Sometime in the early 1990's I picked up a book by G. Campbell Morgan entitled, THE CRISES OF THE CHRIST, which was originally published in 1903. I must admit that the book was a hard read; not because of its content, but because of Morgan's style. Morgan was a British Congregational minister born in 1863. His writings include over 60 books and booklets, of which the one under consideration is perhaps the most famous.
The book has a world-wide reputation as one of the best at "showing how [Christ] meets man's many-sided need," (G.W. Grogan). Wilbur Smith in his Profitable Bible Study, said this concerning Crises of the Christ, ". . . the most important single volume that Dr. Morgan ever wrote. It is a masterpiece. No one volume has ever had as much influence over my thinking in my conception of the Lord Jesus Christ as this work."
When I read the table of contents and the foreword by Vernon Grounds I realized that reading through Morgan's style (British, turn of the century, Evangelical, etc.) would be worth my efforts and time spent. As I began my study I decided to "translate" Morgan's work for use as Bible class material. The culmination of the study is in the pages that follow. As you will see, the study became a series of nine lessons divided into 14 sermons with charts.
I must add here that the knowledge I've gleaned from Morgan's book encouraged me to read books by other British Evangelicals, namely Martyn Lloyd-Jones and Arthur W. Pink who were contemporary with Morgan. I highly recommend their works on the Sermon on the Mount.
Beginning in the spring of 1995, the church at Beverly Shores allowed me to preach the series on various Sundays. The final sermon was preached on the last Sunday evening of 1996.
I must commend my brethren at Beverly Shores for their support and patience in my effort. First, they have come to trust my judgment in presenting sermons that have multiple parts, and second, they have encouraged me to continue and complete this particular work. June and Jean Howell, Lois Craig, Jim and Julie Clark, and our minister Charles Nicks were especially supportive in this particular undertaking.
Carey Dillinger
December, 1996
Leesburg, Florida