Luke 3:15-20

Luke 3:15-20

1. We learn that one effect of a faithful ministry is to set men thinking.
2. We learn that a faithful minister will always exalt Christ.
3. We learn the essential difference between the Lord Jesus and even the best and holiest of His ministers.
4. We learn the change that Christ will work in his visible church at his second appearing.
5. We learn that the reward of God's servants is often not in this world.

"Thinking, no doubt, is not faith and repentance. But it is always a hopeful symptom. When hearers of the Gospel begin to "muse in their hearts," we ought to bless God and take courage."

"Would we know whether we ourselves are receiving benefit from the preaching we attend? Let us ask whether its effect is to magnify Christ in our esteem? A minister who is really doing us good will make us think more of Jesus every year we live."

"May we often look forward to that day, and judge ourselves, that we be not judged of the Lord. May we give all diligence to make our calling and election sure, and to know that we are God's "wheat." A mistake in the day that the floor is "purged," will be a mistake that is irretrievable."

"All true servants of Christ must be content to wait for their wages. Their best things are yet to come."

Questions:

1. Does the preaching you hear at church or online make you and others think or lull to sleep?

2. Does the preaching and teaching you sit under pass the bar of this qualification of exalting and making much of Christ Jesus? Has sitting under such teaching increased your esteem of Jesus?

3. Do we find comfort in being baptized by water and taking the elements of the Lord’s Supper and being on a membership list or in the work that necessarily must lie behind them? What exactly are we trusting in?

4. To what effect have the doctrines of heaven and hell on our souls? Does the finality and fearfulness of not belong to the Lord cause us to make our calling and election sure?

5. How does our hope of heaven change how we live today?