Beginning to Preach
Jesus began to preachj and to say, Repent. — Matt. iv. 17.
This text invites us to look at two things: I. The Preacher and II. The Subject of His Preaching.
I. The Preacher. Jesus began to preacli.^^ Jesus was the Son of man and the Son of God. Who, then, can equal Him in sympathy and in wisdom? It should be understood that very much depends upon the freacher as well as upon the doctrine preached. The same doctrine is not the same thing as delivered by two different men. A thing must not only be said, it must be loell said. As a preacher, Jesus supplied all the great conditions of supreme influence.
First: There was more human nature in Jesus Christ than was ever in any other man. He needed not that any should testify of man, for He knew what was in man. He was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin, — without that one defilement which impairs and ruins the finest qualities of human nature. Preachers must be intensely human, if they would reach with good effect the hearts of men. They must know much of human experience; much of sorrow,, of pain, of temptation, and manifold difficulty. This was pre-eminently and most graciously true of the Saviour-preacher.
Second: There was more intellectual ability and spiritual insight in Jesus Christ than ever distinguished any other preacher. Look at the answers which He gave to cavillers! Look at the keenness of His discrimination as to moral differences, — hypocrisy, falseness, half-heartedness. Look at His love of truth, — simple, pure, eternal truth.
How then will such a preacher proceed with his work?
11. The SUBJECT of His preaching. That subject was Repentance. Hear this marvellous preacher — Rejpent! This is one of the most solemnly suggestive words in all human language.
1. Repent, — then men are in a wrong moral condition. But for this Jesus would never have come!” Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners.^^
2. Repent, — then there is a luorh which men must do ihemselves. One man cannot repent for another. See the power and the weakness of human nature in this particular. One man can suffer for another: can pay for another: can luorh for another: can even die for another, — but never can one man rejpent for another!
3. Repent,, — then until this special ivorlc is done every tiling else that is seemingly good is worthless. Men may go far into a certain kind of theological thinking, and yet be profoundly irreligious. We profess to know the truth, but have we repented? The first thing to be done is to put ourselves into a right moral condition. There is an artificial care about religion. What of our hearts? What of our conceptions of sin?
Where all has been so practical, there may be the less need for a formal application of the truth; there are some inferences, however, which ought to be plainly stated.
1. If Jesus preached repentance, all true preachers will do the same “Behold I have given you an example.”’’’
2. If Jesus urged men to repent it is certain that repentance is vitally necessary for all mankind.
3. If repentance is the first act needed, it is vicious and absurd to attempt to make religious progress without it.
Repentance is not one complete and final act. It may be the exercise of a lifetime. We need to repent every day. Even after our prayers we may have to plead for forgiveness of the sin which has marred their purity. Repentance will not be concluded until Death itself has been overthrown.