Charles Spurgeon's "Morning & Evening" Devotional: August 30th

 Charles Spurgeon's "Morning & Evening" Devotional: August 30th

Morning

“My word shall not return unto Me void.”

Matthew 13:1-23

Matthew 13:1 , Matthew 13:2

A most delightful instance of out-of-door preaching, of which the more the better, for without it great numbers of our fellowmen will never hear the gospel. The natural objects around him no doubt supplied the Lord with his illustrations, and these were so homely and full of meaning, that they arrested the attention of all.

Matthew 13:3 , Matthew 13:4

the way side on the trodden pathway

Matthew 13:5 , Matthew 13:6

Some fell upon stony places or spots where the rock was near the surface

Matthew 13:11

Carnal minds foolishly put a literal meaning upon expressions which are evidently figurative, and so discern not the meaning. To understand the gospel is a gift of divine grace.

Matthew 13:12-15

Those who will not see may expect to fall into such a state that they cannot see.

Matthew 13:23

Four bad soils are mentioned, and only one which is good. A lesson to us to examine ourselves carefully, lest we be found barren.

Sow in the morn thy seed,

At eve hold not thy hand;

To doubt and fear give thou no heed;

Broadcast it o’er the land!

Thou canst not toil in vain:

Cold, heat, and moist, and dry

Shall foster and mature the grain,

For garners in the sky.

Then, when the glorious end,

The day of God, shall come,

The angel reapers shall descend,

And heaven sing, “Harvest home!”

Evening

“He shall separate them one from another.”

Matthew 13:24-30 , Matthew 13:36-43

Matthew 13:24-30 , Matthew 13:36 , Matthew 13:37

All the spiritual good in the world comes from him. Whoever the servants may be, the Master who sent them to sow good seed is Jesus, our Lord.

Matthew 13:38

The field is the world; for everywhere is the gospel to be preached, and the church to be formed is in the world, though not of it. The whole world belongs to Jesus: let Satan rage as he may, he is only an usurper. Despite all opposition, it is in this great field of the world that the Lord has sown a church, and maintained it in being.

Satan is a busy agent, and is always doing his best to hinder the good work of Jesus. The seed of the serpent, and the seed of the woman are at deadly enmity.

Matthew 13:39

Our Saviour did not mean such tares as grow in our country, but a sort of mock wheat common in the east. The evil one could not prevent the springing up of the good seed, and therefore he tried to impede its growth, and spoil its harvest by throwing in among it noxious seed. The devil cannot destroy the church, and therefore ha endeavours to mar its beauty by the introduction of hypocrites. These are in many respects so like to true Christians that it is not possible to remove them without expelling genuine believers with them by mistake. Open sinners we can easily remove from the church; but not those who have the outward manners of Christians; however wrong at heart they may be, we are unable to judge them, and must let them remain.

Matthew 13:40-42

The true character of men will develop itself in due season, and will be clearly seen at the last day. Angels will have no difficulty in discerning between sincere believers and mere formalists. Men may deceive the church to-day, and do it much mischief by creeping into it while they are unconverted; they ought, however, to tremble, for the hour comes in which the unquenchable fires of divine wrath will consume all pretenders.

The church, while yet she ripens here,

Mix’d and imperfect must appear;

Sinners and saints together meet,

The tares are mingled with the wheat.

But a dividing day will come,

And hypocrites must hear their doom,

“Depart, accurs’d, to endless woe,

Prepared for devils and for you.”

Lord, may I then accepted stand

Among the wheat at thy right hand;

Before the angels stand confest,

And hear thy lips proclaim me blest.

Study FurtherRelated passages, insights, and questions for personal reflection.

Take today’s devotional further. Explore related Scriptures and open any verse in the Study Desk for deeper study.

    Isaiah 55:11: So will My word be which goes out of My mouth; It will not return to Me empty, Without accomplishing what I desire, And without succeeding in the purpose for which I sent it.
    God's word never returns void, accomplishing His purpose.
    ↳ Where are you trusting God's word to accomplish His purpose today?
    Mark 4:26: And He was saying, "The kingdom of God is like a man who casts seed upon the soil;
    Kingdom growth pictured as seed sown and maturing.
    ↳ What seed of faith are you patiently trusting God to grow?
    1 Corinthians 3:6: I planted, Apollos watered, but God was causing the growth.
    Paul plants, God gives the increase of sown seed.
    ↳ How can you plant faithfully while trusting God for growth?
    Matthew 3:12: "His winnowing fork is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clear His threshing floor; and He will gather His wheat into the barn, but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire."
    Final separation: wheat gathered, chaff burned with fire.
    ↳ Does your life reflect wheat or chaff before the harvest?
    2 Timothy 2:19: Nevertheless, the firm foundation of God stands, having this seal: "The Lord knows those who are His;" and, "Everyone who names the name of the Lord is to keep away from wickedness."
    Lord knows His own amid mixed professing church.
    ↳ How will you keep away from wickedness as His own?

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This resource was produced before 1923 and therefore is considered in the "Public Domain".