying
- Christ is the one thing that truly satisfies
Key Quotes
“Ordinances are sweet--but Christ is more sweet.” — Thomas Brooks
“Saints are precious--but Christ is far more precious.” — Thomas Brooks
“Heaven is glorious--but Christ is infinitely more glorious.” — Thomas Brooks
Application Points
- Prioritize Christ above all else in your life.
- Seek more of Christ in your life, and ask for His fullness.
- Recognize that worldly allurements, such as ambition and wealth, are not enough to satisfy your soul.