Word of God

Man does not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth from the mouth of God

Matthew 4:4

The Gospel According to Luke 16:31 

31 Then he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rise from the dead again.

Brethren:

That is, Abraham said unto him, as the Syriac, Persic, and Ethiopic versions express it: if they hear not Moses and the prophets; as they did not, nor regarded what they said of Christ, but disbelieved both him and them, then neither will they be persuaded: or brought to repent and believe, even though one rose from the dead; as  Christ did; whose resurrection, the truth of it they endeavoured to baffle, stifle, and suppress. this was the sign Christ gave them, of the truth of his Messiahship; and yet they repented not of what they had done to him, that they might believe in him; but remained still in their impenitence and infidelity, and so died. This shows the regard that ought to be had to the written word, as read, or preached; and that it is a sad sign of a desperate condition, when men reject divine revelation. Beza's ancient copy adds, "and should go unto them".

Foolish men are apt to think any method of conviction better than that which God has chosen and appointed. That is to say the acceptance of Christ as Saviour, the admittance and repentance of sins, and the grace that God would then grant them in order to free them from the curse of sin and thereby forgiving them of their sins. 

It is amazing to this writer how so simple an action can be taken that would lead to spending eternity in God's kingdom, and yet so many stiff-necked people in the world refuse it. They are convinced of their own righteousness, and likewise blinded and lost in their sin, that they cannot simply conceive that they are wrong. Such is the way of those whose self inflated egos are, and will in the end result and some very unpleasant shocks in the life to come afterward. 

Word of God

Man does not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth from the mouth of God

Matthew 4:4

The Gospel According to Luke 15:7, 10 

7 I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven for one sinner that converteth, more than for ninety and nine just men, which need none amendment of life.

10 Likewise I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the Angels of God, for one sinner that converteth.

Brethren:

In the church below, and among the members of it; which is sometimes called heaven, especially in the book of the Revelations; or in heaven above, and among the angels there, for the joy in heaven, is not over sinners as such; for as such, they are not grateful to God, nor to Christ, nor to the angels, nor to saints; only sinners delight in each other, as such; but as repenting sinners, who are truly so: and these are not such, who only legally and outwardly repent; nor all that declare a sense of sin; or that are externally sorry for it; or are terrified about it, and shed tears on account of it; or that cease from grosser sins of life, and outwardly reform: but such who repent in an evangelical way; who are turned to God, and are instructed by his Spirit; who believe in Christ, and have views, at least hopes, of pardon through his blood; and have the love of God and Christ shed abroad in their hearts; from whence arise a true sight and sense of sin, a godly sorrow for it, an hearty loathing of it, shame on account of it, an ingenuous confession, and a real forsaking of it. Now the reason why there is joy in heaven over such persons is, because, without such a repentance, they must perish; and by this they appear to be openly in a state of grace; and become proper subjects of the ordinances of Christ; and this repentance is unto life and salvation; or these are inseparably connected with it; and this joy is abundantly, more so, than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance. 

By whom are meant, either such who are really righteous persons; not naturally and of themselves, nor legally by the deeds of the law, but by the imputation of Christ's righteousness to them: and who need no repentance to be added to their righteousness, it being perfect of itself; nor the grace and principle of repentance, because they have it, and it cannot be lost; or change of life and manners, which is not to be seen in such: and the more joy over repenting sinners, than over these is, because the salvation of the one is before certain to them, and the other is unexpected: but to this sense it may be objected, that saints, even righteous persons, need frequent conversions, and the continual exercise of the grace of repentance; nor does it seem feasible, that there should be more joy over a repenting sinner, than over one, whose life, through grace, is a series of righteousness: rather therefore, such who seem to be just, or are so in their own opinion, are here meant; for only such sort of righteous persons and repenting sinners, are opposed to each other, as in ( Matthew 9:13 ) moreover, the occasion and scope of the parable, determines this to be the sense; the Scribes and Pharisees, that murmured at Christ's receiving sinners, are the ninety and nine just persons, who were only outwardly righteous before men, and trusted in themselves that they were righteous, perfectly righteous, and without sin, and so stood in no need of repentance for it; now there is more joy in heaven over one repenting sinner, than over all these: hence learn, that a self-righteous person, is an impenitent one; that a repenting sinner is more regarded in heaven than a self-righteous man: our Lord here seems to have regard to a conceit of the Jews, who distinguish between penitents that were allowed to be righteous, and such who never were guilty of any notorious crime, and so were perfectly righteous, and needed no repentance, and were preferred to penitent sinners.

 ``let not a penitent man imagine that he is afar off from the excellency, or degree of the righteous, because of the sins and iniquities he has committed, the thing is not so; but he is beloved and desired before the Creator, as if he had never sinned; for his reward is great; for lo, he hath tasted the taste of sin, and hath separated from it, and hath subdued his evil imagination: the wise men say, the place where "penitents" stand, the "perfect righteous" cannot stand; which is as if it was said, their degree of excellency is greater, than those who never sinned, because they have subdued their imagination more than they.'' - Maimonides 

Likewise there is joy in heaven over one sinner that repenteth;which they have knowledge of, either by immediate revelation from God, or by observation in the church where they attend: the reason of this joy is, because there is one rescued out of the hands of Satan and his angels, between whom and them, there is an implacable enmity; and because another subject is added to Christ's kingdom, and by which it is enlarged, the prosperity of which they greatly desire; and because another heir is born in that family, to which they belong, and they have another social worshipper with them: and this joy is said to be "in the presence of" them; and so may design the joy of others, as of Father, Son, and Spirit, which is in their sight and knowledge; and also the joy there is among themselves.

Word of God

Man does not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth from the mouth of God

Matthew 4:4

The Gospel According to Luke 13:25 

25 When the good man of the house is risen up, and hath shut to the door, and ye began to stand without, and to knock at the door, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us, and he shall answer and say unto you, I know you not whence ye are

Christ having espoused all his elect to himself, by the ministry of the word: for by "the master of the house" is meant, the bridegroom of the church, the head of the body, the King of saints, who is Son over his own house, and high priest there; of whom the whole family in heaven and earth, is named. 

This is to say that the door of mercy and of hope; the door of faith; the preaching of the word, and the administration of ordinances, when these shall be no more. and ye begin to stand without;
Or "do stand without"; without the holy city, where dogs are; having no admittance to the nuptial chamber, to the marriage supper of the Lamb, and the joys of heaven. AND  to knock at the door;
which shows how near some persons may come to heaven, and yet not enter there, even to the very door; and what an expectation, yea, an assurance they may have, of admission into it, not at all doubting of it; and therefore knock as if they were some of the family, and had a right to enter; but not finding the door opened to them, so soon as they imagined, they begin to call as well as knock.

They acknowledge Christ to be Lord, as all will at the last day, to the glory of God the Father, even professors and profane; they repeat the word, to show the vehemency and earnestness of their entreaty; and according to the Syriac and, Persic versions, they claim an interest in Christ, which read, "our Lord, our Lord"; and on account of which they doubted not, but the door would be opened: but alas, he was only their Lord in a professional way; they had only called him Lord, Lord, but had never truly and heartily yielded obedience to him; their hearts had never been opened to him, and he had never had a place there, nor his Gospel; wherefore though they knock, he will not open.

And he shall answer and say unto you, (the Persic version adds), "nay, but be ye gone hence", for the following reason; I know you not, whence you are. Not but that Christ being the omniscient God, will know who they are, from whence they come, of what country and place they be, and to whom they belong; but the sense is, that he will not own them, and express any approbation of them, as his; but will treat them as strangers, that come, it is not known, from whence; he will reject them, as not being born from above, as not being the sheep of his fold, or members of his true church: they did not come from heaven, they were not heaven born souls, or partakers of the heavenly calling, and therefore shall not be received there; they belonged to the men of the world, and were of their father the devil, and shall be sent to him: so the foolish virgins, or formal professors of religion, and such as have been preachers of the Gospel, will entreat Christ at the 

last day, and shall have such an answer as this returned to them, which will be very awful and startling

So here, Christ declares, he knew them not; that is, he did not like them; he would not admit them into his presence and glory,  but instead says to them that they should;

Depart from me, these expressions contains the awful sentence pronounced by Christ, the judge; which is, banishment from his presence, than which nothing is more terrible: for as it is his presence that makes heaven, it is his absence that makes hell; and this supposes a place and state, whither they are banished; which is elsewhere called their "own place, the lake" which burns with fire and brimstone; "everlasting fire", prepared for the devil and his angels. Departure from Christ's presence is the punishment of loss, and being sent to everlasting burnings, is the punishment of sense; and the whole, as it is an instance of strict justice, so a display of Christ's almighty power. The latter expression contains the character of these persons, and in it a reason of their punishment; they were "workers of iniquity": it may be, neither adulterers, nor murderers, nor drunkards, nor extortioners, nor thieves, or any other openly profane sinners; but inasmuch as they did the work of the Lord deceitfully, preached themselves, and not Christ; sought their own things, and not his; what they did, they did with a wicked mind, and not with a view to his glory; they wrought iniquity, whilst they were doing the very things they pleaded on their own behalf, for their admission into the kingdom of heaven. Some copies read, "all the workers of iniquity", as in ( Psalms 6:8 ) from whence the words are taken.

Word of God

Man does not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth from the mouth of God

Matthew 4:4

The Gospel According to Luke 14:7-11

7 He spake also a parable to the guests, when he marked how they chose out the chief rooms, and said unto them, 8 When thou shalt be bidden of any man to a wedding, set not thyself down in the chiefest place, lest a more honorable man than thou be bidden of him, 9 And he that bade both him and thee, come, and say to thee, Give this man room, and thou then begin with shame to take the lowest room. 10 But when thou art bidden, go and sit down in the lowest room, that when he that bade thee, cometh, he may say unto thee, Friend, sit up higher: then shalt thou have worship in the presence of them that sit at table with thee. 11 For whosoever exalteth himself, shall be brought low, and he that humbleth himself, shall be exalted.

Brethren:

Above his fellow Christians, or fellow ministers, by entertaining too high an opinion of himself, by boasting of his gifts, as preferable to others, and as if he had not received them; by assuming, or eagerly coveting titles of honour among men, or by affecting honour that do not belong to him, or, abusing what he has: "shall be abased"; or humbled by God, or men, or both; such shall lose the honour they have, and come greatly short of what they are ambitious of; they shall fall into disgrace with men, and are abominable in the sight of God: "and he that shall humble himself"; by entertaining low thoughts, and a mean opinion of himself, behaving modestly among men; not being elated with his gifts, but acknowledging that they are owing to the grace and goodness of God; and using them in an humble manner, for, the advantage of others; not coveting honour from men, nor lifted up with what is conferred on him: "shall be exalted"; by God, or men, or both; if not in this world, yet in the world to come: and indeed, generally speaking, such modest, humble, persons, are most esteemed among men; and God gives more grace unto them, and will at last give them glory. This is a saying, often used by our Lord on different accounts, both with respect to his disciples, for their instruction, and with regard to the scribes and Pharisees, for their mortification; (Read also Luke 18:14 ).  It seems to be a proverbial expression, and much in use among the Jews: it is said in so many words in the Talmud;

 ``whosoever shall humble himself, the holy blessed God shall exalt him; and whosoever shall exalt himself, the holy blessed God shall humble him.''

Our Saviour here refers to that advice of Solomon (Proverbs 25:6-7), Stand not in the place of great men, for better it is that it be said unto thee, Come up hither, than that thou shouldest be put lower.’’ And Dr. Lightfoot quotes a parable out of one of the rabbin somewhat like this. "Three men,’’ said he, "were bidden to a feast; one sat highest, For, said he, I am a prince; the other next, For, said he, I am a wise man; the other lowest, For, said he, I am a humble man. The king seated the humble man highest, and put the prince lowest.’’ He applied this generally, and would have us all learn not to mind high things, but to content ourselves with mean things, as for other reasons, so for this, because pride and ambition are disgraceful before men: for whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased; but humility and self-denial are really honourable: he that humbleth himself shall be exalted,  We see in other instances that a man’s pride will bring him low, but honour shall uphold the humble in spirit, and before honour is humility

RELIGIOUS MEDITATION

An Essay on‭  ‬Psalm‭ ‬104:34

Part Eight

By William Greenough Thayer Shedd‭; ‬Edited by Doktor Riktor Von Zhades

Psalm‭ ‬104:34‭ " ‬My meditation of Him shall be sweet.‭" 

The success of a Christian mainly depends upon a uniform and habitual communion with his God and Redeemer.‭ ‬No spasmodic resolutions into which he may be exasperated by the goadings of conscience can be a substitute for it.‭ ‬If holy communion and prayer are interrupted,‭ ‬he will surely fall into sin.‭ ‬In this world of continual temptation and of lethargic consciences,‭ ‬we need to be awakened and awed by the serene splendor of God's holy countenance.‭ ‬But we cannot behold‭ ‬that amidst the vapors and smoke of every-day life.‭ ‬We must go into our closets and‭ "‬shut the door,‭ ‬and pray to our Father who seeth in secret.‭" ‬Then shall we know how power to resist temptation comes from fellowship with God.‭ ‬Then shall we know what a sabbath that soul enjoys,‭ ‬which,‭ ‬with open eye,‭ ‬looks long and steadily at the Divine perfections.‭ ‬With what a triumphant energy,‭ ‬like that of the archangel trampling on the dragon,‭ ‬does Moses come down from the Mount into the life of conflict and trial.‭ ‬With what a vehement spiritual force does a holy mind resist evil,‭ ‬after it has just seen the contrast between evil and God.‭ ‬Will the eagle that has soared above the earth in the free air of the open firmament of heaven,‭ ‬and has gazed into the sun with an undazzled eye,‭ ‬endure to sink and dwell in the dark cavern of the owl and the bat‭? ‬Then will the spirit which has seen the glorious light of the divine countenance endure to descend and grovel in the darkness and shame of sin.

It should,‭ ‬therefore,‭ ‬be a diligent and habitual practice with us,‭ ‬to meditate upon God and divine things.‭ ‬Time should be carefully set apart and faithfully used for this sole purpose.‭ ‬It is startling to consider how much of our life passes without any thought of God‭; ‬without any distinct and filial recognition of his presence and his character.‭ ‬And yet how much of it might be spent in sweet and profitable meditation‭? ‬The avocations of our daily life do not require the whole of our mental energy and reflection.‭ ‬If there were a disposition‭; ‬if the current of feeling and affection set in that direction‭; ‬how often could the farmer commune with God in the midst of his toil,‭ ‬or the merchant in the very din and press of his business.‭ ‬How often could the artisan send his thoughts and his ejaculations upward,‭ ‬and the work of his hands be none the worse for it.‭ "‬What hinders,‭" ‬says Augustine,1‭ "‬what hinders a servant of God while working with his hands,‭ ‬from meditating in the law of the Lord,‭ ‬and singing unto the name of the Lord most high‭? ‬As for divine songs,‭ ‬he can easily say them even while working with his hands,‭ ‬and like as rowers with a boat-song,‭ ‬so with godly melody cheer up his very toil.‭" ‬But the disposition is greatly lacking.‭ ‬If there were an all-absorbing affection for God in our hearts,‭ ‬and it were deep joy to see him,‭ ‬would not this‭ " ‬sweet meditation‭ " ‬of the Psalmist be the pleasure of life,‭ ‬and all other thinking the duty—a duty performed from the necessity that attaches to this imperfect mode of existence,‭ ‬rather than from any keen relish for it‭? ‬If the vision of God were glorious and ravishing to our minds,‭ ‬should we not find them often indulging themselves in the sight,‭ ‬and would not a return to the things of earth be reluctant‭? ‬Would not thought upon God steal through and suffuse all our other thinking,‭ ‬as sunset does the evening sky,‭ ‬giving a pure and saintly hue to all our feelings,‭ ‬and pervading our entire experience‭? ‬So it works in other provinces.‭ ‬The poet Burns was so deeply absorbed in the visions,‭ ‬aspirations,‭ ‬and emotions of poetry,‭ ‬that the avocations of the farmer engrossed but little of his mind,‭ ‬and it has been said of him,‭ ‬that‭ "‬though his hand was on the plough his heart was with the muse.‭" ‬Were the Christian as much absorbed in the visions,‭ ‬aspirations,‭ ‬and emotions of religion,‭ ‬it would be said of him,‭ ‬too:‭ "‬His hand is on the plow but his heart is with his God‭; ‬his head is in his worldly business,‭ ‬but his heart is with his God.‭" ‬Finally,‭ ‬let us be urged up to the practice of this duty.

Word of God

Man does not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth from the mouth of God

Matthew 4:4

The Gospel According to Luke 13:35

35 Behold, your house is left unto you desolate: and verily I tell you, ye shall not see me until the time come that ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.

Brethren:

Signifying that the city in which they dwelt, where they had their ceiled houses, and stately palaces, would, in a little time, within the space of forty years, be destroyed, and become a desert; and the temple, formerly the house of God, but now only their's, and in which they trusted, would be abandoned by God, he would grant his presence no more in it; and the Messiah, the proprietor of it, and who was now in it, would then take his leave of it, and never more return to it; and that also should share the same fate as the city, and at the same time. Our Lord seems to have in view those passages in ( Jeremiah 12:7; 22:5 ) and which the Jewish writers understood of the temple. The author of the apocryphal the second book of Esdras has much such an expression as this: ``Thus saith the Almighty Lord, Your house is desolate, I will cast you out as the wind doth stubble.'' (2 Esdras 1:33) 

Meaning in a very little time after the passover, from the time of his crucifixion and death; otherwise they saw him many times after this, as in the palace of the high priest, in Pilate's judgment hall, and on the cross; but not after his resurrection. This shows the reason of their house being desolate, and in what sense it should be so, and immediately became so; namely, by being then directly, and ever after, destitute of his presence: and though they might afterwards seek for, and expect the Messiah in it, yet they would never be able to see him, nor throughout their long captivity: till ye shall say, blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord; that is, until the time comes, that the fulness of the Gentiles shall be brought in, and all Israel shall be saved, the Jews shall be converted, and seek the Lord their God, and David their king; when they shall readily and cheerfully say these words to Christ, who will then appear in his glory; which they were now displeased at in the multitude that followed him, and the children in the temple. Though some think this is said by way of threatening, since the rest that is spoken to them by Christ is of that sort, and regards the men of that generation; and is given as a reason of their house being left desolate: and the sense is, that they should never see him with joy and pleasure; since, though they would be obliged to confess that he was Lord and Christ, they would never say the above words to him in faith, and holy reverence of him. The Cambridge exemplar of Beza's, and the Persic versions, read, "in the name of God

Not they themselves in person, but their posterity, who will be converted in the latter day: and shall acknowledge the Messiah, the blessed of the Lord, who will come in his name, to judge the world in righteousness: or else the meaning is, that when Christ shall come a second time, and every eye shall see him, these Jews, among the rest, shall behold him, whom they have pierced, and mourn; and wish themselves among those, that shall receive him with joyful acclamations; and however, will be obliged to own him as the Messiah, and to confess that he comes in the name, and with the authority of the Lord, and that he is blessed for evermore.

Word of God

Man does not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth from the mouth of God

Matthew 4:4

The Gospel According to Luke 13:24

24 Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able.

Brethren:

By the "strait gate" is meant Christ himself; who elsewhere calls himself "the door", ( John 10:7-9 ) as he is into the church below, and into all the ordinances and privileges of it; as also to the Father, by whom we have access unto him, and are let into communion with him, and a participation of all the blessings of grace; yea, he is the gate of heaven, through which we have boldness to enter into the holiest of all by faith and hope now; as there will be hereafter an abundant entrance into the kingdom and glory of God, through his blood and righteousness. This is called "strait"; because faith in Christ, a profession of it, and a life and conversation agreeable to it, are attended with many afflictions, temptations, reproaches, and persecutions. "Entering" in at it is by faith, and making a profession of it: hence it follows, that faith is not the gate itself, but the grace, by which men enter in at the right door, and walk on in Christ, as they begin with him.

What is meant by the strait gate, and by entering in at it. To "strive", is to be diligent in the use of means; to search the Scriptures with care; to attend on the preaching of the word with constancy, neglecting no opportunity; to pray earnestly for spiritual light, knowledge, and grace; to contend with every enemy that opposes the salvation of the soul, as sin, Satan, and the world; to bear all reproaches and persecutions, and press through all difficulties, for the prize of the incorruptible crown: the metaphor seems to be taken from the striving, wrestling, and combat in the Olympic games, for a corruptible crown.

Many therefore will seek to try to enter either when it is too late, when the door is shut; or else before, very faintly, in a superficial manner, from a mere natural affection, from a principle of self-love, which leads every one to desire happiness; and by very indirect and improper methods, by their own civility, morality, and righteousness; by works of the law, moral, or ceremonial; or by a profession of religion, and an outward compliance with the ordinances of the Gospel, and not by Christ, and faith in him.