Quietness/Self Interest/Industriousness

The point: Make it a conscious, deliberate ambition to be quiet, especially if it's a weak point.

A quiet saint in a tumultuous, gossipy office is described as a 'beautiful oasis in a parched, sinful world,' illustrating the attractiveness of sanctified quietness.

In a tumultuous world filled with a meaningless blur of mingled sounds, a quiet saint is a beautiful man. People at the office running off at the mouth about this and that, silly talk, dirty talk, gossipy talk. And in the midst of all of that, someone with the sweet fragrance of Christ just quietly going about his or her business. What a beautiful oasis in a parched, sinful world.

13:43 - 14:13 Read in full sermon

The point: Be sensitive to the needs of your brother and bear one another's burdens, as this is part of 'your thing'.

Martin uses the analogy of his own body parts (hands, feet, tongue, eyes) functioning harmoniously by doing 'their own thing' as directed by the head, to illustrate how the body of Christ should function when each member attends to its God-given responsibilities.

It's being concerned about my brother. That's part of the circle of my thing. But in order to illustrate this, picture how grotesque it would be if as I'm preaching this morning, here my hands are doing their thing. They're helping me preach this morning.

19:40 - 19:55 Read in full sermon

The point: Recognize that the Holy Spirit equips you to do what God has appointed for you, not someone else's task.

A lady complains to Frederick the Great about her husband's treatment, and then about his evil talk about the king. Frederick dismisses both as 'none of my business,' illustrating the principle of sanctified self-interest and minding one's own affairs.

It is reported that a lady one time came to Frederick the Great and complained and said, Oh, how terribly my husband treats me. And he said, Madam, that's none of my business. Ah, she said, but if you knew how evil he talks about you, he says, Madam, that's none of your business. You get it?

22:15 - 22:39 Read in full sermon

Driving home: We have lost the biblical concept of the sanctity of labor. Remember, now what is the theme of this chapter? How to walk so as to please God. Now how do you please God? Paul says by sanctified industriousness.

Martin references Mayor Lindsay and the constant labor strikes in the metropolitan area to highlight the 'ludicrous' and 'unscriptural concept concerning labor' prevalent in society, setting up his argument for sanctified industriousness.

Those of us who live in the metropolitan area, we know that part of every day's news is going to be two or three more strikes. We know that. I mean, we just get insensitive to it. I don't know how Mayor Lindsay keeps his cool. I think if I were him, I'd say who in the world wants this job? Throw down the gauntlet and quit. And let the city go to pieces. I mean, I just marvel. God must give that man an awful lot of common grace or he's got an awful lot of political ambition one or the other to ever stick with that mess there. Just the labor mess alone. And one of the problems that you and I fac...

24:38 - 25:31 Read in full sermon

The point: Walk becomingly in day-by-day experience, demonstrating quietness, preoccupation with responsibility, and contentment in work, as a powerful witness to the world.

A woman dressed beautifully with a mink stole but wearing dirty brown sneakers is used to illustrate 'unbecoming' or 'uncomely' behavior, showing how a Christian's unquietness or meddling makes their profession inconsistent and unattractive to the world.

It's the word that means decently or comely. It's used in 1 Corinthians 12, 24 where Paul says, on our comely parts we bestow honor. On our uncomely parts we bestow our more honor. It's the word used in 1 Corinthians 14, 20. Let all things be done decently and in order. Let all things be done in a fitting way. It's the idea of a woman who might come through the door here this morning. Dressed in beautiful, finer hair.

31:33 - 32:02 Read in full sermon

The point: Mothers, study to be quiet, limit unnecessary telephone use, and embrace your God-given responsibilities at home as service unto the Lord.

Jesus' 18-20 years in the carpenter's shop, subject to his parents, is presented as the ultimate example of quietness and industriousness, pleasing God even in 'menial tasks' before his public ministry began.

leaves us in at least 18 or 20 so years of absolute silence the next time we see him he's coming to the river Jordan to be baptized as he's baptized of John the heavens ring out with the voice of God and what does God's voice say this is my son my beloved one in whom I am well pleased now what pleased him had the Lord been out healing raising the dead preaching the gospel of the kingdom nothing of the kind what had he been doing for 20 years buried in a carpenter shop and they didn't have 8 hour days or 7 hour days or 5 day weeks remember the Lord said are there not 12 hours in the day in whic...

39:39 - 41:03 Read in full sermon