Driving Truth Home

As king Solomon wrapped up his discourse, he wrote in Ecclesiastes 12:11-12:  "The words of the wise are like goads, and the words of scholars are like well-driven nails, given by one Shepherd. ¹² And further, my son, be admonished by these. Of making many books there is no end, and much study is wearisome to the flesh."  The words we speak make a difference in the lives of others for good when we are led by the Good Shepherd Jesus Christ who is wisdom for us.  Many people who will not consider listening to a sermon or reading a book by a Christian author (much less the Bible itself!) can be impacted by godly, wise speech.  At times it seems pastors or professors are not seen to be worth their salt unless they have written at least one acclaimed book, but Solomon pointed out how there is no end to making books.  The implication is books, however insightful and useful, have a limit of effect and impact which demands another.  There will never be a timeless, foundational, definitive book like the Bible ever written by men because it has been authored by God.

One way we can be effective in communicating Gospel truth is through the use of illustrations.  A well-directed story can breathe fresh attentiveness to a sleepy congregation.  Anecdotes can quicken thinking and help bring a key point to later remembrance.  Solomon's comparison of truth being well-driven nails fits well with a discourse C.H. Spurgeon gave during a lecture:

Mr. Betram aptly illustrates the way in which men are engrossed in worldly cares by telling the story of the captain of a whaling ship, whom he tried to interest in the things of God, and who said, "It is not use, sir; your conversation will not have any effect upon me.  I cannot hear what you are saying, or understand the subject you are talking about.  I left my home to try to catch whales.  I have been a year and nine months looking for whales, sir, and I have not caught a whale yet.  I have been ploughing the deep in search of whales; when I go to bed, I dream of whales; and when I get up in the morning, I wonder if there will be any whales caught that day; there is a whale in my heart, sir, a whale in my brain, and it is of no use for you to talk to me about anything else but whales."  So your people have their business in their heads, and in their hearts, they want to make a fortune, and retire; or else they have a family of children to bring up, and Susan must be married, and John must be got into a situation, and it is no use for you to talk to them about the things of God unless you can drive away the whales that keep floundering and splashing about.

There is a merchant, perhaps, who has just thought of some bad bill; or another has looked across the building, and noticed a piece of ribbon of a particular colour, and he thinks, "Yes, I ought to have had a larger stock of that kind of thing.  I see that it is getting fashionable!" or it may be that one of the hearers has caught sight of his neighbor, and he thinks he must pay him a visit on the morrow; and so people's thoughts are occupied with all sorts of subjects beside that of which the preacher is speaking.  You ask me how I know that this is the case.  Well, I know because I have been guilty of the same offence myself; I find this occurs when I am listening to another brother preaching.  I do not think, when I am preaching, that I get on very well; but sometimes, when I go into the country, and take the morning and evening services, and then hear some one else in the afternoon, I think, "Well, really, when I was up there, I thought I was a stick:  but now!  I only wish I had my turn again!"  Now this is very wrong, to let such thoughts come into our minds; but as we are all very apt to wander, the preacher should carry anecdotes and illustrations into the pulpit, and use them as nails to fasten the people's attention to the subject of his sermon. 

Mr. Paxton Hood once said, in a lecture that I heard him deliver, "Some preachers expect too much of their hearers; they take a number of truths into the pulpit as a man might carry up a box of nails; and then, supposing the congregation to be posts, they take out a nail, and expect it to get into the post by itself.  Now that is not the way to do it.  You must take your nail, hold it up against the post, hammer it in, and then clinch it on the other side; and then it is that you may expect the great Master of assemblies to fasted the nails so that they will not fall out."  We must try thus to get the truth into the people, for it will never get in of itself; and we must remember that the hearts of our hearers are not open, like a church door, so that the truth may go in, and take its place, and sit upon its throne to be worshipped there.  No, we have often to break open the doors with great effort, and to thrust the truth into places where it will not be at first a welcome guest, but where, afterwards, the better it is known, the more it will be loved. (Spurgeon, C. H. Lectures to My Students: Complete & Unabridged. Ministry Resources Library, Zondervan Publishing House, 1989.pages 395-396)

I am most grateful for the Bible and many useful books I have read by those who hold to and proclaim the wisdom and truth of God.  I am greatly indebted to authors who toiled with quill by candlelight to produce great volumes teaching and expounding upon the grace and goodness of God.  The insight and impetus to settle on a particular subject to write a book may never come to me, but I can labour to be a better communicator of God's wisdom in speaking in whatever occasions I converse.  I am aware I can hammer away with the best illustrations and achieve nothing without complete reliance upon the Holy Spirit who makes our efforts fruitful.  Praise the LORD He is the Good Shepherd who has the nails and is able, despite my poor aim and weakness, to drive them home.