INSIGHTS & NOTES FROM
"VERS. 1 - 7. The scribes & the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat."
"...they who pretend holiness, & are wicked; they who are wicked, though they have great helps to be good; & by being wicked cause others to be so too, their sin is exceeding sinful." "1. Their great pride. ...2. Their wretched covetousness. ...3. Their abominable hypocrisy, shown in 'teaching others to do what they themselves would not do:'" "Forasmuch as there is no person upon earth that can infallibly guide you to salvation... 1. Study the Holy Scriptures. 2. Pray fervently for the guidance of God's Spirit. 3. If you would discern & hold fast the truth, love & practise it. (M. Pool.)" "Vers. 8 - 12. But be not ye called Rabbi." "Gold is often a hardener of the heart." "Christians have but one Master, but one Father." "God is the Christian's only Father, Jesus Christ their only Master. (Hezekiah Burton.)" "Vers. 13 - 15. But woe unto you, scribes & Pharisees, hypocrites." "Let ministers learn their proper vocation as porters to the kingdom of heaven, & let them beware of handling the Word of God deceitfully." "Folly of hypocrisy: - If the devil ever laughs, it must be at hypocrites; they are the greatest dupes he has." "Vers. 16 - 22. Whosoever shall swear by the Temple, it is nothing." "Vers. 23, 24. And have omitted the weightier matters of the law. - Sins of omission: - 1. The very earliest cause of nearly all sin lies in omitting something which we ought to have done." "Every sin lies in a chain, & the first link is fastened to another link. For instance, that first sin committed after the Fall - Cain's fratricide - was the result of anger; that anger was the result of jealousy; that jealousy was the result of an unaccepted sacrifice; that unaccepted sacrifice was the result of the absence of faith; & that absence of faith was the result of an inattentive ear, or a heart which had grown silent towards God" "...when the heart is right with God through faith in Jesus Christ, BOTH THE WEIGHTIER MATTERS & THOSE OF LESS IMPORTANCE WILL BE PROPERLY ATTENDED TO." "Vers. 25 - 28. For ye make clean the outside of the cup." "I. WHY must we cleanse ourselves from sin? 1. Because it renders us injurious to our fellow-men. 2. Because it hinders prayer. 3. Because it renders us offensive to God. 4. Because it is destructive to ourselves. II. How may we cleanse ourselves from sin? ...by faith in the only cleansing element - the precious blood of Jesus. III. WHEN may we cleanse ourselves from sin? Now! 1. Delay increases the difficulty. 2. The present the only time of which we are sure." "It is a characteristic of fallen men that they are apt to content themselves with cleansing the outside. They are at greater pains to seem pure than to be pure." "A cleansed heart is a sure producer of genuine & permanent purity of life." "Vers. 29, 33, 36. How can ye escape the damnation of hell?" "The effect of sin is to make men blind to their own sins." "Many ships have had the name of Hope, the Safeguard, the Triumph, yet have been cast away upon the rocks; so many who have had the name of saintship have been cast into hell. (T. Watson.)" "Vers. 37 - 39. O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets." "Why the Divine invitation is refused" "'...ye would not.'" "...the absence of the will" "Every man may be saved if he will." "God's gracious dealings with sinners: - I. God has desired to gather you to Himself." "But you have often rejected the overtures of Divine mercy." "'I would have gathered you.' 1. Tenderness. 2. Long-suffering. 3. A time will come when He will leave us to our sins if we continue to spurn Him from us. (J. Dixon, D.D.)" "God deals with man as a free agent." "The loss of the soul is self-caused." "How great the sin of refusing the gospel. (B. F. Palmer, D.D.)" The Biblical Illustrator, Baker, pgs. 523 - 537.
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"VERS. 1 - 10. The kingdom of heaven is like unto a certain king which made a marriage for his son."
"WHEN OR HOW MEN SLIGHT THE INVITATIONS OF THE GOSPEL. 1. When they neglect the Word of God... 2. When they absent themselves from the sanctuary... 3. When they fail to give heed to the Divine message" "THE DANGER OF SLIGHTING THESE INVITATIONS. ...It cannot fail to provoke the anger of God." "Neglect of the gospel is thus just as perilous as the open rejection of it. Indeed, half the evils of our daily life in temporal things are caused by neglect; & countless are the souls who are lost for this same cause." "The man without the wedding garment represents the person who believes that he is reconciled to God, who has not God's righteousness." "Causes of refusal to accept Christ: - 1. Worldly cares, incumbrances, secular business, or the concernments of this life." "2. The riches, or love of wealth, or earthly honour. 3. But it appears that sensual satisfaction, or the inordinate love of pleasures, is that which hath the greatest power over men, & which drowns & swallows up the spirit & soul of mortals" "THE NATURE OF GOSPEL BLESSINGS. 1. They are of God's own providing. 2. They are rich & valuable as well as Divine. 3. These blessings are suitable. 4. They are abundant." "THE INVITATION GIVEN TO PARTAKE OF THESE BLESSINGS. 1. A feast so rich is designed for numerous guests. 2. The gospel is made to known to mankind. 3. This invitation is free & gracious. 4. It is earnest & authoritative." "As Christ has done so much for you, you must be faithful to Him. (J. Vaughan, M.A.)" "Ver. 5. But they made light of it." "The things that men value will be the theme of frequent conversation." "Things only talked about, & not reduced to practice, are made light of." "Our estimate of things may be discovered by the diligence & earnestness of our endeavours after them." "Making light of Christ & salvation is a certain evidence of no interest in them." "Vers. 11 - 13. He saw there a man which had not on a wedding garment." "Christ will pronounce a heavier doom if we obey not the gospel, to which we profess to submit." "...the wedding garment is holiness ...which is the glory of God, & the beauty of God & His people (Rev. 19:8)." "Keep your garments undefiled, & unspotted from the world (Rev. 3:4)." "Wash your garments often in the blood of the Lamb (Rev. 7:14). (T. Manton, D.D.)" "...THE WEDDING GARMENT. It is the costume or spiritual dress necessary for the enjoyment of heaven - holiness often described as a garment" "It is a clothing of humility; no robe of pride to dress up the sinner." "A very moving admonition, how dreadful at last will be the state of those whom the great goodness & long-suffering of God have not been able to bring to repentance, & to effectual amendment of life & manners. (S. Clarke.)" "God speaks now, & offers you the perfect robe of Christ's righteousness that will cover all your sins, & fit all your wants, & He says that you may have it without money & without price. (American Paper.)" "Vers. 15 - 22. Is it lawful to give tribute unto Caesar, or not?" "WHAT THOSE THINGS ARE WHICH WE SHOULD RENDER UNTO GOD. 1. Our time ...2. Our substance. 3. Our children. 4. Our hearts. 5. Our whole selves. 6. The blessed fruits, & all the glory of His own grace, should, by the Christian, be rendered back to God." "Every faculty in you, every gift, every grace & charm & power which is most characteristic & distinctive, is the stamp of the Divine. You are God's child. You bear His image. Render to Him your supreme & unceasing tribute" "We must not defraud the government" "'Let every soul be subject to the higher powers.'" "This is God's will." "Vers. 23 - 33. For in the resurrection they neither marry, nor are given in marriage." "Vers. 30 - 40. Master, which is the greatest commandment in the law?" "The whole heart is opposed either to a divided & dispersed heart, or to a remiss & sluggish heart." "To love God is our great natural duty." "Impediments of our love to God. 1. Self-love. 2. Love of the world. 3. Spiritual sloth & carelessness of spirit. 4. The love of any sin whatsoever. 5. Inordinate love of things lawful." "Love to God ennobles all other graces." "Love must be our abiding condition." "Love of God to be the dominant passion" "To be of the right sort, our love for God must be an active moving principle & power, which so determines our thoughts, words, & works, that God in all things may be glorified in us through Jesus Christ our Lord, & we ourselves, as it were, may be absorbed into that glory. (J. E. Kempe, M.A.)" "It is the duty of every man to love his neighbour as himself" "After the same manner that we love ourselves we ought to love others." "We should show our love to the souls of others by seeking the increase of their faith, holiness, & comfort (I John 1:4)." "The selfish man acknowledges no neighbour; is concerned solely for himself, & what he is pleased to reckon his own interest." "A man cannot be just & not love justice; neither can he be good & not love goodness." "Let it not be imagined that in demanding all, God leaves nothing for other objects of affection." "Love renders service easy" "In age as well as in youth, we are all pressed on by the swift tide of the world to worship the idol of intellect as though it had all to give in earth & heaven." "Ver. 42 - 45. What think ye of Christ?" - I. There are some who never think of Christ at all. II. There are some who deem it unnecessary to have fixed thoughts about Christ." "WHAT ARE YOU WILLING TO PART WITH FOR HIS SAKE? With your sins - the world - with learning - self-righteousness." "WHAT IS IT THAT KEEPS YOU FROM HIM? 1. Is it ignorance? 2. Prejudice? 3. Insensibility?" "What think ye of Christ? - I. THAT CHRISTIANITY CHALLENGES HUMAN THOUGHT." "Who is our Christ?" The Biblical Illustrator, Baker, pgs. 493 - 523. "VERS. 1 - 11. And when they drew nigh unto Jerusalem, & were come to Bethphage."
"All sorrows were for the hour quite swallowed up in the abounding blessedness." "Great is the blessedness of those who thus receive the Lord Jesus." "WHAT KIND OF A KING HE IS, AND WHAT KIND OF A KING HE CLAIMED TO BE." "It is a kingdom in which the king's laws are none of them written upon paper; they are written upon the heart." "It was a kingdom in which riches were no part whatever of its glory." "It was a kingdom without armed force." "He came to establish a kingdom without taxations. All its gifts are of love." "It was a kingdom of joy." "Disobedience hinders the advance of the gospel." "The glory of Christ is seen when He is publicly proclaimed as king." "When Christ came into Jerusalem, ALL WAS NOT GOLD THAT GLITTERED. 'Hosanna' was changed into 'Crucify.'" "Entire consecration: - I. THE LORD HAS NEED OF YOU. 1. Your prayers. 2. Your praises. 3. Your talents. 4. He may need your most cherished one, that which your heart holds fastest." "HOW OUGHT WE TO PREPARE TO RECEIVE HIM? We must go forth to meet Him, (1) by a holy desire & longing for His presence; (2) by putting away our sinful habits & desires; ...(4) by obeying His laws; (5) by praying for a loving, forgiving spirit. Blessed Jesus, reign within us; cast down every imagination & every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of Thyself, & bring every thought into captivity to Thy holy will. Reign within us, till Thou hast put every enemy, every movement of our corrupt nature or the remnants of it, under Thy feet." "Vers. 12 - 14. And Jesus went into the temple of God, & cast out all them that sold." "The place human souls held communion with the Father cannot be common. The purification of the temple seems to be a striking intimation of the great purpose of His ministry, to purify God's worship everywhere, in the outward & inward temple, in the house, the heart, the life." "The temple itself is full of vacant worship. It resounds with rash vows & babbling voices. It is the house of God; but man has made it a nest of triflers, a fair of vanity, a den of thieves." "Vers. 15, 16. The children crying in the temple." "No one who has seen converted children will ever doubt their capacity for faith, in some respects greater than that of the adult. Their faith is more easy, vivid, effective." "CHILDREN ARE CAPABLE OF RENDERING, IN THE HANDS OF GOD, GOOD SERVICE." "Often guide blind souls to the light. Often guide strong men to some great action." "...what power is there in the conversion of a child" "GOD GLORIFIES HIMSELF IN LITTLE CHILDREN BY OFTEN MAKING THEM POWERFUL INSTRUMENTS OF GOOD TO OTHERS." "GOD AGAIN PERFECTS HIS PRAISE IN CHILDREN IN MAKING THEM CAPABLE OF RECEIVING & REFLECTING THE IMAGE OF CHRIST." "...it should be our great concern to own & honour Christ." "...the earlier we begin to own & honour Him, the more God's praise is thereby advanced." "...He will own & honour the young ones who are brought to own & honour Him. (John Guyse.)" "There is a story of a child who went to a prayer meeting summoned that they might pray for rain, & she took her umbrella with her. We pray, but we do not take our umbrellas. That is the very essence of faith - to expect a blessing & to be prepared for it." "Ver. 17. And he lodged there." "The comfort of domestic life is the most agreeable relief from the burden & heat of the day & its frequently tiresome business." "Vers. 17 - 21. And when He saw a fig-tree in the way, He came to it, & found nothing thereon." "The fig-tree represented immediately, we cannot doubt, in our Lord's intention, THE ACTUAL STATE OF THE JEWISH PEOPLE." "The tree by the roadside was a visible symbol of the moral condition of Israel as it presented itself to the eye of Christ" "Many have the form of godliness who deny the power." "Those who persevere in hypocrisy may be bereft of the power of producing fruit." "Our profession without practice is but hypocritical, making us... like the fig-tree, which, having leaves but no figs, was accursed;" "Ver. 22. And all things whatsoever ye ask in prayer believing." "We cannot honour God more than by believing what He says, & acting upon that faith in all our requests at His throne." "...God as the Object whom we seek, Christ as the Mediator through whom we seek, & the Spirit as the Agent by whom we seek, complete the scheme of prayer. (J. Bate.)" "Prayer is the unfeigned language of the heart." "Vers. 28 - 32. A certain man had 2 sons; & he came to the first, & said, son, go work to-day." "What God looks for in all of us - work. 1. Inward. 2. Outward." "THIS MISSION IS 'WORK.'" "God says, 'Come,' before He says, 'Go;' 'Love Me,' before 'Work for Me.' He seeks not enforced toil of slaves, but cheerful obedience of sons. God's vineyard is not a playground in which to take our ease." "THE 'WORK' IS PRESSING & URGENT - to be done 'to-day.'" "Waste no longer the golden hours. (J. R. Bailey.)" "Make it your aim & desire to be gathering with God, rooting up evil where you can, fostering the growth of good where possible; shedding the light around you which may win souls to safety." "Go work to-day. To-morrow may be too late." "May God give us grace to do His will. (J. C. Gray.)" "This vineyard is the property of God." "Immediate obedience wise" "It is easier to break a colt & bring him to the saddle, than it is an old horse that runs wild in the wilderness; a young plant is sooner plucked up than an old tree." "Their whole profession collapsed like a burst bubble; they were proved to be shams, to be dealing in mere words with no idea of realities. (Marcus Dods, D. D.)" "Work & give, for the night cometh" "There are 1,000 men who wish, where there is 1 who wills" "A man may wish & yet reject all the steps & instruments by which that wish can be carried into effect." "Doing is obedience: - The question is, What have you done?" "Vers. 33 - 41. There was a certain householder, which planted a vineyard." "The greatest privilege a man can enjoy is to have the kingdom of God entrusted to him. The greatest sin a man can commit is to reject Christ. (W. M. Taylor, D. D.)" "Learn - 1. To consider & value God's mercies... 2. To study our reception & use of them... 4. To remember that we too must give account. (J. C. Gray.)" "What fruit is it that God expecteth? 1. The fruit of faith & conversion. 2. The fruit of good works. 3. Fruits good in quality & quantity... 6. Fruit in due season. 7. Fruit according to gifts & grace received. 8. Fruit according to the places & stations wherein God hath set us. (Benj. Keach.)" "Ver. 42. The stone which the builders rejected." "The greatest MERCY that can ever be vouchsafed to a nation is God's giving His kingdom to it. (Bishop Stillingfleet.)" "Let Christ, as the stone does the corner, bind everything. He is the one cementing all that is true." "...every man who rejects Christ wounds his own conscience, hardens his own heart, makes himself a worse man." "Vers. 45, 46. They feared the multitude, because they took Him for a prophet." "The gospel cannot reach the heart without supernatural power of the Holy Spirit;" "In the outcasts of society there is not found that haughty self-reliance; the gospel is more welcome to them." The Biblical Illustrator, Baker, pgs. 465 - 492. "VERS. 1 - 16. For the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder, which went out early in the morning to hire labourers into his vineyard."
"It is unusual for an employer to give as much remuneration to those who have wrought one hour as to those who have wrought 9 or 12." "'My thoughts are not your thoughts,'" "God's kingdom is not of this world." "To those late he was better than they expected. To the hireling He shows Himself a hirer; to the trustful worthy of confidence." "Service is not determined by duration, but by spirit. (W. M. Taylor, D. D.)" "God Himself the best reward" "He is Himself the 'exceeding great reward' of all His people." "The quality, not the performance, is the accepted thing, the heart of faith & love, not any self-complacent operations. (Bishop Huntington.)" "There is something for us to do." "Important to be where the call of the Master may meet us." "CALLING. God calls men to work for Him in His vineyard. Some in early life... He continues to call up to the 11th hour." "The honour of working for Him is a sufficient reward." "There will be a last call - we know not how soon" "PAYING. God will be no man's debtor. He will give what He has promised. More than we deserve..." "WHAT DID THEY DO IN ANSWER TO HIS CALL?" "1. They went at once. Immediate service. 2. They worked with a will. 3. They never left the service, but remained till night. 4. They received the full reward at the day's end. (C. H. Spurgeon.)" "Labourers: - I. Idleness rebuked. II. Service required. III. Toil rewarded. IV. Discontent manifested. V. Murmuring silenced. VI. Administration vindicated. (M. Braithwaite.)" "...the true follower of Christ, who has listened to the earliest call of his Master, & has revelled in the glory of serving Him throughout life, will from the bottom of his heart pity the man who has only late in life recognized the glory of His service, & has had barely time to pick up his tools when the dusk of evening falls upon him." "In being good to others I do not wrong you." "The 11th hour: - I. The time mentioned may represent an advanced period of human life." "Conversion postponed to old age" "Ver. 6. Why stand ye here all the day idle? - Spiritual idleness" "Consists in neglect - of life's mission" "The reproach increases with the passing months & years." "The EXCUSES offered for the evil. 'Why stand ye?'" "1. We have not been invited by the minister, etc. Don't wait for such invitations - offer your services - 'I must work,' etc. 2. We lack the necessary qualifications, etc. 3. We lack opportunity, etc. 4. We give money, etc. This will not be accepted by the Master as a substitute for personal service. You cannot do this work by proxy. Work for Christ is personal, & cannot be delegated to others, etc." "Whether early or late in the day, begin Now." "'Why?' Some are idle because they have no work. Some do not like the master. Some do not love the work. Some imagine themselves unable to work. Some do not like the wages." "Idleness deteriorates the moral nature:" "Lazy Christians" "A busy man is trouble but with one devil, but the idle man with a thousand." "Idleness is a sin, for it involves disobedience to Christ's command, 'Go into my vineyard & work.'" "It is a sin, for it indicates a selfish love of ease" "Evil thoughts intrude in an unemployed mind as naturally as worms are generated in a stagnant pool." "Sloth, like rust, consumes faster than labour wears" "Idleness was one of the sins of Sodom, & it is often the forerunner of temporal & eternal ruin." "Ver. 16. So the last shall be first, & the first last." "...God in communicating His benefits to men, acts in a sovereign manner, making the last first, & the first last." "Ver. 17. And Jesus going up to Jerusalem took the 12 disciples apart in the way." "Jesus was going up to Jerusalem for the accomplishment of redemption" "Crucifixion of Christ: - The cross was the perfect manifestation of (1) the guilt of the world; (2) the love of Christ; (3) His obedience; (4) the grace of God. (J. P. Lange, D. D.)" "Vers. 20 - 28. Then came to Him the mother of Zebedee's children with her sons." "There are conditions which must precede such elevation." "THESE GLORIOUS PLACES ARE GIVEN AS THE RESULT OF A DIVINE PREPARATION." "Faith in Christ alone, the measure of our faith, & growing Christ-likeness here will be the measure of our glory hereafter. (Dr. McLaren.)" "Vers. 26 - 28. And whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant. - True greatness" "Greatness is to be measured by service. No man lives or dies to himself." "The greatness of being useful" "Pride destroys the best elements of character" "Ver. 28. Even as the Son of Man came not to be ministered unto." "NOT TO BE MINISTERED UNTO, BUT TO MINISTER. He had not a selfish thought in His soul." "Consider Him as a ransom. It was intentional. It was voluntary. It regards the personal esteem He has for His people." "If He has ransomed you, you are not your own. (W. Jay.)" "Vers. 29 - 34. - And, behold, 2 blind men sitting by the way side, when they heard that Jesus passed by." "Some men are too buried in their merchandize to know that He is passing." "These men made no demands but for mercy." "MEN ARE BLINDED BY REASON OF SIN." "IT IS PROPER IN THIS STATE OF BLINDNESS TO CALL UPON JESUS TO OPEN OUR EYES. If we ever see, it will be by the grace of God. God is the fountain of light, & those in darkness should seek Him." "While He is near we should seek Him. WHEN PEOPLE REBUKE US, & LAUGH AT US, IT SHOULD NOT DETER US FROM CALLING ON THE SAVIOUR." "SINNERS MUST 'RISE' & COME TO JESUS. Cast away everything that hinders their coming." "The 2 blind men could not open their own eyes; that was beyond their power, but they could get into the way where Jesus passed, & they could cry to Him for sight, who only could recover it." The Biblical Illustrator, Baker, pgs. 443 - 465. "VERS. 1 - 12. Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife for every cause."
"Husband & wife should be no only one flesh, but also one heart & mind. (Hedinger.)" "'What God hath joined together let not man put asunder.'" "'The woman which hath an husband is bound by the law to her husband so long as he liveth.'" "'Christ allows of divorce in cases of adultery; He disallows it in all others.'" "Vers. 13 - 15. - Then were there brought unto Him little children." "As children, they are within the covenant & provisions of grace." "They need a guide, a shield, a true friend, etc." "It is a great mistake, & involves a great wrong to the child, not to insist upon his deciding & choosing Christ now, for unbelief & carnality are gaining strength." "ONE OF THE FIRST DUTIES WE, AS A CHURCH, OWE THE LORD JESUS IS TO ASSIST IN BRINGING THESE CHILDREN TO HIM." "Bring them to Jesus!" "Christ commends in children 3 or 4 things, wherein they who are adult ought to resemble them. 1. Freedom from prejudice or openness to conviction; freedom from pride, or humility; freedom from worldly affections, or indifference to earthly things: & finally, freedom from custom of sinning, or innocence. (Nath. Lardner.)" "VER. 1. Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?"
"Satan makes snares of our own desires." "Let Christianity swallow up the world in victory. Let us clip the wing of our ambition, & the more beware of it because it carries with it the show of virtue." "It is a common error amongst men to judge of spiritual things by carnal. Goodness is greatness. Let us seek for honour; but seek for it in its own coasts; let us look up to the highest heavens where its seat is. (A. Farindon, B. D.)" "So dangerous a vice is ambition; & so hard a thing it is even for good men, for mortified persons, for the disciples of Christ to avoid it!" "I. THE QUESTION. It showed ignorance, pride, selfishness." "The members of Christ's kingdom: - I. None but the childlike are in the kingdom at all." "The most childlike are the greatest. That which is most admirable in a Christian man, & the mark of truest greatness, is childlike humility." "The childlike are Christ's truest representatives in the world. (Dr. Culross.)" "Vers. 2 - 5. And Jesus called a little child unto Him." "What humility is not. 1. Humility is not a weak & timid quality. It must be distinguished from a grovelling spirit." "We may well be humble when we see the infinite love against which we have sinned." "...being turned from self to Christ; from the world, & sin, etc." "...being inwardly change, understanding enlightened, etc." "Conversion makes us little children - sincere, humble, etc." "A child is confiding. It trusts its parents." "A child is submissive." "To be a little child is to be in a state to receive." "CHILDLIKENESS IS THE TEST OF GREATNESS IN THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN." "...a teachable spirit" "...a consciousness of weakness" "...a dependent spirit" "...a forgiving temper" "Observe what Christian humility is - Coming when Christ calls, etc. without endeavouring to appear to be anything that we are not." "There is very much in the best of us that resists Christ" "Christ calls... but there is no answer; Christ commands, but we do not obey; Christ stands at the door, & we do no open; He has been there long, He is there now, & will be there to-morrow, & many of you keep Him out." "Nature of conversion: - Converting grace makes persons become like little children" "CONVERTS RESEMBLE LITTLE CHILDREN NEWLY BORN." "The child bears the image of the father; so converts bear a likeness to God; they have His image." "Converts resemble little children in their weakness & dependence." "He that is most humble, sees most of heaven, & shall have most of it;" "Ver. 6. - But whoso shall offend one of these little ones." "Ver. 7. - Woe unto the world because of offences." "We are to have regard to the effect of our conduct upon others." "Every member of society is responsible for his share in customs which create temptation." "WHAT WE ARE TO UNDERSTAND HERE BY 'OFFENCES.' Stumbling-blocks in the way that leads to heaven." "Vers. 8, 9. Wherefore if thy hand or thy foot offend thee. - Renouncing things that hinder" "Better suffer than sin" "...we are utterly to renounce that which we find to be the occasion of sin." "What Christ summons to is the surrender of everything, however pleasant, or dear, or seemingly necessary for the present life, & whatever suffering there may be in the surrender, rather than sin against God." "Few people admit the ownership of their sins." "'Cut it off.'" "1. Painful. ...2. Promptness. 'Cut' with a determined stroke. 3. Persistent." "'Cast it from thee.'" "The fearful consequences of neglect. 'Cast into hell.' (J. Kelly.)" "Ver. 10. Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones." "God watches over all; how can we treat with contempt the meanest object of His care." "Sympathy is the antidote to contempt." "What value Christ sets on every man" "...'despise not one'" "'if one of them be gone astray.'" "Vers. 11, 13. If a man have an hundred sheep. - Seeking the lost" "He came to instruct mankind in the true & the whole nature of the Divine will" "The recovery of lost property is a principle of human nature." "...wandering sheep. Prone to wander. The care & kindness of the Great Shepherd of the sheep." "Christ's search for the lost... He carries back the sheep when He has found it." "He misses each sheep as soon as it is lost." "All men are Christ's sheep." "God wants to possess us through our love; if He does not we are lost to Him." "Ver. 14. Even so it is not the will of your Father which is in heaven." "IT IS NOT THE WILL OF THE PARENT OF GOOD THAT THESE LITTLE ONES SHOULD BE INCLUDED IN PERIL & RUIN." "God's will is for their welfare. 1. Because He is their Creator. 2. Because He is Love." "Ver. 15, 18. Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee. - How to meet offences" "...whether accidental or designed. Whether it regards reputation, or property, or feelings, etc." "SEEK A PRIVATE INTERVIEW." "Better adapted for him to confess." "IF THIS FAIL, TAKE ONE OR TWO MORE. Let them be unobjectionable, peaceable, prudent persons." "BRING IT TO THE CHURCH." "Do not let us neglect this order." "Private reproof is the best grave to bury private faults in. (Swinnock.)" "There can be no Christian charity in any one unless he afford the medicine of correction to an erring brother." "Vers. 19-20. For when 2 or 3 are gathered together in My name." "1. To meet in the Saviour's name is to seek its exaltation. 2. His name must be pleaded as the ground of approach to God. 3. The sole authority of Christ must be recognized if we would meet in His name." "If the presence of God be promised, how is it that professors are content with an occasional visit to the sanctuary? (J. S. Pearsall.)" "UNITED PRAYER IS TO THOSE WHO EXERCISE IT A MEANS OF GRACE." "Vers. 21, 22. Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, & I forgive him? - The forgiveness of injuries" "We should not cherish any malignant or revengeful feelings towards those who injure us. 2. We should not retaliate, or avenge ourselves on our offenders. 3. We should cherish towards those who offend us the feelings of kindness, regarding them with that benevolence which forbids our wishing them any harm. 4. We should treat them in our outward conduct with kindness, returning good for evil, & acting towards them as though they had not injured us." "If God commands us thus to forgive, there must be an infinite ocean of forgiving love in His own heart." "...God's forgiveness is altogether above man's conception of it. (J. H. Evans. M. A.)" "Forgiveness awakens gratitude" "Forgiveness is a state of heart, just as affection or sympathy is. And no man thinks of determining how often & how far he must feel sympathy, or how often & how far he must love those who are dear to him." "All desire of revenge must be carefully cast out; & if the wrongdoer say, 'I repent,' you must say, 'I remit,' & that from the heart" "Vers. 23 - 35. Therefore is the kingdom of heaven likened unto a certain king, which would take account of his servants." "...NONE OF US HAS ANYTHING WHEREWITH TO PAY HIS DEBT TO GOD." "...THE RECEPTION OF THIS FORGIVENESS BY US INVOLVES IN IT THE OBLIGATION TO FORGIVE THOSE OF OUR FELL0W-MEN WHO HAVE TRESPASSED AGAINST OURSELVES." "GOD'S MERCY TO US IS TO BE A SPRING OF MERCY IN US TO OTHERS." "God's forgiveness is not bestowed that we may indulge our selfishness & greed." "Sin is a great debt, because all men, yea, all the saints of the earth, nor angels of heaven can pay his debt." "Sin is a vast debt, because it exposes the sinner to eternal wrath & vengeance." "There is nothing that makes a man so unlike to God, as a hard heart; without pity, without patience." "TO GOD. Pay the debt of (1) Love; (2) Honour; (3) Fear; for He is Lord of all." The Biblical Illustrator, Baker, pgs. 389 - 416. "VERS. 1 - 13. And was transfigured before them."
"'He went up,' says St. Luke, 'to a mountain to pray.' He was asking for the wisdom that discerned the Father's will, for the submission that embraced it, for the perseverance that adhered to it, for the joy that illumined it. If you can dispense with prayer, Christ could not." "The death of Christ is the glory of the Old Dispensation; its glory, because its fulfillment and crown. That is why Moses & Elias were there." "The death of Christ is the glory of the New Dispensation." "That is why the disciples were there." "If Moses & Elias were the flower of the Old Dispensation, Peter & James & John were the germs of the New." '...found your interests & your hopes on the cross of Christ, & that will be the means of communion; press near to the person of the Crucified, & that will be the centre of communion." "...submission to the purpose of His well-beloved Son. Listen to Him, ¬ to the world." "Listen to Him, & not to the flesh." "Listen to Him, not to ministers." "Happy are they who, when the glamour dies from their sky, & the company vanishes from their path, & life looks bare & common, like the path down Hermon for the descending disciples, have a faith that will strengthen them when feelings pass, & a guidance that will cheer them when friendships are dissolved, and who, lifting up their eyes, see Jesus - Jesus alone, it may be, but a Jesus who is all-sufficient. (William A. Gray.)" "Lessons of the Transfiguration: - I. IT WAS DESIGNED TO MAKE THE THINGS OF THE FUTURE WORLD MORE A REALITY" "II. WE ARE TAUGHT THAT CHRIST'S KINGDOM IS NOT OF THIS WORLD. (W. I. Keay.)" "When God interrupts our enjoyments, He has always some other blessing ready for us, & generally better." "It was good to be there; it would not have been good to remain there. There was work to be done, sorrow to be lightened, sin to be grappled with & overcome. (F. J. A.)" "Love was within Christ, perfect, undefiled, intense, filled with the joy of giving & blessing. On the mountain He let His love loose, & oh, what the face of Christ must have been then, when infinite love overflowed His eyes & trembled on His mouth, no tongue can tell." "A man must be free to pray perfectly, & no man is free who is under the yoke of his own will to do wrong, who loves pleasure more than God's righteousness." "For the disciples, the Transfiguration was intended to illuminate with a ray of glory the dark days that were about to begin" "Blessed be God, there is a mountain of glory & joy before us, whence we shall never come down." "WHY SHOULD WE HEAR HIM? 1. Because God Himself commands us. 2. Because He deserves to be heard. 3. Because His message concerns your present & future welfare. 4. With what zest should those of us hear Him who profess to be His disciples. 5. Sinners must hear Him in this day of grace, or in the day of judgment." "HOW SHALL WE HEAR HIM. 1. With devout reverence. 2. Believingly. 3. Obediently." "All the Saviour we want we find in Jesus only. Jesus was enough for a Master - 'No man can serve 2 masters.' He was enough as their power for future life. He is enough as our reward." "...as we grow in grace, other things sink & Jesus rises. They must decrease, but Christ must increase; until He alone fills the full horizon of your soul, & rises clear & bright & glorious up into the very heaven of God. O that we may thus see 'Jesus only.'" "I. OUR SPIRITUAL LIFE ON EARTH NEEDS THAT WE SHOULD HAVE SPECIAL SEASONS OF COMMUNION WITH JESUS." "II. OUR HIGHER SPIRITUAL EXPERIENCES WILL NOT HAVE THEIR RIGHT EFFECT UPON US UNLESS THEY LEAVE OUR ATTENTION FIXED ON 'JESUS ONLY.'" "Vers. 14, 21. - And when they were come to the multitude. - The healing of the lunatic child" "THE WEAKNESS OF THE CHRISTIAN APART FROM CHRIST." "THE ABSOLUTE NECESSITY OF FAITH. 1. The disciples could do nothing without faith. 2. The father of the lunatic child could receive nothing without faith. How this is to be explained. Faith is more than belief; it is a consequent putting of ourselves into connection with God. The wire must be brought into connection with the battery before it can be charged with electricity. The pitcher must be placed in connection with the fountain before it can be filled." "You cannot expel sin from your own heart; but the word of Christ is omnipotent." "VERS. 1 - 5. O ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky. - Signs of the times: - The proper observing of these signs."
"Another day is gone. The day of the Lord is nearer. Am I better prepared for it?" "Discussion is frequently designed not to fix but to unsettle faith." "They refused to recognize the force of the evidence already given them" "They cry out for water & refuse to draw from the abundant wells of salvation around them." "Too many signs of the times surround us on every side to make it either right, or wise, or safe, or happy to pass them by unnoticed." "It is a Christian duty to discern the signs, to watch the moral aspect of the times in which we live." "The agriculturist notes carefully the approaching alterations in the weather; the politician watches the current of popular feeling & the moods of men; the scientific inquirer devotes all his energies to the observation of facts that will enable him to wrest from nature her secrets; the speculator is constantly on the outlook for the first symptoms of an alteration in prices. Yet how often do these very same men decline to take any interest in the highest of all subjects - the relationship of God to man - on the plea that it is too vague & too uncertain for practical consideration!" "Vers. 6, 12. Take heed & beware of the leaven of the Pharisees & of the Sadducees." "PHARISEES. They rejected the written Word of God as the only & sufficient standard of religious truth, & the guide of religious practice; & they observed the tradition of the elders, which often made this written law of none effect." "Their righteousness, though strict in its kind, was merely external; consisting chiefly in a multitude of ceremonious practices." "...SADDUCEES. They denied the fallen & depraved state of mankind" "They denied the existence of angels & spirits, the resurrection of the dead, & a future state of rewards & punishments. (J. Bunting, D.D.)" "How vain it is to discourse concerning Divine things to men whose minds are preoccupied with earthly cares! Leaven makes them think of loaves. (A. B. Bruce, D.D.)" "Vers. 13, 17. Whom do men say that I, the Son of man, am?" "How can we become stones in Christ's Church? Not naturally. Only by having Peter's faith." "How may we get this faith? God alone can give it - ask Him. (E. Stock.)" "The confession of Peter asserts the divinity as well as the humanity of our Lord." "We must try & find out what is the public opinion to-day about Christ, & instruct, correct it, gently. (W. Cuff.)" "Many things in the gospel are hid from the eyes of natural men which are manifest to those who have a spiritual sense & taste, & to whom the beauty & glory of the gospel are revealed." "...Peter ...It was the direct act of the Father, by which he was enlightened." "Ver. 18. That thou art Peter & upon this rock I will build My Church." "THE CHURCH EXERCISES ITS POWER THROUGH FAITH." "...if you abhor your sins they will be forgiven; if not they are retained." "BY FAITH THE CHURCH TRIUMPHS OVER ITS ENEMIES." "The true Church is cared for by all the 3 Persons of the Holy Trinity." "What is there in your character & conduct on which the Lord can build His Church? (John Foster.)" "THE CHURCH OF CHRIST, BEING THUS BUILDED UPON HIM, AS MESSIAH, THE SON OF THE LIVING GOD, IS ASSURED OF SECURITY & PERPETUITY." "Build a Church (1) not on creeds; (2) but on the Bible. (J. C. Jones.)" "Ver. 19. And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven." "These keys we have authority to use... keys of righteousness & charity, i.e., keys of kindness & good living, as well as keys of wisdom & knowledge." "By our good words, & our good works, we are to constitute ourselves door-keepers in the House of the Lord, & to open the doors to all who would enter in." "...God has given men the power to develop, not gold & silver that perish, but riches that never fade, that moth & rust never corrupt, & that thieves do not break through to steal - eternal treasures - the immortal spirits of men." "...God sends every man that goes forth to carry the Spirit of God to his fellow-men." "You are the key-keeper for your children. You are the door-keeper for your own offspring. Take heed, then, how you carry yourselves as parents in your own household - how you administer God's Word." "Vers. 21, 23. From that time forth began Jesus to show unto His diciples, how that He must go to Jerusalem, & suffer. - Christ foretelling His death" "Jesus was not ignorant of the serious sufferings which were coming upon Him." "We must be firm in the way of duty, having counted the cost." "There is the 'must' of destiny - what is to be shall be; it is vain to fight against it." "St. Peter was in reality desiring the worst thing possible; our redemption could not have been accomplished without the cross." "Afflictions are unavoidable." "How differently did our Lord think of them from his weak, still worldly-minded disciple, Peter!" "'Satan:' - Good men often do the devil's work, though they know it not. (R. Baxter.)" "PETER'S CONDUCT. Characterized by, 1. Arrogant presumption. 2. Ignorance of the end of Christ's sufferings. 3. Mistimed sympathy." "CHRIST'S REBUKE. Prompt, severe, instructive. (W. H. Booth.)" "Ver. 24. If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself. - Self-denial" "...renouncing whatever comes in competition with the love & service of Christ, your turning from things lawful when they become occasions of spiritual injury either to ourselves or others." "The cross is a trial which has something humiliating in it, & which is painful to the old nature. We must follow Christ, for what is it worth to 'deny one's self,' or to take up a 'cross,' if it be not done with an express intention towards Christ? (J. Vaughan, M. A.)" "We must renounce our own wisdom, will, mind, pleasure, etc." "The self we are to deny stands in opposition to God." "Vainglory is as sordid a piece of self, & as much to be denied, as riches & worldly greatness." "Consider, your happiness doth not lie within yourselves, nor in any other creature, but in God alone." "SELF-DEPENDENCE... We do God's work without His help." "It hinders the action within us of the Holy Spirit." "The duty & difficulty of self-denial: - To row against the tide of one's inclinations, to stem the rapid current of one's appetites & affections, to struggle against the violent motions of our will, & to wrestle with the opposition of our contending faculties; this is an employment that is laborious & uneasy, this is a performance that we pay dearly for; & the reward of such a warfare will certainly be proportionable to the hardships & difficulties with which we have encountered." "What 'self' is to be denied? - Man has various appetites, passions, desires, resting on present gratification, & on outward object" "...sensual appetites & anger" "...love of power, love of honour, love of property, love of amusement" "God will send you occasions enough for denying yourself. There is wood enough in every man's forest to build all the crosses he will need to carry." "Ver. 25. For whosoever will save his life. - Losing the soul to save it" "...the centre of man's capacities, passions, energies; the very seat of his personality." "HOW IS THE SOUL TO BE SAVED? By losing it." "Whoever purchases ease by dishonesty, or comfort by neglect of duty, or popularity by concession of principle - preferring self where truth, honour, love, purity or reverence demands self-negation, self-abandonment - that man loses his soul, loses his life, by saving it." "LOSS FOR CHRIST'S SAKE IS GAIN." "If Christ be (as we believe) the very & eternal Word of God; the very expression of the Father's truth, righteousness, purity, love; then the sacrifice of self to any one of these things is a saving of the soul by losing it" "Temporal gain eternal loss: - It hath cost many a man his life, when his house has been on fire, to attempt through covetousness to save some of his stuff; venturing among the flames to preserve this, he has perished himself. Many more have lost their souls, by attempting to carry some of their own stuff - their own self-righteousness - with them to heaven. O sirs! come out; leave what is your own in the fire; flee to Christ naked!" "Temporal loss eternal gain: - God can infinitely more than counterbalance all temporal losses by the larger & richer outpouring of His Spirit on the soul. He may demand our worldly wealth; but if He increase our spiritual riches, are we not therein great gainers? Can He not, by the consolations of His Spirit, raise us far above all temporal distresses; &, by opening up a prospect beyond the grave, make us to glory in all tribulations" "Ver. 26. For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, & lose his own soul? - The great exchange" "THE WORTH OF THE SOUL. 1. Refer to the great atonement as the most magnificent proof of the soul's worth. 2. To the triumphant joy awakened in heaven by the conversion of one sinner from the error of his ways. (J. Morison, D. D.)" "The foolish bargain: - The man who, for the sake of worldly happiness, shall lose his soul, makes a foolish bargain." "The value of a thing is often best known when it is lost." "The value & loss of the soul: - 1. Every man has a soul of his own. 2. It is possible for the soul to be lost; & there is danger of it. 3. If the soul is lost, it is the sinner's own losing; & his blood is on his own head. 4. One soul is worth more than all the world. 5. The winning of the world is often the losing of the soul. 6. The loss of the soul cannot be made up by the gain of the whole world. 7. If the soul be once lost, it is lost for ever; & the loss can never be repaired or retrieved. (Matthew Henry.)" "NOTHING CAN COMPENSATE FOR THE LOSS OF THE SOUL." "The soul alone is capable of enjoying God." "This word 'soul' is taken most properly & strictly for the form, constituent, & better part of man; that breath that is breathed into him from God, when man becomes a living soul (Gen. 2:7)." "The soul of man is made for to bring glory to God. The soul of man is made capable of enjoying God." "The soul is - (1) Divine in its origin; (2) astonishing in its properties - vitality, rationality, accountability; (3) an immortal principle; (4) has fallen from its glory; (5) has been redeemed by Christ; (6) angels rejoice over its salvation." "For the soul of a man all the world cannot be a just price" "He who decides to live to himself, becomes the slave of sin, passion & lust. He who chooses God, attains to freedom, etc." "REASONS WHY WE SHOULD MAKE THE MOST OF LIFE & FILL IT WITH WORTH. 1. God gave it & upholds it. 2. God has redeemed it in order to give it worth. 3. God has a plan for each life, which, if followed, will lead from grace to glory, & from the utilities of time to the rewards & inheritance of eternity. Unless we do so, most assuredly, in the light of our text, life will not be worth the living, & indeed it were far better never to have been born. (L. O. Thompson.)" "If the soul perish, it is, once more, an irreparable loss - a loss that cannot be retrieved." "Vers. 27, 28. For the Son of Man shall come in the glory of His Father." "The saints in judgment will be manifested as the doers of the will of God upon earth." "...the Lord Jesus Christ shall return to this earth as a man in the glory of God with His angels." "...all Christ's believing people shall appear with Him. The Lord at His coming in His glory shall reward every man according to his works. (H. McNeile.)" The Biblical Illustrator, Baker, pgs. 332 - 364. "Ver. 1. Why do Thy disciples transgress the tradition of the elders?"
"Scripture better than tradition." "Tradition unreliable." "Ver. 4. Honour thy father & mother. - The duty of children to honour their parents" "To act on all occasions so as not to make their parents ashamed of their conduct." "Vers. 7 - 9. This people draweth near to Me with their mouth. - Lip profession" "Will not merely a feigned allegiance be disowned by Him? Shall we not wish at last that we had been sincere & upright? (Pulpit Studies.)" "True sanctity is a reigning, constantly active, disposition & bent of the soul, manifesting itself in the several parts of our inward & outward conduct, & making us always willing & ready to do what, & nothing else but what, is agreeable to God, & correspondent to His will." "...though the heart be far off, the Good Shepherd seeks it." "Go to God & wait for the power of His grace. Meditate on the greatness of Him before whom we are. Mortify those lusts that are apt to withdraw our minds." "Let every experimental wandering make you more humble & careful. A constant heavenliness & holiness of heart." "God asks for the heart in worship." "Mere outward worship offensive to God." "God is to be worshipped with the whole man, with our bodies & spirits which are His. God is to be worshipped by the assistance of His spirit." "God is to be worshipped with an eye to His glory, as our ultimate end. God is to be worshipped in the name of Christ as our only Mediator." "Ver. 13. Every plant, which My heavenly Father hath not planted, shall be rooted up." "Every doctrine; Every practice; Every person." "Some plants God never planted." "Plants that prove utterly barren, are rooted up or cut down." "The plants which God Himself has planted shall stand & never be rooted up." "Am I a plant of God's planting?" "God's plants grow everywhere" "Uprooted plants: - That system of philosophy which ignores Divine Truth, or contradicts the plain statements of God's Word, cannot endure." "Consider some of the plants which the Father hath planted: 1. Every disciple of Christ. 2. The Church. 3. The Bible. 4. In the garden there are also many tender little plants which, though not conspicuous, are equally the object of the Father's solicitude. 5. God is pledged to establish the good & to eradicate the evil. The rose will not always have its thorn. (J. T. Lamont.)" "Ver. 14. They be blind leaders of the blind." "...the matter of cleansing away your sins. So long as you seek it from man, you seek it where it cannot be found. (Bishop Ryle.)" "Vers. 17 - 20. For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts." "Though evil thoughts may be involuntary at the first starting of them, being occasioned by what we could not avoid hearing & seeing, or coming upon us unawares, or proceeding from the temper & habit of our bodies, or the accidental impulses & motions of the animal spirits in our brains, which are the most immediate instruments the soul uses in her operations; though thus the first rise of evil thoughts may be involuntary, yet if we with pleasure entertain & cherish them, if our fancies are tickled by them, if they are delightful & grateful to us, this implies the consent of our wills. They then become greatly sinful to us." "Evil thoughts. - I. DEFINE THE CLASSES OF THOUGHT WHICH MAY BE REGARDED AS EVIL. 1. Vain thoughts... 3. Intensely selfish & worldly thoughts. 4. Thoughts of deliberate wickedness." "So is it with man; he sins as naturally as the young lion seeks for blood, or the young serpent stores up venom." "Vers. 21, 28. Then Jesus went thence & departed into the coasts of Tyre & Sidon." "...humility furnishes the roots by which faith holds on." "She looked beyond appearances, & fixed her gaze on things unseen & eternal. It is this which keeps men right, amid adverse surroundings." "Prayer is a NECESSITY." "It is also a spiritual power." "Knowledge of our sinfulness drives us to God." "1. We must seek Jesus. No rest till we come to Him. No other can help us, or rid us of our sin. 2. We must not let Jesus go. If He goes away, follow Him; if He seems to be stern, become more urgent; if He hides His face, cry the louder; if He will not listen, assail His heart." "It is true we deserve none of the things we pray for; but He has enough & to spare for all; & after the children are filled, He can afford to cast the crumbs to the dogs." "He who thus sins God's heart, wins everything." "Delays are not denials." "...SINCERE SUPPLICANTS ARE ALWAYS PERSEVERING." "...THE PRAYER OF FAITH MUST ULTIMATELY PREVAIL." "The prayer of faith is always crowned with success. (C. Bradley.)" "The elements of prevailing prayer: - I. Sincerity. II. Humility. III. Importunity. IV. Faith." "She could not be defeated because she would not doubt. She triumphs." "The triumph of faith: - I. FAITH'S APPROACH. 1. She came to the right person. 2. In a right spirit. 3. With a right plea." "This gospel assures us where our help is." "Great is the faith that prays without ceasing." "Her faith was great because - (1) it would stand trial. (2) It was a wrestling faith. She heard the repulse, yet is neither daunted nor disheartened. She will not take His No." "(3) It was victorious." "'Christ's love is wise. There is an art in His strange delays, which make us love-sick.'" "He wishes to make our faith stronger, & His trials are for the triumph of our faith." "Great thoughts of your sin alone will drive you to despair; but great thoughts of Christ will pilot you into the haven of peace. (C. H. Spurgeon.)" "This woman was most desperately resolved." "The Lord Jesus was charmed with the fair jewel of this woman's faith." "Faith strengthened by importunate prayer: - Wrestling addeth strength to arms & body; praying, & praying again, strengtheneth faith; customary running lengtheneth the breath." "The woman would have no denial." "She came to Him & worshipped Him, & said, 'Lord, help me.'" "Vers. 32, 39. - And Jesus said unto them, How many loaves have ye?" "THE LESSONS WHICH THIS MIRACLE ENFORCES. 1. Reliance. 2. Gratitude. 3. Charity. 4. Economy. (Expository Outlines.)" "The necessities of man & the all-sufficiency of Christ" "Life-long dependence should teach life-long humility." "Man needs pardon, purity, freedom, peace." The Biblical Illustrator, Baker, pgs. 312 - 332. "Vers. 1 - 11. Herod the tetrarch heard of the fame of Jesus."
"True love, which seeks the good of others, & not its own interest, consents to be forgotten, sacrificed." "Well, if to-day there is in the world a Christian Church, if there is a refuge accessible to all the sorrows of earth, an asylum where the soul escapes for ever from the oppressions of this world, a spiritual home where faith, hope, & love abide for ever; if we ourselves have been able to find there a place; it is certain that at its base there are acts of devotion without number, obscure deaths, unknown sufferings, silent sacrifices, which none can count." "The state of the wicked is a very restless one." "Herod, a man governed by fear: - I. HE IS AN EXAMPLE OF HOW COWARDICE, SUPERSTITION, & CRUELTY NATURALLY GO TOGETHER." "If men will be bold in sin, ministers must be bold to reprove. (Gurnall.)" "...IF WE FAITHFULLY DO OUR DUTY, WE MUST BE PREPARED TO SUFFER FOR IT." "If we are really in earnest in serving God, Satan will be sure to stir up some opposition against us. These hindrances are the tests of our faithfulness." "GOD'S GRACE IS ALWAYS SUFFICIENT." "...DEATH MAY BE VIEWED NOT WITH HORROR BUT WITH JOY." "If only we are ready for death, can death come too soon? It is the door of release from storm & cloud, sorrow & sin. (S. W. Skeffington, M. A.)" "Ver. 12. And went & told Jesus." "A complaining Christian once said to a cheerful, happy Christian, 'Things always seem to go smoothly with you; I never hear you make any complaints.' To which he replied, 'I have found out an effectual way of guarding against that fault - telling Jesus all, & telling Him before I tell any one else; then, I find, I seldom need tell any one else, for in telling Him about my troubles, I often find the burden entirely removed.' (A. Tucker.)" "Vers. 13, 14. When Jesus heard of it He departed thence by ship." "Jesus hears of John's death, & thereupon seeks seclusion." "He desired to be alone. That He mighty pray." "He will not relinquish His work because of instances that might have shocked Him with fatal distress." "Vers. 15 - 21. They need not depart; give ye them to eat. - Christ feeding the multitude" "The all-sufficiency which He possessed in Himself." "However little you have bring it to Jesus, & He will will make it more." "The foolishness of preaching becomes the power of God." "The more we feed on Christ, the more always is there of Christ to feed on; He increases to us. (A. M. Stuart.)" "Joy & hope are social; they ask for companionship; they spread by contact & mutual encouragement." "Ver. 23. He went up into a mountain apart to pray." "...WE OUGHT TO SET APART SOME PORTIONS OF OUR TIME FOR PRIVATE AND SILENT... conversation with God & our own hearts." "If Jesus Christ found it needful & advantageous to engage in retired devotion, how much more so must it be for such weak & imperfect creatures as we are - not only ministers, but private Christians also." "There are some particular seasons in which Christians should be much in private prayer; such as times of affliction, public calamity, prevailing departure from the knowledge, experience, & practice of true... (Christianity); seasons of suspense & embarrassment; seasons of ease & prosperity." "Ver. 24. For the wind was contary." "THE WAY OF DUTY IS NOT ALWAYS EASY. Even when constrained by love of Christ to undertake any particular work, we are often beset by difficulties & obstacles: no plain sailing, always breakers ahead." "The contrary wind may prepare us for higher service in the cause of Christ." "No contrary wind can last for ever. By & by Christ will come to us, & then there will be peace. Yes, & after a time we shall reach the other shore; & when we touch that, we shall be done with difficulties." "Vers. 22, 27. And straightway Jesus constrained His disciples to get into a ship, & to go before Him unto the other side." "He sometimes puts on the garments of trouble; & when we are calling upon Him as though He were yet in heaven, He is walking by our side" "Ver. 26. And when the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were troubled." "It is amazing what power the living voice, especially a long-known & much-loved voice, has to touch the heart, & to awaken confidence & peace, & emotions of all kinds, that may have been long dormant in the soul. (A. L. R. Foote.)" "Vers. 28, 33. - And Peter answered Him & said, Lord, if it be Thou, bid me come unto Thee on the water." "...it is not the power or word of Christ that gives way, but only the faith of Peter in this power or word. So long as he looks to Jesus this word supports him." "Peter in his extremity cries aloud to Jesus." "They who sit securely in their boats are not liable to sink." "He looked to the danger, & not to the Saviour." "He discovered his helplessness, & prayed for safety, 'Lord save me;'" "Here we are taught not to be unmindful of our dangers, but to keep our thoughts fixed on the greatness & faithfulness of Christ when we are surrounded by them." "Ver. 31. Wherefore didst thou doubt. - Doubting Christians: - 1. It perverts all they do by directing them to a wrong end. 2. It withdraws the mind from Christ. 3. It sours the temper. It breeds fears. 4. It gives Satan peculiar advantage against the soul. 5. The providence of God appears dark to such a soul. 6. It occasions false comfort. 7. It tarnishes the profession of such a person. (J. Cooke.)" "He who bought His people with His own Blood cannot lose his inheritance, & will not permit any enemy to wrest from His hand the satisfaction of His soul." "...the portion of the Redeemer cannot be wrenched from His grasp. 'Ye are His.' Christ is the safety of a Christian. (W. Arnot.)" "Ver. 36. As many as touched were made perfectly whole." The Biblical Illustrator, Baker, pgs. 295 - 312. |
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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