Bible Heaven/Bible Heaven.iso/online/mhcc00/v02100

Text File | 1994-03-01 | 4KB | 73 lines

02102
 * The ministry of Christ. (1-3) The parable of the sower. (4-21)
 Christ stilleth the tempest and casteth out devils. (22-40) The
 daughter of Jairus restored to life. (41-56)

 #1-3 We are here told what Christ made the constant business of
 his life, it was teaching the gospel. Tidings of the kingdom of
 God are glad tidings, and what Christ came to bring. Certain
 women attended upon him who ministered to him of their
 substance. It showed the mean condition to which the Saviour
 humbled himself, that he needed their kindness, and his great
 humility, that he accepted it. Though rich, yet for our sakes he
 became poor.

02105
 #4-21 There are many very needful and excellent rules and
 cautions for hearing the word, in the parable of the sower, and
 the application of it. Happy are we, and for ever indebted to
 free grace, if the same thing that is a parable to others, with
 which they are only amused, is a plain truth to us, by which we
 are taught and governed. We ought to take heed of the things
 that will hinder our profiting by the word we hear; to take heed
 lest we hear carelessly and slightly, lest we entertain
 prejudices against the word we hear; and to take heed to our
 spirits after we have heard the word, lest we lose what we have
 gained. The gifts we have, will be continued to us or not, as we
 use them for the glory of God, and the good of our brethren. Nor
 is it enough not to hold the truth in unrighteousness; we should
 desire to hold forth the word of life, and to shine, giving
 light to all around. Great encouragement is given to those who
 prove themselves faithful hearers of the word, by being doers of
 the work. Christ owns them as his relations.

02123
 #22-40 Those that put to sea in a calm, even at Christ's word,
 must yet prepare for a storm, and for great peril in that storm.
 There is no relief for souls under a sense of guilt, and fear of
 wrath, but to go to Christ, and call him Master, and say, I am
 undone, if thou dost not help me. When our dangers are over, it
 becomes us to take to ourselves the shame of our own fears, and
 to give Christ the glory of our deliverance. We may learn much
 out of this history concerning the world of infernal, malignant
 spirits, which though not working now exactly in the same way as
 then, yet all must at all times carefully guard against. And
 these malignant spirits are very numerous. They have enmity to
 man and all his comforts. Those under Christ's government are
 sweetly led with the bands of love; those under the devil's
 government are furiously driven. Oh what a comfort it is to the
 believer, that all the powers of darkness are under the control
 of the Lord Jesus! It is a miracle of mercy, if those whom Satan
 possesses, are not brought to destruction and eternal ruin.
 Christ will not stay with those who slight him; perhaps he may
 no more return to them, while others are waiting for him, and
 glad to receive him.

02142
 #41-56 Let us not complain of a crowd, and a throng, and a
 hurry, as long as we are in the way of our duty, and doing good;
 but otherwise every wise man will keep himself out of it as much
 as he can. And many a poor soul is healed, and helped, and saved
 by Christ, that is hidden in a crowd, and nobody notices it.
 This woman came trembling, yet her faith saved her. There may be
 trembling, where yet there is saving faith. Observe Christ's
 comfortable words to Jairus, Fear not, believe only, and thy
 daughter shall be made whole. No less hard was it not to grieve
 for the loss of an only child, than not to fear the continuance
 of that grief. But in perfect faith there is no fear; the more
 we fear, the less we believe. The hand of Christ's grace goes
 with the calls of his word, to make them effectual. Christ
 commanded to give her meat. As babes new born, so those newly
 raised from sin, desire spiritual food, that they may grow
 thereby.