_REPENTANCE_ ‘Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ Matthew 3:2 I. NOT THE BAPTIST’S WORDS ONLY.—It adds to the force of these words to remember that they were not John the Baptist’s only, but also, as we read in the next chapter, Jesus Christ’s. And it seems as if Christ loved them,... [ Continue Reading ]
_THE COMING OF THE KINGDOM_ ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ Matthew 3:2 Do not think that St. John was juggling with words. He meant what he said; he knew of and cared for the fears and hopes and longings and wants around him. We mean to-day what we say when we pray ‘Thy kingdom come.’ Jesus... [ Continue Reading ]
_SINS TO BE REPENTED OF_ ‘Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance.’ Matthew 3:8 When we use these words we must be careful that we do not mean ‘Bring forth fruits,’ _ i.e._ do works which would entitle you to receive the grace of ‘repentance,’ but do works worthy of, or corresponding to,... [ Continue Reading ]
_CLEANSING AND BURNING_ ‘I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: … He shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire.’ Matthew 3:11 It is not too much to say that many people think and speak as if Repentance were, of itself, what they call a title to Heaven. Bui nowhere in Holy Scr... [ Continue Reading ]
_CHRIST FIRST_ ‘He that cometh after me is mightier than I.’ Matthew 3:11 These are some of the most beautiful words in human history, and they gain an added beauty from the personal circumstances under which they were spoken. The speaker is the great forerunner of the Lord, and they are spoken o... [ Continue Reading ]
_MANIFESTED BY FIRE_ ‘He shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire.’ Matthew 3:11 There are three baptisms in the New Testament: the baptism of John unto repentance; the baptism of Christ for His people; the baptism at Pentecost. At Pentecost there appeared cloven tongues as of fire.... [ Continue Reading ]
_FAN, FIRE AND FLOOR_ ‘Whose fan is in His hand, and He will throughly purge His floor, and gather His wheat into the garner; but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.’ Matthew 3:12 Here we have a _ great prophecy_, a great prediction concerning Christ by His herald John the Baptist.... [ Continue Reading ]
_UNQUENCHABLE FIRE_ ‘He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.’ Matthew 3:12 When the Lord Jesus Christ comes to purge His floor, He shall punish all who are not His disciples with a fearful punishment. I. MAN’S VIEW.—Painful as the subject of hell is, it is one about which we must not... [ Continue Reading ]
_THE VOICE OF THE SPIRIT_ ‘And Jesus, when He was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him: And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well plea... [ Continue Reading ]