_THE PURPOSE OF LENT_ ‘Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil.’ Matthew 4:1 Our Lord before He entered upon His public ministry was tempted. He faced the great enemy of souls that He might be our example. Lent is for: I. SELF-EXAMINATION.—Every year w... [ Continue Reading ]
_THE ATTACK ON DIVINE SONSHIP_ ‘And when He had fasted forty days and forty nights, He was afterward an hungred. And when the tempter came to Him, he said, If Thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread. But He answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone,... [ Continue Reading ]
_‘THE SON OF GOD’_ ‘If Thou be the Son of God.’ Matthew 4:3 Our Lord at the baptism in Jordan had been conscious of new powers bestowed upon Him by the Spirit of God, and of a divine Voice which said to Him, ‘Thou art My beloved Son, in Whom I am well pleased.’ And the temptations in the wilderne... [ Continue Reading ]
_SIN AS A VOLUNTARY ACT_ ‘Then the devil taketh Him up into the holy city … Cast Thyself down: for it is written … Jesus said unto him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.’ Matthew 4:5 It is evident that ‘the tempter’ had no power to throw Christ down from the Temple, or t... [ Continue Reading ]
_THE PATH TO VICTORY_ ‘Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain.… All these things will I give Thee, if Thou wilt fall down and worship me.… Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and Him only shalt thou serve.’ Matthew 4:8 What is the significance of this temptation? Whence d... [ Continue Reading ]
_A LIFELONG CAMPAIGN_ ‘Then the devil leaveth Him, and, behold, angels came and ministered unto Him.’ Matthew 4:11 The long trial in the wilderness was over. Our Lord had met and had resisted the threefold temptation, and lo! now, ‘the devil leaveth Him, and angels came and ministered unto Him.’... [ Continue Reading ]
_THE MINISTRY BEGUN_ ‘Now when Jesus had heard that John was cast into prison, He departed into Galilee; and leaving Nazareth, He came and dwelt in Capernaum.’ Matthew 4:12 We approach now the beginning of our Lord’s ministry. He left His quiet country home and went forth to the great work He had... [ Continue Reading ]
_CHRISTS FIRST SERMON_ ‘Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent.’ Matthew 4:17 It is interesting to note that our blessed Lord ‘began to preach’ immediately the voice of the Baptist was silent (Matthew 4:12). I. CHRIST THE PREACHER.—He was not a _ teacher_ only, He was a herald, a proclaimer... [ Continue Reading ]
_THE CALL OF ST. ANDREW_ ‘Jesus, walking by the sea of Galilee, saw two brethren, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother.’ Matthew 4:18 Of St. Andrew’s life and doings next to nothing is known. After the day of the Ascension we read no more of him. Yet we seem to discern in the few notices th... [ Continue Reading ]
_ON FOLLOWING CHRIST_ ‘He saith unto them, Follow Me.’ Matthew 4:19 This was at the beginning of our Lord’s public ministry. The call to St. Peter and St. Andrew comes to us as well. Let us try to take in something of His meaning. We may regard Christ as saying— I. IN HIS WANDERINGS AND SOJOURN... [ Continue Reading ]
_FISHERS OF MEN_ ‘I will make you fishers of men.’ Matthew 4:19 The object of the preaching of the Gospel is to catch men. I. ONLY CHRIST CAN MAKE FISHERS OF MEN.—Christian people should be willing to give up their cleverest and brightest boy to preach the Gospel, but when they have done all, a... [ Continue Reading ]
_CHRIST’S CALL OBEYED_ ‘He called them. And they immediately left the ship and their father, and followed Him.’ Matthew 4:21 Whom did He call? The text refers to St. John and St. James. I. AN EXAMPLE AND AN ENCOURAGEMENT.—These two apostles afford an example and an encouragement to those who fo... [ Continue Reading ]
_WHAT CHRIST JOINED TOGETHER_ ‘And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people.’ Matthew 4:23 The ministry of Christ is begun, and He begins with blessing men in... [ Continue Reading ]