That This Epistle Be Read

The point: Obey commands that come with peculiar mandate from God; it's dangerous to ignore them.

Martin uses the analogy of a parent's command to a child, distinguishing between a sweet command and an immediate, stern command, to illustrate how Paul's adjuration adds a peculiar mandate and implied threat beyond mere apostolic authority.

Anything your mother and father tell you to do comes to you with the full weight of their God-given parental authority. When they smile, when they smile very sweetly and say very singingly, Johnny, come here. No matter how sweet and drippy and gooey they make it, the very fact that it's mama's or papa's lips speaking invests that word with peculiar God-given authority. God has constituted them your heads.

8:37 - 9:04 Read in full sermon

The point: Carelessness in attendance is one of the indications of treating the privilege of an open Bible lightly.

He recounts a story about a heating unit that 'believed a lie' from a faulty thermostat, causing it to not work and leaving people cold, illustrating how God gives up those who don't love the truth to believe a lie, with real consequences.

It believed a lie.

41:57 - 41:59 Read in full sermon

The point: Be faithful in attendance upon a ministry of the Word of the living God.

Martin provides an example of a believer grieving hopelessly after a loved one's death, like a pagan, because they missed the reading of the epistle that taught about not sorrowing as those without hope, highlighting the consequences of unfaithful attendance to the Word.

And so I see in this, and perhaps maybe a pastor's eyes see it where others wouldn't, a serious charge to faithful attendance upon a ministry of the Word of the living God. Otherwise, what would you have? Well, you'd have some people, a loved one died and there they are just grieving like any old pagan and sobbing, hopeless, despairing sobs. They're a poor testimony to all the neighbors and one of the brethren comes and says, look, didn't you remember what the apostle said?

42:50 - 43:17 Read in full sermon