T. Austin Sparks1888 – 1971

      "Mr Sparks", as he was affectionately known, was born in London, England in 1888. He came to know Christ as a teenager and later became a Baptist pastor. However, his "ecclesiastical" career took a decidedly different direction when a physical crisis brought him to a place of brokenness.

      At the same time God also delivered him from his previous prejudice against anything that was related to the "deeper life". As a result, he joined Jessie Penn-Lewis in the ministry of the spiritual growth of believers; a ministry to which he devoted his life and which also cost him his reputation and his career in the denominational circles of England.

      He was based in southeast London at Honor Oak Christian Fellowship which is where Watchman Nee met and fellowshipped with him during a visit to England in 1933. Nee's refusal to disavow Austin-Sparks later became the grounds for him being disfellowshipped by the Taylor Brethren. It has been said that Watchman Nee considered Austin-Sparks as his spiritual mentor, and their fellowship appears to have been rich and fruitful.

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1.) "For the Glory of God"
       From "The Work of the Ministry" - Volume 1. "This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God may be glorified thereby" (John 11:4). "He that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot with graveclothes; and his face was bound about with a napkin. Jesus saith unto them, Loose him, and let him go" (John 11:44). ...read more

2.) "How Know We the Way?"
       From "This Ministry" - Messages given at Honor Oak - Volume 3 "Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way?" (John 14:5). The chapter in which the above words occur is a chapter of questions. Mental perplexity prevails on the side of the disciples. Strange things are being said to them; things wh ...read more

3.) Faith's Persistency (1 Kings 18:41-44)
       "Now Elijah said to Ahab, "Go up, eat and drink; for there is the sound of the roar of a heavy shower." So Ahab went up to eat and drink. But Elijah went up to the top of Carmel; and he crouched down on the earth, and put his face between his knees. And he said to his servant, "Go up now, look toward the sea." So he went up and looked and said, " ...read more

4.) Responsibility For What We Have (Luke 16:29,31)
       "They have Moses and the prophets, let them hear them.... If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, if one rise from the dead" (Luke 16:29,31). That is a strange parable, or illustration, that our Lord gave about the rich man and the poor man and their places and conditions after having passed from this life! How ...read more

5.) Titles of the Risen Lord
       Square brackets [ ] indicate interpolations, queries or corrections made by the transcriber that were not in the original spoken message. We are today occupied with the Resurrection side of the Cross, and this afternoon I'm going to ask you to consider with me some of the titles of the Risen Lord: the Resurrection titles of the Lord Jesus. In ...read more

6.) "A House of Prayer For All People"
       Reading: 2 Chronicles 6; Isaiah 56:6-7; Mark 11:17; Ephesians 6:18. "My house shall be called an house of prayer for all people." The sixth chapter of the second book of Chronicles is a magnificent example and illustration of these words of the Prophet. In the dedication of the House by Solomon, prayer of a universal kind inaugurated the mi ...read more

7.) "A Man in Christ"
       "I know a man in Christ" (2 Corinthians 12:2) The object of our consideration is manhood in relation to the Lord's testimony, and for it we take a little phrase used by the apostle Paul about himself: "I knew a man in Christ". To it may be linked a few other simple phrases: "I JESUS have sent my angel to testify unto you..." (Revelation 22: ...read more

8.) "ACCORDING TO CHRIST" - Part 4
      Editorial Four In concluding this brief series of editorials, for the time being, we are going to sum up this matter of the Church and the churches by looking more seriously at the great crisis or turning point which we have in the New Testament. From what we can discern in the relevant literature, it would seem that very few indeed - a ...read more

9.) "ACCORDING TO CHRIST" - Part 1
      Editorial One (NOTE: During the many years of this spoken and printed ministry, very much has been said regarding the Church. This has led to not a few enquiries for advice from many who are in difficulty over this matter. Many of the enquirers are in responsible positions in the Lord's work. It is a sign of the times that there is such a v ...read more

10.) "ACCORDING TO CHRIST" - Part 2
      Editorial Two The first part of this consideration has been a general survey and statement as to the nature and purpose of the Church (universal) and the churches (local). We proceed now to look at foundations, but some things already said need elucidating and enlarging, and the matter now to be considered will serve this purpose, and touch ...read more

11.) "ACCORDING TO CHRIST" - Part 3
      Editorial Three The occasion of these editorials is a widespread and serious exercise concerning the nature of the local expression of the Church. As we pursue this enquiry we are getting ever nearer to the heart of the matter. The fragment at the head is, we trust becoming clearer as to its real significance for every local representation, ...read more

12.) "Because of the Blood of the Lamb" (Revelation 12:1-12)
      Reading: Zechariah 3:1-10; Revelation 12:1-12. "And they overcame him because of the blood of the Lamb, and because of the word of their testimony; and they loved not their life even unto death." (R.V.) One clause of that verse sums up everything else and is sufficient - "because of the blood of the Lamb." The Travail for the Man-Child ...read more

13.) "By My Spirit" (Zechariah 4)
       Reading: Zechariah 4 The golden lampstand which Zechariah saw was the symbol of the divine testimony, the out-shining of the glory of God. Lying behind all God's activities with men, the very reason for man's creation, is His desire to display His glory. The human race, as a whole, failed to realise this grand design, but the testimony was tak ...read more

14.) "Even Barnabas"
       From "A Witness and A Testimony" January 1962, Volume 40-1. "...even Barnabas was carried away with their dissimulation." (Galatians 2:13.) What a pity that such painful and unhappy incidents should have been placed on record for all time! What a still greater pity that they should ever have happened at all, and that right at the heart of ...read more

15.) "I Have Loved Thee"
       From "The Work of the Ministry" - Volume 2 Reading: Revelation 3:7-11. You will notice that the words of our title are linked with the Lord's coming - "I come quickly". And with His coming imminent He addresses these words to His children. The issue, after all, at the end, in the coming of the Lord, will be that there is that which draws o ...read more

16.) "In the Likeness of His Resurrection"
       It is important that we should recognise what a great scope and tremendous emphasis the subject of resurrection has in the Word of God. As a principle it is patent or latent, according to the measure of our discernment, from the beginning to the end of the divine revelation of Scripture. Since the fall, all things which are of God have their new ...read more

17.) "Looking Unto Jesus"
       "Let thine eyes look right on, and let thine eyelids look straight before thee. Make level the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be established. Turn not to the right hand nor to the left" (Proverbs 4:25-27). "Therefore let us also, seeing we are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, lay aside every weight, and the sin whic ...read more

18.) "Loose Him, and Let Him Go!"
       Reading: John 11:38-44 It is that last verse that we shall be considering especially: "He that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot with graveclothes; and his face was bound about with a napkin. Jesus saith unto them, Loose him and let him go." I would just like to place alongside of that a fragment from the tenth chapter: "I came ...read more

19.) "Nor... the Smell of Fire..." (Daniel 3:16-27)
       Reading: Daniel 3:16-27 and I Peter 1:6-8 (ASV). "Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, answered and said to the king, "0 Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer thee in this matter. If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace; and He will deliver us out of thine hand, 0 king. But if not, be it known u ...read more