Oh the daily drift! All too often, (daily, if not several times a day), I can find my affections drifting away from personally desiring fellowship with Jesus. Even when my mind is on "spiritual" things, I can find myself hunting for a "principle" or a "truth" about Christianity, rather than sitting to just admire, worship and acquint myself with Him as Scripture in the four gospels, presents Him.
As I was preparing for this week's men's discipleship group, Invest, I came across this outstanding quote by J.C. Ryle on why we are to study and read the Gospels. I trust his words here will be of good encouragement for your own soul as we are studying the Gospel of John together. Read. Enjoy. Apply. May we grow increasingly "acquinted with Jesus."
"It would be well if professing Christians in modern days studied the four Gospels more than
they do. No doubt all Scripture is profitable. It is not wise to exalt one part of the Bible at
the expense of another. But I think it would be good for some who are very familiar with the
Epistles, if they knew a little more about Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.
Now, why do I say this? I say it because I want professing Christians to know more about
Christ. It is well to be acquainted with all the doctrines and principles of Christianity. It is
better to be acquainted with Christ Himself. It is well to be familiar with faith and grace and
justification and sanctification. They are all matters 'pertaining to the King'. But it is far
better to be familiar with Jesus Himself, to see the King's own face, and to behold His beauty.
This is one secret of eminent holiness. He that would be conformed to Christ's image, and
become a Christ-like man, must be constantly studying Christ Himself.
Now the Gospels were written to make us acquainted with Christ. The Holy Ghost has told
us the story of His life and death, His sayings and His doings, four times over. Four different
inspired hands have drawn the picture of the Saviour. His ways, His manners, His feelings,
His wisdom, His grace, His patience, His love, His power are graciously unfolded to us by
four different witnesses. Ought not the patient to be familiar with the Physician? Ought not
the bride to be familiar with the Bridegroom? Ought not the sinner to be familiar with
Saviour? Beyond doubt it ought to be so. The Gospels were written to make men familiar
with Christ, and therefore I wish men to study the Gospels......Surely we cannot know this
Christ too well! Surely there is not a word, nor a deed, nor a day, nor a step, nor a thought
in the record of His life, which ought not to be precious to us. We should labour to be
familiar with every line that is written about Jesus." J. C. Ryle
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As I read earlier this week in CJ's "Cross Centered Life" book Sinclair Ferguson reminded us, that we should "expend our energies, admiring, exploring, expositing, and extolling Jesus Christ."
Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it. Bind my wandering heart to thee.
Since Saturday we are talking about Atonement.
This is from Horatious Bonar's Study of the Atonement, if interested you can find it here.
Chapter 2
http://www.jude3.net/bertoc.htm
"The question as to the right way of believing is that which puzzles many, and engrosses all their anxiety, to the exclusion of the far greater questions as to the person and work of Him who is the object of their believing. Thus their thoughts run in a self-righteous direction, and are occupied, not with what Christ has done, but with what they have yet to do, to get themselves connected with His work.
What should we have said to the Israelite, who, on bringing his lamb to the tabernacle, should puzzle himself with questions as to the right mode of laying his hands on the head of the victim, and who should refuse to take any comfort from the sacrifice, because he was not sure whether he had laid them aright;-on the proper place, in the right direction, with adequate pressure, or in the best attitude? Should we not have told him that his own actings concerning the lamb were not the lamb, and yet that he was speaking as if they were? Should we not have told him that the lamb was everything, his touch nothing, as to virtue or merit or recommendation? Should we not have told him to be of good cheer; not because he had laid his hands on the victim in the most approved fashion, but because they had touched that victim, however lightly and imperfectly, and thereby said, Let this lamb stand for me, answer for me, die for me? The touching had no virtue in itself, and therefore the excellency of the act was no question to come up at all: it simply intimated the man's desire that this sacrifice should be taken instead of himself, as God's appointed way of pardon; it was simply the indication of his consent to God's way of saving him, by the substitution of another. The point for him to settle was not, Was my touch right or wrong, light or heavy? but, Was it the touch of the right lamb,-the lamb appointed by God for the taking away of sin?
The quality or quantity of faith is not the main question for the sinner. That which he needs to know is that Jesus died and was buried, and rose again, according to the Scriptures. This knowledge is life everlasting."
Lord willing I'll see you Saturday.
Any thoughts on this quote Derek?
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