Bible Heaven/Bible Heaven.iso/online/mhcc00/v00200

Text File | 1994-03-02 | 14KB | 249 lines

00202
 * Multitudes follow Christ. (1) He heals a leper. (2-4) A
 centurion's servant healed. (5-13) Cure of Peter's wife's
 mother. (14-17) The scribe's zealous proposal. (18-22) Christ in
 a storm. (23-27) He heals two possessed with devils. (28-34)

 #1 This verse refers to the close of the foregoing sermon. Those
 to whom Christ has made himself known, desire to know more of
 him.

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 #2-4 In these verses we have an account of Christ's cleansing a
 leper, who came and worshipped him, as one clothed with Divine
 power. This cleansing directs us, not only to apply to Christ,
 who has power over bodily diseases, for the cure of them, but it
 also teaches us in what manner to apply to him. When we cannot
 be sure of God's will, we may be sure of his wisdom and mercy.
 No guilt is so great, but there is that in Christ's blood which
 atones for it; no corruption so strong, but there is that in his
 grace which can subdue it. To be made clean we must commend
 ourselves to his pity; we cannot demand it as a debt, but we
 must humbly request it as a favour. Those who by faith apply to
 Christ for mercy and grace, may be sure that he is freely
 willing to give them the mercy and grace they thus seek. And
 those afflictions are blessed that bring us to know Christ, and
 cause us to seek help and salvation from him. Let those who are
 cleansed from their spiritual leprosy, go to Christ's ministers
 and open their case, that they may advise, comfort, and pray for
 them.

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 #5-13 This centurion was a heathen, a Roman soldier. Though he
 was a soldier, yet he was a godly man. No man's calling or place
 will be an excuse for unbelief and sin. See how he states his
 servant's case. We should concern ourselves for the souls of our
 children and servants, who are spiritually sick, who feel not
 spiritual evils, who know not that which is spiritually good;
 and we should bring them to Christ by faith and prayers. Observe
 his self-abasement. Humble souls are made more humble by
 Christ's gracious dealings with them. Observe his great faith.
 The more diffident we are of ourselves, the stronger will be our
 confidence in Christ. Herein the centurion owns him to have
 Divine power, and a full command of all the creatures and powers
 of nature, as a master over his servants. Such servants we all
 should be to God; we must go and come, according to the
 directions of his word and the disposals of his providence. But
 when the Son of man comes he finds little faith, therefore he
 finds little fruit. An outward profession may cause us to be
 called children of the kingdom; but if we rest in that, and have
 nothing else to show, we shall be cast out. The servant got a
 cure of his disease, and the master got the approval of his
 faith. What was said to him, is said to all, Believe, and ye
 shall receive; only believe. See the power of Christ, and the
 power of faith. The healing of our souls is at once the effect
 and evidence of our interest in the blood of Christ.

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 #14-17 Peter had a wife, yet was an apostle of Christ, who
 showed that he approved of the married state, by being thus kind
 to Peter's wife's relations. The church of Rome, which forbids
 ministers to marry, goes contrary to that apostle upon whom they
 rest so much. He had his wife's mother with him in his family,
 which is an example to be kind to our relations. In spiritual
 healing, the Scripture speaks the word, the Spirit gives the
 touch, touches the heart, touches the hand. Those who recover
 from fevers, commonly are weak and feeble some time after; but
 to show that this cure was above the power of nature, the woman
 was at once so well as to go about the business of the house.
 The miracles which Jesus did being noised abroad, many thronged
 to him. He healed all that were sick, though the patient was
 ever so mean, and the case ever so bad. Many are the diseases
 and calamities to which we are liable in the body; and there is
 more, in those words of the gospel, that Jesus Christ bore our
 sicknesses and carried our sorrows, to support and comfort us
 under them, than in all the writings of the philosophers. Let us
 not grudge labour, trouble, or expense in doing good to others.

00219
 #18-22 One of the scribes was too hasty in promising; he
 proffers himself to be a close follower of Christ. He seems to
 be very resolute. Many resolutions for religion are produced by
 sudden conviction, and taken up without due consideration; these
 come to nothing. When this scribe offered to follow Christ, one
 would think he should have been encouraged; one scribe might do
 more credit and service than twelve fishermen; but Christ saw
 his heart, and answered to its thoughts, and therein teaches all
 how to come to Christ. His resolve seems to have been from a
 worldly, covetous principle; but Christ had not a place to lay
 his head on, and if he follows him, he must not expect to fare
 better than he fared. We have reason to think this scribe went
 away. Another was too slow. Delay in doing is as bad on the one
 hand, as hastiness in resolving is on the other. He asked leave
 to attend his father to his grave, and then he would be at
 Christ's service. This seemed reasonable, yet it was not right.
 He had not true zeal for the work. Burying the dead, especially
 a dead father, is a good work, but it is not thy work at this
 time. If Christ requires our service, affection even for the
 nearest and dearest relatives, and for things otherwise our
 duty, must give way. An unwilling mind never wants an excuse.
 Jesus said to him, Follow me; and, no doubt, power went with
 this word to him as to others; he did follow Christ, and cleaved
 to him. The scribe said, I will follow thee; to this man Christ
 said, Follow me; comparing them together, it shows that we are
 brought to Christ by the force of his call to us, #Ro 9:16|.

00224
 #23-27 It is a comfort to those who go down to the sea in ships,
 and are often in perils there, to reflect that they have a
 Saviour to trust in and pray to, who knows what it is to be on
 the water, and to be in storms there. Those who are passing with
 Christ over the ocean of this world, must expect storms. His
 human nature, like to ours in every thing but sin, was wearied,
 and he slept at this time to try the faith of his disciples.
 They, in their fear, came to their Master. Thus is it in a soul;
 when lusts and temptations are swelling and raging, and God is,
 as it were, asleep to it, this brings it to the brink of
 despair. Then it cries for a word from his mouth, Lord Jesus,
 keep not silence to me, or I am undone. Many that have true
 faith, are weak in it. Christ's disciples are apt to be
 disquieted with fears in a stormy day; to torment themselves
 that things are bad with them, and with dismal thoughts that
 they will be worse. Great storms of doubt and fear in the soul,
 under the power of the spirit of bondage, sometimes end in a
 wonderful calm, created and spoken by the Spirit of adoption.
 They were astonished. They never saw a storm so turned at once
 into a perfect calm. He that can do this, can do any thing,
 which encourages confidence and comfort in him, in the most
 stormy day, within or without, #Isa 26:4|.

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 #28-34 The devils have nothing to do with Christ as a Saviour;
 they neither have, nor hope for any benefit from him. Oh the
 depth of this mystery of Divine love; that fallen man has so
 much to do with Christ, when fallen angels have nothing to do
 with him! #Heb 2:16|. Surely here was torment, to be forced to
 own the excellence that is in Christ, and yet they had no part
 in him. The devils desire not to have any thing to do with
 Christ as a Ruler. See whose language those speak, who will have
 nothing to do with the gospel of Christ. But it is not true that
 the devils have nothing to do with Christ as a Judge; for they
 have, and they know it, and thus it is with all the children of
 men. Satan and his instruments can go no further than he
 permits; they must quit possession when he commands. They cannot
 break his hedge of protection about his people; they cannot
 enter even a swine without his leave. They had leave. God often,
 for wise and holy ends, permits the efforts of Satan's rage.
 Thus the devil hurries people to sin; hurries them to what they
 have resolved against, which they know will be shame and grief
 to them: miserable is the condition of those who are led captive
 by him at his will. There are a great many who prefer their
 swine before the Saviour, and so come short of Christ and
 salvation by him. They desire Christ to depart out of their
 hearts, and will not suffer his word to have place in them,
 because he and his word would destroy their brutish lusts, those
 swine which they give themselves up to feed. And justly will
 Christ forsake all that are weary of him; and say hereafter,
 Depart, ye cursed, to those who now say to the Almighty, Depart
 from us.
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 * Jesus returns to Capernaum, and heals a paralytic. (1-8)
 Matthew called. (9) Matthew, or Levi's feast. (10-13) Objections
 of John's disciples. (14-17) Christ raises the daughter of
 Jairus, He heals the issue of blood. (18-26) He heals two blind
 men. (27-31) Christ casts out a dumb spirit. (32-34) He sends
 forth the apostles. (35-38)

 #1-8 The faith of the friends of the paralytic in bringing him
 to Christ, was a strong faith; they firmly believed that Jesus
 Christ both could and would heal him. A strong faith regards no
 obstacles in pressing after Christ. It was a humble faith; they
 brought him to attend on Christ. It was an active faith. Sin may
 be pardoned, yet the sickness not be removed; the sickness may
 be removed, yet the sin not pardoned: but if we have the comfort
 of peace with God, with the comfort of recovery from sickness,
 this makes the healing a mercy indeed. This is no encouragement
 to sin. If thou bring thy sins to Jesus Christ, as thy malady
 and misery to be cured of, and delivered from, it is well; but
 to come with them, as thy darlings and delight, thinking still
 to retain them and receive him, is a gross mistake, a miserable
 delusion. The great intention of the blessed Jesus in the
 redemption he wrought, is to separate our hearts from sin. Our
 Lord Jesus has perfect knowledge of all that we say within
 ourselves. There is a great deal of evil in sinful thoughts,
 which is very offensive to the Lord Jesus. Christ designed to
 show that his great errand to the world was, to save his people
 from their sins. He turned from disputing with the scribes, and
 spake healing to the sick man. Not only he had no more need to
 be carried upon his bed, but he had strength to carry it. God
 must be glorified in all the power that is given to do good.

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 #9 Matthew was in his calling, as the rest of those whom Christ
 called. As Satan comes with his temptations to the idle, so
 Christ comes with his calls to those who are employed. We are
 all naturally averse from thee, O God; do thou bid us to follow
 thee; draw us by thy powerful word, and we shall run after thee.
 Speak by the word of the Spirit to our hearts, the world cannot
 hold us down, Satan cannot stop our way, we shall arise and
 follow thee. A saving change is wrought in the soul, by Christ
 as the author, and his word as the means. Neither Matthew's
 place, nor his gains by it, could detain him, when Christ called
 him. He left it, and though we find the disciples, who were
 fishers, occasionally fishing again afterwards, we never more
 find Matthew at his sinful gain.

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 #10-13 Some time after his call, Matthew sought to bring his old
 associates to hear Christ. He knew by experience what the grace
 of Christ could do, and would not despair concerning them. Those
 who are effectually brought to Christ, cannot but desire that
 others also may be brought to him. Those who suppose their souls
 to be without disease will not welcome the spiritual Physician.
 This was the case with the Pharisees; they despised Christ,
 because they thought themselves whole; but the poor publicans
 and sinners felt that they wanted instruction and amendment. It
 is easy, and too common, to put the worst constructions upon the
 best words and actions. It may justly be suspected that those
 have not the grace of God themselves, who are not pleased with
 others' obtaining it. Christ's conversing with sinners is here
 called mercy; for to promote the conversion of souls is the
 greatest act of mercy. The gospel call is a call to repentance;
 a call to us to change our minds, and to change our ways. If the
 children of men had not been sinners, there had been no need for
 Christ to come among them. Let us examine whether we have found
 out our sickness, and have learned to follow the directions of
 our great Physician.

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 #14-17 John was at this time in prison; his circumstances, his
 character, and the nature of the message he was sent to deliver,
 led those who were peculiarly attached to him, to keep frequent
 fasts. Christ referred them to John's testimony of him, #Joh
 3:29|. Though there is no doubt that Jesus and his disciples
 lived in a spare and frugal manner, it would be improper for his
 disciples to fast while they had the comfort of his presence.
 When he is with them, all is well. The presence of the sun makes
 day, and its absence produces night. Our Lord further reminded
 them of common rules of prudence. It was not usual to take a
 piece of rough woollen cloth, which had never been prepared, to
 join to an old garment, for it would not join well with the
 soft, old garment, but would tear it further, and the rent would
 be made worse. Nor would men put new wine into old leathern
 bottles, which were going to decay, and would be liable to burst
 from the fermenting of the wine; but putting the new wine into
 strong, new, skin bottles, both would be preserved. Great
 caution and prudence are necessary, that young converts may not
 receive gloomy and forbidding ideas of the service of our Lord;
 but duties are to be urged as they are able to bear them.