Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit · Sermon No. 1899
“Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israelis that they might be saved. For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge. For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.” Romans 10:1,2,3.
WE ought to have an intense longing for the salvation of all sorts of men and especially for those, if there are any, that treat us badly. We should never wish them ill, not for a moment, but in proportion to their malice should be our intense desire for their good. Israel had persecuted Paul everywhere with the most bitter imaginable hate. When he addressed them in their synagogues, they rushed upon him in their fury. When he left them alone and preached quietly to the Gentiles, they made a mob, dragged him before the magistrates, charged him with causing a tumult and either stoned him or beat him with rods. He was “an Israelite, indeed,” but his people regarded him as a turncoat, indeed, because he had become a Christian! Mad as they were against all Christians, they had a special spite and fury against the apostate Pharisee. Paul’s only reply to all their infuriated malice is this gentle assertion—“Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is that they might be saved.”
Brethren, let us pray for men that they may be saved! Simple as the statement is, I feel sure that we shall see more conversions when more people pray for conversions. If, as we went about the streets, we made a rule that whenever we heard a man swear, we would pray that he might be saved, might we not hope to see a great many more saved? If, whenever we saw a case of special sin, or read of it in the newspaper, we were to make it a habit always to offer our heart’s desire and prayer for such offenders that they might be saved, I cannot tell what countless blessings would come from God’s right hand.
I would bring before you one peculiar class of persons whose conversion some of us should very earnestly pray for. They are the kind of people who are here described by the Apostle—Israelites—religious people, intensely religious in their way, although that way is not the way of the Truth of God. They have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. They are righteous people—self-righteous people—people that have done no ill, but, on the contrary, have labored to do a great deal of good. They are running and running well, but they are not running on the right road. They are laboring and laboring hard, but they are not laboring in the right style. And so they will miss their reward. Many of these people are around us and very admirable people they are in many ways, but their condition causes us the utmost anxiety. There are a few such persons in this present congregation—and though they are not so numerous among us as in many other quarters, yet they have a peculiar place in our affectionate regard. We esteem them so highly that we would be shocked and grieved that one single person of their character should perish. I say most solemnly, “My heart’s desire and prayer for such is that they might be saved; for I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge.”
Bear with me at this time while I talk about these people. If you do not belong to this order of minds yourselves, I am glad of it. Pray for them if you, yourselves, are saved. If you know any such, keep on mentioning them to God in prayer, while I am preaching. Use the next half-hour as a time of quiet pleading with God about individuals of whom you will be reminded while I am talking. Say, “Lord, bless her,” or, “Lord, bless him.” If you are not one of those at whom I shall be specially aiming, then help me with your prayers that this sermon may be clothed with power by the Holy Spirit!
I. And first, why ARE WE SPECIALLY CONCERNED FOR THESE PEOPLE? The answer is, “Because they are so zealous.” They have a zeal of God. I feel right glad to meet with a zealous man, nowadays, for zeal for God has become a rare quality in our land. You see plenty of zeal where politics are concerned. Fashion, art, society and literature—each one evokes zeal of a certain kind, but we are not overdone with those who are zealous in the matter of religion! We seem to be pretty nearly gone to sleep as to essentials of creed and worship. Who is zealous? Who burns with holy ardor? Who is consumed with sacred enthusiasm? If anybody comes to be a little zealous above others, he is straightway condemned. The man of fervent spirit is laughed at as “a hot Gospeller.” He is called a fanatic and great efforts are made to put him down. I fear that both the wise and the foolish virgins are going to sleep at this present time. There is a dullness in the religious world, as if we had passed into a dull, thick, autumn fog. We need a great and general revival.