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The sermon emphasizes that salvation originates in the Father’s loving will and is accomplished through Christ’s determined obedience, culminating in the cross. Jesus is portrayed as compassionate toward sinners, patient under opposition, tireless in ministry, and unwilling to exchange redemption for earthly power. Spurgeon assures troubled sinners that Christ is both able and willing to save them. Those who have received this salvation are challenged to imitate Christ’s devotion and depend on the Holy Spirit to pursue the conversion of others.
Theological center: The triune God accomplishes salvation through the Father’s sending of the Son, Christ’s obedient atoning mission, and the Holy Spirit’s empowering work.
Applications: Come to Christ for salvation · Imitate Christ’s devotion · Pray for the Spirit’s power · Consider the Father’s saving purpose
Primary texts: John 4:34 · Matthew 23:29 · Matthew 18:14
“Jesus saith to them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work.” John 4:34 IT is peculiarly pleasing to the Christian to observe the interest which God the Father takes in the work of salvation. In our earlier days of childhood in grace, we conceived the idea that God the Father was only made propitious to us through the atonement of Christ, that Jesus was the Savior, and that the Father was rather an austere Judge than a tender friend. But since then, we have learned the Father through the Son, for it was not possible we could come unto the Father except through Jesus Christ. But now, having seen Christ, we have seen the Father also, and from henceforth, we both know the Father, and have seen Him, since we know the love of Christ, and have felt it shed abroad in our hearts. It is always refreshing then, to the enlightened Christian, to call to mind the intense interest which the Father takes in the work of salvation. Here you find in this verse it is three times hinted at. Salvationwork is called the Father’s will. “It is not the will of your Father which is in heaven, that one of these little ones should perish,” but more, it is His will that His chosen, the blood-bought ones of Christ, should every one of them be redeemed from the ruins of the fall, and brought safely home to their Father’s house. Note again, we are told that Jesus was sent of the Father. Here again you see the Father’s interest. It is true that Jesus rent Himself away from the glories of heaven, from the felicities of blessedness, and voluntarily descended to the scorn, the shame, and spitting of this lower world. But yet His Father had a part therein. He gave up His only begotten Son, He withheld not the darling of His bosom, but sent away His well-beloved, and sent Him down with messages of love to man. Jesus Christ comes willingly, but still He comes by His Father’s appointment and sending. A third hint is also given us. Salvation is here called God’s work, “It is my meat to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work.” We know that when this world was made, the Father did not make it without reference to the Spirit, for “the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters,” brooded over chaos, and brought order out of confusion. Nor did He make it without the Son, for we are told by John the apostle, “Without him was not anything made that was made.” Yet, at the same time, creation was the Father’s work. So also is it in salvation, the Father does not save without the Spirit, for “the Spirit quickeneth whom he will.” He does not save with…