Expository Thoughts on the Gospel of Luke J.C. Ryle Luke 13:6-9 “We learn first from this passage — that where God gives spiritual privileges, He expects proportionate returns. Our Lord teaches this lesson, by comparing the Jewish Church of His day to a ‘fig tree planted in a vineyard.’ This was exactly the position of Israel in the world. They were separated from other nations by the Mosaic laws and ordinances, no less than by the situation of their land. They were favored with revelations of God, which were granted to no other people. Things were done for them, which…
Sunday Morning Calls to Worship
Call To Worship May 20 2018
Expository Thoughts on the Gospel of Luke, J.C. Ryle – Luke 13:1-5 “Let us observe, for one thing, in these verses — how much more ready people are to talk of the deaths of others, than their own deaths. The death of the Galileans, mentioned here, was probably a common subject of conversation in Jerusalem and all Judea. We can well believe that all the circumstances and particulars belonging to it, were continually discussed by thousands who never thought of their own latter end! It is just the same in the present day. A murder, a sudden death, a shipwreck,…
Call to Worship May 13 2018
Expository Thoughts on the Gospel of Luke, J.C. Ryle Luke 12:49-59 “We learn, for another thing, from these verses — how useless it is to expect universal peace and harmony from the preaching of the Gospel. The disciples, like most Jews of their day, were probably expecting the Messiah’s kingdom immediately to appear. They thought the time was at hand when the wolf would lie down with the lamb, and men would no longer not hurt or destroy. (Isaiah 11:9.) Our Lord saw what was in their hearts, and checked their untimely expectations with a striking saying, “Do you think…
Call to Worship May 6 2018
Expository Thoughts on the Gospel of Luke, J.C. Ryle – Luke 12:32-48 “We learn, secondly, from these verses — the dreadful danger of those who neglect the duties of their calling. Of such our Lord declares, that they shall be “cut in pieces, and their portion appointed with the unbelievers.” These words no doubt apply especially to the ministers and teachers of the Gospel. Yet we must not flatter ourselves that they are confined to them. They are probably meant to convey a lesson to all who fill offices of high responsibility. It is a striking fact that when Peter…
Call to Worship May 6 2018
Expository Thoughts on the Gospel of Luke J.C. Ryle Luke 12:13-34 “Let us mark, lastly, in these verses — how important it is to be rich towards God. This is true wisdom. This is true providing for time to come. This is genuine prudence. The wise man is he who does not think only of fleeting earthly treasure — but of eternal treasure in Heaven. When can it be said of a man — that he is rich towards God? Never until he is rich in grace, and rich in faith, and rich in good works! Never until he has…
Call To Worship April 15 2018
Expository Thoughts on the Gospel of Luke J.C. Ryle Luke 11:37-54 “Let us notice, secondly, in this passage — the foolishness which accompanies hypocrisy in religion. We are told that the Pharisee with whom our Lord dined, marveled that our Lord “had not first washed before dinner.” He thought, like most of his order — that there was something unholy in not doing it, and that the neglect of it was a sign of moral impurity. Our Lord points out the absurdity of attaching such importance to the mere cleansing of the body — while the cleansing of the heart…
Call to Worship April 8 2018
Expository Thoughts on the Gospel of Luke J.C. Ryle Luke 11:14-20 “Let us notice, secondly, in these verses — the amazing power of prejudice over the hearts of unconverted men. We read, that when our Lord cast out the mute spirit, there were some who said, “He casts out devils through Beelzebub, the chief of the devils!” They could not deny the miracle. They then refused to allow that it was wrought by divine power. The work before their eyes was plain and indisputable. They then attempted to discredit the character of Him who did the miracle, and to blacken…
Call to Worship April 1, 2018
Expository Thoughts on the Gospel of Luke J.C. Ryle Mark 15:39-47 “Let us notice, lastly in this passage, what honor our Lord Jesus Christ has placed on the grave, by allowing Himself to be laid in it. We read that he was “laid in a sepulcher hewn out of a rock,” and a “stone rolled unto the door.” This is a fact that in a dying world we should always remember. It is appointed unto men once to die. We are all going to one place, and we naturally shrink from it. The coffin and the funeral, the worm and…
Call To Worship March 25 2018
Expository Thoughts on the Gospel of Luke J.C. Ryle Luke 11:5-13 “In these verses, our Lord Jesus Christ instructs us about prayer. The subject is one which can never be too strongly pressed on our attention. Prayer lies at the very root of our practical Christianity. It is part of the daily business of our Christian life. We have reason to thank God, that upon no point has our Lord Jesus Christ spoken so fully and frequently, as upon prayer. We learn for one thing, from these verses — the importance of perseverance in prayer. This lesson is conveyed to…
Call to Worship March 18 2018
Expository Thoughts on the Gospel of Luke J.C. Ryle Luke 11:1-4 “The third division of the Lord’s Prayer, respects our daily DANGERS. We are taught to make mention of two things which we ought to fear every day, and which we must expect to meet with as long as we are in this world. One of these things is “temptation.” The other is “evil.” We are taught to pray against TEMPTATION — “Lead us not into temptation.” We do not mean by this expression, that God is the author of evil, or that He tempts man to sin. (James 1:13.)…