Expository Thoughts on the Gospel of Luke J.C. Ryle Luke 18:9-17 “Let us notice, firstly — the sin against which our Lord Jesus Christ warns us in these verses. There is no difficulty in finding this out. Luke tells us expressly, that ‘He spoke this parable to some who were confident of their own righteousness, and looked down on everybody else.’ The sin which our Lord denounces, is ‘self-righteousness.’ We are all naturally self-righteous. It is the family-disease of all the children of Adam. From the highest to the lowest — we think more highly of ourselves than we ought…
Sunday Morning Calls to Worship
Call To Worship September 9 2018
Expository Thoughts on the Gospel of Luke J.C. Ryle Luke 18:1-8 “The object of the parable before us, is explained by Christ Himself. To use the words of an old divine, ‘The key hangs at the door.’ ‘Jesus told His disciples a parable, to show them that they should always pray and not give up.’ These words, be it remembered, are closely connected with the solemn doctrine of the second coming, with which the preceding chapter concludes. It is perseverance in prayer, during the long weary intervals between the first and second comings, which Jesus is urging His disciples to…
Call To Worship September 2 2018
Expository Thoughts on the Gospel of Luke J.C. Ryle Luke 17:22-37 “The subject of these verses is one of particular solemnity. It is the second coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. That great event, and the things immediately connected with it — are here described by our Lord’s own lips. We should observe, for one thing, in these verses — what a fearful picture our Lord gives of the state of the professing Church at His second coming. We are told that as it was in the days of Noah, and in the days of Lot — so shall it…
Call to Worship August 26 2018
Expository Thoughts on the Gospel of Luke J.C. Ryle Luke 17:11-21 “Let us mark, firstly, in this passage — how earnestly men can cry for help, when they feel their need of it. We read that as our Lord entered into a certain village — ten men who were lepers met Him. It is difficult to conceive any condition more thoroughly miserable, than that of men afflicted with leprosy. They were cast out from society. They were cut off from all society with their fellows. The men described in the passage before us appear to have been truly sensible of…
Call to Worship August 19 2018
Expository Thoughts on the Gospel of Luke, J.C. Ryle – Luke 17:5-10 “Let us notice, in these verses — the important request which the apostles made. They said unto the Lord, ‘Increase our faith!’ We do not know the secret feelings from which this request sprang. Perhaps the hearts of the apostles failed within them, as they heard one weighty lesson after another fall from our Lord’s lips. Perhaps the thought rose up in their minds, ‘Who is sufficient for these things? Who can receive such exalted doctrines? Who can follow such a lofty standard of practice?’ These, however, are…
Call to Worship August 12 2018
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…
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…