Luke Chapter 3
J.C. Ryle, 1858
Section 17. The Ministry of John the Baptist, Luke 3:1-6
In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judea, and Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip tetrarch of the region of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene, during the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John the son of Zechariah in the wilderness. And he went into all the region around the Jordan, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. As it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet, "The voice of one crying in the wilderness: Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be made low, and the crooked shall become straight, and the rough places shall become level ways, and all flesh shall see the salvation of God."
These verses describe the beginning of the Gospel of Christ. It began with the preaching of John the Baptist. The Jews could never say, that when Messiah came, He came without notice or preparation. He graciously sent a mighty forerunner before His face, by whose ministry the attention of the whole nation was awakened.
Let us notice first, in this passage the wickedness of the times when Christ's Gospel was brought into the world. The opening verses of the chapter tell us the names of some who were rulers and governors in the earth, when the ministry of John the Baptist began. It is a melancholy list, and full of instruction. There is hardly a name in it which is not infamous for wickedness. Tiberius, and Pontius Pilate, and Herod, and his brother, and Annas, and Caiaphas were men of whom we know little or nothing but evil. The earth seemed given into the hands of the wicked. (Job 9:24.) When such were the rulers then what must the people have been?
Such was the state of things when Christ's forerunner was commissioned to begin preaching. Such were the times when the first foundation of Christ's church was brought out and laid. We may truly say, that God's ways are not our ways.
Let us learn never to despair about the cause of God's truth however black and unfavorable its prospects may appear. At the very time when things seem hopeless God may be preparing a mighty deliverance. At the very season when Satan's kingdom seems to be triumphing, the "little stone, cut without hands," may be on the point of crushing it to pieces. The darkest hour of the night is often that which just precedes the day.
Let us beware of slackening our hands from any work of God, because of the wickedness of the times, or the number and power of our adversaries. "He who observes the wind shall not sow and he who regards the clouds shall not reap." (Ecclesiastes 11:4.)
Let us work on, and believe that help will come from Heaven, when it is most needed. In the very hour when a Roman emperor, and ignorant priests, seemed to have everything at their feet the Lamb of God was about to come forth from Nazareth, and set up the beginnings of His kingdom! What He has done once He can do again. In a moment He can turn His church's midnight into the blaze of noon day.
Let us notice, secondly, in this passage the account which Luke gives of the calling of John the Baptist into the ministry. We are told that "the word of God came to John, the son of Zachariah." John received a special call from God to begin preaching and baptizing. A message from Heaven was sent to his heart and under the impulse of that message, he undertook his marvelous work.
There is something in this account which throws great light on the office of all ministers of the Gospel. It is an office which no man has a right to take up, unless he has an inward call from God as well as an outward call from man. Visions and revelations from Heaven, of course we have no right to expect. Fanatical claims to special gifts of the Spirit must always be checked and discouraged. But a man must have an inward call from God, before he puts his hand to the work of the ministry. The word of God must "come to him" as really and truly as it came to John the Baptist, before he undertakes to "come to the word."
In short, he must be able to profess with a good conscience, that he is "inwardly moved by the Holy Spirit" to take upon him the office of a minister. The man who cannot say this, when he comes forward to be ordained is committing a great sin, and running without being sent!
Let it be a part of our daily prayers, that our churches may have no ministers except those who are really called of God. An unconverted minister is an injury and burden to a church! How can a man speak of truths which he has never tasted? How can he testify of a Savior whom he has never seen by faith, and never laid hold on for his own soul? The pastor after God's own heart is a man to whom the Word of God has come. He runs confidently and speaks boldly because he has been sent by God.
Let us notice, lastly, in this passage the close connection between true repentance and forgiveness. We are told that John the Baptist came "preaching the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins." The plain meaning of this expression is, that John preached the necessity of being baptized, in token of repentance and that he told his hearers that except they repented of sin, their sins would not be forgiven.
We must carefully bear in mind that no repentance can make atonement for sin. The blood of Christ, and nothing else can wash away sin from man's soul. No quantity of repentance can ever justify us in the sight of God. "We are accounted righteous before God, only for the sake of our Lord Jesus Christ, by faith and not for our own works or deservings." It is of the utmost importance to understand this clearly. The trouble that men bring upon their souls by misunderstanding this subject is more than can be expressed.
But while we say all this, we must carefully remember that without repentance, no soul was ever yet saved. We must know our sins, mourn over them, forsake them, abhor them or else we shall never enter the kingdom of Heaven. There is nothing meritorious in this. It forms no part whatever of the price of our redemption. Our salvation is all of grace, from first to last. But the great fact still remains, that saved souls are always penitent souls and that saving faith in Christ, and true repentance toward God, are never found asunder. This is a mighty truth, and one that ought never to be forgotten.
Do we ourselves repent? This, after all, is the question which most nearly concerns us. Have we been convinced of sin by the Holy Spirit? Have we fled to Jesus for deliverance from the wrath to come? Do we know anything of a broken and contrite heart, and a thorough hatred of sin? Can we say, "I repent," as well as "I believe"? If not, let us not delude our minds with the idea that our sins are forgiven. It is written, "Unless you repent you shall all likewise perish!" (Luke 13:3.)
Section 18. A Specimen of John the Baptist's Ministry, Luke 3:7-14
He said therefore to the crowds that came out to be baptized by him, "You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bear fruits in keeping with repentance. And do not begin to say to yourselves, We have Abraham as our father. For I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children for Abraham. Even now the axe is laid to the root of the trees. Every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire." And the crowds asked him, "What then shall we do?" And he answered them, "Whoever has two tunics is to share with him who has none, and whoever has food is to do likewise." Tax collectors also came to be baptized and said to him, "Teacher, what shall we do?" And he said to them, "Collect no more than you are authorized to do." Soldiers also asked him, "And we, what shall we do?" And he said to them, "Do not extort money from anyone by threats or by false accusation, and be content with your wages."
We have, in these verses, a specimen of John the Baptist's ministry. It is a portion of Scripture which should always be especially interesting to a Christian mind. The immense effect which John produced on the Jews, however temporary is evident, from many expressions in the Gospels. The remarkable testimony which our Lord bore to John, as "a prophet greater than any born of woman," is well-known to all Bible readers. WHAT THEN WAS THE CHARACTER OF JOHN'S MINISTRY? This is the question to which the chapter before us supplies a practical answer.
We should first mark the holy boldness with which John addresses the multitudes who came to his baptism. He speaks to them as a "brood of vipers!" He saw the rottenness and hypocrisy of the profession which the crowd around him were making, and uses language descriptive of their case.
His head was not turned by popularity.
He did not care who was offended by his words.
The spiritual disease of those before him was desperate, and of long standing and he knew that desperate diseases need strong remedies!
Well would it be for the Church of Christ, if it possessed more plain speaking ministers in our days like John the Baptist.
A morbid dislike to strong language;
an excessive fear of giving offence;
a constant flinching from directness and plain speaking
are, unhappily, too much the characteristics of the modern Christian pulpit.
Uncharitable language is no doubt always to be deprecated. But there is no charity . . .
in flattering unconverted people,
in abstaining from any mention of their vices,
or in applying smooth names to damnable sins!
There are two texts which are too much forgotten by Christian preachers. In one it is written, "Woe unto you when all men shall speak well of you." Luke 6:26. In the other it is written, "Am I now trying to win the approval of men or of God? Or am I trying to please men? If I were trying to please men I would not be Christ's servant." Galatians 1:10
We should mark, secondly how plainly John speaks to his hearers about Hell and danger. He tells them that there is a "coming wrath!" He speaks of "the ax" of God's judgment and of unfruitful trees being "thrown into the fire!"
The subject of HELL is always offensive to human nature. The minister who dwells much upon it must expect to find himself regarded as barbaric, violent, unfeeling and narrow-minded!
Men love to hear "smooth things," and to be told of peace, and not of danger. Isaiah 30:10. But the subject of Hell is one that ought not to be kept back, if we desire to do good to souls. It is one that our Lord Jesus Christ brought forward frequently in His public teachings. That loving Savior, who spoke so graciously of the way to Heaven has also used the plainest language about the way to Hell.
Let us beware of being wise above that which is written, and more charitable than Scripture itself. Let the language of John the Baptist be deeply engraved on our hearts. Let us never be ashamed to avow our firm belief, that there is a "coming wrath" for the impenitent; and that it is possible for a man to be lost, as well as to be saved.
To be silent on the subject is dreadful treachery to men's souls. It only encourages them to persevere in wickedness, and fosters the devil's old delusion in their minds, "You shall not surely die!" Genesis 3:4
That minister is surely our best friend who tells us honestly of danger, and warns us, like John the Baptist, to "flee from the wrath to come!"
Never will a man flee until he sees that there is real cause to be afraid.
Never will he seek Heaven until he is convinced that he is on his way to Hell.
The religion in which there is no mention of Hell is not the religion of John the Baptist, or of our Lord Jesus and His apostles!
We should mark, thirdly how John exposes the uselessness of a repentance which is not accompanied by fruits in the life. He said to the multitude, who came to be baptized, "Bring forth fruit worthy of repentance." He tells them that, "Every tree which does not produce good fruit is hewn down and cast into the fire!"
This is a truth which should always occupy a prominent place in our Christianity. It can never be impressed on our minds too strongly, that religious talking and profession are utterly worthless without religious doing and practice. It is vain to say with our lips that we repent if we do not at the same time repent in our lives. It is more than vain. It will gradually sear our consciences, and harden our hearts.
To say that we are sorry for our sins is mere hypocrisy unless we show that we are really sorry for them, by giving them up. Doing is the very life of repentance. Do not merely tell us what a man says in religion tell us rather what he does. "The talk of the lips," says Solomon, "tends only to poverty." (Proverbs 14:23.)
We should mark, fourthly what a blow John strikes at the common notion, that connection with godly people can save our souls. "Do not begin to say to yourselves," he tells the Jews, "we have Abraham as our Father; for I say unto you that God is able to raise up children of Abraham from these stones."
The strong hold that this false notion has gained on the heart of man, in every part of the world is an affecting proof of our fallen and corrupt condition. Thousands have always been found, in every age of the church who have believed that connection with godly men made them acceptable in the sight of God. Thousands have lived and died in the blind delusion, that because they were allied to holy people by ties of blood or church-membership they might themselves hope to be saved.
Let it be a settled principle with us, that saving religion is a PERSONAL thing. It is a business between each man's own soul, and Christ. It will profit us nothing at the last day, to have belonged to the Church of Luther, or Calvin, or Cranmer, or Knox, or Owen, or Wesley, or Whitfield. Did we have the faith of these holy men? Did we believe as they believed and strive to live as they lived and to follow Christ as they followed Him? These will be the only points on which our salvation will turn. It will save no man to have Abraham's blood in his veins if he did not possess Abraham's faith and do Abraham's works.
We should remark, lastly, in this passage the searching test of sincerity which John applied to the consciences of the various classes who came to his baptism. He bade each man who made a profession of repentance to begin by breaking off from those sins which especially beset him. The selfish multitude must show common charity to each other. The publicans must "exact no more than their due." The soldiers must "do violence to no man, and be content with their wages."
He did not mean that, by so doing, they would atone for their sins, and make their peace with God. But he did mean that, by so doing they would prove their repentance to be sincere.
Let us leave the passage with a deep conviction of the wisdom of this mode of dealing with souls, and especially with the souls of those who are beginning to make a profession of religion. Above all, let us see here the right way to prove our own hearts.
It must not content us to cry out against sins to which, by natural temperament, we are not inclined while we deal gently with other sins of a different character. Let us find out our own particuliar corruptions. Let us know our own besetting sins. Against them, let us direct our principal efforts. With these, let us wage unceasing war.
Let the rich break off from the rich man's sins and the poor from the sins of the poor. Let the young man give up the sins of youth and the old man the sins of old age. This is the first step towards proving that we are in earnest, when we first begin to feel about our souls.
Are we real? Are we sincere? Then let us begin by looking at home and looking within.
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Section 19. The Effect of John the Baptist's Ministry, Luke 3:15-20
As the people were in expectation, and all were questioning in their hearts concerning John, whether he might be the Christ, John answered them all, saying, "I baptize you with water, but he who is mightier than I is coming, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fork is in his hand, to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire." So with many other exhortations he preached good news to the people. But Herod the tetrarch, who had been reproved by him for Herodias, his brothers wife, and for all the evil things that Herod had done, added this to them all, that he locked up John in prison.
We learn, firstly, from these verses that one effect of a faithful ministry, is to set men thinking. We read concerning John the Baptist's hearers, that "the people were in expectation, and all men mused in their hearts about John whether he might be the Christ."
The cause of true religion has gained a giant step in a parish, or congregation, or family when people begin to think. Thoughtlessness about spiritual things is one great feature of unconverted men. It cannot be said, in many cases, that they either like the Gospel, or dislike it. But they do not give it a place in their thoughts. They never "consider." (Isaiah 1:3.)
Let us always thank God when we see a spirit of reflection on religious subjects, coming over the mind of an unconverted man. Thinking and deliberation are the high road to conversion. The truth of Christ has nothing to fear from sober examination. We invite inquiry. We desire to have its claims fully investigated. We know that its fitness to supply every need of man's heart and conscience, is not appreciated in many cases simply because it is not known. 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" then we ought to bless God and take courage.
We learn, secondly, from these verses that a faithful minister will always exalt Christ. We read that when John saw the state of mind in which his hearers were, he told them of a coming One, far mightier than himself. He refused the honor which he saw the people ready to give him, and referred them to Him who had the "winnowing fork in his hand" the Lamb of God, the Messiah.
Conduct like this will always be the characteristic of a true "man of God." He will never allow anything to be credited to him, or his office which belongs to his divine Master. He will say like Paul, "we do not preach ourselves but Christ Jesus the Lord, and ourselves your servants for Jesus' sake." (2 Corinthians 4:5.) To commend Christ dying, and rising again for the ungodly to make known Christ's love and power to save sinners this will be the main object of his ministry. "He must increase but I must decrease!" will be a ruling principle in all his preaching. He will be content that his own name is forgotten so long as Christ crucified is exalted.
Would we know whether a minister is sound in the faith, and deserving of our confidence as a teacher? We have only to ask a simple question: "Where is Christ in his teaching?" 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.
We learn, thirdly, from these verses the essential difference between the Lord Jesus and even the best and holiest of His ministers. We have it in the solemn words of John the Baptist, "I indeed baptize you with water, but He shall baptize you with the Holy Spirit."
Man, when ordained, can administer the outward ordinances of Christianity with a prayerful hope that God will graciously bless the means which he has Himself appointed. But man cannot read the hearts of those to whom he ministers. He can preach the Gospel faithfully to their ears but he cannot make them receive it into their consciences. He can apply baptismal water to their foreheads but he cannot cleanse their inward nature. He can give the bread and wine of the Lord's Supper into their hands but he cannot enable them to eat Christ's body and blood by faith. Up to a certain point he can go but he can go no further. No ordination, however solemnly conferred, can give a man power to change the heart. Christ, the great Head of the Church can alone do this by the power of the Holy Spirit. It is His peculiar office to do it and it is an office which He has delegated to no man.
May we never rest until we have tasted by experience, the power of Christ's grace upon our souls! We have been baptized with water but have we also been baptized with the Holy Spirit? Our names are in the baptismal register but are they also in the Lamb's book of life? We are members of the visible Church but are we also members of that mystical body of which Christ alone is the Head?
All these are privileges which Christ alone can bestow and for which all who would be saved must make personal application to Him. Man cannot give them. They are treasures laid up in Christ's hand. From Him we must seek them by faith and prayer and believing we shall not seek in vain.
We learn, fourthly, in these verses the change that Christ will work in his visible church at his second appearing. We read in the figurative words of His forerunner, "that He will thoroughly purge his floor, and gather the wheat into His garner but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire."
The visible Church is now a 'mixed' body. Believers and unbelievers, holy and unholy, converted and unconverted are now mingled in every congregation, and often sit side by side. It surpasses the power of man to separate them. False profession is often so like true profession; and grace is often so weak and feeble that, in many cases, the right discernment of character is an impossibility. The wheat and the chaff will continue together until the Lord returns.
But there will be a solemn separation at the last day. The unerring judgment of the King of kings, shall at length divide the wheat from the chaff, and divide them for evermore. The righteous shall be gathered into a place of happiness and safety. The wicked shall be cast down to shame and everlasting contempt. In the great sifting day every one shall go to his own place.
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!
We learn, lastly, from these verses that the reward of God's servants is often not in this world. Luke closes his account of John the Baptist's ministry, by telling us of his imprisonment by Herod. The end of that imprisonment, we know from other parts of the New Testament. It led at last to John being cruelly beheaded.
All true servants of Christ must be content to wait for their wages. Their best things are yet to come. They must count it no strange thing, if they meet with harsh treatment from man. The world which persecuted Christ will never hesitate to persecute Christians. "Do not be surprised if the world hates you!" (1 John 3:13.)
But let us take comfort in the thought that the great Master has laid up in Heaven for His people such things as surpass man's understanding. The blood that His saints have shed in His name will all be reckoned for one day. The tears that often flow so freely in consequence of the unkindness of the wicked will one day be wiped from all faces. And when John the Baptist, and all who have suffered for the truth are at last gathered together they will find it true, that Heaven makes amends for all!
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Section 20. The Baptism and Genealogy of Jesus, Luke 3:21-38
Now when all the people were baptized, and when Jesus also had been baptized and was praying, the heavens were opened, and the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form, like a dove; and a voice came from heaven, "You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased." Jesus, when he began his ministry, was about thirty years of age, being the son (as was supposed) of Joseph, the son of Heli, the son of Matthat, the son of Levi, the son of Melchi, the son of Jannai, the son of Joseph, the son of Mattathias, the son of Amos, the son of Nahum, the son of Esli, the son of Naggai, the son of Maath, the son of Mattathias, the son of Semein, the son of Josech, the son of Joda, the son of Joanan, the son of Rhesa, the son of Zerubbabel, the son of Shealtiel, the son of Neri, the son of Melchi, the son of Addi, the son of Cosam, the son of Elmadam, the son of Er, the son of Joshua, the son of Eliezer, the son of Jorim, the son of Matthat, the son of Levi, the son of Simeon, the son of Judah, the son of Joseph, the son of Jonam, the son of Eliakim, the son of Melea, the son of Menna, the son of Mattatha, the son of Nathan, the son of David, the son of Jesse, the son of Obed, the son of Boaz, the son of Sala, the son of Nahshon, the son of Amminadab, the son of Admin, the son of Arni, the son of Hezron, the son of Perez, the son of Judah, the son of Jacob, the son of Isaac, the son of Abraham, the son of Terah, the son of Nahor, the son of Serug, the son of Reu, the son of Peleg, the son of Eber, the son of Shelah, the son of Cainan, the son of Arphaxad, the son of Shem, the son of Noah, the son of Lamech, the son of Methuselah, the son of Enoch, the son of Jared, the son of Mahalaleel, the son of Cainan, the son of Enos, the son of Seth, the son of Adam, the son of God.
We see in the passage before us the high honor the Lord Jesus has put on baptism. We find that among others who came to John the Baptist the Savior of the world came, and was "baptized."
An ordinance which the Son of God was pleased to use, and afterwards to appoint for the use of His whole Church ought always to be held in peculiar reverence by His people. If Christ Himself was baptized then Baptism cannot be a thing of slight importance. The use of baptism would never have been enjoined on the Church of Christ if it had been a mere outward form, incapable of conveying any blessing.
It is hardly necessary to say that errors of every sort and description abound on the subject of baptism. Some make an idol of it and exalt it far above the place assigned to it in the Bible. Some degrade it and dishonor it and seem almost to forget that it was ordained by Christ Himself. Some limit the use of it so narrowly, that they will baptize none unless they are grown up, and can give full proof of their conversion. Some invest the baptismal water with such magic power that they would like missionaries to go into heathen lands and baptize all people, old and young indiscriminately, and believe that however ignorant the heathen may be, baptism must do them good. On no subject, perhaps, in religion have Christians more need to pray for a right judgment and a sound mind.
Let it suffice us to hold firmly the general principle, that baptism was graciously intended by our Lord to be a help to His Church, and "a means of grace" and that, when rightly and worthily used, we may confidently look upon it for a blessing. But let us never forget that the grace of God is not tied to any sacrament and that we may be baptized with water, without being baptized with the Holy Spirit.
We see, secondly, in this passage the close connection that ought to exist between the administration of baptism and prayer. We are specially told by Luke that when our Lord was baptized, He was also "praying."
We need not doubt that there is a great lesson in this fact, and one that the Church of Christ has too much overlooked. We are meant to learn that the baptism which God blesses must be a baptism accompanied by prayer. The sprinkling of water is not sufficient. The use of the name of the blessed Trinity is not enough. The form of the sacrament alone conveys no grace. There must be something else beside all this. There must be "the prayer of faith." A baptism without prayer, it may be confidently asserted is a baptism on which we have no right to expect God's blessing.
Why is it that the sacrament of baptism appears to bear so little fruit? How is it that thousands are every year baptized, and never give the slightest proof of having received benefit from it? The answer to these questions is short and simple. In the vast majority of baptisms, there is no prayer except the prayer of the officiating minister. Parents bring their children to the font, without the slightest sense of what they are doing. Sponsors stand up and answer for the child, in evident ignorance of the nature of the ordinance they are attending, and as a mere matter of form. What possible reason have we for expecting such baptisms to be blessed by God? None! none at all! Such baptisms may well be barren of results. They are not true baptisms according to the mind of Christ. Let us pray that the eyes of Christians on this important subject may be opened. It is one on which there is great need of change.
We see, thirdly, in these verses a remarkable proof of the doctrine of the Trinity. We have all the Three Persons of the Godhead spoken of, as co-operating and acting at one time. God the Son begins the mighty work of His earthly ministry, by being baptized. God the Father solemnly accredits Him as the appointed Mediator, by a voice from Heaven. God the Holy Spirit descends "in a bodily shape like a dove" upon our Lord, and by so doing declares that this is He to whom "the Father gives the Spirit without measure." (John 3:34.)
There is something deeply instructive, and deeply comforting in this revelation of the blessed Trinity, at this particular season of our Lord's earthly ministry. It shows us how mighty and powerful is the agency that is employed in the great business of our redemption. It is the common work of God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. All Three Persons in the Godhead are equally concerned in the deliverance of our souls from Hell. The thought should cheer us when we are disturbed and cast down. The thought should hearten and encourage us when weary of the conflict with the world, the flesh, and the devil. The enemies of our souls are mighty but the Friends of our souls are mightier still. The whole power of the triune Jehovah is engaged upon our side! "A three-fold cord is not easily broken." (Ecclesiastes 4:12.)
We see, fourthly, in these verses a marvelous proclamation of our Lord's office as Mediator between God and man. A voice was heard from Heaven at His baptism, which said, "You are my beloved Son in you I am well pleased." There is but One who could say this. It was the voice of God the Father.
These solemn words no doubt contain much that is deeply mysterious. One thing however about them is abundantly clear. They are a divine declaration that our Lord Jesus Christ is the promised Redeemer, whom God from the beginning undertook to send into the world and that with His incarnation, sacrifice, and substitution for sinful man God the Father is satisfied and well pleased. In Him, He regards the claim of His holy law as fully discharged. Through Him, He is willing to receive poor sinful man to mercy, and to remember his sins no more.
Let all true Christians rest their souls on these words and draw daily consolation from them. Our sins and shortcomings are many and great. In ourselves we can see no good thing. But if we believe in Jesus the Father sees nothing in us that He cannot abundantly pardon. He regards us as the members of His own dear Son and, for His Son's sake, He is well pleased.
We see, lastly, in these verses what a frail and dying creature is man. We read at the end of the chapter a long list of names, containing the genealogy of the family in which our Lord was born, traced up through David and Abraham to Adam. How little we know of many of the seventy-five people, whose names are here recorded! They all had their joys and sorrows, their hopes and fears, their cares and troubles, their schemes and plans like any of ourselves. But they have all passed away from the earth, and gone to their own place. And so will it be with us. We too are passing away, and shall soon be gone.
Forever let us bless God, that in a dying world we are able to turn to a living Savior! "I am the Living One! I was dead and behold I am alive forever and ever!" "I am the resurrection and the life!" (Revelation 1:18; John 11:25.) Let our main care be, to be one with Christ and Christ with us. Joined to the Lord Jesus by faith we shall rise again to live for evermore. The second death shall have no power over us. "Because I live," says Christ, "you shall live also!" (John 14:19.)