Some years ago, Christian History Magazine devoted an entire issue to Charles Spurgeon. An opening feature was titled, “Did you know? A collection of true and unusual facts about Charles Haddon Spurgeon.” Among the many facts—all of them true, all of them interesting—about C. H. Spurgeon, two of the most fascinating are stories of conversions that came about through Spurgeon’s influence, but under very unlikely circumstances. Eric W. Hayden reports:
“One woman was converted through reading a single page of one of Spurgeon’s sermons wrapped around some butter she had bought.”
“Testing the acoustics in the vast Agricultural Hall, Spurgeon shouted, “Behold the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world.” A worker high in the rafters of the building heard this and became converted to Christ as a result.”
We love hearing stories like this, don’t we? It amazes us to hear how God works to bring sinners like us to himself. We are not alone in our curiosity. In 1 Peter 1:12, the apostle tells us that these are “…things into which angels long to look.”
In order to impress upon the original readers their privileged status as the people of God, Peter draws their attention to the heavenly realm. The angels though they have no need for salvation, long to look into it. The angels have a holy curiosity in the saving actions of God and the wonder of human salvation. They are pictured as intently watching the unfolding drama of redemption with an intense desire to understand it more fully.
And if you are a Christian you have experienced what no angel has experienced. So if the angels long to look into this—if they are fascinated by this, shouldn’t we who are the recipients of this salvation and not just onlookers, be amazed by this salvation? If angels marvel at the saving of sinners how much more should we, the ones actually saved, marvel and rejoice?
Every Christian has an unusual story of grace to tell. There are no pedestrian, mundane, or boring testimonies of conversion. Just ask the angels.
This post is adapted from a sermon I preached at Sovereign Grace Church of Louisville entitled, “Your Unusual Story.”