Marks of a True Ministry, Part 4

The point: Ensure your ministry (as a mother, father, or witness) has masculine qualities of absolute committal to truth, inflexible determination, and refusal to flatter.

Martin quotes A.W. Tozer's description of 'soft-handed preachers with the saintly flush on their cheek' to contrast with Paul's vigorous, masculine qualities, emphasizing that Paul was not such a preacher.

You don't get any of the concept, that Paul was what brother Tozer, Dr. Tozer called, these soft-handed preachers with the saintly flush on their cheek. Well, you don't find any of that in the Apostle Paul. And so we've tried to see, that your concept of the ministry you have as a mother, as a father, as a witness to your neighbor, must have these masculine qualities of absolute committal to truth, of an inflexible, unbending, unflinching determination.

4:41 - 5:13 Read in full sermon

Driving home: We were gentle among you as a mother nursing the very fruit of her own womb.

Paul's gentleness is likened to a wet nurse nourishing a child from her own breast, specifically emphasizing the intense tenderness a mother has for 'the very child of her own flesh and blood,' illustrating deep, personal, life-sustaining care.

Now the word nurse here comes from a root word, which means to nourish with food. And literally, Paul is saying, we were gentle among you as a wet nurse, we would call them in our day. Someone who is actually sustaining life with her own life. Someone who is nourishing the life of another from her own breast.

9:43 - 10:04 Read in full sermon

Driving home: Now, you see, there's a difference between imparting something I possess and imparting myself.

Martin contrasts a postman who merely delivers a letter without personal involvement with Paul's ministry, which involved not just delivering the Gospel message but giving himself to help people through their dilemmas, illustrating the difference between imparting something possessed and imparting oneself.

When the postman comes and delivers a letter, whatever that message is, he faithfully delivers it. But he doesn't give himself. In that letter might be some heartbreaking news. He couldn't care less.

15:44 - 15:59 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: Martin explores the origin of this gentle disposition, stating it arose because the Thessalonians 'became and are still dear' to Paul, a love that developed through obedience and…

Martin shares that some mothers (and fathers) don't immediately feel deep, overpowering love for their newborn, but that this love develops through involvement, illustrating how Paul's love for the Thessalonians grew through his ministry to them.

Now she doesn't feel that before the child comes. She may not even feel it the first couple of weeks. I've talked with some mothers. Who really had a terrible.

21:08 - 21:15 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: Martin applies the principle that God's eternal love and His servants' demonstrated love are inseparable channels for salvation, warning that masculine marks without feminine…

Martin recounts his grandmother's tearful plea to him as a 14-year-old, demonstrating how the 'involvement of love' made a profound impact and showed him someone cared deeply for his spiritual state.

And that's the mark of a true minister. And a true ministry. As I told the ladies in the ladies class. When my grandmother who'd prayed for me for years.

29:37 - 29:47 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: Martin applies the principle that God's eternal love and His servants' demonstrated love are inseparable channels for salvation, warning that masculine marks without feminine…

He shares the story of Elmer, who prayed with tears for his coworker Ernie Reisinger, even foregoing hot supper to intercede, illustrating the deep, self-denying involvement of love that leads to salvation.

Whole hearted. I knew somebody was involved. In love with me. Those of you who've heard Mr. Reisinger's testimony.

30:12 - 30:21 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: Martin applies the principle that God's eternal love and His servants' demonstrated love are inseparable channels for salvation, warning that masculine marks without feminine…

Martin recounts the mythological story of a sculptor who fell in love with his statue, prayed for it to come to life, and embraced it until it became flesh, symbolizing how involvement and love can bring life to the cold and lifeless.

To pray. Cry to God. There's a story that comes out of classical mythology that illustrates this beautifully. A certain sculptor.

31:58 - 32:13 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: He challenges the audience to consider if their lack of involvement and self-denial is hindering the salvation of their loved ones and neighbors, lamenting the modern aversion to…

He uses the example of people watching an old woman being mugged in New York City without intervening, illustrating the modern aversion to 'getting involved' due to the cost and risk, and how this attitude has crept into the church.

Of love. You and I know. it's amazed and astounded sociologists and psychologists they can't understand what's behind it fully when someone can walk down 8th Avenue in New York City an old woman unable to defend herself from a child and two thugs will come up and grab her and snatch her pocketbook and beat her to the ground and people will stand 20 feet away and they'll watch they don't want to get involved why? because involvement might affect them I might come away with a bump on my head her need is not worth running the risk I might come away with my pocket picked the risk is not worth it d...

39:13 - 40:41 Read in full sermon