OUR LORD'S COMPLIMENTS

MATTHEW 13:1

A. SETTING OF OUR TEXT
  1. Christ preached to the multitude who had come to Him with different motives:
    1. Some came out of sheer curiosity.
    2. Others came for the loaves and the fishes.
    3. And some came to hear the words of life to feed their hungry soul.
  2. It is in this connection that He pronounces a blessing upon his disciples:
    1. "Blessed are your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear" - Matt. 13:16
    2. "For verily I say unto you, That many prophets and righteous men have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them."
B. "BLESSED ARE YOUR EYES, FOR THEY SEE"
  1. Spiritual blindness is much worse than physical blindness:
    1. This truth is exemplified in the Pharisees; they had good physical eyesight, as far as we know, yet they were spiritually blind - Matt. 15:17; 23:19
    2. Unbelief blinds the mind against the light of truth - 2 Cor. 4:4
  2. Simple faith in Jesus Christ, based upon the word of God, illuminates the eyes of our understanding:
    1. That is the purpose of the preaching of the gospel of Jesus Christ - Acts 26:16-18
    2. It opens the word to those who receive it by faith - Luke 24:32
    3. Paul's statement - Eph. 1:17, 18
    4. Christ is the Light that lighteth everyone that cometh into the world - John 1:4; 8:12
  3. The words of our text apply, I believe, especially to the people in the Great Second Advent Movement:
    1. We are a people through the light of Bible prophecy.
    2. No other generation has been permitted to hear what we hear and see what we see.
    3. The great chain of Bible forecasts have illuminated the minds of our understanding.
C. "AND YOUR EARS, FOR THEY HEAR"
  1. Opportunities of hearing the word of God are unparalleled in the history of the church of God:
    1. We have the Radio that seems to reach the ears of the untold millions in all lands.
    2. The TV media is the marvel of all times, and most people have it in their homes.
    3. The Printing Press, too, is a mighty voice that reaches into most homes.
  2. If the prophets of old, and the apostles could see what we see, and hear what we hear, they would be astonished by our seeming indifference to present day events in the light of Bible prophecy: 1 Pet. 1:10, 11; Heb. 11:13
  3. Refusing to hear God's message for our day leaves the world without excuse:
    1. You have reason to be grateful and very happy that the Lord has made you willing to hear and to accept Present Truth - Matt. 11:25-30; 2 Pet. 1:12
    2. You have found it in your heart to pay the price of learning and accepting the truth, including the Sabbath of the fourth commandment.
    3. Read these scriptures with prayer - Matt. 13:45, 46; Isa. 56:1-7; 58:1-14
  4. But hearing and seeing the truth brings responsibility:
    1. Light from heaven makes the recipient responsible.
    2. "And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come." Matt. 24:14
    3. "For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse." Rom. 1:20
    4. "For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified." Rom. 2:13
    5. "But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves." Jas. 1:22


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