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The Believer's Joy
Robert Murray McCheyne’s fervent love of the gospel shone clearly through everything he wrote and said, often leading him to tears while he preached. This short book brings together seven such sermons, in which McCheyne expounds the glories of life in Christ. Shorter and more easily digestible than some of his written works, but lacking none of the biblical depth, these sermons make for powerful devotional material.
- GenresChristian LivingTheology
90 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 31, 2018
17 people are currently reading
97 people want to read
About the author
Robert Murray M'Cheyne
176 books27 followersRobert Murray M'Cheyne a minister in the Church of Scotland from 1835 to 1843. He was born at Edinburgh, was educated at the University of Edinburgh and at the Divinity Hall of his native city, where he was taught by Thomas Chalmers. He first served as an assistant to John Bonar in the parish of Larbert and Dunipace, near Falkirk, from 1835 to 1838. After this he served as minister of St. Peter's Church (in Dundee) until his early death at the age of 29 during an epidemic of typhus.
Not long after his death, his friend Andrew Alexander Bonar edited his biography which was published with some of his manuscripts as The Memoir and Remains of the Rev. Robert Murray M'Cheyne. The book went into many editions. It has had a lasting influence on Evangelical Christianity worldwide.
In 1839, M'Cheyne and Bonar, together with two older ministers, Dr. Alexander Black and Dr. Alexander Keith, were sent to Palestine on a mission of inquiry to the condition of the Jews. Upon their return, their official report for the Board of Mission of the Church of Scotland was published as Narrative of a Visit to the Holy Land and Mission of Inquiry to the Jews. This led subsequently to the establishment of missions to the Jews by the Church of Scotland and by the Free Church of Scotland. During M'Cheyne's absence, his place was filled by the appointment of William Chalmers Burns to preach at St. Peter's as his assistant.
M'Cheyne was a preacher, a pastor, a poet, and wrote many letters. He was also a man of deep piety and a man of prayer. He never married, but he did have a fiancée at the time of his death, Jessie Thain, who died heartbroken.
M'Cheyne died exactly two months before the Disruption of 1843. This being so, his name was subsequently held in high honour by all the various branches of Scottish Presbyterianism, though he himself held a strong opinion against the Erastianism which led to the Disruption.
M'Cheyne designed a widely used system for reading through the Bible in one year. The plan entails reading the New Testament and the Psalms through twice a year, and the Old Testament through once.
Not long after his death, his friend Andrew Alexander Bonar edited his biography which was published with some of his manuscripts as The Memoir and Remains of the Rev. Robert Murray M'Cheyne. The book went into many editions. It has had a lasting influence on Evangelical Christianity worldwide.
In 1839, M'Cheyne and Bonar, together with two older ministers, Dr. Alexander Black and Dr. Alexander Keith, were sent to Palestine on a mission of inquiry to the condition of the Jews. Upon their return, their official report for the Board of Mission of the Church of Scotland was published as Narrative of a Visit to the Holy Land and Mission of Inquiry to the Jews. This led subsequently to the establishment of missions to the Jews by the Church of Scotland and by the Free Church of Scotland. During M'Cheyne's absence, his place was filled by the appointment of William Chalmers Burns to preach at St. Peter's as his assistant.
M'Cheyne was a preacher, a pastor, a poet, and wrote many letters. He was also a man of deep piety and a man of prayer. He never married, but he did have a fiancée at the time of his death, Jessie Thain, who died heartbroken.
M'Cheyne died exactly two months before the Disruption of 1843. This being so, his name was subsequently held in high honour by all the various branches of Scottish Presbyterianism, though he himself held a strong opinion against the Erastianism which led to the Disruption.
M'Cheyne designed a widely used system for reading through the Bible in one year. The plan entails reading the New Testament and the Psalms through twice a year, and the Old Testament through once.
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
May 2, 2021
Seven Christ centered, gospel filled sermons for believers and unbelievers alike.
December 7, 2019
HIGHLY recommended. Beautiful writing, timeless truths, every sentence a nugget. Read this and be refreshed.
PS I read the hardcover edition, not the Kindle version
PS I read the hardcover edition, not the Kindle version
May 25, 2022
A series of brief sermons by a Scottish preacher from the 1800s. Beautiful and eloquent. I especially loved the last chapter which details Jesus Christ’s love for his bride, the church. Encouraging. Hopeful.
July 17, 2021
"The believer joys in God because He is love. This is the sum of the reasons why the believer joys in God. This is the oil which feeds the lamp of his joy. He joys in God's past love, in His present love, in His love which is to come." (26)
A lovely little book. McCheyne (1813-1843) occasionally sounds a bit purple to modern ears, but his heart is all in and he lived in a time of high Scottish poetry, so I could overlook it. There were a number of gem quotes in this book:
"To the soul that has been all its life under wrath, there is something unspeakably joyful in abiding under the beams of God's reconciled countenance." (27)
"This one word is the believer's prayer: Abba." (29)
"We offer up a broken heart. A heart pierced with a sense of sin is a sweet sacrifice to God." (46)
"It is impossible to speak with power from mere head knowledge." (72)
"Take your emptiness to His fullness. There is an infinite supply with Him for everything you need, at the very moment you need it." (76)
And some of the best lines came from the preview of From the Preacher's Heart at the end:
"The Church had no dowery to attract the love of Jesus, except her wrath and curse." (81)
"Nothing is more wonderful than the love of Christ.... It is unbought love.... He loved you because He loved you." (82)
"Love is known by the sacrifice it will make.... Christ gave Himself." (82)
A lovely little book. McCheyne (1813-1843) occasionally sounds a bit purple to modern ears, but his heart is all in and he lived in a time of high Scottish poetry, so I could overlook it. There were a number of gem quotes in this book:
"To the soul that has been all its life under wrath, there is something unspeakably joyful in abiding under the beams of God's reconciled countenance." (27)
"This one word is the believer's prayer: Abba." (29)
"We offer up a broken heart. A heart pierced with a sense of sin is a sweet sacrifice to God." (46)
"It is impossible to speak with power from mere head knowledge." (72)
"Take your emptiness to His fullness. There is an infinite supply with Him for everything you need, at the very moment you need it." (76)
And some of the best lines came from the preview of From the Preacher's Heart at the end:
"The Church had no dowery to attract the love of Jesus, except her wrath and curse." (81)
"Nothing is more wonderful than the love of Christ.... It is unbought love.... He loved you because He loved you." (82)
"Love is known by the sacrifice it will make.... Christ gave Himself." (82)
September 1, 2023
An easy read, a collection of sermons preached by the author. Simple reminders of the Christian faith and things that believers need to take note of.
Initially I thought it would be a boring book but I was pleasantly surprised at the ease and simplicity of the message, which brings us back to basics.
Overall a good read.
Initially I thought it would be a boring book but I was pleasantly surprised at the ease and simplicity of the message, which brings us back to basics.
Overall a good read.
February 13, 2019
I loved the way I could almost hear Pastor McCheyne preach these heartfelt sermons with conviction and compassion! I would recommend this little book (only 86 pages!) to anyone who wants to know how and why Christianity is different from the religions of the world!!
February 4, 2024
McCheyne speaks about two things; God’s effectual calling, and the desperate need for sinners to turn to Him in repentance. This collection of sermons was rich!
They don’t make ‘em like they used to…”of whom the world was not worthy.”
They don’t make ‘em like they used to…”of whom the world was not worthy.”
July 29, 2020
A joy-instilling book indeed!
February 6, 2022
Great. McCheyne has become one of my favourite old guys from the UK. It's worth a read to have your soul stirred. Especially if you still use his bible reading plan in 2022.
January 25, 2021
To read McCheyne feels like sitting in front of a warm fire with an eager friend, and I am reminded again how much I benefit from his company.
December 30, 2020
Joy indeed for those who love The Lord. Seven succinct sermons full of ecstatic praise, warm assurance and one or two probing questions. RMM keeps the main thing the main thing, drives his points home deftly and quickly moves on without tipping his hat at too many gospel truths. His approach is to get to the heart of his subject and to display something of God's overwhelming glory. These are model sermons. The sermon on "Revival" I found less straightforward, but I'm sure it will repay a deeper reading. Highly recommended.
May 19, 2019
Convicting, challenging, and encouraging. The Believer’s Joy is a series of sermons, printed out for all to read. Though meant for a live audience to hear, it reads very well and it was refreshing to read a new (to me) author. Elegance and preciseness are intertwined with the Gospel message, which the reader will “hear” over and over in these sermons. Faith building words! I’d love to read a biography about RMM’s life.
August 1, 2021
Phenomenal book! One of the best books I've ever read. A beautiful compilation of RMM's life changing expositions!
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews