Luke 7:18-23

Luke 7:18-23

1. We should mark the wise fore-thought which John exhibited about his disciples, before he left the world.
2. We should mark the peculiar answer which the disciples of John received from our Lord.
3. We should mark the solemn warning which our Lord gave to John's disciples.

"Happy are those ministers and parents, whose consciences can testify on their deathbeds, that they have told their hearers and children to go to Jesus and follow Him!"

"Would we know whether a Church is true and trust-worthy? Would we know whether a minister is really called of God, and sound in the faith? We must apply the old rule of Scripture, "You shall know them by their fruits." As Christ would be known by His works and doctrine, so must true Churches of Christ, and true ministers of Christ."

"Let us beware of being stumbled, either by the humbling doctrines of the Gospel, or the holy practice which it enjoins on those who receive it. Secret pride is one of the worst enemies of man. It will prove at last to have been the ruin of thousands of souls."

Questions:

1. What evidences are there in our lives, that we are endeavoring to point our children and others to Jesus Christ?

2. What fruit is evidenced in the lives of the churches we call home? Remember that busyness is not an evidence of fruit, but true love and the fruit the Spirit would bear in our lives.

3. Ryle offers two warnings of what it means to be offended by Christ: either the humbling effect of the Gospel, or the holy practice believers are called to. Do these things offend us or do we, by God’s grace, walk in them boasting in the cross?