Soul winner by C.H. Spurgeon (available from Amazon or free on the internet, here for example)
Just as Elisha raised the dead child so we must raise dead children from their sins.
The lessons Spurgeon makes included:
(i) to raise the dead is your mission;
(ii) imitate your Master;
(iii) when you fail you must not give up;
(iv) lay the dead upon your heart;
(v) pray separately with the dead;
(vi) feel the deadness of their sins;
(vii) stretch yourself;
(viii) be sympathetic;
(ix) do not relax;
(x) be restless for them;
(xi) persevere with patience;
(xii) do not expect more than a sneeze;
I must say that I think Spurgeon stretched the narrative at times a little more than he probably should have. He made excellent points, but I'm not sure every physical action in the passage has a parallel to the Christian minister's work.
I particularly liked the encouragement to feel the weight of the Non-Christian's sins: 'If you would raise that dead child, you must feel the chill and horror of that child's death yourself. A dying man is needed to raise dying men. I cannot believe that you will ever pluck a brand from the burning without putting your hand near enough to feel the heat of the fire. You must have, more or less, a distinct sense of the dreadful wrath of God and of the terrors of the judgment to come, or you will lack energy in your work, and so lack one of the essentials of success. I do not think the preacher ever speaks well upon such topics until he feels them pressing upon him as a personal burden from the Lord. "I did preach in chains," said John Bunyan, "to men in chains." Depend upon it, when the death that is in your children alarms, depresses, and overwhelms you, then it is that God is about to bless you.'
When we understand the fullness of their plight, we will be spurred on in our task of bringing them to life.
Next week's reading
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