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The sermon centers on 1 Timothy 1:15: Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners. Spurgeon grounds the gospel in Christ’s unique person as both truly human and eternally divine, insisting that only such a Savior can provide adequate salvation. The scope of grace is universal in its invitation and reaches even the most hardened and aggravated sinner, producing washing, sanctification, justification, and transformation. Hearers are urged not to doubt, despise, or delay, but to confess their sin, believe the faithful promise, and cry to Jesus for mercy.
Theological center: Salvation rests on the person and work of Jesus Christ, the divine-human Savior who came into the world to save sinners by grace.
Applications: Believe the faithful gospel · Accept the gospel · Confess your sin and cry to Jesus · Consider the seriousness of salvation
Primary texts: 1 Timothy 1:15 · 1 Timothy 4:9 · Isaiah 55:9
“This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.” 1 Timothy 1:15 I SUPPOSE that the message delivered by God’s servants to the people must always be called “the burden of the LORD.” When the old prophets came forth from their Master, they had such dooms, and threatenings, and lamentations, and woe to preach that their countenances were wan with sorrow, and their hearts heavy within them. They usually commenced their discourses by announcing, “The burden of the LORD, the burden of the LORD.” But now, our message is no heavy one. No threatenings and no thunders compose the theme of the Gospel minister. All is mercy. Love is the sum and substance of our Gospel—love undeserved— love to the very chief of sinners. But it is still a burden to us. So far as the matter of our preaching is concerned, it is our joy and our delight to preach it. But if others feel as I feel now, they will all acknowledge it to be a hard matter to preach the Gospel. For now I am sore vexed and my heart is troubled, not concerning what I have to preach, but how I shall preach it. What if so good a message should fail because of so ill an ambassador? What if my hearers should reject this saying which is worthy of all acceptation, because I may announce it with lack of earnestness? Surely—surely such a supposition is enough to draw the tears to the eyes of any man! But may God in His mercy prevent a consummation so fearfully to be dreaded. And however I may now preach, may this Word of God commend itself to every man’s conscience. And may many of you now gathered together, who have never as yet found Jesus for refuge, by the simple preaching of the Word, now be persuaded to come in, that you may taste and see that the Lord is good. Our text is one that pride would never prompt a man to select. It is quite impossible to flourish about it, it is so simple. Human nature is apt to cry, “Well, I cannot preach upon that text—it is too plain. There is no mystery in it. I cannot show my learning—it is just a plain, common-sense announcement—I scarcely would wish to take it, for it lowers the man, however much it may exalt the Master.” So, expect nothing but the text from me this morning and the simplest possible explanation of it. We shall have two heads—first there is the text. Then there is a double commendation appended to the text—“This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation.” I. First, there is THE ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE TEXT—“Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners.” In that there are…