INSIGHTS & NOTES FROM
CHAPTER 5
"VERS. 1-2, And taught them - The Disciples" "Is your character such as the Saviour describes?" "Christ was an INTELLEGENT preacher. He (1) had the spirit without measure (John 3:34); (2) Knew how to speak a word in due season, when to humble, when to comfort. He (3) understood what doctrine would best suit with them; as the husbandmen can tell what sort of grain is proper for such a soil." "Christ was a POWERFUL preacher. He (1) spake with authority; (2) could set men's sins before them, & show them their very hearts. (3) He preached to the conscience; (4) breathed as much zeal as eloquence: He often touched upon the heart-strings." "Christ was a SUCCESSFUL preacher. 1. He had the art of converting souls. 2. Many believed on Him." "As an ambassador waits for a day of audience, & then faithfully & impartially delivers the mind of his prince, so Christ's ministers, having a commission delegated to them to negotiate for souls, should be glad when there is a day of audience, that they may impart the mind & will of Christ to His people." "Ministers... in one hand holding the (1) bread of life, & feed the flock of God; in the other hand they must hold the (2) sword of the Spirit, & fight against error." "'How to be happy' is everybody's question. Jesus answers it in these 'beatitudes.'" "True happiness is WITHIN. Not in pleasure, wealth, etc." "Ver. 3. Poor in spirit." "Poorness of spirit involves (1) Humility; (2) Contentment; (3) Submission; (4) Gratitude." "...THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN CONVINCED OF THEIR SPIRITUAL POVERTY. All without Christ are wretched, blind, naked, poor." "They are heirs of the kingdom of peace, righteousness, & joy. (D. Rees.)." "We must be ever looking at the Cross. (H. Alford, M.A.)." "Till we are poor in spirit we are not capable of receiving grace. 1. God doth first empty a man of himself, before He pours in the precious wine of His grace." "He that is poor in spirit is a Christ-admirer." "He that is poor in spirit is lowly in heart." "He that is poor in spirit is much in prayer." "Poverty of spirit consists in HUMILITY through every stage of the Christian's pilgrimage." "Ver. 4. They that mourn. - The mourners who are not entitled to the blessings here named: I. Those who indulge the sorrow of discontent. II. The inordinate sorrow for worldly losses. III. Sorrow for wounded pride." "Those who are blessed: - 1. There is a mourning arising from a sense of having offended God. 2. Those who mourn under the afflicting dispensations of God's providence." "May God give us grace to mourn so as to be comforted. (H. Alford, M.A.)." "It is not sorrow over temporal distress." "It is not sorrow because of disappointed hopes." "What are the causes of this mourning? 1. Sin is one - (1) Because it dishonours God; (2) Because it cleaves to himself. (3) The prevalence of sin causes him to mourn." "Another cause of his mourning is the absence of spiritual joys. Another cause is the imperfect & afflicted state of the Church." "Mourn for the sins of others" "By whom shall they be comforted? By God the Father, Son, & Holy Ghost." "The consolation promised. Spiritual, seasonable, abundant, gracious" "It is Divine, complete, unalloyed, comfort. (Dr. J. Cumming.)" "Spiritual comforts are pure." "The comforts God gives His mourners are - I. SWEET." "II. They are HOLY." "III. They are SATISFYING. They fill the heart & make it run over. IV. They are POWERFUL." "They strengthen for duty. Support under affliction." "V. They are ABIDING" "How is this comfort applied? It is the work of the Holy Spirit. (R. May.)" "Ver. 5. The meek." "A meek spirit is a spirit of goodwill & clemency: is placid & calm amidst the vexations & cares of life (I Peter 3:4); is tractable & submissive; forbearing & forgiving; bows to the rod of affliction." "It is an evidence of our union to Christ" "1. Willing to be instructed by God. 2. Yielding a ready belief to all Divine revelations. 3. Cheerfully obedient to Divine command. 4. With prompt submission of self to the wisdom & will of God. 5. Patiently enduring inflictions & dispensations of God's providence towards him." "Pride is an indefatigable enemy of weakness. (H.W. Beecher.)" "Ver. 6. They which do hunger & thirst. - Righteousness desired" "Worldly good cannot fill man. Intellectual attainment cannot." "(1) Hunger less after the world and (2) more after righteousness. (3) Say concerning spiritual things: 'Lord, evermore give me this bread.' (4) Hunger after that righteousness which delivereth from death." "God fills the hungry soul with 1. Grace... 2. Peace... 3. Bliss" "Imputed righteousness." "To desire ardently & intensely for spiritual sustenance." "Ver. 7. The merciful. - Christian mercy" "A merciful Providence will attend the merciful Christian." "The more you abound in mercy, the more will you resemble God. (J. Jordan.)" "WHAT IS MERCY?... It is sorrow at the suffering of a fellow-creature, rational or irrational; &, along with that sorrow, an earnest desire, if possible, to relieve it." "Ver. 8. The pure in heart." "PURITY OF HEART GIVES THE VISION OF GOD." "God is light & love. These are seen by the pure soul." "Purity is (1) the mind renewed, the (2) disordered spirit restored, & (3) conformed to the 'image of God,' in righteousness & true holiness." "...Pure Heart. He can see God's hand in every sorrow chastening for good; God's face in every blessing; God's smile in the morning light, the blossoming harvest, & the evening shade. His heart is attuned. (E. J. Haynes.)" "They shall see God: - 1. In the work of creation. 2. In the ordinances of the gospel. 3. In the dispensation of Providence. 4. In the day of judgment. 5. In heaven for ever. (J. C. Edwards, M.A.)" "Gold is pure when it has been separated by fire from all foreign matter. The diamond is pure, the crystal is pure, when there is nothing in them which hinders the refraction & reflection of light." "To see God is to see the central light which reveals the order & beauty of the universe." "Ver. 9. The peacemakers." "...CHRISTIANS AS PEACEMAKERS. 1. They love peace. 2. They make peace. 3. They promote peace." "Peacemakers are the children of the Most High." "The duty combines the attempt to reconcile men to God, through the peace-speaking blood of the cross, with the effort to heal the breach of friendship which has been made among individuals." "Ver. 10. Persecuted for righteousness. - Persecution" "...marked disrespect." "...the Christian's company being avoided." "...ridicule & slander." "THE CAUSES of persecution. 1. The degenerate state of the world. 2. The influence which Satan exercises over the minds of men. 3. The conduct of Christians in the world." "The way to heaven, though full of roses in regard of the comforts of the holy, is full of thorns in regard of persecutions." "Every person who suffers in his name, person, or family, for the faithful discharge of what he considers to be his duty to God" "Ver. 11. For My sake." "Let us seek clearer views of the INFLUENCE of Christian motive." "Ver. 12. Great is your reward. - The reward of the saints" "It is in heaven." "It is carefully prepared for us." "It is certain." "God's desire to stimulate us to a better life by revealing to us the great reward. (J.W. Hussey, M.A.)" "Ver. 13. Salt of the earth." "Salt is intended to preserve. Salt has also a consuming power. There is something sharp, biting, & aggressive in it. Laid on a wound it is painful. The Christian often pains men to heal them. (T. Christlieb, D.D.)" "Salt does its work by being brought into close contact with the thing which it is to work upon." "THE CERTAIN END OF THE SALTLESS SALT. You cannot put it upon the soil; there is no fertilizing virtue in it. You cannot even fling it into the rubbish heap; it will do mischief there." "God has no use for it; man has no use for it. (A. Maclaren, D.D.)" "...its EFFECTS. ...salt prevents corruption & decay in animal & vegetable matter, so Christian character is the antidote of vice in the individual & in society." "Ver. 14. Ye are the light of the world. - Christians the light of the world" "The world is dark in reference to God." "Believers are 'the light of the world.'" "It is the light of Christianity that solves the deepest questions & answers the most anxious inquiries of mankind. The object of light is to disclose what would be otherwise unseen. This light discloses God the way to heaven" "Example is the source of the Christian's most powerful influence on the world." "...Christian consistency requires non-conformity to the world, & the good works of an active Christian life." "A Christian that burns with holy love to God cannot be unnoticed." "The next thing to do with a lamp is to set it where it may be seen & give light." "We can bury the light of the Word under cowardly & indifferent silence." "LET YOUR LIGHT SHINE." "If you are not warming the world, the world is chilling you." "The impressions which a Church makes on the moral consciousness of the community in which it lives is a fair test of its life & power. (H.W. Beecher.)" "Christian example must be free from inconsistency." "There must be nothing to mar the brilliancy of the light." "The purpose of letting our light shine is, that God, not ourselves, may be glorified." "Christians must be receptive of light: - Our measure of light will depend greatly upon the clearness & sensibility of our spiritual perceptive & receptive capacities." "The light to reveal the work, not the worker." "Shine by expressed conviction" "A good man or woman reveals the ugliness of evil by showing the beauty of holiness" "Ver. 17. But to fulfil." "Christ fulfilled the law in His teaching. He completed it. 2. Christ fulfilled the law by His own personal, unbroken obedience. 3. Christ fulfilled the law by His sufferings & death. (W. G. Barrett.)" "Ver. 19. Break one of these least commandments. - The perilous harmfulness of little sins" "See the peril of little sins, as they are sure to draw greater ones after them. It is fool's sport to play with firebrands." "Avoid the least sin: - If we would save the big ship, let us stop the small leak. If we would save the palace from flames, let us put out the spark. (Newman Hall.)" "Ver. 20. Your righteousness shall exceed." "The righteousness of Christ is the exceeding righteousness; in this only can we stand before a holy God. (J. Vaughan, M.A.)" "The righteousness of the Pharisee is at fault in its source. Its beginning & end is self. Christ is our righteousness. IT EXCELS."
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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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