Spurgeon and "WWJD"

"What Would Jeus Do?" -- or,
"WWJD" in C. H. Spurgeon's Ministry

Many have no doubt wondered about the origin of the popular "WWJD" abbreviation or acronym. We have some information about it on our website, cited sometime ago by our good friend, Brother Emmett O'Donnell of the www.spurgeongems.org website.

Today, a lady in Beaumont, Mrs. Deborah Ennis, who has undertaken the task of reading thru the entire set of Spurgeon's sermons, has called this to our attention again. I thought that perhaps many of you are not aware of the fact that WWJD at least dates back as far as Spurgeon's sermon in 1880 [#1526, The Fair Portrait of a Saint, Volume 26, Year 1880, page 149).

Here is the excerpt from the sermon:

SPURGEON ON "WWJD"

A very beautiful motto is hung up in our infant classroom at the Stockwell Orphanage, “What would Jesus do?”

Not only may children take it as their guide, but all of us may do the same, whatever our age. “What would Jesus do?” If you desire to know what you ought to do under any circumstances, imagine Jesus to be in that position and then think, “What would Jesus do? for what Jesus would do, that ought I to do.”

In following Jesus we are following God, for in Christ Jesus the brightness of the Father’s Glory is best seen. Our example is our Lord and Master, Jesus the Son of God, and, therefore, this question is but a beam from our guiding Star. Ask in all cases—“What would Jesus do?”

That unties the knot of all moral difficulty in the most practical way and does it so simply that no great wit or wisdom will be needed. May God’s Holy Spirit help us to copy the line which Jesus has written, even as scholars imitate their writing master in each stroke and line and mark and dot.

Oh, when we come to die and have to look back upon our lives, it will be a blessed thing to have followed the Lord fully! They are happy who follow the Lamb wherever He goes. Blessed are they in life and death of whom it can be said—as He was, so were they, also, in this world. Though misunderstood and misrepresented, yet they were honest imitators of their Lord! Such a true-hearted Christian can say, “He knows the way that I take. He tried me and I came forth as gold. My foot has held fast to His steps.” You will avoid many a sorrow if you keep close at your Master’s heels.

You know what came of Peter’s following afar off — try what will come of close walking with Jesus. Abide in Him and let His Words abide in you, so shall you be His disciples. You dare not trust in your works and will not think of doing so, but you will bless God that, being saved by His Grace, you were enabled to bring forth the fruits of the Spirit by a close and exact following of the steps of your Lord.

Three things, then, we get in the first sentence—an exactness of obedience, a tenacity of grip upon that which is good and a promptness in endeavoring to keep in touch with God and to follow Him in all respects. May these things abound in us!

[Copied from the online sermon at
http://www.spurgeongems.org/vols25-27/chs1526.pdf

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OTHER REFERENCES IN SPURGEON'S
SERMONS TO "WWJD"

After sending out the item on January 16, 2010 via email about C. H. Spurgeon's reference to "WWJD" -- What Would Jesus Do? -- I received an email from Bob Canaday which listed several other places in Spurgeon's sermons which referred to "WWJD."

Here is the list of sermons provided to me by Brother Canaday:

THE FAIR PORTRAIT OF A SAINT, Sermon 1526, MTP Volume 26, Page 149

EVERYDAY RELIGION, Sermon 1599, MTP Volume 27, Page 287

SUPPOSING HIM TO HAVE BEEN IN THE COMPANY, Sermon 1724, MTP Volume 29, Page 319

RECRUITS FOR KING JESUS, Sermon 1770, MTP Volume 30, Page 154

THE PRIVATE TUTOR, Sermon 1842, MTP Volume 31, Page 293

CHRIST PUT ON, Sermon 2132, MTP Volume 36, Page 123

THE AGREEMENT OF SALVATION BY GRACE WITH WALKING IN GOOD WORKS, Sermon 2210, MTP Volume 37, Page 347

WATCHING FOR CHRIST’S COMING, Sermon 2302, MTP Volume 39 , Page 162

THE PERPETUITY OF THE GOSPEL, Sermon 2636, MTP Volume 45, Page 401

“PEACE! PERFECT PEACE!”, Sermon 3175, MTP Volume 55, Page 602

Thanks, Brother Canaday, for this list. If there are other references that anyone has found, please let us know about them.

MORE CITATIONS:
Pastor Kerry J. Allen provides some other references:

Brethren,

There are at least four more references to WWJD that were missed:

"A heavenly pattern for our earthly life," sermon # 1778, MTP, volume 30, page 252.

"Love's transformations," sermon # 1871, MTP, volume 31, page 635.

An All Round Ministry, page 268.

The Gospel according to Matthew, comments on Matthew 12:46-50.

Best regards,
Kerry J. Allen