Bible Heaven/Bible Heaven.iso/online/mhcc03/v03900

Text File | 1994-03-11 | 9KB | 156 lines

03901
 #23-31 Christ's followers do best in company, provided it is
 their own company. It encourages God's servants, both in doing
 work, and suffering work, that they serve the God who made all
 things, and therefore has the disposal of all events; and the
 Scriptures must be fulfilled. Jesus was anointed to be a
 Saviour, therefore it was determined he should be a sacrifice,
 to make atonement for sin. But sin is not the less evil for
 God's bringing good out of it. In threatening times, our care
 should not be so much that troubles may be prevented, as that we
 may go on with cheerfulness and courage in our work and duty.
 They do not pray, Lord let us go away from our work, now that it
 is become dangerous, but, Lord, give us thy grace to go on
 stedfastly in our work, and not to fear the face of man. Those
 who desire Divine aid and encouragement, may depend upon having
 them, and they ought to go forth, and go on, in the strength of
 the Lord God. God gave a sign of acceptance of their prayers.
 The place was shaken, that their faith might be established and
 unshaken. God gave them greater degrees of his Spirit; and they
 were all filled with the Holy Ghost, more than ever; by which
 they were not only encouraged, but enabled to speak the word of
 God with boldness. When they find the Lord God help them by his
 Spirit, they know they shall not be confounded, \\#Isa 1:7\\.

03910
 #32-37 The disciples loved one another. This was the blessed
 fruit of Christ's dying precept to his disciples, and his dying
 prayer for them. Thus it was then, and it will be so again, when
 the Spirit shall be poured upon us from on high. The doctrine
 preached was the resurrection of Christ; a matter of fact, which
 being duly explained, was a summary of all the duties,
 privileges, and comforts of Christians. There were evident
 fruits of Christ's grace in all they said and did. They were
 dead to this world. This was a great evidence of the grace of
 God in them. They did not take away others' property, but they
 were indifferent to it. They did not call it their own; because
 they had, in affection, forsaken all for Christ, and were
 expecting to be stripped of all for cleaving to him. No marvel
 that they were of one heart and soul, when they sat so loose to
 the wealth of this world. In effect, they had all things common;
 for there was not any among them who lacked, care was taken for
 their supply. The money was laid at the apostles' feet. Great
 care ought to be taken in the distribution of public charity,
 that it be given to such as have need, such as are not able to
 procure a maintenance for themselves; those who are reduced to
 want for well-doing, and for the testimony of a good conscience,
 ought to be provided for. Here is one in particular mentioned,
 remarkable for this generous charity; it was Barnabas. As one
 designed to be a preacher of the gospel, he disentangled himself
 from the affairs of this life. When such dispositions prevail,
 and are exercised according to the circumstances of the times,
 the testimony will have very great power upon others.
03916
 * The death of Ananias and Sapphira. (1-11) The power which
 accompanied the preaching of the gospel. (12-16) The apostles
 imprisoned, but set free by an angel. (17-25) The apostles
 testify to Christ before the council. (26-33) The advice of
 Gamaliel, The council let the apostles go. (34-42)

 #1-11 The sin of Ananias and Sapphira was, that they were
 ambitious of being thought eminent disciples, when they were not
 true disciples. Hypocrites may deny themselves, may forego their
 worldly advantage in one instance, with a prospect of finding
 their account in something else. They were covetous of the
 wealth of the world, and distrustful of God and his providence.
 They thought they might serve both God and mammon. They thought
 to deceive the apostles. The Spirit of God in Peter discerned
 the principle of unbelief reigning in the heart of Ananias. But
 whatever Satan might suggest, he could not have filled the heart
 of Ananias with this wickedness had he not been consenting. The
 falsehood was an attempt to deceive the Spirit of truth, who so
 manifestly spoke and acted by the apostles. The crime of Ananias
 was not his retaining part of the price of the land; he might
 have kept it all, had he pleased; but his endeavouring to impose
 upon the apostles with an awful lie, from a desire to make a
 vain show, joined with covetousness. But if we think to put a
 cheat upon God, we shall put a fatal cheat upon our own souls.
 How sad to see those relations who should quicken one another to
 that which is good, hardening one another in that which is evil!
 And this punishment was in reality mercy to vast numbers. It
 would cause strict self-examination, prayer, and dread of
 hypocrisy, covetousness, and vain-glory, and it should still do
 so. It would prevent the increase of false professors. Let us
 learn hence how hateful falsehood is to the God of truth, and
 not only shun a direct lie, but all advantages from the use of
 doubtful expressions, and double meaning in our speech.

03927
 #12-16 The separation of hypocrites by distinguishing judgments,
 should make the sincere cleave closer to each other and to the
 gospel ministry. Whatever tends to the purity and reputation of
 the church, promotes its enlargement; but that power alone which
 wrought such miracles by the apostles, can rescue sinners from
 the power of sin and Satan, and add believers to His
 worshippers. Christ will work by all his faithful servants; and
 every one who applies to him shall be healed.

03932
 #17-25 There is no prison so dark, so strong, but God can visit
 his people in it, and, if he pleases, fetch them out. Recoveries
 from sickness, releases out of trouble, are granted, not that we
 may enjoy the comforts of life, but that God may be honoured
 with the services of our life. It is not for the preachers of
 Christ's gospel to retire into corners, as long as they can have
 any opportunity of preaching in the great congregation. They
 must preach to the lowest, whose souls are as precious to Christ
 as the souls of the greatest. Speak to all, for all are
 concerned. Speak as those who resolve to stand to it, to live
 and die by it. Speak all the words of this heavenly, divine
 life, in comparison with which the present earthly life does not
 deserve the name. These words of life, which the Holy Ghost puts
 into your mouth. The words of the gospel are the words of life;
 words whereby we may be saved. How wretched are those who are
 vexed at the success of the gospel! They cannot but see that the
 word and power of the Lord are against them; and they tremble
 for the consequences, yet they will go on.

03941
 #26-33 Many will do an evil thing with daring, yet cannot bear
 to hear of it afterward, or to have it charged upon them. We
 cannot expect to be redeemed and healed by Christ, unless we
 give up ourselves to be ruled by him. Faith takes the Saviour in
 all his offices, who came, not to save us in our sins, but to
 save us from our sins. Had Christ been exalted to give dominion
 to Israel, the chief priests would have welcomed him. But
 repentance and remission of sins are blessings they neither
 valued nor saw their need of; therefore they, by no means,
 admitted his doctrine. Wherever repentance is wrought, remission
 is granted without fail. None are freed from the guilt and
 punishment of sin, but those who are freed from the power and
 dominion of sin; who are turned from it, and turned against it.
 Christ gives repentance, by his Spirit working with the word, to
 awaken the conscience, to work sorrow for sin, and an effectual
 change in the heart and life. The giving of the Holy Ghost, is
 plain evidence that it is the will of God that Christ should be
 obeyed. And He will surely destroy those who will not have Him
 to reign over them.

03949
 #34-42 The Lord still has all hearts in his hands, and sometimes
 directs the prudence of the worldly wise, so as to restrain the
 persecutors. Common sense tells us to be cautious, while
 experience and observation show that the success of frauds in
 matters of religion has been very short. Reproach for Christ is
 true preferment, as it makes us conformable to his pattern, and
 serviceable to his interest. They rejoiced in it. If we suffer
 ill for doing well, provided we suffer it well, and as we
 should, we ought to rejoice in that grace which enabled us so to
 do. The apostles did not preach themselves, but Christ. This was
 the preaching that most offended the priests. But it ought to be
 the constant business of gospel ministers to preach Christ:
 Christ, and him crucified; Christ, and him glorified; nothing
 beside this, but what has reference to it. And whatever is our
 station or rank in life, we should seek to make Him known, and
 to glorify his name.