Aug 6, 2012 | Matthew
Have you ever noticed that Christ Jesus never had a desire to pastor the biggest church in town? After the public healing of the demon-possessed man in the Capernaum synagogue, and then after the many miraculous healings early on Sunday evening, He went to bed –...
Aug 5, 2012 | Matthew
As I said last week, Christ Jesus was in Caperaum and had earlier in the day spent time in the local synagogue. Mark and Luke tell us that He was more than just a visitor – He was asked to speak. Both gospels speak of Jesus’ “exousia” – His unusual authority in...
Aug 4, 2012 | Matthew
There are some people who spend a great deal of time trying to disprove the miracles described in the Bible. For example in this case, they may try to minimize the fever that this woman had. I have had a fever off and on for the last couple of weeks; was I...
Aug 3, 2012 | Matthew
As we were going home last Sunday evening, Judy told me that she liked my message on the healing of the Centurion’s servant. But then she went on to say that there was a part of that scripture which I didn’t expound. She said what I didn’t preach has been as much a...
Aug 2, 2012 | Matthew
The record of this miraculous healing is given to us in both Matthew and Luke. They are not photocopies of each other and each gives us information which the other omits. I don’t want to bore you, but this afternoon’s theme is very much like the theme of this...
Aug 1, 2012 | Matthew
One of the most difficult things about Bible study is trying to see any particular scripture within its context. For example, when we study the Book of Galatians, the context makes all the difference. Galatia was a heathen region in Asia Minor evangelized by Paul,...
Jul 12, 2012 | Matthew
The Latin Vulgate version of Lord Jesus’ Sermon on Mount begins with the word “be-a-ti-tu-do.” It is embarrassing for Baptists to use a word taken from a Catholic Bible, but it is the common term. “Beatitude” is a word derived from “be-a-ti-tudo” and it is the Latin...
Jul 11, 2012 | Matthew
I have read a great many of the books of C.H. Spurgeon – including some of his more obscure titles. I think that it may have been in his “Lectures to My Students” where he said that every good pastor should be able to bring any message back to Christ, no matter what...
Jul 10, 2012 | Matthew
What is the best test for the value of something? It is not the number of serving per pound. Some people were buying turkeys last week for 99¢ a pound, but others found some for 49¢. One is a good deal, but the other appears to be a better deal, assuming the turkey...
Jul 9, 2012 | Matthew
Forgive me for constantly saying that the Lord Jesus was speaking primarily to a group of His disciples. Even so with verse 13 He appears to go back to the subject of salvation – “Enter ye in at the strait gate….” It should never be assumed that all the...
Jul 8, 2012 | Matthew
I’d like to deal with two scriptures this morning. We will try to keep one eye on Luke 13 and the other on Matthew 7:13-14. You might want to keep one finger on one page and another on the other. As most of you know, life is a constant series of choices – doors –...
Jul 7, 2012 | Matthew
Even though in some churches this is an oft preached text – especially the more liberal ones – the fact is – I have never yet prepared a message from these words. I can’t say exactly why that is the case, but deep down in my soul, it might be out of rebellion. It has...
Jul 6, 2012 | Matthew
As I’ve mentioned a couple of times, the theme of this scripture is prayer, even though the word isn’t used here. “Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.” If ye … know how to give good gifts unto your...
Jul 5, 2012 | Matthew
If a man wanted to be an expert in the world of molecular biology he must acquire a lot preliminary knowledge. He will probably not master the subject with only four years of college. He must understand biology, zoology, cellular biology, chemistry, genetics and...
Jul 4, 2012 | Matthew
As you know, the Bible spends a lot of time discussing, describing and instructing us in the subject of prayer. We have exhortations and examples galore throughout the Word of God. We overhear the conversational prayers between Jehovah and some of His great servants....
Jul 3, 2012 | Matthew
Ken Johnson and I were evangelizing door-to-door, when we had the opportunity to talk with a man on his porch. As far as I was concerned that visit was just like a hundred others that we had experienced. The man was self-righteous and religious – but also, he was...
Jul 2, 2012 | Matthew
There was a friend of Emperor Frederick III, who hated all the fawning, begging, and groveling which was done before the king in trying to earn his favors. One day he said to the monarch that he’d like to find a place where there is no hypocrisy – no...
Jul 1, 2012 | Matthew
Nearly all of us have had to pass judgment on various things throughout the day. What would be most appropriate for lunch? Does this shirt clash with my skirt or trousers? Will I get in trouble with my Mom, if I do what I’m tempted to do. You were driving to church,...
Jun 13, 2012 | Matthew
In checking my records, I could not believe that I found no recorded of ever preaching directly from this verse. That either means I’m not keeping very good records or I ought to be ashamed of myself. Without a doubt I have referred to this verse a thousand times...
Jun 11, 2012 | Matthew
Forgive me for employing an illustration which I have used before, but it’s personal, and it’s appropriate. Between Calgary and Edmonton, Alberta’s two largest cities, there is great deal of north/south traffic. And there are three primary methods of travel to cover...
Jun 9, 2012 | Matthew
It has been a couple of weeks, so let’s use tonight’s message as a review, but adding a little as we go along. Among the many things which Brother Fulton taught us last week is that one message cannot possibly plumb the depths of a great passage of scripture. But...
Jun 9, 2012 | Matthew
If I was a car salesman, I would want to be able to say, “My car is better than most.” I’d prefer to say that my car is the very best in its class. I would want be able to say that mine is superior to others in its class – in this way and in that item....
Jun 8, 2012 | Matthew
Wouldn’t it be wonderful if all of God’s young fathers had great jobs, wonderful self-discipline, frugal wives and contented children? Wouldn’t it be wonderful if every Christian Father had enough money to retire at the age of 35? Then with great health and greater...
Jun 7, 2012 | Matthew
I sincerely hope that as this message develops this evening that it will sound familiar to you – it should. As I was reading and re-reading the next point in our Lord’s Sermon on the Mount, I could see only two themes – fasting and hypocrisy. As you should be aware,...
Jun 6, 2012 | Matthew
As I’ve said repeatedly, what the Lord has given us in these verses is a model rather than a specific prayer for us to repeat over and over again. There is nothing wrong with using these words once in a while in your prayer life, but they must come from your heart...
Jun 5, 2012 | Matthew
We had a friend and member of our church in Calgary who had at least one unusual personal habit. It was to always clean his plate before he left the table – I mean to make his plate almost perfectly clean. There was usually a piece of bread served with the meal, and...
Jun 4, 2012 | Matthew
Three weeks ago, we looked at verses 9-13 as they were probably first intended – as a model for prayer. Then last week, I choose to delve a little more deeply, asking a different kind of question: “What does this model prayer teach us about God.” Now in looking at...
Jun 3, 2012 | Matthew
Let’s return this evening to the first part of the Lord’s model prayer. What do these two verses teach us about Jehovah? This is by no means a thorough study of theology – that was not our Lord’s intention, nor is it ours. But there are some significant things taught...
Jun 2, 2012 | Matthew
Our message for this afternoon dove-tails into this morning’s message. We could easy have two dozen lessons on various aspects of prayer. And it would be a profitable study, because I guarantee that there is not a person in this room who is as diligent and effective...
Jun 1, 2012 | Matthew
The Sermon on the Mount begins in Matthew 5 and ends three chapters later. In other words, don’t be mislead by the beginning of the new chapter. Christ Jesus began this sermon by saying some general things about Christian character. Then He made a few comments about...
