_To be tempted of the devil._ THE POSSIBILITY AND NECESSITY OF THE TEMPTATION I. If our Lord had not become incarnate He would never have been tempted, for temptation is not possible to God. God is above the possibility of temptation; the beasts are below it. The possession of an animal nature is... [ Continue Reading ]
_Fasted._ TEMPTATION I. Satan has the worst designs under the most friendly appearances. II. When Satan tempts, he can appear to be invisible, as suits him best, He tempted Christ invisibly, and then appeared (Luke 4:2, and text, vers. 2, 3). III. Satan tempts us to doubt some things most plain... [ Continue Reading ]
_If Thou be the Son of God._ -His object is to shake Christ’s confidence in the Fatherly character of God. (_Dr. Macleod._) Tempted to distrust the Divine Providence. (_Dr. Macleod_) AS THE DEVIL LABOURETH MOST AGAINST OUR FAITH, SHOULD WE MOST LABOUR IN FORTIFYING IT Policy teacheth men to plan... [ Continue Reading ]
_It is written._ THE INFALLIBLE BOOK The uses to which it may be put. Christ used it:- 1. To defend His Sonship; 2. To defeat temptation; 3. As a direction to His way; 4. For maintaining His own Spirit. How to handle the word:- 1. With deepest reverence. 2. Have it always ready. 3. Underst... [ Continue Reading ]
_Pinnacle of the temple._ -Tempted to self-destruction. (_Dr. O. Winslow._) THE SECEDED TEMPTATION I. Satan’s doubt. “If Thou be the Son of God,” etc. II. His purpose. He urged on Christ an act of self-destruction. He was from the beginning the cause of death in all forms. III. The argument wit... [ Continue Reading ]
_Angels charge._ THE ANGELIC MINISTERS OF THE GOOD I. Commissioned by God. They are “His angels”-obey His behests, carry out His purpose. II. Exercised for the godly as individuals. God does not overlook the individual in the multitude (1 Kings 19:4; Daniel 6:22; Acts 12:7) … III. By means of th... [ Continue Reading ]
Not tempt the Lord thy God. I. The essential difference between faith and presumption. II. The possibilities of presumption. 1. When we undertake to settle questions which axe beyond our range. 2. When we look for bodily health without obeying the laws of nature. 3. When we expect sufficient me... [ Continue Reading ]
_Again, the devil._ THE THIRD TEMPTATION I. The preparation for this temptation. Satan suits the external circumstances to the temptation, and draws his snare from them. All the senses may be sources of temptation, but chief amongst them is the eye. It is more closely allied to the imagination tha... [ Continue Reading ]
_Will I give._ -Abraham, when the king of Sodom offered him some part of his spoils, refused to take so much as a shoe-latchet of him, that the king of Sodom might not say another day that he had made Abraham rich; that men might not say that Abraham had been made rich, not by God’s blessing, but b... [ Continue Reading ]
_Worship the Lord thy God._ DIVINE WORSHIP I. Divine worship is human instinct. Among all the living occupants of the earth, man is the only worshipper. Man feels after the Divine. Hence, in different ages, different evidences of man’s worshipfulness-sacred grove, mosque, synagogue, temple, church... [ Continue Reading ]
_The devil leaveth him._ THE END OF THE TEMPTATION I. Satan’s departure on the side of Christ. Christ had repelled Satan in the third temptation in quite a different way from that in the previous contests (Luke 4:8). A coercive and indignant dismissal. II. Satan also withdrew willingly. He had ex... [ Continue Reading ]
_Sat in darkness._ DARKNESS AND LIGHT I. The deep darkness which envelops the world without the gospel. “Darkness “ and “the region of the shadow of death,” striking emblems of error, ignorance, sin, guilt, misery, danger. 1. The heathen world is in this darkness (Romans 1:18). 2. In the very mi... [ Continue Reading ]
_Jesus began to preach._ THE SCIENTIFIC ART OF PREACHING I. I would insist upon the prominence given to preaching in the Church of God: the text marks the introduction of A new science. 1. Our Lord might have instituted this agency without preaching Himself. He might have sent an angel; but He se... [ Continue Reading ]
_Sea of Galilee._ -The New Testament snows us that _the Sea _of _Galilee _was well stocked with fish, as it still is, and that a considerable portion of the people dwelling on its shores were fishermen. The modes of catching fish were the same as are still in use in all parts of Western Asia. They a... [ Continue Reading ]
_Follow Me._ FOLLOW ME 1.Follow Christ as your Teacher. 2. As your Example. 3. As your Friend. 4. If you see to the following what will Christ do? (_D. B. Hooke._) 1. These heavenly fishermen follow Christ personally. 2. They follow Him circumstantially. 3. They follow Him singly, with a sin... [ Continue Reading ]
_He called them._ JESUS CALLS ALL TO FOLLOW HIM When engaged in their ordinary occupations. By His Word-Providence-Spirit. I. The call. 1. Who calls? Jesus, the Saviour. His right to do so. His love in doing it. 2. The action. A call. Does not compel. 3. The purpose. To bring from toil to rest... [ Continue Reading ]
_Healing all manner of sick._ MORAL HEALING I. Christ is able to cure all sorts of sins. Lover of lust, dropsy of drunkenness, stone in the heart, etc. II. Christ healed incurable sinners-people who had diseases which were beyond the physicians’ skill. There is hope for incurable sinners. III. J... [ Continue Reading ]