The Lord pours most into those who are most empty of self.
I study my sermon as much as if the work of preaching depended entirely upon myself; and I go into the pulpit relying upon the Spirit of God, knowing that it does not depend upon myself, but upon Him.
Cling to the living Word and let the Gospel of your fathers, let the Gospel of the martyrs, let the Gospel of the Reformers, let the Gospel of the bloodwashed multitude before the Throne of God, the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ - be your Gospel and none but that - and it will save you and make you the means of saving others to the praise of God.
Know man (and yourself) in Christ, and out of Christ. Study him at his best, and study him at his worst; know his anatomy, his secrets, and his passions. You cannot do this by books; you must have personal spiritual experience; God alone can give you that. (And) know Jesus. Sit at his feet. Consider his nature, his work, his sufferings, his glory. Rejoice in his presence: commune with him from day to day.
God’s minister takes for his motto, Cedo nulli, “I yield to none,” and preaching God’s truth in love and honesty, he hopes to be able to render a fair account to his Master at last, for unto his Master only does he stand or fall.
“The Minister’s Farewell”, Dec. 11, 1859 (His first sermon at New Park St. Baptist Chapel was December 18, 1853 and he was called to the Pastorate April 1854) Highly Recommended
https://www.spurgeon.org/resource-library/sermons/the-ministers-farewell/#flipbook/
(The minister) will bring (God’s Word) up into the pulpit, and there say to it: "O Word, speak for thyself, and be thou heard alone. Suffer me not, O Lord, to pervert or misinterpret thine own heaven-sent truth."
“The Best Strengthening Medicine”
https://www.spurgeon.org/resource-library/sermons/the-best-strengthening-medicine/#flipbook/
Make me useful to the doubting and the feeble-minded. I do not bargain for comfort, and peace, and joy, if I can be more helpful to thy poor, weary children without them. Place me where I can best answer thy purpose by being made to sympathize with thy troubled people. I only want to bring them to heaven, to the praise of the glory of thy grace; and as for me, let me rejoice or suffer, as best suits their case.
The Saint and His Savior, The Progress of the Soul in the Knowledge of Jesus,
https://www.spurgeongems.org/chs_the-saint-and-his-savior.pdf
Some men endeavor to preach sinners to Christ. We prefer to preach Christ to sinners.
“God’s Fire and Hammer”
Jeremiah 23:29 “Is not my Word like as a fire, saith the Lord; and like a hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces?”
https://www.spurgeon.org/resource-library/sermons/gods-fire-and-hammer/#flipbook/
This Word is a hammering word, and if the preacher’s message does not smite you, if it does not ultimately break you in pieces, it is because it is not the Word of God to which you have been listening.
Preach the gospel then, the gospel of justification by faith, the gospel of regeneration by the Holy Ghost, the gospel of final perseverance through the unchanging love of God. Preach the whole of the glorious gospel of the blessed God, as it is revealed in the covenant of grace, and you will be doing fire-and-hammer work of the very choicest sort.
“The Mustard Seed: A Sermon For The Sabbath School Teacher”
I have often thought to myself ‘Other men may teach socialism, deliver lectures, or collect a band of fiddlers that they may gather a congregation, but I will preach the Gospel.’ I will preach more Gospel than ever if I can; I will stick more to the one cardinal point. The others can attend to the odds and ends, but I will keep to Christ crucified.
To those of vast ability who are looking to the events of the day I would say, "Allow one poor fool to keep to preaching the Gospel." Beloved teachers, be fools for Christ, and keep to the Gospel. Don't you be afraid. It has life in it, and it will grow; only you bring it out, and let it grow.
"Preaching Christ Crucified"
http://www.biblebb.com/files/spurgeon/3218.htm
The main business of a true minister is to preach the gospel to sinners…Christ only...Christ simply...Christ savingly...with love.
“The Soul Winner”
I believe that those sermons which are fullest of Christ are the most likely to be blessed to the conversion of the hearers. Let your sermons be full of Christ, from beginning to end crammed full of the gospel. As for myself, brethren, I cannot preach anything else but Christ and His cross, for I know nothing else, and long ago, like the apostle Paul, I determined not to know anything else save Jesus Christ and Him crucified. People have often asked me, “What is the secret of your success?” I always answer that I have no other secret but this, that I have preached the gospel,—not about the gospel, but the gospel,—the full, free, glorious gospel of the living Christ who is the incarnation of the good news. Preach Jesus Christ, brethren, always and everywhere; and every time you preach be sure to have much of Jesus Christ in the sermon.
“The Christian’s Great Business”
https://www.ccel.org/ccel/spurgeon/sermons19.xlii.html
“On Conversion as our Aim”, at Metropolitan Tabernacle’s Pastors’ College
http://www.thespurgeonfellowship.org/journal/hr_sp09.pdf
Great hearts are the main qualifications for great preachers, and we must cultivate our affections (emotions) to that end. Impressed with a sense of their danger, give the ungodly no rest in their sins; knock again and again at the door of their hearts, and knock as for life and death. Your solicitude, your earnestness, your anxiety, your travailing in birth for them God will bless to their arousing.
“The True Aim of Preaching”
http://www.spurgeongems.org/vols55-57/chs3191.pdf
An All-Round Ministry, Addresses to Ministers and Students, Presidential Addresses at the Annual Conferences of the Pastors' College, 1872-1890
https://archive.spurgeon.org/misc/aarm.php
“Strength In Weakness”
https://archive.spurgeon.org/misc/aarm07.php
Many servants of God are made to feel their weakness in another way, by an oppressive sense of responsibility…. Do not take an exaggerated view of what the Lord expects of you. He will not blame you for not doing that which is beyond your mental power or physical strength…. We are not the Father, nor the Saviour, nor the Comforter of the Church. We cannot take the responsibility of the universe upon our shoulders.
"The Minister's Farewell", Spurgeon's last sermon at Surrey Hall Dec. 11, 1859 before moving into the Metropolitan Tabernacle
http://www.spurgeon.org/sermons/0289.php
In God's name, I beseech you, flee to Christ for refuge! Shall there be any of you, whom I shall see on my death bed, who shall charge me with being unfaithful? Shall these eyes be haunted with visions of men whom I have amused, but into whose heart I have never sought to convey the truth?
The last words of C.H. Spurgeon from the pulpit, June 7, 1891, from 1 Samuel 30
http://www.romans45.org/spurgeon/sermons/2208.htm
It is heaven to serve Jesus. I am a recruiting sergeant, and I would fain find a few recruits at this moment. Every man must serve somebody: we have no choice as to that fact. Those who have no master are slaves to themselves. Depend upon it, you will either serve Satan or Christ, either self or the Saviour. You will find sin, self, Satan, and the world to be hard masters; but if you wear the livery of Christ, you will find him so meek and lowly of heart that you will find rest unto your souls.
He is the most magnanimous of captains. There never was his like among the choicest of princes. He is always to be found in the thickest part of the battle. When the wind blows cold he always takes the bleak side of the hill. The heaviest end of the cross lies ever on his shoulders. If he bids us carry a burden, he carries it also. If there is anything that is gracious, generous, kind, and tender, yea lavish and superabundant in love, you always find it in him.
These forty years and more have I served him, blessed be his name! and I have had nothing but love from him. I would be glad to continue yet another forty years in the same dear service here below if so it pleased him. His service is life, peace, joy. Oh, that you would enter on it at once! God help you to enlist under the banner of Jesus even this day! Amen.