_A man sick of the palsy._ THE HIGHEST CAUSE FOR JOY I. The miserable condition of a human being. II. The power and love of Jesus. III. thy joyous change produced. (_American Homiletical Review._) SIN AND ITS FORGIVENESS I. Our faith may be effectual in saving others. The faith of the centurio... [ Continue Reading ]
_But that ye may know that the Son of Man._ FORGIVENESS This narrative is remarkable, 1. Because it is evident that while our Lord forgave the sick man’s sins for his own sake, He healed his disease for the sake of those who stood by. 2. Because our Lord claims the power of forgiving sins, not b... [ Continue Reading ]
_He saw a man named Matthew sitting at the receipt of custom._ THE FOLLOWING CHRIST Whom are we to follow, and on what road, and to what place? I. We are to follow Christ. Do not the soldiers follow their captain? Do not the redeemed follow their deliverer? Do not the disciples follow the teacher... [ Continue Reading ]
_As Jesus sat at meat in the house._ I. Levi’s calling. II. Levi’s feast. 1. It probably did not immediately follow the call, but was a fit token of the joy of its acceptance. 2. St. Matthew the blessed means of bringing together the Saviour and the lost whom He came to redeem. (_A. M. Stuart._)... [ Continue Reading ]
_Publicans and sinners._ APPRECIATION AN ELEVATING INFLUENCE You cannot elevate, you cannot improve any man whom you utterly despise. You cannot bring the best out of a man if you do not believe that the best is somewhere in him. There is a shocking insolence in human judgments, and the tendency of... [ Continue Reading ]
_They that be whole need not a physician._ THE HEAVENLY PHYSICIAN I. Who neglect the heavenly physician? 1. Those who depend for salvation upon their own good lives. 2. Those who depend for salvation upon their religious duties. 3. Those who depend for salvation upon their correct notions. II.... [ Continue Reading ]
_I will have mercy and not sacrifice._ MERCY PREFERRED TO SACRIFICED God prefers it. I. Because it indicates more clearly man’s relation to Himself. Cannot judge of man’s character by outward ordinances, but when he straggles against sin. II. Because it is more serviceable to our neighbours, Rel... [ Continue Reading ]
_Can the children of the bride-chamber mourn?_ THE JOY OF THE JESUS CIRCLE “The children of the bride-chamber,” how much this name tells us as to the spirit that reigns in the Jesus circle. Like a wedding party. This bliss was not an accident, or an affair of temperament. It was the natural effulg... [ Continue Reading ]
_A piece of new cloth unto an old garment._ CHRIST THE GREAT INNOVATOR The boldness with which Christ asserted the novelty of Christianity. His was not the apologetic, half-hearted tone, so common amongst those who have some thing fresh to tell the world. I. In what respect was the gospel of Jesu... [ Continue Reading ]
_New wine into old bottles._ GARMENTS AND WINE SKINS By these illustrations our Lord conveyed a lesson on the charm of naturalness and the law of congruity in religion, 1. As old cloth and new cloth are one in being cloth, old wine and new are one in being wine; so the religion before Christ and... [ Continue Reading ]
_And touched the hem of His garment._ TOUCHING JESUS I. How many evils sin hath brought into the world. II. We are too much disposed to seek human help instead of going directly to God. III. However deep-seated and desperate the condition of the soul’s health, the Saviour can help us. IV. The s... [ Continue Reading ]
_The maid is not dead, but sleepeth._ THE HEALING OF JAIRUS’S DAUGHTER On His way to perform one act of love, He turned aside to give His attention to another; He had a heart ready to respond to every species of need. Love is universal, humanity is the sphere of its activity. Delay was only appare... [ Continue Reading ]
_Then touched He their eyes._ THE OPENED EYE The power, glory, rewards of faith form the theme of this chapter. I. The faith described in the text was the first outgrowth and expression of a deep and lively sense of wretchedness and darkness. Faith often springs out of such convictions; it Also a... [ Continue Reading ]
_And when the devil was cast cut, the dumb spake._ THE DUMB MADE TO SPEAK Jesus had just touched the eyes of the blind; now a dumb man is brought to Hint. Speech the special gift and privilege of man. It is the revelation of thought; the aqueduct of the soul; the medium of companionship. Dumbness... [ Continue Reading ]
_Healing every sickness._ CHRIST THE PHYSICIAN Christ’s healing activity had this double value: it was evidence of His Divine authority as a Teacher; it was a picture in detail addressed to the sense of what, as a restorer of our race, He meant to do in regions altogether beyond the sphere of sens... [ Continue Reading ]
_But when He saw the multitudes._ CHRIST’S LOOK OF SYMPATHY I. What he saw. 1. Not reasons for admiration. 2. Not grounds for discouragement. 3. But a call for pity. II. The condition of the people. 1. Faint. 2. Scattered. 3. Shepherdless. III. His compassion enlisted for their succour. 1... [ Continue Reading ]
_Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest._ THE SPIRITUAL HARVEST-FIELD 1. How closely connected the spiritual commission of the apostles was with deep sympathy for the physical wants of humanity. 2. That it is the Lord of the harvest who has power to send forth labourers into His harvest. We re... [ Continue Reading ]