Matthew 4:1-11

Matthew 6:16-24

Matthew 6:16-24 1. Let us learn from our Lord's instruction about fasting, the great importance of cheerfulness in our religion. 2. Let us learn from our Lord's caution about worldliness what immense need we all have to watch and pray against an earthly spirit. 3. Let us learn from our Lord's words about the "single eye," the true secret of the failures, which so many Christians seem to make in their religion. "Never let us forget that there is no religion in looking melancholy and gloomy. Are we dissatisfied with Christ's wages, and Christ's service? Surely not! Then let us not look as if we were." "Oh! let us all beware that we do not sink into hell by paying excessive attention to lawful things. Open transgression of God's law slays its thousands, but worldliness its tens of thousands." "Let us be decided, thorough-going, uncompromising followers of Christ. Let our motto be that of Paul, "One thing I do." (Phil. 3:13.) Then we shall be happy Christians." Questions: 1. These verses highlight the topics of fasting, worldliness, and singleness of purpose. In considering fasting, Ryle says that there is no command in the NT which seems to leave it upon to each person to be firmly convinced in their own mind and not to hastily condemn others. As for its purpose, Ryle declares that it is the "occasional abstinence from food in order to bring the body into subjection to the spirit." That said, have we ever considered it? If not, why not? If you have, did it help you and how? 2. The second consideration is of worldliness, which is to find our happiness in this world that is passing away. The first question we need to consider is whether we are aware that worldliness is, as Ryle says, "a treacherous, harmful, enticing and powerful enemy" that is a rock that makes shipwreck for many for all eternity? Is this surprising to you? Are our affections on the things of earth or the things of heaven? 3. The last consideration is on singleness of purpose, which Ryle calls the one great secret of spiritual prosperity. The opposite is trying to serve Christ and the world together, which is something Jesus says cannot be done. And so, when we try, it creates Christians who are uncomfortable, uneasy, and dissatisfied with themselves. Is this you? Are you trying to be a servant of Christ and of the world?

Matthew 6:9-15

Matthew 6:9-15 1. The first sentence declares to whom we are to pray--"Our Father in heaven." 2. The second sentence is a petition respecting God's name--"Hallowed be your name." 3. The third sentence is a petition concerning God's kingdom--"Your kingdom come." 4. The fourth sentence is a petition concerning God's will—“Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven." 5. The fifth sentence is a petition respecting our own daily needs--"give us this day our daily bread." 6. The sixth sentence is a petition respecting our sins--"Forgive us our debts." 7. The seventh sentence is a profession respecting our own feelings towards others--we ask our Father to "forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors." 8. The eighth sentence is a petition respecting our weakness--"lead us not into temptation." 9. The ninth sentence is a petition respecting our dangers--"deliver us from evil." 10. The last sentence is an ascription of praise--"yours is the kingdom, the power, and the glory." "Perhaps no part of Scripture is so full, and so simple at the same time, as this. It is the first prayer which we learn to offer up, when we are little children. Here is its simplicity. It contains the germ of everything which the most advanced saint can desire. Here is its fullness." "May we resolve that, by God's help, our hearts shall go together with our lips! Happy is he who can really call God his Father through Jesus Christ his Savior, and can therefore say a heart felt "Amen" to all that the Lord's Prayer contains." Questions: 1. We have read the Lord's Prayer - which may be better called the Disciples Prayer. If you grew up in the church, there is a good chance you know it as it is one of the most famous parts of Scripture. And yet, as Ryle warns, many repeat these words and do not consider what they are saying; they do not care for the 'glory,' the 'kingdom,' or the 'will of God;' they have no sense of dependence, sinfulness, weakness, or danger. Where do you stand when it comes to this prayer? Is it a just something you repeat, or does each part inform your prayers? Which of the 10 lines do you need to grow in the most? 2. If you do not know this prayer, would you consider memorizing it and letting it inform your prayers? I was greatly encouraged years ago that one of the reasons we should pray this prayer is that Jesus is informing us about the very things God delights to answer. If you are at all interested, you can find a very helpful sermon series HERE [https://immanuelky.org/podcasts/sermons/2023-06-18-simple-prayer].

Matthew 6:1-8

Matthew 6:1-8 1. Observe that our Lord takes it for granted, that all who call themselves His disciples will GIVE ALMS. 2. Observe again that our Lord takes it for granted, that all who call themselves His disciples will PRAY. 3. In GIVING, everything pretentiousness is to be abhorred and avoided. 4. In PRAYING, the principal object to be sought, is to be alone with God. 5. In all our duties, whether giving, or praying, the great thing to be kept in mind is, that we have to do with a heart-searching and all-knowing God. "A giving Savior should have giving disciples." "It teaches plainly that prayerless people are not genuine Christians. It is not enough to join in the prayers of the congregation on Sundays, or attend the prayer of a family on week-days. There must be private prayer also. Without this we may be outward members of Christ's church, but we are not living members of Christ." "They flatter themselves that all must be right with their souls, if they only perform a certain amount of "religious duties." They forget that God does not regard the quantity, but the quality of our service. His favor is not to be bought, as many seem to suppose, by the formal repetition of a number of words, or the self-righteous payment of a sum of money to a charitable institution." Questions: 1. In these verses Jesus tells us of two actions he assumes true believers will do, giving and prayer, and speaks to how they are to be done. God takes no account of how much money we give or how many words we use in prayer, but the nature of our motives. The question we need to ask ourselves then is simple: as it pertains to giving, is there a desire in my heart to be generous with what God has given me? In my giving, do I desire for others to see? As Ryle says, "a giving Savior should have giving disciples." 2. It is also assumed in this passage that God's people will pray. So, as it pertains to prayer, do we have a desire to pray? When we pray, do we have a heart that God is the one we are talking to? 3. Now, questions like this tend to produce in most feelings of inadequacy. The truth is that these are important things to consider. Where we fall short - and we all fall short of what we should - the question is: will this produce in us a desire to grow or to give up? Will you simply try harder or look again to Christ and all he has done on your behalf?

Matthew 5:38-48

Matthew 5:38-48 1. The Lord Jesus forbids everything like an unforgiving and revengeful spirit. 2. The Lord Jesus enjoins on us a spirit of universal love and charity. 3. If we do not aim at the spirit and temper which are here recommended, we are not yet children of God and are manifestly yet of the world. 4. If the spirit of these ten verses were more continually remembered by true believers, they would recommend Christianity to the world far more than they do. 5. If the spirit of these ten verses had more dominion and power in the world, how much happier the world would be than it is. "We are to put up with much and bear much, rather than hurt another, or give offence. In all things we are to be unselfish. Our thought must never be, "how do others behave to me?" but "what would Christ have me to do?"" "We have here a lovely picture of the Christian as he ought to be. We cannot look at it without painful feelings. We must all allow that it differs widely from the Christian as he is." "Unfailing courtesy, kindness, tenderness, and consideration for others, are some of the greatest ornaments to the character of the child of God. The world can understand these things, if it cannot understand doctrine. There is no religion in rudeness, roughness, bluntness, and incivility. The perfection of practical Christianity consists in attending to the little duties of holiness as well as to the great." "Those who fancy that true religion has any tendency to make men unhappy, are greatly mistaken. It is the absence of it that does this, and not the presence." Questions: 1. Jesus points out two sayings that would have been common - "An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth" and "You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy" - and declares what God desires. The Christian is called to not resist the one who is evil (of which Jesus gives numerous examples) and love our enemies. The standard is high because the standard is found in Jesus himself. And yet, as Ryle points out, we must not aim for anything less because these things are evidence of having the Spirit. And so, he asks some negative diagnostic questions: am I ready to resent hurts against me? Am I quick to be offended by others? Am I quick to quarrel and fight with others? Do I delight to assert my rights? He then asks some positive questions: Do I return good when others do evil to me? Do I bless when cursed? Do I deny myself and take troubles in order to be kind? As Ryle says, these pictures give a lovely picture of what the Christian ought to be. Do we have some semblance of this picture? 2. Ryle, in considering these standards, states that the world would be far happier if the spirit of these verses had more power and dominion in the world. He says, "Those who fancy that true religion has any tendency to make men unhappy, are greatly mistaken. It is the absence of it that does this, and not the presence." Do we believe that loving our enemies and patiently enduring evil are God being a killjoy or actually what will bring joy to us and a lost world?

Matthew 5:21-37

Matthew 5:21-37 1. Jesus expounds the sixth, seventh, and third commandments. 2. It teaches us the exceeding holiness of God. 3. It teaches us the exceeding ignorance of man in spiritual things. 4. It teaches us the exceeding need of the Lord Jesus Christ's atoning blood to save us. 5. It teaches us the exceeding importance of avoiding all occasions of sin. "Ignorance of the real meaning of the law is one plain reason why so many do not value the Gospel, and content themselves with a little formal Christianity. They do not see the strictness and holiness of God's Ten commandments. If they did, they would never rest until they were safe in Christ." "We must labor to crucify our flesh and mortify our members, to make any sacrifice and endure any bodily inconvenience rather than sin." Questions: 1. We see that Jesus speaks to the sixth, seventh, and third commandment and gets to the heart of their meaning. Many in Jesus' day, and in ours as well, may think that because we have never murdered or committed adultery with our actions that we are innocent. Jesus, though, declares that murder and adultery are issues of the heart, which God sees just as clear as we see ourselves in a mirror. Hateful thoughts and lustful glances are not missed by the God who knows all things and is personally offended by each one. Have we read the 10 Commandments and walked away encouraged thinking we are good or have we read them and understood that we fall short of them all? Which of us, getting to the heart of Jesus' meaning, could declare ourselves innocent? 2. Ryle, in light of the severity of the law, calls all Christians to avoid all occasions of sin. He applies this particularly with the use of our tongues, with James tell us is a restless evil and full of deadly poison. He exhorts us to be ready to make up quarrels and disagreements, lest they gradually lead on to greater evils. Stop and consider that for a second. Have you found that to be true in your own life? When he says, "we must make any sacrifice and endure any bodily inconvenience rather than sin" does that sound too harsh? Or does that sound like a foreign idea? What could this look like in your life?