Joy!

Last night, as I was preaching on Philip's preaching in Samaria and the observation that Luke makes in Acts 8:8 that there was "great rejoicing in the city" I turned this morning to Spurgeon to see what he had to say about this text. In a sermon preached on January 22, 1888, he made these comments as he brought the sermon to a conclusion:

"We long to have this great joy in London (now read Jackson ...). We want to see despairing souls made happy. My friend over yonder, who has been indulging in dark thoughts about whether he can manage to live any longer, -- his hand almost feels for the fatal knife, --live, poor soul, live! There is hope, there is joy even for thee! Jesus Christ is willing to forgive the chief of sinners, he is ready to renew the most debauched and depraved of men. He is able to make a saint of thee; he can at this moment take the burden from thy heart, and commence a work in thee which shall make thee a totally new man. What sayest thou to this? If thou canst believe in Jesus, there will begin to be a joy in this city, for there will be a joy in thy heart. I remember the day when I despaired of finding salvation, when I could not think that my sin would ever be forgiven; but that voice, "Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth," was a word of life and love to my soul; and I would repeat it to-night to those in this audience who are in the depths of despair. Do not give yourselves up; God has not given you up. Do not sign your won death-warrant; God has not signed it. "Come unto me," says Christ, "all ye that labour, and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest."