Necessary Spiritual Gifts

In this part of the sermon: Martin reviews the framework of an ordinary call to ministry, distinguishing it from extraordinary calls. He reiterates the four irreducible elements of an ordinary call (desire…

Martin quotes John Owen's distinction between extraordinary offices (apostles, prophets) requiring extraordinary calls, and ordinary offices (teaching elder) requiring ordinary calls, to frame the discussion on ministerial qualifications.

is how we've approached it. I spent the first session dealing with six things that do not constitute a call to the ministry, but which play very heavily in the minds of many young men as they think of the ministry. And I won't even repeat those things. I'll just tell you that's what we covered. Then we spent in the second session our time dealing with four things that are the irreducible minimum of what constitutes an ordinary call to this ordinary office of a teaching elder. John Owen makes a very helpful distinction when treating of the subject of the call to the ministry between extraordina...

0:51 - 1:37 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: This section argues that a deep, experiential knowledge of and devotion to Jesus Christ is fundamental to all other gifts and graces. Martin illustrates this through Christ's call…

The efficiency of being 'fishers of men' is directly proportional to the thoroughness of attachment to Christ, illustrating that service flows from relationship.

Many of us learned this verse when we learned a little ditty in Sunday school many years ago, I will make you fishers of men, fishers of men, fishers of men, I will make you fishers of men if you follow, follow me. Well, let's look at it in its more accurate biblical setting. Mark chapter one and verse 17. And Jesus said unto them, Come ye after me, and I will make you to become fishers of men. Here they were tending their nets, and our Lord calls them to a very radical and all pervasive relationship, a new relationship. You've attached yourself to your nets. Now attach yourself to me, and out...

8:59 - 9:51 Read in full sermon

The point: If the requirement of a deep experimental knowledge of and devotion to Christ is lacking, recognize that nothing else can make up for it.

Martin quotes George Whitfield's sermon on the duty of a gospel minister, where Whitfield states that preaching 'truths unfelt' results in 'poor, dry, sapless stuff' and that he would 'not preach an unknown Christ for ten thousand worlds,' emphasizing the necessity of experiential knowledge.

paid to do something for which I had no heart. And miserable is the man who on the one hand sees that the theme of his preaching must be Christ, but who has a heart devoid of experimental acquaintance with Christ. Just the mention of Jesus in his preaching doesn't meet the biblical standard. It must be a speaking of him that is the overflow of that where unto the Lord has appeared unto him and is yet appearing to him. Let me quote some very confirming words on this theme from this excellent little book by James Stewart. I do not put my imprimatur upon James Stewart's theology nor many of his v...

16:07 - 16:56 Read in full sermon

The point: If the requirement of a deep experimental knowledge of and devotion to Christ is lacking, recognize that nothing else can make up for it.

Martin quotes John Wesley's journal entry, 'I came into the town... and offered them Christ,' to highlight the thrilling and momentous nature of a ministry that genuinely offers Christ from personal encounter.

Well, he's just using other terminology to describe what I'm saying. That this great requisite in the realm of the spiritual qualifications is a deep experimental knowledge of and devotion to the person of our Lord Jesus Christ. Stuart goes on to say now in his own language, we want something better than secondhand religion and borrowed theology and stolid, unkindled churches which are merely efficient and competent machines dealing with reality at a distance and sending earnest seekers away with an aching, disappointed sense that something vital is lacking. We want that thrilling sense of imm...

18:14 - 19:05 Read in full sermon

The point: Prize above all other things a deep experimental acquaintance with Christ as He is revealed in the Scriptures.

Removing the sun from the universe, while keeping other planets in orbit, would result in no light, warmth, or life, illustrating that without Christ as the central 'sun' of truth and experience, all other theological knowledge is barren.

Rip the sun out of its central place in our universe, and couldn't you keep every other planet in its proper orbit? There'd be no light, no warmth, and no life. Hence I say to you from the depths of my heart, prize above all other things, prize above a working knowledge of your Greek and Hebrew, though I hope you have it. We dealt with that last time, I'm not minimizing.

20:20 - 20:48 Read in full sermon

Driving home: A man preacheth that sermon only well unto others, which preacheth itself in his own soul.

Martin quotes a Scottish Free Church minister who states that the 'hinges of the ministry are sin and Christ,' arguing that a minister cannot solidly and tenderly discover others' sins without weeping over his own, and that the word must be 'in wrought to our very being' through secret living on it.

our ministerial starch at any cost, even if it means shriveling up the people of God. Oh, may God deliver us from such abominable concepts of the ministry. I don't know where they're picked up. I think I know where they're spawned, but I don't know where they're contracted. May the Lord help us to see that this deep and constant experimental acquaintance with the great issues of sin and grace is an essential requisite of a truly God owned ministry. Now to show that this is not some idea that I've just picked up along the way and riding a hobby, I'm going to hide behind some books. All right. T...

25:54 - 26:43 Read in full sermon

The point: Cry to God for and labor at a deep, constant experimental acquaintance with the great issues of sin and of grace.

The word of God is like Saul's armor to David if it is not personally experienced and lived on; it becomes a 'cumbersome, clumsy thing' that a man cannot use, emphasizing the need for experiential acquaintance with truth.

giving the spring of his whole labors. Lovest thou me, Peter? Then feed my sheep. You can never feed them otherwise. Or take this view of it. The word is our instrument, our sword. But the way to get into the very heart of the word is to get the word into our heart so as to have it in wrought to our very being is nothing else than our living on it in secret, praying over it, weeping, rejoicing over it. Now, who is this? Again, some wild-eyed Pentecostal? No. This is a door Scotsman preaching to fellow Scots ministers. Thus it becomes our own, and we come to use and wield it with facility. Othe...

27:33 - 28:24 Read in full sermon

The point: Cry to God for and labor at a deep, constant experimental acquaintance with the great issues of sin and of grace.

Martin quotes John Owen, who states that 'a man preacheth that sermon only well unto others, which preacheth itself in his own soul,' highlighting that a minister must feed on and thrive in the digestion of the food he provides for others.

experimental acquaintance with the great issues of sin and of grace. Now I quote from Dr. John Owen, volume 16, pages 75 and 76, where he speaks to this very issue, experience of the power of the truth, second great requirement for the work of the ministry. Without this, they will themselves be lifeless and heartless in their own work, and their labor, for the most part, will be unprofitable towards others. It is to such men attended unto as a task for their advantage, or as that which carries some satisfaction in it from ostentation and supposed reputation, wherewith it is accompanied. But a ...

29:11 - 30:00 Read in full sermon

The point: Cry to God for and labor at a deep, constant experimental acquaintance with the great issues of sin and of grace.

Martin quotes James Stewart, who argues that a preacher 'must be real' and that anything savoring of unreality is a 'double offense,' especially when preaching to people grappling with 'stern realities' of life.

So I say again to you young men aspiring to the office of the ministry, would you have those gifts necessary? Then you'd cry to God for and labor at a deep, constant experimental acquaintance with the great issues of sin and of grace. I quote again from Stuart, pages 29 and 30. You need not be eloquent, or clever, or sensational, or skilled in dialectic, but if you are to preach you must be real. To fail there is to fail abysmally and tragically. It is to damage incalculably the cause you represent. Anything savoring of unreality in the pulpit is a double offense. Let me urge upon you two cons...

31:16 - 32:02 Read in full sermon

The point: Do not put your fingerprints on any pulpit anywhere unless you stand there as a man living in deep and constant experience of the power of divine grace coming to bear upon the great issues of sin and that world of realit…

Martin quotes John Owen again, stating that 'no man preaches that sermon well to others that doth not first preach it to his own heart,' and that a man can preach daily without his heart engaged, leading to 'quaint orations' instead of powerful preaching.

Another thing required for the work of the ministry is experience of the power of the things we preach to others. I think truly that no man preaches that sermon well to others that doth not first preach it to his own heart. A man may preach every day in the week and not have his heart engaged once. And I know from bitter experience that Mr. Owen is not theorizing.

35:44 - 36:10 Read in full sermon

The point: Do not put your fingerprints on any pulpit anywhere unless you stand there as a man living in deep and constant experience of the power of divine grace coming to bear upon the great issues of sin and that world of realit…

Martin shares his own 'bitter experience' of going 'carnal and dry in the midst of preaching 10 or 12, 14 times a week,' confirming Owen's point about the heart not being engaged.

I've gone carnal and dry in the midst of preaching 10 or 12, 14 times a week.

36:10 - 36:16 Read in full sermon

Driving home: The biblical perspective is not that the church exists for us. No, no. If the Lord is equipping us with those gifts requisite to be pastors and teachers, we exist for the sake of the church.

Martin describes the wrong mentality of some young men who view the church as a framework for exercising their gifts, making them 'little second-class heroes,' contrasting it with the biblical perspective of existing for the church's edification.

here is the ascended Christ, and he gives gifts to the church, and those gifts are in the form of ministries. Now there are many young men who've got this idea that the church exists as a framework within which they can exercise their gifts, so in reality the church exists for them. Hence they feel like they're little second-class heroes when it's known, I'm a ministerial student, I'm going seminary. You're all supposed to say, isn't that wonderful? Young men preparing for the Lord's work, and they've got this mentality that they're sort of little ecclesiastical heroes. Bully,

38:48 - 39:36 Read in full sermon

Driving home: The biblical perspective is not that the church exists for us. No, no. If the Lord is equipping us with those gifts requisite to be pastors and teachers, we exist for the sake of the church.

Paul's description of being 'gentle in the midst of you as when a nurse cherishes her own children' is used to illustrate a deep, affectionate, and demonstrable love for people, even like a wet nurse who loves children so much she nurses others'.

Look at the Apostle Paul, and all I'll do is turn you to one chapter, one chapter alone, to see some of these characteristics in him. 1 Thessalonians chapter 2. 1 Thessalonians chapter 2. Look at verse 7. He said, we'll back up to verse 6, not seeking glory of men neither from you nor from others, when we might have claimed authority as apostles of Christ. But he says, we were gentle in the midst of you as when a nurse cherishes her own children. And the word nurse there means a wet nurse. As the picture of a woman

43:10 - 43:58 Read in full sermon

The point: If God the Holy Ghost has not burned the concept of being a servant into your heart, suspend any aspirations to the ministry until He brings you to a place where you're willing to be a servant to men, and if necessary, t…

An old man's advice to a young preacher, 'if you enter the ministry expecting a fair deal, forget it,' is shared to emphasize the servant nature of ministry and the expectation of not always being appreciated.

You see him loving, though he's not loved, 2 Corinthians 12, 15. You see him accommodating himself to the prejudices of the unsaved. He says, around these prejudice Jews, I submit myself to ceremonial trappings to the Jews. I become like a Jew. Why? That I might gain the Jews. He gives up lawful liberties. He said, don't I have a right to have a wife? Don't I have a right to live in the gospel? He said, I form all of those. Where does that come from, my young brethren? I'll tell you where it comes from. From a deep, genuine, demonstrable love for people. And when a man has this vision that the...

46:28 - 47:16 Read in full sermon

The point: If God the Holy Ghost has not burned the concept of being a servant into your heart, suspend any aspirations to the ministry until He brings you to a place where you're willing to be a servant to men, and if necessary, t…

Martin references a gospel hymn that speaks of 'laboring unloved, unwanted, unappreciated' as capturing the heart of ministry sometimes, reinforcing the servant's role.

the ministry expecting a fair deal, forget it. Forget it. You don't get a fair deal. Servants seldom do. You exist to serve. There aren't many modern gospel hymns and the rest that have much truth in them, but there's one that does. There are some, more than one, but one above all others that I think of has some great truth. Is that so, Send I You? One of the verses there speaks of laboring unloved, unwanted, unappreciated. That's the heart of the ministry sometimes.

47:16 - 47:52 Read in full sermon

The point: Make efforts now to get to know people, find out their needs, enter into their concerns, and be willing to talk about things that are important to them, even if irrelevant to you.

The example of listening to a young mother describe 'silly little things about a little baby' that are important to her, even if irrelevant to the listener, illustrates how love enables a pastor to engage with people's mundane concerns.

Hence, if you're not right now in this church, or whatever church you're a part of, making efforts to get to know people, find out what their needs are, enter into their silly little concerns, find out what makes old people tick, and what interests them, and be willing to talk about things that are totally irrelevant as far as you're concerned, but they're important to somebody else. Listening to that young mother, describe all the silly little things about a little baby does, and you could care less, but it's important to her. And you have a love for her, and love gives you that ability to li...

49:22 - 50:10 Read in full sermon

The point: Make efforts now to get to know people, find out their needs, enter into their concerns, and be willing to talk about things that are important to them, even if irrelevant to you.

A wise old preacher's saying, 'he who puts the preacher who puts his hand upon the head of a little child, puts his hand upon the heart of its mother,' illustrates how loving children demonstrates love for the parents and opens hearts.

preached them knew that they really didn't love them. Love that was demonstrable at the mundane level, as one wise old preacher said, he who puts the preacher who puts his hand upon the head of a little child, puts his hand upon the heart of its mother. You can't be a pastor if you don't love kids, because people will turn you off. You don't love their kids. You're telling them you don't love them. Oh, you should that part of all right, all right. You go out and see that, and clutter up the ministry with all those pious, pontifical pronouncements that will have no effect upon the hearts of men...

50:10 - 50:57 Read in full sermon

The point: Make efforts now to get to know people, find out their needs, enter into their concerns, and be willing to talk about things that are important to them, even if irrelevant to you.

Martin recounts a humbling experience after preaching a series on hell, where an unsaved man affirmed, 'pastor, there's no doubt in my mind what that you love,' despite the hard preaching, demonstrating that love enables people to receive difficult truths.

it's amazing what they'll take, and what they'll put up within you. It's amazing. I have gone home many a Sunday and said to my wife, honey, if nobody comes next week, I won't blame them. Either because I felt I hadn't produced, or I felt God enabled me to be bold and faithful beyond what anyone in his right mind would be. And lo and behold, there they are back again. And when I've had occasion to ask them even unsafe, I shall never forget one of the most humbling experience in this building. And after completing that series on the doctrine of hell, when I was deeply concerned about several un...

50:57 - 51:45 Read in full sermon

Driving home: So much evidence as they have of unction from God in gifts and grace, so much authority they have and no more in preaching.

Martin quotes John Owen, who defines authority in preaching as a 'consequent of unction, not of office,' contrasting the scribes' office without unction with Christ's unction without outward call.

Holy Ghost whom God hath given to them that obey Him. Paul says in 1 Corinthians 2, 3, my speech in preaching were not enticing words of men's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power there was that authority of unction. 1 Peter 1, 12, Peter speaks of those who preached unto you the gospel with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven. Now, this is not some peculiar doctrine. John Owen, the great theologian of the Holy Spirit, has a very penetrating, very profound paragraph on this very subject. I read now from Volume 9, page 454.

55:36 - 56:20 Read in full sermon

Driving home: So much evidence as they have of unction from God in gifts and grace, so much authority they have and no more in preaching.

Martin quotes Spurgeon, who states that for ministers, 'the Holy Spirit is absolutely essential,' and without Him, their office is 'a mere name,' and they ought to be 'driven forth with abhorrence' for daring to speak in the Lord's name without His Spirit.

They had the authority of office, not of unction. Christ only had that. And preaching in the demonstration of the Spirit, which men quarrel so much about, is nothing less. And listen to this statement. Nothing less than the evidence in preaching of unction, in the communication of gifts and grace unto them for the discharge of their office. For it is a vain thing for men to presume and personate authority. So much evidence as they have of unction from God in gifts and grace, so much authority they have and no more in preaching. And let everyone then keep

57:09 - 57:55 Read in full sermon

Driving home: So much evidence as they have of unction from God in gifts and grace, so much authority they have and no more in preaching.

Martin tells a story of a man who equated unction with his feet moving during preaching, illustrating the pathetic and gross misunderstanding of what unction truly is, contrasting it with mere animation or personality.

Now let me say by way of caution, this matter of unction has nothing to do necessarily with animation in preaching. Some people think if a man is animated and enthusiastic, that's unction. No, that's not. It just may be personality and training. I remember a man one time who was the classic example of this. I was preaching in a certain place, and he come up to me afterward, his eyes just all aglow, and he had that fanatic glow. You know, you learn to pick it up. People get that sort of a wild stare, and you know that there's something in balance. And he said, Father Martin, he said, I know the...

59:10 - 59:59 Read in full sermon

The point: Make one of your constant prayers to be, 'Lord Jesus, head of the church, if you're equipping me to be a means of edification, give me now some measure of that authority of unction.'

The experiences of McShane and Whitfield, who expected and received a new measure of unction at their ordination, are given as historical examples of this spiritual gift being granted and evidenced in powerful ministry.

little measures of it now, and that's why I said some measure of the authority of unction must be present if a man is to aspire to the office of the ministry and have reason to believe that God is equipping him. Both McShane and Whitfield followed in the train of Timothy's experience in that they expected and received a new measure of unction at the time of their ordination. McShane says in his own diary that he expected that when he was formally set apart for the work of the ministry, Christ, the head of the church, would give him a new measure of unction which he'd never known before. And su...

61:54 - 62:42 Read in full sermon

The point: Make one of your constant prayers to be, 'Lord Jesus, head of the church, if you're equipping me to be a means of edification, give me now some measure of that authority of unction.'

The saying about a preacher who 'speaks as if Jesus were at his elbow' is used to describe the profound sense of divine presence and authority that accompanies true unction in preaching.

sense unction, and you say, well, if I preach the way he preaches, if he happens to use a lot of illustrations, well, if I use a lot, I'll have unction, or he may have a lot of volume or not so much volume. Whatever it is, you think, well, I'll imitate the framework that his unction takes. Well, you can do that, but you can't bring the unction upon it. The spirit blows where he wills, and either the head of the church grants that unction, or he does not. One man said of another man who had this unction, he said, that preacher speaks as if Jesus were at his elbow. Oh, brethren, to have that sai...

63:34 - 64:23 Read in full sermon