Wednesday, 13 October 2010
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Classic Sermons #1: Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God
"Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God" is one of the most famous sermons in history. Jonathon Edwards delivered this famous sermon on July 8th, 1741. It is most definitely a classic sermon. Given that my goal is to post classics this seemed like the perfect sermon to start with.
Given the age of this sermon the original audio is unavailable. However, the reader in the mp3 version is delivering it faithfully to how Edwards did that day on 1741. He read it plainly and without emotion.
"Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God" is a typical sermon of the Great Awakening, emphasizing the widely held belief that Hell is a real and functional place. Edwards hoped that the imagery and message of his sermon would awaken his audience to the horrific reality that he argued awaited them should they continue without Christ. The underlying point is that God has given humanity a chance to rectify their sins. Edwards says that it is the will of God that keeps wicked men from the depths of Hell; this act of restraint has given humanity a chance to mend their ways and return to Christ. Jonathan Edwards' sermon continues to be the leading example of a Great Awakening sermon and is still used in religious and academic settings today. *
"There is nothing that keeps wicked men at any one moment out of hell, but the mere pleasure of God."
Most of the sermon's text consists of eleven "considerations". They are as follows:
- God may cast wicked men into hell at any given moment.
- The Wicked deserve to be cast into hell. Divine justice does not prevent God from destroying the Wicked at any moment.
- The Wicked, at this moment, suffer under God's condemnation to Hell.
- The Wicked, on earth - at this very moment - suffer the torments of Hell. The Wicked must not think, simply because they are not physically in Hell, that God (in Whose hand the Wicked now reside) is not - at this very moment - as angry with them as He is with those miserable creatures He is now tormenting in hell, and who - at this very moment - do feel and bear the fierceness of His wrath.
- At any moment God shall permit him, Satan stands ready to fall upon the Wicked and seize them as his own.
- If it were not for God's restraints, there are, in the souls of wicked men, hellish principles reigning which, presently, would kindle and flame out into hellfire.
- Simply because there are not visible means of death before them, at any given moment, the Wicked should not, therefore, feel secure.
- Simply because it is natural to care for oneself or to think that others may care for them, men should not think themselves safe from God's wrath.
- All that wicked men may do to save themselves from Hell's pains shall afford them nothing if they continue to reject Christ.
- God has never promised to save us from Hell, except for those contained in Christ through the covenant of Grace.
- The wicked shall not escape the wrath of God unless they repent. *
Jadon Lavik's rendition of "Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing"
Jadon Lavik's rendition of "Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing" [download mp3]"Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God" by Jonathon Edwards
Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God [download mp3]The transcript can be found here, http://www.ccel.org/ccel/edwards/sermons.sinners.html.
What did you think?
If a pastor preached like this today would you attend his church?
Do you have a suggestion for a sermon to use?
[Also, please let me know if the embedded file doesn't play right for whatever reason…]
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Comments (9)
interesting that we both wrote about hell =P
Those sermons are so outdated.
@smile@revelife - Yeah, I thought so. There is another sermon later in this series that is in regard to hell also. If you'd like you could link to this in your post. The other one is also what some may consider "Hellfire and brimstone" as well. Although, it was preached by a man who is still living.
@llamalima - You forgot to click the ♥. :P
186 views? What did you do?
@MagisterTom - ooooh maybe =D GOOOOOOING =P
(can i link it to the revelife one too?)
@smile@revelife - Yup, it would be cool.
@llamalima - I was wondering that myself. The footprints don't make it look like there was really that many. I think Xanga's view counts, as well as everything else, is broken at the moment.
I still prefer Martin Luther's sermons :)
@puella_sapiens216 - Do you have one to suggest? Preferably one that there is an audio copy of someone reading.
@MagisterTom - I don't know of any audio's.
I remember reading excerpts of his sermons when I was writing a short sermon of my own a year ago and wanted Marty's ideas. From the excerpts I read, they were really great and certainly kept my attention. Alas, I don't really remember any specific titles or anything :(