Bible Heaven/Bible Heaven.iso/online/mhcc00/v00500

Text File | 1994-03-02 | 7KB | 125 lines

00510
 #21-28 The dark corners of the country, the most remote, shall
 share Christ's influences; afterwards the ends of the earth
 shall see his salvation. The distress and trouble of her family
 brought a woman to Christ; and though it is need that drives us
 to Christ, yet we shall not therefore be driven from him. She
 did not limit Christ to any particular instance of mercy, but
 mercy, mercy, is what she begged for: she pleads not merit, but
 depends upon mercy. It is the duty of parents to pray for their
 children, and to be earnest in prayer for them, especially for
 their souls. Have you a son, a daughter, grievously vexed with a
 proud devil, an unclean devil, a malicious devil, led captive by
 him at his will? this is a case more deplorable than that of
 bodily possession, and you must bring them by faith and prayer
 to Christ, who alone is able to heal them. Many methods of
 Christ's providence, especially of his grace, in dealing with
 his people, which are dark and perplexing, may be explained by
 this story, which teaches that there may be love in Christ's
 heart while there are frowns in his face; and it encourages us,
 though he seems ready to slay us, yet to trust in him. Those
 whom Christ intends most to honour, he humbles to feel their own
 unworthiness. A proud, unhumbled heart would not have borne
 this; but she turned it into an argument to support her request.
 The state of this woman is an emblem of the state of a sinner,
 deeply conscious of the misery of his soul. The least of Christ
 is precious to a believer, even the very crumbs of the Bread of
 life. Of all graces, faith honours Christ most; therefore of all
 graces Christ honours faith most. He cured her daughter. He
 spake, and it was done. From hence let such as seek help from
 the Lord, and receive no gracious answer, learn to turn even
 their unworthiness and discouragements into pleas for mercy.

00518
 #29-39 Whatever our case is, the only way to find ease and
 relief, is to lay it at Christ's feet, to submit it to him, and
 refer it to his disposal. Those who would have spiritual healing
 from Christ, must be ruled as he pleases. See what work sin has
 made; what various diseases human bodies are subject to. Here
 were such diseases as fancy could neither guess the cause nor
 the cure of, yet these were subject to the command of Christ.
 The spiritual cures that Christ works are wonderful. When blind
 souls are made to see by faith, the dumb to speak in prayer, the
 maimed and the lame to walk in holy obedience, it is to be
 wondered at. His power was also shown to the multitude, in the
 plentiful provision he made for them: the manner is much the
 same as before. All did eat, and were filled. Those whom Christ
 feeds, he fills. With Christ there is bread enough, and to
 spare; supplies of grace for more than seek it, and for those
 that seek for more. Christ sent away the people. Though he had
 fed them twice, they must not look for miracles to find their
 daily bread. Let them go home to their callings and their own
 tables. Lord, increase our faith, and pardon our unbelief,
 teaching us to live upon thy fulness and bounty, for all things
 pertaining to this life, and that which is to come.
00529
 * The Pharisees and Sadducees ask a sign. (1-4) Jesus cautions
 against the doctrine of the Pharisees. (5-12) Peter's testimony
 that Jesus was the Christ. (13-20) Christ foretells his
 sufferings, and rebukes Peter. (21-23) The necessity of
 self-denial. (24-28)

 #1-4 The Pharisees and Sadducees were opposed to each other in
 principles and in conduct; yet they joined against Christ. But
 they desired a sign of their own choosing: they despised those
 signs which relieved the necessity of the sick and sorrowful,
 and called for something else which would gratify the curiosity
 of the proud. It is great hypocrisy, when we slight the signs of
 God's ordaining, to seek for signs of our own devising.

00533
 #5-12 Christ speaks of spiritual things under a similitude, and
 the disciples misunderstand him of carnal things. He took it ill
 that they should think him as thoughtful about bread as they
 were; that they should be so little acquainted with his way of
 preaching. Then understood they what he meant. Christ teaches by
 the Spirit of wisdom in the heart, opening the understanding to
 the Spirit of revelation in the word.

00541
 #13-20 Peter, for himself and his brethren, said that they were
 assured of our Lord's being the promised Messiah, the Son of the
 living God. This showed that they believed Jesus to be more than
 man. Our Lord declared Peter to be blessed, as the teaching of
 God made him differ from his unbelieving countrymen. Christ
 added that he had named him Peter, in allusion to his stability
 or firmness in professing the truth. The word translated "rock,"
 is not the same word as Peter, but is of a similar meaning.
 Nothing can be more wrong than to suppose that Christ meant the
 person of Peter was the rock. Without doubt Christ himself is
 the Rock, the tried foundation of the church; and woe to him
 that attempts to lay any other! Peter's confession is this rock
 as to doctrine. If Jesus be not the Christ, those that own him
 are not of the church, but deceivers and deceived. Our Lord next
 declared the authority with which Peter would be invested. He
 spoke in the name of his brethren, and this related to them as
 well as to him. They had no certain knowledge of the characters
 of men, and were liable to mistakes and sins in their own
 conduct; but they were kept from error in stating the way of
 acceptance and salvation, the rule of obedience, the believer's
 character and experience, and the final doom of unbelievers and
 hypocrites. In such matters their decision was right, and it was
 confirmed in heaven. But all pretensions of any man, either to
 absolve or retain men's sins, are blasphemous and absurd. None
 can forgive sins but God only. And this binding and loosing, in
 the common language of the Jews, signified to forbid and to
 allow, or to teach what is lawful or unlawful.

00549
 #21-23 Christ reveals his mind to his people gradually. From
 that time, when the apostles had made the full confession of
 Christ, that he was the Son of God, he began to show them of his
 sufferings. He spake this to set right the mistakes of his
 disciples about the outward pomp and power of his kingdom. Those
 that follow Christ, must not expect great or high things in this
 world. Peter would have Christ to dread suffering as much as he
 did; but we mistake, if we measure Christ's love and patience by
 our own. We do not read of any thing said or done by any of his
 disciples, at any time, that Christ resented so much as this.
 Whoever takes us from that which is good, and would make us fear
 to do too much for God, speaks Satan's language. Whatever
 appears to be a temptation to sin, must be resisted with
 abhorrence, and not be parleyed with. Those that decline
 suffering for Christ, savour more of the things of man than of
 the things of God.