Quotes from Matthew, Vol. II - by J. Vernon McGee

Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me [Matthew 16:24].

Many people interpret this verse, "Let him deny himself ice-cream" of "Let him deny himself some luxury down here." What this verse says is "Let him deny himself!" You already know that the hardest person in the world to deny is yourself. To deny yourself desert is hard enough, but to deny myself is difficult indeed. To deny myself is to put self out of the picture and to put Christ in the place of self. – J. Vernon McGee

Divorce was not in God’s original plan. Why? Because sin was not in God’s original plan, and divorce is always a result of sin. Regardless of what you may say, there is sin in the relationship somewhere which causes divorce. – J. Vernon McGee

Because of the hardness of the human heart, God permitted divorce. God is merciful to us—oh how merciful! But His ideal is never divorce. I recognize that we are living in a culture which is very lax in this area. There are multitudes of divorced folk who will be reading this book. Let me repeat that the background for divorce is always sin. But, after all, all of us are sinners. Since God can forgive murderers, He can also forgive divorced folk. But we need to recognize that the root cause of divorce is sin. – J. Vernon McGee

Adultery breaks the marriage relationship and provides the one ground for divorce. Somebody says to me, “Yes, but here is this poor Christian woman, married to a drunkard!” Or a fine Christian man is married to a godless woman. What about that? Well, believers may separate on other grounds, which seems to be the whole point of I Corinthians 7, but divorce is permitted on only one basis, adultery. – J. Vernon McGee

My friend, if you have a Bible-teaching church in your community and a preacher who believes the Book and is trying to teach it, for God’s sake stand with him in these days. He needs you, and you need him. Oh, how we need men who believe the Word of God—and live it! – J. Vernon McGee

Then answered Peter and said unto him, Behold, we have forsaken all, and followed thee; what shall we have therefore? [Mt. 19:27].

It is easy for us to think that Simon Peter is betraying a very selfish streak here. Did our Lord rebuke him?

And Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That ye which have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. [Mt. 19:27].

Our Lord did not rebuke him. Instead, He told him what a great reward would be his. Likewise, I believe that today, we as Christians ought to be working for a reward.  – J. Vernon McGee

Now let me answer our critics who say that we who  hold the dispensational view of Scripture teach that there are two or more ways of being saved. No, God has never had more than one basis on which He saves men, and that basis is the cross of Christ. Every offering before Christ came looked forward to the cross of Christ, and every commemoration since He has come looks back to the cross of Christ. – J. Vernon McGee

Go back to Geneses4 and look at the offering which Abel brought to God. He brought a little lamb. If you had been there, you could have asked Abel, “Why are you bringing this little lamb? Do you think that a little lamb will take away your sins?” He would have said, “Of course not! I’m bringing the little lamb because God told me to do so. I am bringing it by faith.” Then you could have asked him, “Well, if it won’t take away your sins, why would He ask you to bring it?” Abel’s answer would have been something like this: “This little lamb is pointing to One who is coming later, the seed of the woman, my mother. That One will take away our sins. I bring this little lamb by faith, recognizing that I am a sinner and need a substitute.” You see, Abel was looking forward to the One who was coming. – J. Vernon McGee

I thank God that when the rapture takes place, every believer is going out. And we won’t be going on the basis of merit. All of us will be leaving because of the grace of God. He saves us by grace; He keeps us by grace; and He will take us out of this world by grace; and when we have been there  for ten million years, it will be by the grace of God. – J. Vernon McGee

Quotes from "Meet Your King", a book based on Matthew's Gospel, by Warren W. Wiersbe

Both Mary and Joseph belonged to the house of David. The Old Testament prophecies indicated that the Messiah would be born of a woman (Gen. 3:15), of the seed of Abraham (22:18), through the tribe of Judah (49:10) and of the family of David (2 Sam. 7:12-13). Matthew's genealogy traced the line through Solomon, while Luke's traced it through Nathan, another one of David's sons. It is worth noting that Jesus Christ is the only Jew alive who can actually prove His claims to the throne of David! All of the other records were destroyed when the Romans took Jerusalem in A.D. 70. [pgs. 17-18]

When we put our physical needs ahead of our spiritual needs, we sin. When we allow circumstances to dictate our actions, instead of following God's will, we sin. Jesus could have turned the stones into bread, but He would have been exercising His powers independently of the Father; and He came to obey the Father (John 5:30, 6:38). [pg. 27]

Jesus did not destroy the Law by fighting it; He destroyed it by fulfilling it! Perhaps an illustration will make this clear. If I have an acorn, I can destroy it in one of two ways. I can put it on a rock and smash it to bits with a hammer. Or, I can plant it in the ground and let it fulfill itself by becoming an oak tree. [pg. 36]

The common people held John [the Baptist] in high regard (Matt. 21:26), and many of them had repented and been baptized by John. But the leaders refused to honor John, and this proved their unbelief and hardness of heart. Instead of being childlike and humbling themselves, the leaders were childish and stubborn, like children pouting because they could not have their way. The parable in Matthew 11:16-19 revealed the spiritual condition of the leaders, and unfortunately it also reveals the hearts of unbelievers today. [pg. 74]

Miracles do not convince people of sin or give a desire of salvation (Luke 16:27-31; John 12:10-11; Acts 14:8-20). Miracles will give confirmation where there is faith, but not where there is willful unbelief. [pg. 108]

We can be sure that, apart from Christ, even the material possessions of life give no lasting joy or pleasure. It is good to have the things money can buy provided we do not lose the things that money cannot buy. Unless this rich ruler eventually turned to Christ, he died without salvation, one of the "richest" men in the cemetery. [pg. 143]

Jesus did not say that we would be angels when we are glorified in Heaven. He said we would be "as the angels" in that we would be sexless and not married or given in marriage. The foolish stories we hear and the cartoons we see about people dying and becoming angels are certainly unbiblical. [pgs. 159-160]

The talents represent opportunities to use our abilities. If five talents were given to a person with minimal ability, he would be destroyed by the heavy responsibility. But if only one talent was given to a man of great ability, he would be disgraced and degraded. God assigns work and opportunity according to ability. We are living in the period of time between verses 18 and 19 [Matthew 25]. We have been assigned our ministries according to the abilities and gifts God has given us. It is our privilege to serve the Lord and multiply His goods. [pg. 183]

Quotes from "Notes on Matthew" by H.A. IRONSIDE

It is well to remember that the real object of marriage is to bring forth children, and so to establish a godly home which is a marvelous testimony for Christ in the midst of a corrupt world. [pg. 240]

It takes more than four walls and comfortable furniture to make a home. Home, in the truest sense, is where love rules. The ideal home of Scripture is an abode, whether it be a pilgrim's tent or a grand mansion, where the family dwell together in love and harmony, each delighting in the company of the others, and all seeking the good of the whole. [pg. 240]

Christ lifted home onto an even higher plane, making it a place of deepest spiritual fellowship as well as tender love. The Christian home is a scene where father, mother, and children enjoy each together a sense of the divine favor and protection, and where the whole family honors Christ as Saviour and Lord. [pg. 241]

The loosening of the marriage tie and the lowering of the home ideals are perhaps the two greatest evils of our times. Divorces are increasing at an alarming rate as people come more and more to disregard the teaching of Scripture as to the sacred character of marriage, and to give free rein to inordinate affections and selfish desires. The children are the worst sufferers in the breaking up of the home. We are sowing the wind as a nation, and we are destined to reap the whirlwind unless we turn to God in repentance and seek to walk in humble obedience to His Word. [pg. 241]

At the rate in which divorces are increasing in this and other lands family life will soon be a thing of the past in the majority of cases, as far as the unsaved are concerned. The children of God should avoid any complicity in this evil thing by implicit obedience to the teaching of our Lord in regard to the intended permanence of the marriage relationship.  [pg. 241]

Whether one is simply indifferent or actually antagonistic to the gospel of God, the end will be the same. The question found in Hebrews 2:3, "How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation?" has never been answered. In order to be lost forever it is not necessary to be opposed to Christ. It is not necessary to be opposed to Christ. It is not necessary to say definitely, "I reject Jesus." Just neglect Him and you will never get in to the feast. "The road of by-and-by leads to the house of never." You may say, "Some day when conditions are different I am going to think about my soul." But alas, while you are waiting for a more convenient season the end of your life may come, and you will find yourself shut out in the darkness forever. [pgs. 283-284]

No man will be able to stand in the moment of severe temptation who has been slothful instead of watchful, and indolent instead of prayerful. If only we realize that prayerlessness is as truly sin against God as cursing or swearing, because it is positive disobedience to His Word, would we not be more alert to use the opportunities He gives to draw from heaven needed grace for testing times? [pg. 358]

No one is fit to be a missionary abroad who is not a missionary at home. An ocean voyage never made a missionary out of anyone. [pgs. 406-407]

Question of the Week: Is the Bible at home in your family?

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Family, Teeth, and Squirrels Latest Answers View in browser Is the Bible at Home in Your Family? Who has the final say in your home? Who settles disputes? Who decides right and wrong in your family? In a world that constantly denies that God created us and has authority over us, making God's Word the authority in our homes demands much more than teaching children what to believe and how to act. Read Now Are Wisdom Teeth Evidence for Evolution? Why do we humans have so many problems with wisdom teeth? And does this imply a poor design by the Creator? In mainstream scientific thinking, wisdom teeth are regarded as nothing more than unnecessary, evolutionary leftovers, useless remnants of mutation and natural selection. Wisdom teeth are still thought of and touted as vestigial structures and as evidence for evolution. But is this actually the case? Get Answers The Not-So-Nutty Habits of Squirrels Most people consider these rascally rodents to be pests. They dash haphazardly in front of cars; they chew on wires, insulation, and even bones; and they loot bird feeders. But a closer look past their annoying habits reveals a creature designed by the Creator with some not-so-nutty—actually brilliant—behaviors. Find Out More What's in a Look? Does the difference in eye contact times between domesticated dogs, dingoes, and wolves prove an evolutionary progression from one to another? Learn More → Abortion: Is It Really a Matter of Life and Death? Life begins at fertilization, and all human life is precious and made in the image of God. Learn More → Take an African Family Safari Go on an adventure of a lifetime with Buddy Davis and David Rives during the South African Family Safari and Creation Tour June 12–22, 2018. Find Out More → Jesus Devastates an Old Earth Many are more than willing to try to reinterpret Christ's plain meaning in Mark 10 because of their absolute adherence to millions and billions of years. Learn More → 5 Days of Science at the Creation Museum This summer will feature our inaugural Explore Science Camp, a five-day camp taking place here at the Creation Museum, June 11–15 and July 23–27, 2018. Learn More → Teach through the Bible in four years with this full-featured Sunday school curriculum for all ages. Get equipped to confidently share the gospel and biblical authority with this award-winning worldview magazine. Teach kids that the Bible is more than a dusty book of stories so they can trust its life-changing message of salvation! Copyright © 2018 Answers in Genesis, All rights reserved. PO Box 510 Hebron, KY  41048 view in browser

John R. Rice Quotes of the Week

The sins of a pastor may curse his people. I knew one well known preacher of great ability who was, I think, for a season, greatly used of God. But a moral decay set in in his life, and I can trace in the lives of a hundred other preachers the disastrous results of the arrogant pride, the boasting, the lying, of the preacher who sins. - John R. Rice

Do not confuse salvation and rewards. Salvation is free. Those who trust in Jesus Christ and are born again, already have salvation. But those whose works please Christ will receive a reward for them, when they face the dear Saviour in Heaven. - John R. Rice

God does not have fellowship with darkness. God cannot have fellowship with sin. Sin, even in God's own dear child, is a black thing which God hates. The Christian who still condones sin, still covers sin, and makes an excuse for sin, does not have fellowship with God while he walks in darkness. A Christian walking in darkness who says he has fellowship with God, lies and does not the truth, we are told. - John R. Rice

Praise the Lord, the blood of Jesus is the ground upon which Christians can claim forgiveness and cleansing every day. What Jesus Christ has purchased for us we have a right to claim, and we ought to claim. God is faithful and just to give us the forgiveness and cleansing which is purchased and which is promised! - John R. Rice

Confession means not only that you admit you did the thing, but you admit that it was a sin. Make sure that your wicked heart does not deceive you here. To say, "Lord, I did it, but I couldn't help myself; it was not really my fault," is not confession of sin but is excusing sin, taking sides with sin. If you want peace and forgiveness and cleansing, face sin honestly, call it by its right name, admit your guilt. - John R. Rice

Many times Christian people say, "If I have done wrong, I want God to forgive me." That is no confession. As long as you put an "IF" about your confession of sin, God puts an "IF" about His forgiveness of that sin! I beg you, if you want mercy, face sin for the black thing it is, recognize it, admit it, take sides against it, judge it! - John R. Rice

Have you confessed your sin to God? Have you turned away from it? Have you done all you can do to stop the evil effect of the sin? Then I beg you, dear troubled soul, believe what God has said and take the forgiveness. -- John R. Rice

IT’S STILL IN THE BOOK [Part 1]

Matthew 12:3 But he said unto them, Have ye not read what David did, when he was an hungred, and they that were with him;

Matthew 12:5 Or have ye not read in the law, how that on the sabbath days the priests in the temple profane the sabbath, and are blameless?

Matthew 19:4 And he answered and said unto them, Have ye not read, that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female,

Matthew 22:31 But as touching the resurrection of the dead, have ye not read that which was spoken unto you by God, saying,

Mark 12:10 And have ye not read this scripture; The stone which the builders rejected is become the head of the corner:

Mark 12:26 And as touching the dead, that they rise: have ye not read in the book of Moses, how in the bush God spake unto him, saying, I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob?

Luke 6:3 And Jesus answering them said, Have ye not read so much as this, what David did, when himself was an hungered, and they which were with him;

Pastor Rick Jackson

Down through the years there has been an effort by many to remove things from the Bible. Infidels, atheists, agnostics, and other sinners have sought to discredit God’s Book because they didn’t like what they read. Reader’s Digest, a somewhat conservative printing organization came out with a Condensed Bible- supposedly leaving out the “unimportant” parts of the Bible. Thomas Jefferson had a New Testament which consisted only of the parts he agreed with. Some ultra-feminist groups have sought to de-gender the Bible and want God to be referred to as “our Father-Mother which art in heaven” and Jesus to be called the “child of God” rather than the Son of God as the Scriptures declare Him to be. But despite these half-baked, simple-minded wicked folks with their inane, insane and incomprehensible ideas we need only to heed the words of the late evangelist Lester Roloff, “We don’t need to re-write the Bible, we just need to re-read it.”

There are a lot of things that people disagree with that are, quite simply, still in the Book.

I. CREATION IS STILL IN THE BOOK [Gn. 1:1, Rm. 1:19-22, Col.1:16-17, 1 Tm. 6:20]

Some people think evolution is scientific while Creation is just religious talk when the opposite is true. God created the laws of science by which this world operates. Design points to a Designer.

II. SATAN IS STILL IN THE BOOK [1 Pt. 5:8]

A liberal minister once told me personally that he did NOT believe that Satan existed. That man was so fooled by Satan he didn’t even realize who he was supposed to be fighting. Can you imagine what would happen to a fighter who did not believe his opponent existed.

III. SIN IS STILL IN THE BOOK [Pr. 14:9, 26:19; Rm. 3:23, Jm. 4:17, 1 Jn. 3:4]

In these days when drunkards are called alcoholics, adulterers are swingers, Bible Christians are called bigots… God still calls sin SIN.

IV. JUDGMENT IS STILL IN THE BOOK [Num. 32:23, Gal. 6:7-8, Ps. 9:17, Rm. 6:23a]

Sometimes judges protect the guilty while penalizing the innocent. People poke fun at God’s law and seemingly prosper while doing so. But Rm. 6:23 still says “the wages of sin is death.”

V. SALVATION IS STILL IN THE BOOK [Jn. 14:6, Acts 4:12, Rm. 6:23]

“There are many roads to Heaven” say some. But “the road to Hell is paved with good intentions.” There is only One Road to Heaven. The Jesus Road.

THE KING’S SACRIFICE

MATTHEW 27

Pastor Rick Jackson

I. THE KING’S ARRAIGNMENT [v. 1-25]

1. Sin’s Sorry Solution [v. 1-5]

2. Straining at a Gnat [v. 5-10]

3. Spiritually Wrong, Politically Expedient [v. 11-25]

II. THE KING’S AGONY [v. 26-50]

1. God in the Hands of Sinners [v. 26-34, 26:67]

2. Three Hours of Inhumanity [v. 35-49]

3. Three Hours of Hell [v. 45-50]

III. THE KING IN ABSENTIA [v. 51-66]

1. The Answer from Heaven [v. 51-53, 1 Cor. 15:20-23]

2. The Awe on Earth [v. 54, Eccl. 8:8]

3. The Arrangements [v. 55-66]

FAITH IS THE VICTORY

                                                 1 JOHN 5:1-5                                                     

Pastor Rick Jackson

Think about what would be the most important thing for you to have? Some would say money, power, food, shelter or clothing. Others might want popularity or good feelings. Maybe health or family. As important as some of these may be they are not the most important thing for you or I to have. The most important thing for you to have is faith in the One True God.

In Mk. 11:22 Jesus said, “Have faith in God!”

In Lk. 17:5 the apostles pleaded, “Lord, Increase our faith!”

Rom. 10:17 declares, “Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God!”

Someone may question why faith in the true God is so important. My friends, faith makes prayer successful! It opens the Bible to us! It gives us peace. It can make a drab person radiant and can lift you out of defeat. Faith in the One True God can give you the determination to continue despite all odds. Look at David, at Daniel, at Paul. Faith does that! Faith gives us roses in winter, food in famine, water in drought and victory in conflict!

Some have no faith, others have little faith, but some have great faith. Why is that? Consider,

I. THE BEGINNING OF FAITH [Rm. 10:17]

1. God’s Word is Established! [Psalm 119:89 For ever, O LORD, thy word is settled in heaven.]

2. God’s Word IS Effective [1 Th. 2:13]

3. God’s Word is Evangelistic [1 Th. 1:5-10]

Once faith begins it shouldn’t stop there. We must continue with

II. THE BUILDING OF FAITH [Lk. 17:5]

1. Faith Grows When We Believe [Heb. 11:6]

But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

2. Faith Grows When We Act on the Word [James 1:22-25]

But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was. But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.

3. Faith Grows When We pray [Mk. 9:23-24] J

Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth. And straightway the father of the child cried out, and said with tears, Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief.

4. Faith Grows When We memorize the Word [Ps. 119:11]

Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.

So now what? So now we see the result. In other words,

III. THE BLESSING OF FAITH

Faith will keep us steady. We can express this in 8 simple words, 4 simple phrases concerning how faith in God will help us.

1. Think Straight [Phil. 4:8]

Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.

2. Pray Right [Jm. 4:3]

Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.

3. Walk Correctly [Eph. 5:15-16]

See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.

4. Trust Completely [Prov. 3:5-7]

Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil.

John R. Rice Quotes of the Week

I do not wonder that Peter "went out and wept bitterly" after he denied the Saviour. His sin took all his joy. Sin will take away your joy, too, dear reader, if you allow it for a moment, unjudged, unconfessed in your life. - John R. Rice

I am convinced that the only people who do not believe the Bible are those who have not studied it devoutly and tried it thoroughly, and do not know the evidence in its favor, or who have a deliberate and wicked bias against God and the truth. - John R. Rice

The Bible is the infallible Word of God. Christ is the pre-existent Creator, the virgin-born Saviour who died for our sins and rose bodily from the grave for our justification. Believing the Bible, I have no trouble in believing all the historic Christian faith clearly taught therein. - John R. Rice

Most Christians live far below the level of joy and usefulness and provision which God intended His children to have, simply because we do not take everything to God in prayer and ask our Heavenly Father for what we need. - - John R. Rice

Any known sin, unconfessed, unjudged, unforsaken, makes it so that God cannot honorably and righteously give us many of the things we ask and need. God cannot put Himself in the position of endorsing our sins when He answers the prayers of sinning Christians who do not judge their sins and do not turn from them. - John R. Rice

Let every reader search his heart. Are you sure there is not a single known sin unconfessed to come to haunt your prayer life, to offend your heavenly Father, to grieve the sweet Spirit of God who dwells within you? O Christian, how sad when our sins shut up Heaven against our prayers and make it so God cannot hear as He wants to do! - John R. Rice

The holy law of a jealous God is this:

. . . for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me; And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments (Exod. 20:5, 6).

That does not mean that God punishes the innocent who do not deserve punishment. It means that a righteous God, giving man free will and choice, cannot keep children from following in the steps of their worldly and sinful parents. So, when parents sin they bring a curse upon their children. The Christian wife is cursed by the sin of the husband. - John R. Rice