The focus factor

It is impossible to focus on both a near and far object at the same time, whether with a camera, a telescope, or even with our eyes. Given the option (and it is given), where do we focus others?

This experience is related in Dallimore’s Spurgeon: A New Biography:

During the 1880s a group of American ministers visited England, prompted especially by a desire to hear some of the celebrated preachers of that land.

On a Sunday morning they attended the City Temple where Dr. Joseph Parker was the pastor. Some two thousand people filled the building, and Parker’s forceful personality dominated the service. His voice was commanding, his language descriptive, his imagination lively, and his manner animated. The sermon was scriptural, the congregation hung upon his words, and the Americans came away saying, “What a wonderful preacher is Joseph Parker!”

In the evening they went to hear Spurgeon at the Metropolitan Tabernacle. The building was much larger than the City Temple, and the congregation was more than twice the size. Spurgeon’s voice was much more expressive and moving and his oratory noticeably superior. But they soon forgot all about the great building, the immense congregation, and the magnificent voice. They even overlooked their intention to compare the various features of the two preachers, and when the service was over they found themselves saying, “What a wonderful Savior is Jesus Christ!”

Photo by Jens Nicolay

What do we offer?

The following is Charles Spurgeon’s description of his search, at the age of 15, to remove the burden of his sins that he had committed against God:

After going to Newmarket he attended services at first one church and then another, hoping he might hear something that would help remove his burden. “One man preached Divine sovereignty,” he says, “but what was that sublime truth to a poor sinner who wished to know what he must do to be saved. There was another admirable man who always preached about the law, but what was the use of ploughing up ground that needed to be sown. Another was a practical preacher… but it was very much like a commanding officer teaching the manouvers of war to a set of men without feet… what I wanted to know was ‘How can I get my sins forgiven’ and they never told me that.”

-from The Early Years by Iaian Murray (1962) as quoted in Spurgeon: A New Biography by Arnold Dallimore (1985)

Although Spurgeon was already acquainted with the Gospel at this point (both his father and grandfather were pastors) he struggled with belief and faith in Christ, and later claimed, “I could not get hold of it.” Spurgeon knew that he had a problem, and he was searching for a solution. This would be similar to the man who knows that he has cancer and travels to many doctors until he finds the oncologist who can lead him to the right treatment, or the alcoholic who searches for the right treatment program to free him from his addiction.

Many around us are searching, and we need to consider what kind of hope we normally provide to those who come to us for answers. Their situation is usually different from Spurgeon’s – they are like the sick man who does not know that he has cancer, or the alcoholic husband who blames his problems on his wife – they do not see that their sin against God is the problem. Therefore we are often required to acknowledge and confront sin, but we should never stop there.

• Condemnation of sin is a consequence, not an answer, although it does lead to the solution.
• Trust in God sounds like a nice answer, but without Christ God is not accessible to us.
• A positive attitude and pragmatic solutions might work as a quick fix, but they just treat the symptoms.

Let us confront where we need to confront, and comfort where we should comfort. But in every situation, let us not consider that our work is done until we share the Gospel. This can be done in different ways and even gradually, however we must ensure that the message is clear and that the whole truth is presented.

At the end of the age, I pray that I will not hear the following from any earthly acquaintance, be it friend or enemy:

“I appreciate your conversation, your humor, your appreciation of sports, your empathy towards my suffering, your meeting my earthly needs, but what I wanted to know was ‘How can I get my sins forgiven’ and you never told me that.”