Old Treasures Made New

Matthew 16:24-28

1. Let us learn from these verses that men must make up their minds to trouble and self-denial, if they follow Christ.
2. Let us learn from these verses that there is nothing so precious as a man's soul.
3. Let us learn that the second coming of Christ is the time when His people shall receive their rewards.

"The bitter must come before the sweet, the cross before the crown."

Matthew 16:21-23

1. We learn from these verses that there may be much spiritual ignorance even in a true disciple of Christ.
2. Let us learn from these verses that there is no doctrine of Scripture so deeply important as the doctrine of Christ's atoning death.

"The error that drew from so loving a Savior such a stern rebuke to such a true disciple, must have been a mighty error indeed...Error on many other points is only a skin disease. Error about Christ's death is a disease at the heart."

Matthew 16:13-20

A brief look at the controverted words:

1. What, then are we to understand, when we read that remarkable saying of our Lord's, "You are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church?"
2. But what are we to understand, when we read the promise which our Lord makes to Peter, "I will give to you the keys of the kingdom of heaven?"
3. Finally, what are we to understand, when we read the words, "Whatever you bind on earth will have been bound in heaven; and whatever you release on earth will have been released in heaven?"

3 points for our own souls:

1. Let us admire the noble confession which the apostle Peter makes in this passage.
2. Let us take care that we understand what our Lord means when He speaks of His Church.
3. Let us mark the glorious promises which our Lord makes to His Church.

Matthew 16:1-12

1. The first point in this passage which deserves special notice, is the repetition which our Lord makes of words used by Him on a former occasion.
2. The second point which deserves special notice in these verses is, the solemn warning which our Lord takes occasion to give to His disciples.
3. Finally, let us make a personal use of this caution, by keeping up a holy jealousy over our own souls.

"Let our principle be "the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth," nothing added to it, and nothing taken away."

Matthew 15:29-39

1. Let us remark, how much more pain people take about the relief of their bodily diseases, than about their souls.
2. Let us remark the marvelous ease and power with which our Lord healed all who were brought to Him.
3. Let us remark the abundant compassion of our Lord Jesus Christ.

"Christ's mercy is a deep well, of which no one ever found the bottom."

Matthew 15:21-28

1. We see that true faith may sometimes be found, where it might have been least expected.
2. We see that affliction sometimes proves a blessing to a person's soul.
3. We see that Christ's people are often less gracious and compassionate than Christ Himself.
4. We see what encouragement there is to persevere in prayer, both for ourselves and others.

"Above all, let us tell men continually that they must not judge of Christ by Christians. Let us assure them that there is far more in that gracious Master, than there is in the best of His servants."

"Let us be sure that no time is so well-spent in every day, as that which we spend upon our knees."

Matthew 15:10-20

1.Respecting FALSE DOCTRINE, our Lord declares, that it is a duty to oppose it, that its final destruction is sure, and that its teachers ought to be forsaken.

• Do we not see here the duty of boldness in resisting false teaching?
• Do we not see again the duty of forsaking false teachers, if they will not give up their delusions?
• Do we not see, in the last place, the duty of patience, when we see false teaching abound?

2.Respecting the HEART OF MAN, our Lord declares in these verses, that it is the true source of all sin and defilement.

• Let it be a settled resolution with us, that in all our religion the state of our hearts shall be the main thing.
• Let it be a settled resolution with us to "keep our hearts with all diligence," all the days of our lives. (Prov. 4:23.)

Matthew 15:1-9

1. We learn, for one thing, that hypocrites generally attach great importance to mere outward things in religion.
2. We learn, for another thing, from these verses, the great danger of attempting to add anything to the word of God.
3. We learn, in the last place, from these verses, that the religious worship which God desires, is the worship of the heart.

Matthew 14:22-36

1. We learn, in the first place, from this miracle, what absolute dominion our Savior has over all created things.
2. We learn, in the second place, from this miracle, what power Jesus can bestow on those who believe on Him.
3. Let us learn, in the third place, from this miracle, how much trouble disciples bring on themselves by unbelief.
4. Let us learn, in the last place, from this miracle, how merciful our Lord Jesus Christ is to weak believers.

Favorite Quote: "May we only remember, that while we do not despise little faith, we must not sit down content with it. Our prayer must ever be, "Lord, increase our faith."

Matthew 14:13-21

1. In the first place, this miracle is an unanswerable proof of our Lord's divine POWER.
2. In the second place, this miracle is a striking example of our Lord's COMPASSION toward men.
3. In the last place, this miracle is a lively emblem of the sufficiency of the Gospel to meet the soul-needs of all mankind.