The following 10-minute devotional on the gospel of Luke was done by a gifted reader who used beautiful music to accent the sections of his reading.
Points that outline his reading are noted for those who don’t want to spend ten minutes listening.
If you’re a parent, there is much useful information for you.
Sermon text:
Luke 9:37 On the next day, when they had come down from the mountain, a great crowd met him. 38 And behold, a man from the crowd cried out, “Teacher, I beg you to look at my son, for he is my only child. 39 And behold, a spirit seizes him, and he suddenly cries out. It convulses him so that he foams at the mouth, and shatters him, and will hardly leave him. 40 And I begged your disciples to cast it out, but they could not.” 41 Jesus answered, “O faithless and twisted generation, how long am I to be with you and bear with you? Bring your son here.” 42 While he was coming, the demon threw him to the ground and convulsed him. But Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit and healed the boy, and gave him back to his father.
[Jesus Again Foretells His Death]
Luke 9:43 And all were astonished at the majesty of God. But while they were all marveling at everything he was doing, Jesus said to his disciples, 44 “Let these words sink into your ears: The Son of Man is about to be delivered into the hands of men.” 45 But they did not understand this saying, and it was concealed from them, so that they might not perceive it. And they were afraid to ask him about this saying.
The following points are an outline of the contents of the devotional [bracketed statements are mine]:
- Firstly: the text contains an example of what a parent should do when troubled about his children – take those concerns to the Lord Jesus Christ
- As long as a parent is alive and continues to pray for his child, there is no need to despair about that child’s soul
- Secondly: there is an example of Christ’s readiness to show mercy to young people
- The prayer of an afflicted parent was graciously granted by Christ
- The reader conveyed numerous other similar examples
- We should seek to do good to the souls of the young
- Such examples of Christ are an antidote to common thinking that says it is useless to press religion on the attention of the young
- Christ is still mighty to save
- Thus, try to do good to the young [teaching them of Christ, salvation…]
- This text also contains an example of spiritual ignorance in the hearts of good men
- The disciples did not understand that Christ was to die soon, it was hidden from them
- The throne of David so filled their eyes that they could not see the cross (national prejudices and ways they had been taught to view the Messiah… blinded them)
- There are two useful lessons in this:
- Firstly: people may understand spiritual things feebly and still be children of God
- Grace is better than gifts; faith is better than knowledge
- That is, if one has sufficient grace and faith to pick up his cross and follow Christ, then he shall be saved in spite of much ignorance
- Secondly: we should bear with ignorance in others, and be patient with beginners in religion
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- C. Ryle playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLzOwqed_gET0dOOXT1ZsHa_0ANbrrsXhb
- C. Ryle – (1816-1900), first Anglican bishop of Liverpool
John Charles Ryle was born at Macclesfield and was educated at Eton and at Christ Church, Oxford. He was a fine athlete who rowed and played Cricket for Oxford, where he took a first class degree in Greats and was offered a college fellowship (teaching position) which he declined. The son of a wealthy banker, he was destined for a career in politics before answering a call to ordained ministry.
He was spiritually awakened in 1838 while hearing Ephesians 2 read in church. He was ordained by Bishop Sumner at Winchester in 1842. After holding a curacy at Exbury in Hampshire, he became rector of St Thomas’s, Winchester (1843), rector of Helmingham, Suffolk (1844), vicar of Stradbroke (1861), honorary canon of Norwich (1872), and dean of Salisbury (1880). In 1880, at age 64, he became the first bishop of Liverpool, at the recommendation of Prime Minister Benjamin Disraeli. He retired in 1900 at age 83 and died later the same year.
Ryle was a strong supporter of the evangelical school and a critic of Ritualism. Among his longer works are Christian Leaders of the Eighteenth Century (1869), Expository Thoughts on the Gospels (7 vols, 1856-69) and Principles for Churchmen (1884).
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