One. The overthrow of Sodom is not the end of Sodom; it shall rise in the judgment , (Lk. 11 : 32 ); death is not the end of sinners, for it is not the stones of Sodom and Sidon, but the souls that shall rise (Rev. 20:11-13); (3) Of de- grees of judgment; it shall be "more tolerable" for some than others; judg- ment proportioned not to men's deeds, but to their light; not by what they have done against God, but by what He has done among them. And think what light and grace are ours! II. GRATULATION. 1. "At that time." (1) While these thoughts were in His mind Jesus ex- pressed His satisfaction in the Father's ordination. (2) "Jesus answered." Perhaps some one asked, Why, if Sodom would have repented, were not "those mighty works" done there?. Or, per- haps, the question rose in His own mind, for He, too, was human. His answer was (a) to refer the matter back to the Father, "Lord of heaven and earth," who "doeth according to His will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth: and none can stay His hand, or say unto Him, What doest Thou?" (Dan. 4:35). (b) "I thank Thee that," etc. Having taught that foundation truth, that "man, whose breath is in his nostrils" (Isa. 2:22) should not reply against Go.d (Rom. 9:20). He thanked the Sovren Lord of heaven and earth that it is His disposition to have "respect unto the lowly: but the proud He know- e t h a f a r o i f" (Psa. 138:6). Let Sodom, and Tyre, and Capernaum repent, con- vert, and humble themselves before God, and He will receive them; but shall we not be thankful that the wicked, the proud and haughty, and worldly-wise are not His favorites, but that little babes, whether in years or In spirit? 2. "All things a re delivered unto Me of my Father." And are we not to be congratulated, we mortals, so helpless in the hand of almighty power, that Jesus, gentle and just, is "Lord of all?" What a good God He must be who gives all authority to the good Christ? And how wicked the Chorazins, Bethsaidas, and Capernaums of this world, to resist such grace and power! III. INVITATION. (2) Of eternal judgment.
CONDEMNATION: GRATULATION: INVITATION Lesson XI. Matthew 11:20-30. September 15th. 1. CONDEMNATION. 1. "Then began He to upbraid." (1) "Then," not till He had done all and they had done nothing did He change from grace to judgment (Rom. 2 : 4 ). (2) -"Upbraid," that is "chide" or "re- prove"; as much of tenderness in it as of severity. So he wept over Jerusalem (Lk. 13:34). 2. "Most of His mighty works." The miracles of Jesus were (1) mighty works, (2) mercy works, (3) Messiah works. (1) "Mighty" works, works of power. Works that no other man could do, such as healing the sick, cleansing the leper, raising the dead, stilling a tempest, changing water to wine, multi- plying loaves and fish, and filling a net from the deep sea, all at a word, a will, or wish. He did many more such things than are recorded (Jno. 20:30, 31); and "most" of them in and around the cities of Galilee. (2) Mercy works. These miracles were all deeds of mercy and deliverance, showing the benevo- lence of the doer and calling for grate- ful returns from the populace. (2) Messianic works. They were just such works as the prophets ascribed to the Christ and, taken with His character and teaching, positive proof of His mes- sianic authority. Nothing more could be done. After all their hearts were growing more and more contrary to Him. Their "hardness and impenitent heart treasured up wrath against the day of wrath," and Jesus warned them of it. It is the same, and more so, with the impenitent "Christian" lands and cities in which we live today. 3. "Woe untio thee, Chorazin, Beth- saida, Capernaum!" "If the things that have been done . . . had been done in Tyre, Sidon, Sodom, they would have repented." Heathen cities, notoriously wicked, all of them! The hardest hearts are among them that make a show of morality and godliness. Better chance today in Sodom than in Caper- naum; in the slum than in the syna- gogue. 4. "More tolerable In the judgment." Here Jesus speaks: (1) Of coming judg- ment. Unbelief and impenitence in Christendom; paganism and oppression in Heathendom; the abominations of the flesh everywhere; Capernaum; Tyre, Sodom, shall not flourish forever, es- caping the wrath of the holy and just
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t . The tenderest text. The Psalmist. said, "How sweet are thy words" (Psa. 119:103). But he had never heard,
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