INSIGHTS & NOTES FROM
VER. 1. The beginning. - The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ"
"A WONDERFUL THING HERE BEGUN." "...it is good news from God to man - from heaven to earth - from the infinitely holy to the lowest depths of human wretchedness & sin." "...it is a voice from heaven, breaking through the silence or discord of our natural condition. Oh, could the tumult of this life cease to fill our ears, we might hear another sound - good news from God to each of us." "The love, pity, wisdom of God were the sources of the gospel." "It began first in the PURPOSE of the Almighty Father." "It had a second beginning IN THE ADVENT OF OUR SAVIOUR JESUS CHRIST." "It had another also IN THE WORK OF THE HOLY GHOST." "CHRIST JESUS IS THE AUTHOR OF THIS GOSPEL. How great, then, is the sin of those who despise, or refuse to believe & obey the gospel. They reject Christ Himself." "CHRIST IS ALSO THE CHIEF SUBJECT MATTER, & ARGUMENT OF THE GOSPEL." "...let us joyfully embrace the doctrine of the gospel, which brings to us the news of spiritual freedom from sin & Satan, purchased by Christ, & of the pardon of our sins procured for us by Him." "Together with the Father, He is the object of trust, love, & worship; the same in power & glory; to be honoured of all men, even as they honour the Father." "Ver. 2. As it is written in the prophets." "Which shall prepare Thy way before Thee." "How to prepare the way for Christ: - How was John to prepare the people to receive Christ? 1. By foretelling them that Christ was to come immediately after him. 2. By preaching the doctrine of Christ, touching His Person & offices. 3. By preaching the doctrine of faith in Christ, stirring up the people to believe in Him as the Messiah. 4. By preaching repentance, exhorting them to turn unto God from their sin, that so they might be fit to receive Christ. 5. By administering baptism. (G. Petter.)" "...we are not to preach ourselves, but Christ; we are not to prepare our own way, or the way of any other, but the way of Christ in the hearts of our people." "We must plan to find room for the Lord in our hearts. We must make ready to do His bidding. We must decide to give up all habits of life that are inconsistent with His service." "Ver. 3. The voice of one crying in the wilderness." "A minister of the Word must not do the work of the Lord negligently or coldly, but with zeal & fervency of spirit." "MINISTERS SHOULD ALSO, WITH COURAGE & BOLDNESS OF SPIRIT DELIVER THE WORD & MESSAGE OF THE LORD (Eph. 6:20; Jer. 1:17; Ezek. 3:9)." "Ver. 4. - John did baptize in the wilderness." "Solitary communion with God; - Every preacher & teacher, to do his work aright, must go into the wilderness." "Do not grudge the time you spend alone with God. He will teach all His scholars what none others can impart." "Ver. 5. And there went out to him all the land of Judaea. - The Baptist's audience" "Secret of John Baptist's influence: - In one word, it was 'reality.' In an age of hollowness & hypocrisy never equalled before or since, such a characteristic was bound to startle men & arrest their attention." "Repentance is a pool, or rather a river, which carries our impurities far from us, so as never to be resumed again." "The man's words... were positive, straightforward, unmistakable. He aimed directly at the great need of his generation." "Ver. 6. And John was clothed with camel's hair." "Our apparel must be worn & used to the right ends for which it is appointed by God." "Ver. 7. There cometh one mightier than I after me. - Christ mightier than the Baptist" "I. In HIS PERSON. 'The power of God.' II. In HIS PREACHING. Christ's words were spirit & life. III. In HIS WORKS. John did no miracle. IV. In THE PERMANENCE OF HIS MINISTRY. Christ's disciples are an ever-increasing body to-day. V. In HIS DEATH. Christ's death really began His ministry; John's closed his. VI. In HIS POWER OVER THE HUMAN HEART. Christ can win its love & devotion now that He has gone." "Vers. 9, 10. Jesus came from Nazareth." "Its beauty & peacefulness." "The village of Nazareth is reached by a narrow, steep, & rough mountain path." "And was baptized of John in Jordan." "When the Baptist shrank back from an act that must have seemed profane, He pointed out that it was incumbent on Him to show an example of perfect obedience to His Father's will." "CHRIST WAS HONOURED BY A DIVINE COMMENDATION - 'This is my beloved son.'" "CHRIST OUR LORD THERE SET FOR US A PERFECT EXAMPLE OF PERFECT OBEDIENCE. Baptism was an ordinance of God; Christ will not exempt Himself from any duty." "Every true follower of Christ must publicly renounce his sins & confess his faith." "The approval & blessing of God are essential to a true work." "It was an act of obedience to a Divine appointment, & therefore it 'became' Him. It was the fulfillment of 'righteousness;'" "...the Father's delight in the Son is through the Son extended to all who love & trust the Son. In Jesus, God is well pleased towards us." "Ver. 10. The heavens opened." "The Spirit like a dove." "A most captivating symbol." "Dovelike properties in Christ: I. INNOCENT & harmless (Heb. 7:26). II. LOVING & tender-hearted (Eph. 3:19). III. MEEK & gentle (Matt. 11:29)." "Use frequent self-reflection to know whether you are indeed washed from the guilt & filth of sin (I Cor. 6:11)." "Ver. 11. Thou art My beloved Son." "He of whom the Father thus speaks, is worthy of all our honour, gratitude, & devotion. (Family Churchman.)" "Vers. 12, 13. - The Spirit driveth Him into the wilderness. - The temptation of Christ" "Christ was tempted AT THE COMMENCEMENT OF HIS MISSION. The greatest obstacles often beset the first steps of a new course - in attempting a new work, in first attacking a bad habit, in entering on the Christian life. This tests genuineness & teaches humility, self-diffidence, & reliance on God." "'The Spirit driveth Him.' ...God permits, nay, requires us to pass through the fire of temptation." "The same Holy Spirit who led Jesus into the wilderness leads us thither too." "It is absolutely necessary for us all sometimes to stand aside from the busy crowd, & to seek quiet & retirement for prayer & self-examination, without which our spiritual life must grow feebler & fainter till it dies. (H. J. Wilmot Buxton, M. A.)" "...man has the power to resist the strongest opposition of hell." "Tempted of Satan." "Temptation... 1. A trial of our faith , to bring out some hidden virtue. ...2. A provoking to anger. 3. A leading into sin." "Why does God allow us to be tempted? 1. To strengthen our faith. ...2. To bring out latent good qualities. 3. To make us watchful. We must prove our armour. We must learn our weak points. 4. That He may one day give us our reward (James 1:12)." "Subtlety of Satan's temptations: - Satan will lie in wait for the Christian in his time of weakness, even as the wild beasts do at the water side for the cattle coming to drink." "He who has formed the believer for Himself is not going to break or destroy the work, the beautiful work of His own hands. He is purifying, fitting, fashioning, polishing." "The force of temptation: - Run with the wind & you hardly know it is blowing. Run against it, & you are convinced of the existence of a resisting medium, & in direct proportion to the speed with which you run, will be your consciousness of the force by which you are opposed. Thus as long as you run with the devil & promptly do his behests, you may be inclined to deny his existence; disobey him, & you will be made painfully aware of his presence, & his endeavours to thwart all your efforts after good." "With the wild beasts." "And the angels ministered unto Him." "Ver. 14. Now after that John was put in prison." "The silencing of Christ's ministers not the suppressing of Christ's gospel" "No sooner was John cast into prison THAN JESUS HIMSELF BEGAN TO PREACH THE GOSPEL." "The world will never succeed in suppressing the truth." "...USEFUL MEN ARE OFTEN RENDERED INCAPABLE OF WORK THROUGH THE TYRANNY OF OTHERS." "Preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God." "WHAT MUST WE DO TO BECOME SUBJECTS OF THIS KINGDOM? 1. Repent of sin. 2. Believe the gospel." "...Jesus differed from all other preachers. 1. He was Divine. 2. He was infallible. 3. He was sympathetic. 4. He was most clear & simple. 5. He was most interesting. 6. Most faithful & earnest. 7. He preached most affectionately & tenderly." "THE SPECIAL APPEAL HE MADE. 1. He urged repentance. 2. He demanded faith. ...Men perish by not believing the gospel of Christ. (J. Burns, D. D.)" "Ver. 15. And saying, The time is fulfilled." "True repentance is 'towards God' - 'for the remission of sins' - 'unto salvation.'" "'The time' of God's special influence & grace is 'now fulfilled.'" "...God is this moment waiting to set up that kingdom in your hearts. Let repentance & faith ever be connected." "Repentance begins in the humiliation of the heart, & ends in the reformation of the life. (Mason.) There is no going to the fair haven of glory without sailing through the narrow strait of repentance. (Dyer.)" "Repentance a reversal of conduct: - A locomotive is rushing at express speed along the main line of a railway, when suddenly, by a pointsman's mistake, it is switched off into a side-line. Instantly the brakes are applied, & the moving mass is brought to a standstill. Then the engineer lays his hand upon a lever, the motion of the engine is reversed, & the train moves back to the main line, & continues on its course. In human life, such an abandoning of the main line is transgression; such a reversal is repentance." "Christ preached the NATURE of repentance." "Christ preached the NECESSITY of repentance." "He pressed it home upon every man's conscience." "The whole gospel is practically reduced to repentance. Christ joins it to the hope of heaven, as being the only means of arriving there." "Repentance is manifested by its effects: (1) Contrition; (2) confession; (3) self-abhorrence; (4) self-abandonment. (W. W. Whythe.)" "For a sinful man the only way into a kingdom of righteousness is through repentance & renewal." "Repentance... Abhorrence of one's past life, because of the love of Christ which has pardoned it. Avoidance of present sin, because not one's own, but bought with a price. Resolution to live henceforth like Jesus." "Faith. That is, trust in Christ. This goes hand-in-hand with repentance. Neither will be of any use without the other." "Vers. 16 - 18. Now as He walked by the Sea of Galilee." "We do not need high education to fit us to do good." "God calls men when they are busy; Satan, when they are idle. For idleness is the hour of temptation, & an idle person the devil's tennis ball, which he tosses at pleasure" "The Lord chose - I. Unlearned & ignorant men, that His grace might be made perfect in their weakness." "WHOM DID HE CHOOSE? Not the wise & learned" "He did not choose the rich" "These men who gave up all at once for Him, had impulse, heart, impetuosity, love; & these were the main things He wanted for His work." "Conversion is most fully displayed when it leads converts to seek the conversion of others; we most truly follow Christ when we become fishers of men." "When Jesus draws us we shall draw men." "'Come ye after Me.' 1. We must be separated to Him, that we may pursue His object. 2. We must abide with Him, that we may catch His spirit. 3. We must obey Him, that we may learn His method. 4. We must believe Him, that we may believe true doctrine. 5. We must copy His life, that we may win His blessing from God." "By our discipleship the Lord makes us fit to be used." "By our personal experience in following Jesus, He instructs us until we become proficient in soul-winning." "By inward monitions He guides us what, when & where to speak." "By His Spirit He qualifies us to reach men." "By His secret working on men's hearts He speeds us in our work." "Following Christ, if rightly understood, is the destruction of selfishness." "All Christians ought to pray for this power of catching souls." "Vers. 19, 20. And when He had gone a little farther thence, He saw James." "Christ does not often call idle men to discipleship." "It involves the subordination of all human relationships." "Of trade relationships." "Of domestic relationships. (Joseph S. Exell, M. A.)" "What the Gospel ministry is: - 1. Called men... 2. Separated men... 3. Commissioned men... 4. Equipped men... with His presence - with His Spirit. (The Christian Advocate.)" "Ver. 21. And they went into Capernaum." "Many wonder, who do not believe." "THE CHARACTERISTIC OF CHRIST'S TEACHING was authority. 1. The scribes employed tradition. 2. Christ spoke assured & naked truth - delivered a message from God - awakened the testimony of conscience. (Expository Discourses.)" "Ver. 22. For He taught them as one that had authority." "Christ's authority is not based upon force, or craft, or popular regard; but upon right & upon conscience." "OBSERVE HOW CHRIST'S AUTHORITY AFFECTS ALL HEARERS OF THE GOSPEL." "HE TAUGHT... 1. With direct plainness. 2. He was a faithful & earnest teacher. 3. He was an affectionate & tender teacher. 4. He was a diligent & persevering teacher. 5. He embodied all His instructions in His own blessed example." "MEN WILL TEACH WELL ONLY AS THEY TEACH UNDER CHRIST." "AUTHORITY IS IMPOSSIBLE APART FROM ASSOCIATION WITH THE MASTER." "Ver. 23. - A man with an unclean spirit. - Possessed with a devil" "His authoritative command, 'Hold thy peace,'" "The spirit's reluctant submission." "The devil is a liar - his testimony not needed" "FAME SPREAD ABROAD" "Ver. 24. Let us alone; what have we to do with Thee?" "'Let us alone! What have we to do with Thee?' is the sole thought & desire of unclean souls, even while they acknowledge His Majesty. None but the holy can look upon the Holy One; without holiness no man can endure to see the Lord. (J. H. Newman, D. D.)" "Vers. 29 - 31. But Simon's wife's mother lay sick of a fever." "Christ's gracious touch elevates prostrate humanity - 'He lifted her up.'" "CHRIST IS THE HOPE OF HUMANITY, BUT THE TERROR OF DEMONS." "...HEALING WAS EFFECTED BY PERSONAL CONTACT - 'Took her by the hand.'" "After a storm there is a swell, before the sea sinks into a calm. But Christ reduced the fury of the sea by a word to perfect calm, as He did the rage of the fever to perfect health." "Whatever we are we may do something for Christ. Some can speak for Him, more can sing for Him, & more still can smile for Him." "Vers. 32 - 34. And at even when the sun did set." "What is the use of faith in Christ without appropriation? Jesus has not come into the world to condemn, but to heal & save it." "Ver. 35. And in the morning, rising up a great while before day. - If we would pray well, we must pray early." "He had no time for prayer, but He made time, rising ' a great while before day.'" "Do all work for God, & seek to have God with you in it all." "Prayer is a holy conference with God" "He prayed as a Man." "He prayed as Mediator." "He prayed as an Example." "The highest form of prayer is conversation with God - the familiar talk of a child with his Father." "Ask God for getting-up grace." "Vers. 36 - 39. And when they had found Him." "Vers. 40 - 45. And there came a leper to Him, beseeching Him." "HIS CURE - 'Jesus spake & it was done.'" "The cure was instantaneous." "It was complete." "Lessons: 1. ...it is well for a needy life to approach Christ. 2. ...a needy life should approach Christ with humility & faith. 3. The marvellous way in which Christ can supply the need of man. (J. S. Exell, M. A.)" "A PAINFUL CONSCIOUSNESS OF HIS TRUE POSITION. He looked at his leprosy; felt its pain; knew its disabling uncleanness. The sinner sees his sin as a disgrace, a danger, & a disgust." "He was drawn to Jesus; prostrate before Jesus; urgent upon Jesus." "Leprosy a symbol of sin: - I. FROM A SMALL BEGINNING IT SPREADS OVER THE ENTIRE MAN. II. ITS CURE IS BEYOND THE REACH OF HUMAN SKILL OR NATURAL REMEDIES. III. IT IS PAINFUL, LOATHSOME, DEGRADING, & FATAL. IV. IT SEPARATES ITS VICTIM FROM THE PURE & DRIVES HIM INTO ASSOCIATION WITH THE IMPURE. V. IT IS A FOE TO... (GODLY) PRIVILEGES. VI. IT CAN BE REMEDIED BY THE INTERPOSITION OF GOD." "Ver. 45. And they came to Him from every quarter." "Those whom grace leads arrive at rest in Christ" The Biblical Illustrator, Baker, pgs. 1 - 57.
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AuthorCross Preaching Pentecostal Pastor. Husband to Tonia, Father to 3 beautiful girls, Monica, Zoe & Briana, & Grandfather to Wesley & Elliott Archives
September 2023
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