--J. Sidlow Baxter (1903-1999, Australian born pastor and theologian who authored as many as thirty books)
Fundamentally, our Lord's message was Himself. He did not come merely to preach a Gospel; He himself is that Gospel. He did not come merely to give bread; He said, "I am the bread." He did not come merely to shed light; He said, "I am the light." He did not come merely to show the door; He said, "I am the door." He did not come merely to name a shepherd; He said, "I am the shepherd." He did not come merely to point the way; He said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life."
--J. Sidlow Baxter (1903-1999, Australian born pastor and theologian who authored as many as thirty books)
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Peter doesn't merely proclaim Jesus as a way of salvation, but as the only way of salvation. The idea that there is no salvation in any other, and that there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved is an offensive one in our pluralistic, eclectic age; but it is the plain teaching of the Bible.
If you wish to believe that all are saved or that there are many roads to heaven or that you can take the best of all faiths and blend them into one, fine, believe so and bear the consequences; but please do not claim this is the teaching of the Bible. "It is particularly striking that neither on this nor on any subsequent occasion … did the Sanhedrin take any serious action to disprove the apostles' central affirmation - the resurrection of Jesus. Had it seemed possible to refute them on this point, how readily would the Sanhedrin seized the opportunity! Had they succeeded, how quickly and completely the new movement would have collapsed!" (Bruce) John 14:25-2725 “These things I have spoken to you while I am still with you. 26 But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you. 27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.
"All men desire peace, but very few desire those things that make for peace. " (Thomas a' Kempis) These gifts do not grant us exemption from the storms of life, but promise us the power and the peace to weather any storm. The power of darkness may be seen in its effects, and for those who have been delivered … from the power of darkness these effects should be less and less evident in the life.
- The power of darkness lulls us to sleep. - The power of darkness is skilled at concealment. - The power of darkness afflicts and depresses man. - The power of darkness can fascinate us. - The power of darkness emboldens some men. "Beloved, we still are tempted by Satan, but we are not under his power; we have to fight with him, but we are not his slaves. He is not our king; he has no rights over us; we do not obey him; we will not listen to his temptations." (Spurgeon) The word translated forgiveness is the ancient Greek word aphesis, most literally rendered "a sending away." Our sin and guilt is sent away because of what Jesus did on the cross for us. "It thus speaks of the removal of our sins from us, so that they are no longer barriers that separate us from God." (Vaughan) God wants us to praise Him, to humble ourselves before Him, and to trust Him - but He gives us good reason to. We sometimes want our own reasons, but God gives us plenty of His own reasons.
"We seem to lie all broken in pieces, with our thoughts like a case of knives cutting into our spirit; and we say to ourselves, 'We never shall forget this terrible experience.' And yet, by-and-by, God turns towards us the palm of his hand, and we see that it is full of mercy, we are restored to health, or uplifted from depression of spirit, and we wonder that we ever made so much of our former suffering or depression....
We remember it no more, except as a thing that has passed and gone, to be recollected with gratitude that we have been delivered from it, but not to be remembered so as to leave any scar upon our spirit, or to cause us any painful reflection whatsoever. 'Thou shalt forget thy misery, and remember it as waters that pass away.'" (Spurgeon) O Lord, I am so undeserving of Your love! Thank You for drawing me to You and giving me Your gift of salvation! Thank You so much, Lord, for loving me with an everlasting love. Teach me, Lord, to love others the way You love me.
“Pride is one of the most detestable of sins; yet does it find lodgment in earnest souls, though we often speak of it by some lighter name. We call it - independence, self-reliance. We do not always discern it in the hurt feeling, which retires into itself, and nurses its sorrows in a sulk . . . We are proud of our humility, vain of our meekness; and, putting on the saintliest look, we wonder whether all around are not admiring us for our lowliness.” (Meyer)
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July 2017
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