Anatomy of a Man of God: His Backbone #2

Jeremiah 31:31-33 Anatomy of a Man of God

In 'Anatomy of a Man of God: His Backbone #2,' Pastor Albert N. Martin continues his series by defining ministerial backbone as the resolution to face opposition without flinching. He argues that this backbone is essential for faithfully expounding offensive, undesired, and unpopular truths in public ministry, private dealings, and church administration. Martin identifies two categories for attaining and strengthening this backbone: the 'preordained' dynamics of regenerating grace (fear of God, supreme attachment to Christ, and the Spirit of boldness) and the 'continuous supplies of sustaining grace' (constant awareness of God's call, presence, and judgment). He uses Jeremiah 31-32, Matthew 10, 2 Corinthians 4-5, Amos 7, 1 Kings 17, Acts 18, and 2 Timothy 1 & 4 to illustrate these points, urging both aspiring ministers and the congregation to pray for and cultivate this spiritual fortitude.

4 illustrations in this sermon

Category 1: Preordained Dynamics of Regenerating Grace

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Womb of Regenerating Grace

In this part of the sermon: Martin introduces the first category for attaining ministerial backbone: the 'preordained' dynamics of regenerating grace, which he likens to a spiritual womb where backbone is…

Martin uses the imagery of God forming a man in his mother's womb (Psalm 139) to describe how ministerial backbone is originally and fundamentally formed in the 'womb of the dynamics of the grace that God always gives when he regenerates.'

The first one is called preordained. preordained is spirit, or due before it. which are, as it were, the womb in which ministerial backbone is originally and fundamentally formed. And I take that imagery from the 139th Psalm, for you'll remember there speaks of God as covering him in his mother's womb, and there forming him as a man.

15:17 - 15:45 Read in full sermon

Element 3: Communication of the Spirit of Boldness

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Pastor Martin's Childhood Timidity

In this part of the sermon: The third element is the communication of the Spirit of God as the spirit of boldness. Martin argues that every believer receives the Spirit, and for those called to ministry, the…

Martin shares a personal story of his natural insecurity and fear as a child, recounting an incident where he ran home crying after being intimidated by another boy while trying to shine shoes, to illustrate that his ministerial boldness is not from nature but from the Spirit of God.

Take. Courage. My brother. May have little to do.

41:07 - 41:11 Read in full sermon

Means 1: Constant Awareness of the Call of God

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Luther at Worms

In this part of the sermon: The first means of sustaining grace is maintaining a constant awareness of the call of God. He illustrates this with Amos's bold confrontation of Amaziah and Jeroboam (Amos 7)…

Martin quotes Luther's famous declaration, 'I must go. Were there as many devils in Worms as there are tiles on the houses,' to exemplify Holy Ghost backbone rooted in the awareness of God's call.

For the purity of his house. I said I'd give you an illustration. From church history. I get the goose bumps every time I read this.

55:41 - 55:52 Read in full sermon

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Samuel Davies Rebukes King George III

Driving home: When the lion roars the beasts of the forest tremble. When Jehovah speaks. Let the kings of the earth keep silence before him.

Martin recounts the historical anecdote of Samuel Davies, preaching before King George III, pausing his sermon to rebuke the noisy monarch with the words, 'When the lion roars the beasts of the forest tremble. When Jehovah speaks, let the kings of the earth keep silence before him,' to illustrate backbone derived from a constant awareness of God's call.

That's Holy Ghost backbone. That distinguished American preacher Samuel Davies. Then the president of the College of New Jersey. Now alas Princeton University.

56:57 - 57:10 Read in full sermon

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