August 27^th , 2017

9:30 am -------------------------------------Judas’ Betrayal of The Lord – John 13:18-30

10:00 am --------------------Under The Cloud, Through The Sea – 1 Corinthians 10:1-14

Wednesday: 7:30

“Verily, verily, I say unto you, that one of you shall betray me.” – John 13:21

"One of you shall betray me; one of you my apostles and constant followers." He spoke of it with a manifest concern; He was troubled in spirit when He mentioned it. He had often spoken of His own sufferings and death, without any such trouble of spirit as He here manifested when He spoke of the ingratitude and treachery of Judas. This touched Him in a tender part. The falls and miscarriages of the disciples of Christ are a great trouble of spirit to their Master; the sins of Christians are the grief of Christ. "What! One of you betray me? You that have received from me such distinguishing favours; you that I had reason to think would be firm to me, that have professed such a respect for me; what iniquity have you found in me that one of you should betray me?" This went to his Heart, as the undutifulness of children grieves those who have nourished and brought them up. ( Isa. 1: 2, Ps. 95:10; Isa. 53:10)

“Then the disciples looked one on another, doubting of whom He spake.” – John 13:22

By looking one upon another they evinced the trouble they were in upon this notice given them; it struck such a horror upon them that they knew not well which way to look, nor what to say. They saw their Master troubled, and therefore they were troubled. This was at a feast where they were cheerfully entertained; but hence we must be taught to rejoice with trembling, and as though we rejoiced not. When David wept for his son's rebellion, all his followers wept with him (2 Sam. 15:30); so Christ's disciples here. Note, That which grieves Christ is, and should be, a grief to all that are His, particularly the scandalous miscarriages of those that are called by His name. Paul wrote, “Who is offended, and I burn not?” (2 Cor.11:29)

-- From Matthew Henry’s Commentaries

IF THEY MEAN BY LOVE . . . !!

I constantly maintain the glories, beauties, and preciousness of love; and yet I am branded an enemy to love. But, if by love, they mean I ought to unite with those who deny the Deity of my God and Saviour; if by love they mean I ought to unite occasionally with people who say without a blush that election is a “damnable doctrine” and hate it in their hearts; that imputed righteousness is "imputed nonsense" (quotes by John Wesley), a doctrine that ought to be spurned by all, which is the very covering that hides all my shame, the very robe that adorns my naked soul, and is the joy and rejoicing of my heart, and which I have found to be the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; if they mean by love that I ought to unite with people who testify that we may be a child of God one day and testify that we may be a child of the devil another; that Christ died and atoned for the sins of Esau as well as Jacob, for Cain as well as Abel, for Judas as well as Peter, and that there are thousands in Hell for whom Christ died; if they mean by love that I ought to unite and call them BRETHREN who profess to believe the doctrines of grace, and call themselves Calvinists, but can declare at times that those blessed doctrines which are so precious and glorious to my soul are non-essential things; that is, if I understand their meaning right, they view them as useless things, and that it is of no consequence whatever whether we receive or believe these doctrines or not, provided we do unite with all sorts, and pray for all, and be candid and mild, and esteem all as partakers of grace; I confess from my heart, if all this be love, I AM DESTITUTE OF IT, and instead of being grieved for my lack of it, I glory in it. – John Warburton – 1776-1857

“ My grand point in preaching is to break the hard heart, and to heal the broken one.” – John Newton

“ A preacher without boldness is like a smooth file.” – William Gurnall

“ Preaching is theology coming through a man who is on fire.” – Martyn Lloyd Jones

“ I preach as though Christ was crucified yesterday, rose from the grave today and is coming back tomorrow.” - M. Luther

“ I preach what I did feel, what I did smartingly feel.” – John Bunyan