The Setting

Driving home: Every truth in the Bible brings us at last to the cross. And the cross carries us back to every truth in the Bible so that the sum and substance of all truth is most impressively proved, illustrated, and enforced by Chri…

The atonement is like a diamond in an engagement ring; its glory is fully appreciated only when seen within the setting of other biblical doctrines.

And the cross carries us back to every truth in the Bible so that the sum and substance of all truth is most impressively proved, illustrated, and enforced by Christ and Him crucified. A right conception of what is included in the cross ensures a right conception of every important doctrine contained in the Bible. This is the hinge on which the whole system turns and the great truth by which alone any and all truths can be understood. Now having established the system, the centrality of the doctrine of the atonement in biblical revelation, we come to examine this morning what I am calling the ...

1:15 - 2:34 Read in full sermon

Driving home: Every truth in the Bible brings us at last to the cross. And the cross carries us back to every truth in the Bible so that the sum and substance of all truth is most impressively proved, illustrated, and enforced by Chri…

The atonement does not hang on a 'sky hook' but is embedded in the 'reinforced concrete' of fundamental biblical truths, emphasizing its foundational connections.

has a setting apart from which she could not display that token of commitment, so likewise the doctrine of the atonement comes to us in a setting without which its many-faceted glory, if appreciated at all, will never be appreciated to the extent that it ought to be appreciated and will be appreciated, when we see it set within the prongs of other biblical doctrines and fixed upon the ring of the entire revelation of the word of God. In other words, to change the imagery, the biblical doctrine of the atonement does not come to us hanging upon a sky hook, but rather to change the imagery again,...

2:34 - 4:01 Read in full sermon

Driving home: Every truth in the Bible brings us at last to the cross. And the cross carries us back to every truth in the Bible so that the sum and substance of all truth is most impressively proved, illustrated, and enforced by Chri…

The doctrine of the atonement is organically related to other revelations, like a hand to a body; severing it makes it a 'dead and lifeless appendage'.

has a setting apart from which she could not display that token of commitment, so likewise the doctrine of the atonement comes to us in a setting without which its many-faceted glory, if appreciated at all, will never be appreciated to the extent that it ought to be appreciated and will be appreciated, when we see it set within the prongs of other biblical doctrines and fixed upon the ring of the entire revelation of the word of God. In other words, to change the imagery, the biblical doctrine of the atonement does not come to us hanging upon a sky hook, but rather to change the imagery again,...

2:34 - 4:01 Read in full sermon

Driving home: Every truth in the Bible brings us at last to the cross. And the cross carries us back to every truth in the Bible so that the sum and substance of all truth is most impressively proved, illustrated, and enforced by Chri…

A lengthy quote from Hugh Martin's work on the atonement, warning against discussing doctrines in isolation, as it robs them of illustration, protection, and gives advantage to enemies.

And if I cut my hand off from the object, from the object, from the object, from the object, from the object, from the object, from the object, from the object, from the object, from the object, from the object, from the object, from the object, from the object, from the object, from the object, to which it is attached, I sever it from the source of life and it very quickly becomes nothing but a dead and lifeless appendage. So with the doctrine of the atonement, it comes to us not in terms of the manipulations of the theologians, but in terms of biblical revelation itself with living, throbbin...

4:01 - 5:28 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: The sermon's structure is introduced through an archery target analogy, with the atonement as the bullseye surrounded by four concentric circles. The first, outermost circle is…

The sermon's structure is framed by the analogy of an archery target with a bullseye (atonement) and four concentric circles (other doctrines) that constitute its divine setting.

and you leave it exposed to all of its enemies or to change the imagery, set the doctrine of the atonement in a vast wasteland and you leave it a doctrine that is not nourished and appreciated in terms of all of the wonderful plants with which God himself has surrounded it. And so what I propose to do this morning is to give you the setting of the atonement in biblical revelation under the extended imagery of an archery target. And if I could have brought one with me on the airplane, I would have done so. But I want you to imagine with me, if you will please, that there is standing behind me a...

6:55 - 8:23 Read in full sermon

Driving home: It was the cry of triumph that he had accomplished redemption. It was accomplished.

Jesus' formal introduction in the muddy waters of Jordan, a 'sinner's ordinance,' illustrates his solidarity and identification with sinners, foreshadowing his atoning work.

It was accomplished in the life history of Jesus of Nazareth, the Son of God. When he was formally presented in his adulthood, it was in his capacity as the representative of sinners. For his formal introduction did not come riding into Jerusalem upon a white charger, nor did his formal introduction come at the temple where he was heralded as a great prophet. His formal introduction came there in the muddy waters of Jordan, where men had been coming from all over Judea to a sinner's ordinance, baptized of John into the Jordan, and confessing their sins. And now he comes to a sinner's ordinance...

31:50 - 32:56 Read in full sermon

Driving home: It was the cry of triumph that he had accomplished redemption. It was accomplished.

God's splitting of the temple veil from top to bottom at Christ's death is presented as God's 'Amen' to Christ's declaration, 'It is finished,' validating the accomplishment of redemption.

Salvation was purposed in eternity. It was accomplished in the life history of the Son of God. And to validate the affirmation of Jesus, it is finished. God took his own index finger and plunged it through that four-inch thick veil in the temple, and he split it from top to bottom.

37:00 - 37:27 Read in full sermon

Driving home: You see the doctrine of the uniqueness of the person of Christ as true God and true man is not a theological debate it's a matter of life sinful man being what he is the eternal God

The illustration of feeling the 'chains of sin biting into his own inner heart' is used to explain why the deity of Christ becomes essential for a man who trembles before a holy God.

to be equal with God but made himself of no reputation taking, taking not relinquishing a thing but taking here is God not ceasing to be God this is not God relinquishing something of his Godhood it is God the form of a servant and in that form he lived his life of obedience even unto death the death of the cross you see all debates with people over the deity of Christ are fruitless until they have some felt pangs of their own wretched sinnerhood talk to a man, a woman, a boy or a girl who does not feel the power of the chains of sin biting into his own inner heart and upon the tables of his o...

45:44 - 47:12 Read in full sermon

Driving home: You see the doctrine of the uniqueness of the person of Christ as true God and true man is not a theological debate it's a matter of life sinful man being what he is the eternal God

The mystery of God enfleshing his Son in a virgin's womb, fed by an umbilical cord, is used to emphasize the profound depth of sin that required such a Redeemer.

there was no way for God to save consistent with his righteousness and holiness but to enflesh his own son in the dark damp hidden depths of a little virgin's womb oh the mystery in a womb fed by an umbilical cord coming forth in blood and cries of birth pangs we romanticize the birth of Jesus but I tell you the cry and the groans and the blood of birth when we apply them to deity is sheer nonsense unless our sin is such that nothing other than that could meet our need blessed be God for an enfleshed God to be our redeemer but it's not only his person dear friends it's his unique position and ...

48:39 - 50:05 Read in full sermon

Driving home: You see the doctrine of the uniqueness of the person of Christ as true God and true man is not a theological debate it's a matter of life sinful man being what he is the eternal God

The image of the whole human race 'piggybacked on Adam's shoulders' is used to explain federal headship and how his fall was our fall, then extended to Christ as the head of a new humanity.

but joined forever identifiable separate but two natures one person forever we must understand that he had a unique position and you know what that position was according to first Corinthians 15 he is the second Adam the first Adam had a unique position we referred to it a half an hour ago dealing with circle number one Adam was not only an individual culpable for his own sin he stood in a representative capacity by the appointment of God he was the head of the first humanity I like to think of the whole human race piggybacked on Adam's shoulders and when Adam stood before that tree the whole ...

50:05 - 51:33 Read in full sermon

The point: Cultivate the gifts to preach systematic theology to your people with unction, power, life, and fervor.

Martin uses the metaphor of a 'bursting wineskin' heart to describe the fervent, passionate preaching that should accompany the exposition of God's mysteries.

of a solid mind demanding expository ministry you're open to every wind of doctrine that will toss you to and fro and land you in spiritual shipwreck and then my final word of exhortation is to my preacher brethren my preacher brethren try to God to cultivate in you the gifts to preach systematic theology to your people you who have any knowledge know that I've done nothing but preach systematic theology this morning but I defy anyone to say it's been dry and lose until your own is aglow until you say with Ellie Hugh that my heart was like a bursting wineskin until there will be times as you t...

67:27 - 68:50 Read in full sermon