Younger Be Subject Unto the Elders, #4

In this part of the sermon: The third prerequisite is thankfully receiving biblically qualified and functioning elders as a gracious gift from Christ Himself, who continues to nourish and cherish His church…

Martin uses the examples of doubting Thomas, impetuous Peter, and the sons of thunder to illustrate that Christ gives real, diverse men as gifts, not clones, emphasizing their distinct personalities.

He gave some apostles that is real live apostles. Some were five foot two maybe some five foot seven maybe some six foot four. Real live men with distinct physiology with distinct personality with distinct individual temperaments but Christ gave them and when you read through the New Testament you see none of them is a clone of the other. There is doubting Thomas there is impetuous Peter there are the sons of thunder one of whom becomes the great apostle of love.

12:57 - 13:31 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: The third prerequisite is thankfully receiving biblically qualified and functioning elders as a gracious gift from Christ Himself, who continues to nourish and cherish His church…

He extends the idea of diverse personalities to pastors and teachers, describing variations in physical appearance, voice, and preaching style (quiet intensity vs. thundering), to show that Christ gives real, varied men.

Their distinct personalities are very clearly stamped upon the biblical record yet each one is to be looked upon as a gift of praise. Christ He gave some apostles and some New Testament prophets and Agabus and others who are mentioned in the book of Acts and He gives pastors and teachers that is real live men with distinct individual physiology some tall some short some a little skinny some a little wide some with high voices some with mid range voices some with low voices some will talk very quietly in their intensity some who thunder and roar. Some whose faces get red and their veins stand o...

13:32 - 14:17 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: Martin argues that being without shepherds is tragic, citing Matthew 9 and Numbers 27, and emphasizes that godly, functioning shepherds are a gift that brings glory to God and…

Jesus' mixing of metaphors (sheep without a shepherd and a harvest needing laborers) is used to show the Lord's concern for people needing spiritual guidance and the need for God to send laborers.

He looks upon them with pity and compassion, for they are scattered and distressed as sheep, not having a shepherd. Then He says, pray, by mixing the metaphors and the images, pray, the Lord of the harvest. Well, you don't harvest sheep unless you're raising sheep for mutton and for leg of lamb. The Lord mixes the metaphors.

20:12 - 20:34 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: Martin argues that being without shepherds is tragic, citing Matthew 9 and Numbers 27, and emphasizes that godly, functioning shepherds are a gift that brings glory to God and…

Martin uses rhetorical questions to highlight the absurdity of God rejecting Moses' prayer for a shepherd, thereby emphasizing God's actual positive response in appointing Joshua.

He says, shame on you, Moses. Don't you know I'm the only shepherd that Israel needs? Don't you know that they need no human shepherd? It is unspiritual of you, Moses.

22:16 - 22:26 Read in full sermon

The point: Think biblically on these issues and cut through all the smoke and all the woolly thinking and all the self-deception that says I can be rightly related to Jesus whereas my relationship to those whom Jesus sends and thos…

He uses the analogy of Christ's pierced right hand (dying love) and His left hand (nurturing love, giving pastors) to illustrate that one cannot embrace Christ's saving work while rejecting His ongoing provision of spiritual leadership.

And the Lord Jesus says, do you trust me and love me? And the person, oh yes Lord. And he says, now in what sense do you trust me and love me? Well, Lord Jesus, I trust you and I love you because I see you stretch out your right hand and I see the marks from your being impaled upon a cross.

30:06 - 30:26 Read in full sermon

The point: Maintain a disposition of esteem and love for those who are your shepherds.

The difficulty of obeying parents, and how respect and love make it easier, is used to illustrate the crucial role of esteem and love in obeying spiritual authority.

You must maintain a disposition of esteem and love for those who are your shepherds. Now think with me as I try to explain how crucial this is. You kids, let me ask you. Is it difficult to obey mom and dad?

33:08 - 33:26 Read in full sermon

The point: Maintain a disposition of esteem and love for those who are your shepherds.

The difficulty of obeying civil authority, and how love and esteem make it easier, is used to further illustrate the importance of these dispositions for submission, especially in spiritual matters.

At least if you respect mom and dad it helps to make it a little easier to obey them. All right? Same true with the civil authority. When the scripture tells us that we are to honor and submit to those who are over us in civil authority it's never easy to our flesh.

33:49 - 34:10 Read in full sermon

The point: No man, no woman ought to become a member of a church where the office bearers as a body do not command his respect for their personal qualifications. He sports with his own edification if he does so. Nor ought he to con…

Martin quotes John Brown to underscore that while divine authority is primary, personal respect for office bearers is almost equally important for the right discharge of ecclesiastical obedience.

And again, John Brown is most perceptive when having established that we must recognize the divine authority standing behind biblically qualified, biblically functioning elders. He says, inferior in importance to this matter but only inferior to it is the second prerequisite to the right discharge of the duty of submission of obedience to one's elders. A personal respect for the individuals invested with office. To discharge the duties of civil obedience without this is difficult.

34:48 - 35:23 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: He clarifies that esteem and love for elders do not require personal chemistry or preference, but rather a principled appreciation for their work, regardless of personality…

He distinguishes between the 'chemistry' that draws people to closest friends (based on shared interests, personality meshing) and the principled esteem and love required for elders, which is based on their work.

You don't have to feel that toward anyone or all of your elders to be obeying this. You see the chemistry that makes people choose their closest friends has all kinds of things that have nothing to do with their work on our behalf. It may have to do with their interest. It may have to do with what they like in their musical taste.

44:02 - 44:23 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: He clarifies that esteem and love for elders do not require personal chemistry or preference, but rather a principled appreciation for their work, regardless of personality…

Martin uses the humorous analogy of not wanting to marry an elder or choose him as a favorite uncle/grandpa to emphasize that esteem and love for elders are not based on personal preference or familial affection.

If you were the only woman and that elder or the elders were the only men you'd say Lord I'd rather be single. I'd rather be single the rest of my life than be married to that guy. That's perfectly all right. That's perfectly all right.

44:57 - 45:09 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: He clarifies that esteem and love for elders do not require personal chemistry or preference, but rather a principled appreciation for their work, regardless of personality…

The analogy of different nose shapes is used to illustrate that personal variables and preferences are innocent but irrelevant to the commanded esteem and love for elders.

It's totally removed from all of those many variables that are operative in interpersonal relationships and that are as innocent as they are for the difference in the shape of your nose from my nose. You want me to prove my nose shape is better than yours? Can't do it. Can't even try to do it.

45:24 - 45:43 Read in full sermon

The point: Plead with God that by the grace of God we would be a people whose life is marked by a tenacious submission to what God has said.

Martin quotes John Brown again to emphasize the mutual interest of ministers and people in maintaining cordial attachment, which is essential for effective ministry and spiritual advantage.

from the heart that which God requires of them in relationship to their overseers. And when that relationship is operative, it is a beautiful thing. I close again by quoting my patron saint, John Brown, who's speaking on this last point of the necessity of the maintenance of affection and esteem between the people of God and their overseers. He says it's obviously of equal interest of ministers and people that a cordial attachment should subsist between them and that on both sides everything should be avoided that has a tendency to diminish and to alienate mutual affection.

52:38 - 53:19 Read in full sermon

Driving home: Now, when God ceases to be God, then we'll change our view of how we approach Him.

He uses the example of preachers wearing sports shirts and open collars versus more formal attire to illustrate how seemingly minor stylistic choices convey a message about the reverence (or lack thereof) for meeting with God.

You see, some people would call us just wretched traditionalists because I don't appear here to preach to you with a sports shirt and an open collar. There are many churches that do that. And you say, well, that's just a matter of style. No, it's making a message.

55:54 - 56:07 Read in full sermon