(c): Seek to Draw Others to Our Heavenly Father

In this part of the sermon: Martin begins by reflecting on the rustling of Bible pages as the sound of the new covenant priesthood, then reads Matthew 5:1-16. He announces this as the final sermon in his…

A converted Roman Catholic priest described the sound of rustling Bible pages in a Christian gathering as the 'sound of the new covenant priesthood,' illustrating the direct access believers have to God through His Word.

Now I invite you to turn with me in your own Bibles to the Gospel of Matthew, the Gospel of Matthew, and Chapter 5. To hear the rustling of the pages of your Bibles reminds me of a statement I heard from a converted Roman Catholic priest.

0:07 - 0:45 Read in full sermon

Driving home: The Beatitudes are not eight rungs on a ladder, which, if we attain these character traits in our strength, will give us entrance into the kingdom of God. Rather, they describe the features on the spiritual face of each …

The Beatitudes are described not as rungs on a ladder to attain salvation, but as the 'features on the spiritual face' of every adopted child of God, emphasizing their descriptive nature of a transformed character.

The Beatitudes are not eight rungs on a ladder, which, if we attain these character traits in our strength, will give us entrance into the kingdom of God. The Beatitudes are not eight rungs on a ladder, which, if we attain these character traits in our strength, will give us entrance into the kingdom of God. into the kingdom, entrance into the family of God. Rather, they describe the features on the spiritual face of each and every one of God's adopted children.

12:54 - 13:21 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: Martin expounds Matthew 5:16, explaining its context within the Beatitudes (describing the character of God's adopted children) and the images of salt and light (describing their…

In the context of ancient Palestine, salt's primary function was as a preservative due to lack of refrigeration, illustrating how believers check moral degeneracy in society.

For us, salt is primarily something to give savor to our food. We've got refrigerators, we've got freezers. They had no refrigerators, no freezers. In the warm climate of Palestine, the primary function of salt was that of a preservative.

16:09 - 16:31 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: Martin analyzes 1 Peter 2:11-12, highlighting the call to abstain from fleshly lusts and maintain honorable behavior among pagans. He explains that unbelievers scrutinize…

The close observation of a husband beholding his wife's chaste manner of life (1 Peter 3) is used to illustrate the intense scrutiny unbelievers apply to Christians' lives, looking for consistency.

In like manner you wives be in subjection to your own husbands that even if any obey not the word they may without a word be gained by the behavior of the wives here's our word beholding your chaste manner of life. Now how closely does a husband behold the manner of life of a wife? That's a pretty close relationship. He scrutinizes.

34:37 - 35:06 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: Martin analyzes 1 Peter 2:11-12, highlighting the call to abstain from fleshly lusts and maintain honorable behavior among pagans. He explains that unbelievers scrutinize…

Examples of a Christian's conduct in the workplace—slipping out when a dirty joke is told, remaining silent when the boss is bad-mouthed, turning eyes away from immodest dress—illustrate how good works burrow into consciences and validate the gospel.

so that when God comes in power through the gospel they will have seen its influence in your good works and those good works have burrowed their way into their consciences so that in the day of God's visitation in power and in grace they will glorify God saying this gospel is true I saw it in John I saw it in Mary I saw it in Henry I saw it in Pete I saw it in his life day after day in the workplace when the latest dirty joke was told he slipped out of the room I saw it in the way he responded when the boss

39:56 - 40:41 Read in full sermon

The point: Do all things without murmurings and disputings, refusing to indulge in discontentment or lack of appreciation for God's providence.

A quote from Sinclair Ferguson explains that murmuring and arguing are expressions of deep ingratitude, lovelessness, and pride, working against salvation rather than working it out.

They committed fornication. They murmured don't be like them. And in seeing those parallels, he says to this new, new covenant community, don't be guilty of the sins that marked that wilderness generation. Sinclair Ferguson comments on this negative injunction.

49:45 - 50:09 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: Martin expounds Philippians 2:12-16, urging believers to 'work out their salvation with fear and trembling,' without murmuring or disputing. This blameless and harmless conduct…

A 'blemish' on a child of God is likened to a 'mole on the end of the nose of an otherwise beautiful woman,' emphasizing that ethical abnormalities stand out and detract from spiritual beauty.

Children of God without blemish. Children of God without some distinguishing ethical abnormality that stands out like a mole on the end of the nose of an otherwise beautiful woman. He says that's what you're to be. Children of God marked by these three negatives.

52:00 - 52:27 Read in full sermon

The point: Hold fast to the word of God, allowing it to get into you, grip you, and fuse to your soul and mind, so that you become blameless and harmless.

Martin recalls his mother saying, 'Son, I never had a child that didn't walk before it talked,' to emphasize that believers are 'seen' (through their actions) before they are 'heard' (through their words).

I'll never forget my mother saying, Son, I never had a child that didn't walk before it talked.

57:18 - 57:25 Read in full sermon

Driving home: You're seen before you're heard. I'll never forget my mother saying, Son, I never had a child that didn't walk before it talked.

A quote from Dr. Ferguson underscores that Christian witness depends not merely on what we say, but on what we are, and that our lives become a powerful, undeniable witness to those around us.

again, the emphasis is upon so living as the sons of God that what we are, what we don't do, murmuring, questioning, grousing, what we do, all conspire to validate our identity as the children of God, children of a holy heavenly Father living before a world as light in that world. Again, listen to Dr. Ferguson. Underlying Paul's thinking is a principle.

57:40 - 58:19 Read in full sermon

The point: Do not engage in behaviors like excessive drinking in public that make you indistinguishable from unbelievers, thereby denying the transforming power of the gospel.

An example of young single adults from church drinking mixed drinks at Applebee's just like unbelievers is used to illustrate a failure to shine as light and demonstrate the transforming power of the gospel.

Do people see the transforming power of the gospel? Let me ask you young adults. Here's a group of young single adults. They go over to Applebee's to have a time together.

62:13 - 62:28 Read in full sermon

The point: Do not engage in behaviors like excessive drinking in public that make you indistinguishable from unbelievers, thereby denying the transforming power of the gospel.

Martin shares a personal testimony of waitresses asking why he and other Christians seemed so happy without drinking alcohol, allowing him to share that their joy came from Jesus.

shine His lights? I give personal testimony. I've had waitresses say to me and other Christian couples with whom I've sat in settings like the one I just described, how is it you people seem so happy and cheerful, and you're not belting down booze to get a high? And I've been able to say it's because of Jesus. It's because we know

63:36 - 64:00 Read in full sermon

The point: Do not show irritation or anger towards clerks or others who make mistakes in common interactions, as this detracts from shining as a light.

A Dateline presentation about two girls in an accident is mentioned as a moving illustration of people living out their identity in Christ, marvelously displaying the gospel's power in human hearts.

May God be pleased to use his word. I say in closing, how many of you saw that Dateline presentation last Friday about the mixed up two girls that were in the accident. One was killed and one was not. Did any of you see that?

69:33 - 69:52 Read in full sermon