Bible Heaven/Bible Heaven.iso/online/mhcc03/v04500

Text File | 1994-03-02 | 8KB | 133 lines

04510
 #28-38 If the Holy Ghost has made ministers overseers of the
 flock, that is, shepherds, they must be true to their trust. Let
 them consider their Master's concern for the flock committed to
 their charge. It is the church He has purchased with his own
 blood. The blood was his as Man; yet so close is the union
 between the Divine and human nature, that it is there called the
 blood of God, for it was the blood of Him who is God. This put
 such dignity and worth into it, as to ransom believers from all
 evil, and purchase all good. Paul spake about their souls with
 affection and concern. They were full of care what would become
 of them. Paul directs them to look up to God with faith, and
 commends them to the word of God's grace, not only as the
 foundation of their hope and the fountain of their joy, but as
 the rule of their walking. The most advanced Christians are
 capable of growing, and will find the word of grace helps their
 growth. As those cannot be welcome guests to the holy God who
 are unsanctified; so heaven would be no heaven to them; but to
 all who are born again, and on whom the image of God is renewed,
 it is sure, as almighty power and eternal truth make it so. He
 recommends himself to them as an example of not caring as to
 things of the present world; this they would find helps forward
 their comfortable passage through it. It might seem a hard
 saying, therefore Paul adds to it a saying of their Master's,
 which he would have them always remember; "It is more blessed to
 give than to receive:" it seems they were words often used to
 his disciples. The opinion of the children of this world, is
 contrary to this; they are afraid of giving, unless in hope of
 getting. Clear gain, is with them the most blessed thing that
 can be; but Christ tells us what is more blessed, more excellent.
 It makes us more like to God, who gives to all, and receives
 from none; and to the Lord Jesus, who went about doing good.
 This mind was in Christ Jesus, may it be in us also. It is good
 for friends, when they part, to part with prayer. Those who
 exhort and pray for one another, may have many weeping seasons
 and painful separations, but they will meet before the throne of
 God, to part no more. It was a comfort to all, that the presence
 of Christ both went with him and stayed with them.
04521
 * Paul's voyage towards Jerusalem. (1-7) Paul at Caesarea. The
 prophecy of Agabus, Paul at Jerusalem. (8-18) He is persuaded to
 join in ceremonial observances. (19-26) Being in danger from the
 Jews, he is rescued by the Romans. (27-40)

 #1-7 Providence must be acknowledged when our affairs go on
 well. Wherever Paul came, he inquired what disciples were there,
 and found them out. Foreseeing his troubles, from love to him,
 and concern for the church, they wrongly thought it would be
 most for the glory of God that he should continue at liberty;
 but their earnestness to dissuade him from it, renders his pious
 resolution the more illustrious. He has taught us by example, as
 well as by rule, to pray always, to pray without ceasing. Their
 last farewell was sweetened with prayer.

04528
 #8-18 Paul had express warning of his troubles, that when they
 came, they might be no surprise or terror to him. The general
 notice given us, that through much tribulation we must enter
 into the kingdom of God, should be of the same use to us. Their
 weeping began to weaken and slacken his resolution. Has not our
 Master told us to take up our cross? It was a trouble to him,
 that they should so earnestly press him to do that in which he
 could not gratify them without wronging his conscience. When we
 see trouble coming, it becomes us to say, not only, The will of
 the Lord must be done, and there is no remedy; but, Let the will
 of the Lord be done; for his will is his wisdom, and he doeth
 all according to the counsel of it. When a trouble is come, this
 must allay our griefs, that the will of the Lord is done; when
 we see it coming, this must silence our fears, that the will of
 the Lord shall be done; and we ought to say, Amen, let it be
 done. It is honourable to be an old disciple of Jesus Christ, to
 have been enabled by the grace of God to continue long in a
 course of duty, stedfast in the faith, growing more and more
 experienced, to a good old age. And with these old disciples one
 would choose to lodge; for the multitude of their years shall
 teach wisdom. Many brethren at Jerusalem received Paul gladly.
 We think, perhaps, that if we had him among us, we should gladly
 receive him; but we should not, if, having his doctrine, we do
 not gladly receive that.

04539
 #19-26 Paul ascribed all his success to God, and to God they
 gave the praise. God had honoured him more than any of the
 apostles, yet they did not envy him; but on the contrary,
 glorified the Lord. They could not do more to encourage Paul to
 go on cheerfully in his work. James and the elders of the church
 at Jerusalem, asked Paul to gratify the believing Jews, by some
 compliance with the ceremonial law. They thought it was prudent
 in him to conform thus far. It was great weakness to be so fond
 of the shadows, when the substance was come. The religion Paul
 preached, tended not to destroy the law, but to fulfil it. He
 preached Christ, the end of the law for righteousness, and
 repentance and faith, in which we are to make great use of the
 law. The weakness and evil of the human heart strongly appear,
 when we consider how many, even of the disciples of Christ, had
 not due regard to the most eminent minister that even lived. Not
 the excellence of his character, nor the success with which God
 blessed his labours, could gain their esteem and affection,
 seeing that he did not render the same respect as themselves to
 mere ceremonial observances. How watchful should we be against
 prejudices! The apostles were not free from blame in all they
 did; and it would be hard to defend Paul from the charge of
 giving way too much in this matter. It is vain to attempt to
 court the favour of zealots, or bigots to a party. This
 compliance of Paul did not answer, for the very thing by which
 he hoped to pacify the Jews, provoked them, and brought him into
 trouble. But the all-wise God overruled both their advice and
 Paul's compliance with it, to serve a better purpose than was
 intended. It was in vain to think of pleasing men who would be
 pleased with nothing but the rooting out of Christianity.
 Integrity and uprightness will be more likely to preserve us
 than insincere compliances. And it should warn us not to press
 men to doing what is contrary to their own judgment to oblige
 us.

04547
 #27-40 In the temple, where Paul should have been protected as
 in a place of safety, he was violently set upon. They falsely
 charged him with ill doctrine and ill practice against the
 Mosaic ceremonies. It is no new thing for those who mean
 honestly and act regularly, to have things laid to their charge
 which they know not and never thought of. It is common for the
 wise and good to have that charged against them by malicious
 people, with which they thought to have obliged them. God often
 makes those a protection to his people, who have no affection to
 them, but only have compassion for sufferers, and regard to the
 public peace. And here see what false, mistaken notions of good
 people and good ministers, many run away with. But God
 seasonably interposes for the safety of his servants, from
 wicked and unreasonable men; and gives them opportunities to
 speak for themselves, to plead for the Redeemer, and to spread
 abroad his glorious gospel.