Expository Thoughts on the Gospel of Luke J.C. Ryle Luke 16:19-31 “We learn, firstly, from this parable — that a man’s worldly condition is no test of his state in the sight of God. The Lord Jesus describes to us two men — of whom one was very rich, and the other very poor. The one ‘fared sumptuously every day.’ The other was a mere ‘beggar,’ who had nothing that he could call his own. And yet of these two, the poor man had grace — and the rich man had none. The poor man lived by faith, and walked…
Sunday Morning Calls to Worship
Call to Worship August 5 2018
Expository Thoughts on the Gospel of Luke J.C. Ryle Luke 16:1-18 “Let us beware, in the first place — that we do not draw lessons from these verses which they were never meant to teach. The steward whom our Lord describes, is not set before us as a pattern of morality. He is distinctly called the ‘unjust steward.’ The Lord Jesus never meant to sanction dishonesty, and unfair dealing between man and man. This steward cheated his master, and broke the eighth commandment. His master was struck with his ingenuity and forethought, when he heard of it — and commended…
Call To Worship July 29 2018
Expository Thoughts on the Gospel of Luke J.C. Ryle Luke 15:11-24 “We see, firstly, in this parable — a man following the natural bent of his own heart. Our Lord shows us a ‘younger son’ making haste to go far away from a kind father’s house, and ‘wasting his substance in riotous living.’ We have in these words, a faithful portrait of the mind with which we are all born. This is our likeness. We are all naturally proud and self-willed. We have no pleasure in fellowship with God. We long to depart, and go afar away from Him. We…
Call to Worship July 22 2018
Expository Thoughts on the Gospel of Luke, J.C. Ryle – Luke 15:1-10 “We should first observe in these verses — the striking testimony which was borne to our Lord by His enemies. We read that when ‘all the publicans and sinners drew near to hear Him, the Scribes and Pharisees murmured, saying: This man receives sinners, and eats with them!’ These words were evidently spoken with surprise and scorn — and not with pleasure and admiration. These ignorant guides of the Jews could not understand a religious preacher having anything to do with wicked people! Yet their words worked for…
Call to Worship July 15 2018
Expository Thoughts on the Gospel of Luke J.C. Ryle Luke 14:25-35 “We learn, firstly, from this passage — that true Christians must be ready, if need be, to give up everything for Christ’s sake. This is a lesson which is taught in very remarkable language. Our Lord says, ‘If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters — yes, even his own life — he cannot be My disciple!’ This expression must doubtless be interpreted with some qualification. We must never explain any text of Scripture in such…
Call to Worship July 8 2018
Expository Thoughts on the Gospel of Luke J.C. Ryle Luke 14:7-24 “Let us first learn from these verses — the value of humility. This is a lesson which our Lord teaches in two ways. Firstly, He advises those who are bidden to a wedding to ‘sit down in the lowest place. ‘ Secondly, He backs up His advice by declaring a great principle, which frequently fell from His lips, ‘Whoever exalts himself — shall be abased; and he who humbles himself — shall be exalted. ‘ Humility may well be called the queen of the Christian graces. To know our…
Call To Worship June 24 2018
Expository Thoughts on the Gospel of Luke J.C. Ryle Luke 13:31-35 “Let us learn from these verses — how entirely our times are in God’s hands. Our Lord Jesus Christ teaches us this lesson by His reply to those who bade Him to depart, because Herod would kill Him. He said, ‘I cast out devils, and I do cures today and tomorrow.’ His time was not yet come for leaving the world. His work was not yet finished. Until that time came — it was not in the power of Herod to hurt Him. Until that work was finished —…
Call To Worship June 17 2018
Expository Thoughts on the Gospel of Luke J.C. Ryle Luke 13:22-30 “We see in these verses — a remarkable question asked. We are told that a certain man said to Jesus, ‘Lord, are only a few people going to be saved?’ We do not know who this enquirer was. He may have been a self-righteous Jew, trained to believe that there was no hope for the Gentile, and no salvation for any but the children of Abraham. He may have been an idle trifler with religion, who was ever wasting his time on curious and speculative questions. In any case,…
Call To Worship June 10 2018
Expository Thoughts on the Gospel of Luke J.C. Ryle Luke 13:18-21 “The parable of the leaven — is intended to show the progress of the Gospel in the heart of a believer. The first beginnings of the work of grace in a sinner are generally exceedingly small. It is like the mixture of leaven with a lump of dough. A single sentence of a sermon, or a single verse of Holy Scripture — a word of rebuke from a friend, or a casual religious remark overheard — a tract given by a stranger, or a trifling act of kindness received…
Call To Worship June 3 2018
Expository Thoughts on the Gospel of Luke, J.C. Ryle – Luke 13:10-17 “We see in these verses — a striking example of diligence in the use of means of grace. We are told of a ‘woman who had a spirit of infirmity eighteen years, and was bowed down, and could not straiten up.’ We do not know who this woman was. Our Lord’s saying that she was ‘a daughter of Abraham’ — would lead us to infer that she was a true believer. But her name and history are hidden from us. This alone we know — that when Jesus…