Precious Promises

Introducing a brief sermon series on the promises of God.

This past year, I was gifted a book that has richly blessed me, and I hope to pass that blessing on to my congregation in the sermon series that we began last Sunday. The book, The Wells of Salvation Opened by William Spurstowe, is best explained by its lengthy subtitle:

“A Treatise Discovering the Nature, Preciousness, Usefulness of Gospel Promises, and Rules for the Right Application of Them.”

In other words, what are the promises of God, and how can we lay hold of them to strengthen our faith? As alluded to in the title, Spurstowe compares the promises of God to a “well of salvation” (Isaiah 12:3: “With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation”), and his book is essentially a manual for how to draw and drink deeply of those great promises.

To that end, he gives ten “Positive Rules” for the right use of the promises; and it is his seventh rule that gives rise to this series: “Make Choice of Some Special Promises to Resort to in Extremity.” He states that while there are a multitude of promises that we ought to familiarize ourselves with, to prepare ourselves for times of trouble, we ought to select a few key texts that we might quickly access for support and comfort. Just as we all have a favorite pill or powder in the medicine cabinet that we first turn to when an ailment arises, so too ought Christians have some go-to promises: “Which upon every occasion that may befall them, they may quickly have recourse unto, both for support and comfort.” After the opening sermon on the nature of promises from 2 Peter 1:4 (“by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises”), I aim to follow Spurstowe’s guidance in finding a promise to meet each of the three most common afflictions we face.

A Promise for Those Burdened with Guilt: “Are any burdened with the guilt of sin, so as that their soul draws nigh unto the pit of despair? What more joyful tidings can ever their ears hear than a proclamation of free mercy made by the Lord Himself unto believing and repenting sinners?” Of the many places we could go for the promise of pardon, no place reveals God’s character as simply and directly as his proclamation to Moses in Exodus 34:6-7: “The LORD, the LORD, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, keeping steadfast love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin.”

A Promise for Those Full of Fears: “To them who are full of fears through the approach of dangers which they have no hope to avoid or power to overcome.” This describes so many of us, does it not? And even when the threats are not that bad, how often are we still burdened and paralyzed with fear? In this second promise, we will return to Isaiah and consider his mighty assurance of protection: “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you” (43:2).

A Promise for Those in Bad Condition: “Lastly, to them, the meanness of whose condition may seem to expose them above others to hunger, cold, nakedness, evils that make life itself far more bitter than death, how full of divine sweetness is that blessed promise of provision?” Jesus teaches us to pray for our daily bread, and this promise encourages us to believe that God delights to answer that very prayer: “Those who seek the Lord lack no good thing” (Ps 34:10).

Each of these promises is a great reminder of God’s fatherly care, but they must not be considered outside of the work of Jesus on our behalf. For that reason, I plan to cap off the series with a Christmas Eve sermon that presents Christ as the fulfillment of every promise: “For all the promises of God find their Yes in him” (2 Cor 1:20a).

I hope you can join us for this series and come away with a deeper appreciation and application of God's promises.