PRAYER FOR THE CHURCH
Charles H. Spurgeon (1834-1892) pastor and author preached this sermon at Metropolitan Tabernacle in London: ‘Prayer for the Church’ on June 20, 1879 based on this text:
“Cause Your Face to Shine upon Your Sanctuary” Daniel 9:17 (This is only a short excerpt)
“There was but one temple, then, and there is but one Church, the sanctuary of God, and for that Church we ought to pray. This should correct the idea of some who, when they pray for God to bless his sanctuary, mean, “Lord, bless little Bethel!” or, “Lord, bless the parish church!” or, “Lord, bless the extremely orthodox community to which I belong!” or “Lord, bless the select few that gather to hear our dear minister!” I say, “The Lord bless all who love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity; and, wherever there lives, upon the face of the earth, a man who has anything of the grace of God in him, the Lord lift up his countenance upon him! May he deliver him from all errors and mistakes, into which even God’s children fall in a measure, and may he bring them all to the one Lord, the one faith, and the one baptism!” If there be good evidence that anyone is indeed a living stone in God’s one true, spiritual temple, shall we not all wish every blessing to such an one in the name of the Most High?”
“On this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” Jesus