Collection of hard truths, concise

Ryle, John C. 2007. Expository Thoughts on the Gospels. Vol. 3. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House, 1990. Print.

On John 3:2 -- Nicodemus: "We know."

"Ever at the present day people will talk of 'we' in religions, long before they will talk of 'I.' --Weak faith strive to be hid in a crowd."

On John 3:1-8 -- New birth

"A day will come when those who are not born again will wish that they had never been born at all."

New Birth

with much relevance to today's sermon from Eph 2:1-3

John Ryle on John 3:1-8

"The change which our Lord here declares needful to salvation is evidently no slight or superficial one. It is not merely reformation, or amendment, or moral change, or outward alteration of life. It is a thorough change of heart, will, and character. It is a resurrection. It is a new creation. It is a passing from death to life. It is the implanting in our dead hearts of a new principle from above. It is the calling into existence of a new creature, with a new nature, new habits of life, new tastes, new desires, new appetites, new judgments, new opinions, new hopes, and new fears. All this, and nothing less than this is implied, when our Lord declares that we all need a 'new birth.'

"We should never 'despise the day of small things'"

A divine provision of encouragement during a time of anxiety over the souls of others

John Ryle on John 3:1-8

"The conversation between Christ and Nicodemus, which begins with these verses, is one of the most important passages in the whole Bible. Nowhere else do we find stronger statements about those two mighty subject, the new birth, and salvation by faith in the Son of God. The servant of Christ will do well to make himself thoroughly acquainted with this chapter. A man my be ignorant of many things in religion, and yet be saved. But to be ignorant of the matters handled in this chapter, is to be in the broad way which leadeth to destruction...

The history of Nicodemus is meant to teach us that we should never "despise the day of small things" in religion. (Zec. iv. 10.) We must not set down a man as having no grace, because his first steps towards God are timid and wavering, and the first movements of his soul are uncertain, hesitating, and stamped with much imperfection. We must remember our Lord's reception of Nicodemus. He did not "break the bruised reed, or quench the smoking flax," which He saw before Him. (Matt. xii. 20.) Like Him, let us take inquirers by the hand, and deal with them gently and lovingly. In everything there must be a beginning. It is not those who make the most flaming profession of religion at first, who endure the longest and prove the most steadfast. Judas Iscariot was an apostle when Nicodemus was just groping in his way slowly into full light. Yet afterwards, when Nicodemus was boldly helping to bury his crucified Saviour, Judas Iscariot had betrayed Him, and hanged himself! This is a fact which ought not to be forgotten."


Ryle, John C. 2007. Expository Thoughts on the Gospels. Vol. 3. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House, 1990. 118-20. Print.

Daily Looking Upward to Christ

Daily Looking Upward to Christ

What will you get by looking upward to Jesus? Comfort and strength in all the daily battle of life. What thought more cheering than the thought that Jesus is ever looking at you and watching over you! What idea more strengthening than the idea that you are never alone, never forgotten, never neglected, never without a Friend who is “able to save to the uttermost all them who come unto God by Him!” (Heb. 7:25). This daily upward look at Jesus is a most important point. The life of Christ for His people in heaven is only second in importance to His death for them on the cross. The blood, the sacrifice, the atonement, the satisfaction for sin can never be too much prized or thought of. But the session in heaven, the priestly intercession, the daily advocacy of Jesus ought not to be forgotten. I sadly fear they are not so much considered in this day as they ought to be.

-J.C. Ryle
Tract: Are You Looking?

Snippets from "Expository Thoughts on the Gospels, Vol. 3"
John 2:1-11

"All that their souls required"

Come to Christ Just As You Are: A Sinner

"Let there be no mistake in your mind as to the special character of the person who has come to Christ, and is a true Christian. They are not angels; they are not half-angelic beings, in whom are no weaknesses, or blemishes, or defects – they are nothing of the kind. They are nothing more than a sinner who has found out their sinfulness, and has learned the blessed secret of living by faith in Christ. What was the glorious company of the apostles and prophets? What was the noble army of martyrs? What were Isaiah, Daniel, Peter, James, John, Paul, Polycarp, Chrysostom, Augustine, Luther, Bunyan, Baxter, Whitefield, Chalmers, M’Cheyne? What were they all? They were sinners who knew and felt their sins, and trusted only in Christ. What were they? They were people who accepted the invitation I bring to you this day, and came to Christ by faith. By this faith they lived – and in this faith they died. In themselves and their doings they saw nothing worth mentioning; but in Christ they saw all that their souls required."

- J.C. Ryle
Tract: Christ’s Invitation

Daily prayer

“What I know not, teach thou me.”

"We have found the Christ"

[Ryle on John 1:35-42]
The first blow in that mighty work by which Peter was made a pillar of the Church, was struck by Andrew's words, "We have found the Christ." Well would it be for the Church of Christ, if all believers were more like Andrew! Well would it be for souls if all men and women who have been converted themselves, would speak to their friends and relatives on spiritual subjects, and tell them what they have found! How much good might be done! How many might be led to Jesus, who now live and die in unbelief! The work of testifying the Gospel of the grace of God ought not to be left to ministers alone. All who have received mercy ought to find a tongue, and declare what God has done for their souls...

Let us take heed that we are among those who really follow Christ and abide with Him. It is not enough to hear Him preached from the pulpit, and to read of Him as described in books. We must actually follow Him, pour our hearts before Him, and hold personal communion with Him. Then, and not till then, we shall feel constrained to speak of Him to others. The man who only knows Christ by the hearing of the ear, will never do much for the spread of Christ's cause in the earth.

Ryle, J. C. Expository Thoughts on the Gospels. Vol. 3. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House, 1990. 70-71. Print.

Faith

Faith the grain of mustard seed develops into faith that moves the mountain;
faith the child increases into faith the giant.
May we know by experience how true this is.

 - Charles Haddon Spurgeon, from a sermon entitled "Faith And Its Attendant Privilege."

Let us learn to live the life of faith in Jesus more than we have up to this point.

Ever to be found by the fountain side—

ever to be eating Christ’s body by faith, and drinking Christ’s blood by faith—

ever to have before our minds Christ’s dying for our sins—

Christ’s rising again for our justification—

Christ interceding for us at God’s right hand—

Christ soon coming again to gather us to Himself— this is the mark which we should have continually before our eyes. 

We may fall short—but let us aim high. 

Let us walk in the full light of the Sun of righteousness, and then our graces will grow. 

Let us not be like trees on a cold north wall—weak, half-starved, and unfruitful. 

Let us rather strive to be like the sunflower—and follow the great Fountain of Light wherever He goes, and see Him with open face. Oh, for an eye more quick to discern His dealings! Oh, for an ear more ready to hear His voice!

- J.C. Ryle, Old Paths, “Forgiveness”, [Carlisle, PA: Banner of Truth, 1999], 209
 Ever Growing in Our Walk With Christ

Heart

The Things That Please God

God approves and honors heart-religion in the present life. He looks down from Heaven, and reads the hearts of all people. Wherever He sees . . . heart-repentance for sin, heart-faith in Christ, heart-holiness of life, heart-love to His Son, His law, His will, and His word . . . wherever God sees these things, He is well pleased.

 -J.C. Ryle, Tract: Formal Religion

Fear

Excerpt from "The Pilgrim's Progress" by John Bunyan

Christian explained, "True or right fear can be known by three things. First, by what causes it: the right kind of fear is caused by saving conviction of sin. Secondly, a good fear drives the soul to quickly lay hold of Christ for salvation. And thirdly, this fear begins and sustains in the soul a great reverence for God,  His Word, and His ways. It keeps the soul tender, making it afraid to turn right or left from His Word and ways. It makes the soul sensitive to anything that might dishonor God, grieve the Spirit, or cause the enemy to speak against God."