Eroded Reading/Studies; Humanity

In this part of the sermon: Martin underscores the importance of wide and responsible reading, from technical commentaries to devotional works, in sermon preparation, drawing on his own practice of…

Martin highlights the 'marvelous legacy' of commentaries available in English, from technical works to devotional ones like Matthew Henry and J.C. Ryle, to illustrate the resources available for deep study.

cutting a straight course in the word of truth. And while the application of this differs from culture to culture and linguistic group to linguistic group, and I speak with the knowledge, with some third world brethren with whom I have close ties, and unless they are proficient in English, I've looked at some of their libraries and I've felt both grief and shame at one and the same time. But certainly those of us who have any proficiency in the English language and the wealth of material available to us in terms of everything from more technical commentaries that will help us, to arrive at the...

4:52 - 6:14 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: Martin underscores the importance of wide and responsible reading, from technical commentaries to devotional works, in sermon preparation, drawing on his own practice of…

He shares his personal practice of consulting 15 commentaries when preaching through the Gospel of Mark, demonstrating the discipline of wide reading in sermon preparation.

And I'm assuming that you are men committed to serious thinking, joined to, and often precipitated by, wide reading in conjunction with your regular sermon preparation. When recently preaching through the Gospel of Mark, over the past few days, last few years and i counted them to make sure i wasn't violating one of the very principles i mentioned yesterday and pushing the number up to make an impression there have been basically 15 commentaries that i've consulted almost every time before i've opened my mouth on a lord's day morning to preach on the next paragraph in mark now there are times ...

6:14 - 7:42 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: Martin underscores the importance of wide and responsible reading, from technical commentaries to devotional works, in sermon preparation, drawing on his own practice of…

Martin recounts finding a 'marvelous jewel' in a commentary after weeks of reading it out of discipline, illustrating how consistent, wide reading can yield unexpected insights for difficult sermon passages.

and lo and behold after reading just as a matter of commitment and principle in that commentator week after week and finding nothing maybe for a month or two one day a marvelous jewel is found hidden away amidst all that verbiage that has on some occasions been the key to a difficult part in the sermon so i'm assuming that the commentator is a worthy commentator and that you men need not be convinced of the necessity of wide responsible reading and thinking in your regular sermon preparation reading and thinking that takes you all the way from the more technical elements of linguistic studies ...

7:42 - 8:44 Read in full sermon

Driving home: If all of the paths of curious reading as that you walk over week after week month afterap själ all of the paths of various reading as that you walk over week after week month in labor for preparation or in preparation f…

He uses the metaphor of 'paths marked out by blood, sweat, and toil' to describe the arduous mental labor of sermon preparation, explaining why confining studies to these paths leads to aversion and burnout.

continually goes down on those paths marked out by the duties of formal and specific sermon preparation you will most likely begin to develop a kind of mental dullness leading to intellectual burnout this in turn will begin to manifest itself in a lack of that element of creativity that is essential in sermon preparation and even an increasing reluctance for hard study in other words if all of the paths of curious reading as that you walk over week after week month after month afterap själ all of the paths of various reading as that you walk over week after week month in labor for preparation ...

8:44 - 10:01 Read in full sermon

The point: Establish periods in your weekly schedule for general reading.

He uses the analogy of 'flying your ministerial plane by the seat of your pants' (without a flight plan or compass) to describe a lack of a scheduled life, emphasizing the need for a reasonably framed schedule for general reading.

the mind needs to row into broader fields to seek out paths of serious reflection other than those marked out by specific sermon preparation so what is the remedy then to this kind of mental burnout burnout which comes when one's reading and deepest thinking is done only in connection with specific sermon preparation well let me suggest a fourfold remedy number one establish periods in your weekly schedule for general reading establish periods in your weekly schedule for general reading now you see i'm assuming you live by schedule that you do not fly your ministerial plane by the seat of your...

11:23 - 12:49 Read in full sermon

The point: Establish periods in your weekly schedule for general reading.

He humorously reminds pastors not to compare their study habits to Jonathan Edwards, acknowledging individual limitations and the dangers of overly ambitious scheduling.

For general reading, yes, I know Edwards studied from such to such, but your name ain't Edwards. See, that's where you've got to come back. Be careful when you read biography.

12:49 - 12:58 Read in full sermon

The point: Block out in your calendar and guard as jealously as you would a commitment for a counseling session with a distressed sheep, that on Tuesday afternoon from 4 to 5.30, I am going to do some general reading that has no pa…

He references a critique of Edwards' isolation from his people, warning against neglecting pastoral relationships in favor of excessive study, even while advocating for dedicated study time.

And I hope, I hope you will not have someone write of you as has had to be written of Edwards had he been more amongst his people. He perhaps would have had more of their affections and confidence in a season of crisis and not been so cruelly treated by them. But establish, if only, one or two hours to start with, start modestly, but block out in your calendar and guard as jealously as you would a commitment for a counseling session with a distressed sheep, that on Tuesday afternoon from 4 to 5.30, I am going to do some general reading that has no patent, present, known connection with any pre...

13:00 - 13:58 Read in full sermon

The point: Block out in your calendar and guard as jealously as you would a commitment for a counseling session with a distressed sheep, that on Tuesday afternoon from 4 to 5.30, I am going to do some general reading that has no pa…

General reading is compared to a 'good walk in the fresh air' for the mind, refreshing it and sometimes leading to breakthroughs in sermon preparation, much like physical exercise can clarify thought.

Not by large acquisitions in shorter periods. It is the gradual, modest acquisitions over the long haul that enable us to keep our mental freshness. Exercising the mind in other areas other than those with sermon preparation are like a good walk in the fresh air in the midst of sermon preparation. How many times have I, after spending a whole morning wrestling with a passage and feeling I've hit the wall as far as the breakthrough into seeing how to organize it and how to handle it sermonically, it's while I've been out running and the heartbeat increases and more oxygen is being pumped into t...

14:23 - 15:51 Read in full sermon

The point: Establish a pattern of general reading which is broad and varied if not deep and concentrated. Read everything from systematic theology to Reader's Digest.

He shares his personal experience of watching wildlife in his backyard to gain mental resilience, illustrating how varied activities, even light ones, can refresh a weary mind.

and that creative element comes. Secondly, establish a pattern of general reading which is broad and varied if not deep and concentrated. Establish a pattern of general reading which is broad and varied if not deep and concentrated. Read everything from systematic theology to Reader's Digest so that your mind is not only grasped and grappling with the great pivots of God's truth and continually receiving fresh light and understanding, but also you've learned a few humorous incidents that'll make you laugh. Sometimes a laugh in the middle of the day is the best tonic for a weary mind. That's wh...

15:51 - 17:05 Read in full sermon

The point: Establish a pattern of general reading which is broad and varied if not deep and concentrated. Read everything from systematic theology to Reader's Digest.

He recalls an incident from reading Dabney's biography of Jackson where the phrase 'favorite dogma' had a tremendous impact, illustrating how general reading can provide refreshing insights.

Well, in the same way, it may be in reading an account in a book of church history or a biography that there will be an incident that will greatly refresh your spirit or call you to fresh commitment to the Lord or drive you to your knees or give you fresh confirmation. I remember, you remember my sharing the incident in reading the biography of Jackson by Dabney. I saw the word favorite dogma and tremendous impact upon one's whole mental alertness and alacrity. Read everything from Professor Murray to Pilgrim's Progress.

17:05 - 17:46 Read in full sermon

The point: Seek to sit your fellow elders or whatever framework exists for making these decisions, sit them down and work through part of this material in your own way and seek to convince them that if they want the best preacher p…

He suggests a practical way to secure lengthy study periods: a two-week back-to-back pulpit exchange with a trusted minister, allowing concentrated, in-depth reading.

and psychological refreshment which ought to be given by a vacation. But may I suggest a very practical way that I believe is workable among many of you men. You have deep ties among yourselves in your various geographical areas. May I suggest that you seek to sit your fellow elders or whatever framework exists for making these decisions, sit them down and work through part of this material in your own way and seek to convince them that if they want the best preacher possible, giving them the fruits of his most active mind without mental burnout, it would be beneficial to have at least a two-w...

19:13 - 20:42 Read in full sermon

The point: Seek to sit your fellow elders or whatever framework exists for making these decisions, sit them down and work through part of this material in your own way and seek to convince them that if they want the best preacher p…

He gives the example of using a two-week study period to immerse oneself in Baxter's 'Directory' to address pastoral concerns, illustrating focused, in-depth reading.

in regular sermon preparation can be spent by this kind of intense, extensive, general reading in a given area that can, under the blessing of God, bring a deposit of mental alertness, a deposit of general knowledge or specific knowledge in a given area that can be a lifetime companion. For example, suppose you made it your goal that in that two-week period you were going to go through Baxter's recently reprinted directory, pick out all of the areas where you have pastoral concerns and for which you feel terribly incompetent and you're going to immerse yourself in Baxter's directory for two we...

20:42 - 21:49 Read in full sermon

The point: Seek to sit your fellow elders or whatever framework exists for making these decisions, sit them down and work through part of this material in your own way and seek to convince them that if they want the best preacher p…

He suggests using the study period to finally engage with a volume of Owen, illustrating the benefit of long-term contact with a 'great mind and a great soul'.

It may mean taking a volume of Owen or a select portion of some of the volumes of Owen and you say, I've just never been able to get into that. Well, that's going to be my goal and I'm going to give myself to that kind of in-depth long-term contact with a great mind and a great soul. And what will happen is that you will not only, if approaching this with true spiritual mindedness, profit intellectually in terms of the knowledge gained, but no one can come into close contact with a great soul and a great mind with any degree of spiritual sense and sensitivity and not absorb some of that impres...

21:49 - 23:13 Read in full sermon

The point: Seek to sit your fellow elders or whatever framework exists for making these decisions, sit them down and work through part of this material in your own way and seek to convince them that if they want the best preacher p…

He explains that close contact with a great soul and mind not only imparts knowledge but also leaves an 'impress of the greatness' on one's own mind and spirit, enriching preaching.

It may mean taking a volume of Owen or a select portion of some of the volumes of Owen and you say, I've just never been able to get into that. Well, that's going to be my goal and I'm going to give myself to that kind of in-depth long-term contact with a great mind and a great soul. And what will happen is that you will not only, if approaching this with true spiritual mindedness, profit intellectually in terms of the knowledge gained, but no one can come into close contact with a great soul and a great mind with any degree of spiritual sense and sensitivity and not absorb some of that impres...

21:49 - 23:13 Read in full sermon

The point: Seek to sit your fellow elders or whatever framework exists for making these decisions, sit them down and work through part of this material in your own way and seek to convince them that if they want the best preacher p…

He suggests using the two-week period to work through Calvin's 'Institutes,' making it a 'right-hand companion' for future sermon preparation and pastoral labors.

And without knowing it, your mind absorbed some of those skills. And now they're finding expression in your preaching to the enrichment of your people and to the increased usefulness of your own labors. It may be that you've never worked through the institutes. And you say, all right, in this two-week period, I'm going to start book one, page one, section one, and I'm going to go clean through the institutes so that for the rest of my life, I will have a feel for the specific areas in the institutes that have relevance to this, to that, or the other.

23:24 - 24:03 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: The third remedy suggests securing several lengthy periods, ideally two-week pulpit exchanges, for intense and extensive general reading in specific areas, allowing for deep…

He describes a book like Calvin's 'Institutes' as 'smiling at you, but mute' on the shelf until dedicated study allows it to 'talk to you for the rest of your life'.

That's a good section. And then you go back to it. What's happened is you have brought alongside someone who sat on your shelf smiling at you, but mute. Never spoke to you in sermon preparation.

24:20 - 24:32 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: The third remedy suggests securing several lengthy periods, ideally two-week pulpit exchanges, for intense and extensive general reading in specific areas, allowing for deep…

He shares a personal anecdote about his son-in-law's pulpit exchange, which precipitated his idea for structured study exchanges among ministers.

I never thought of it until preparing for this. And I got thinking of the kind of relationship you fellows have. And I guess it was precipitated by the fact that my own son-in-law wasn't here Sunday night. He was preaching with one of the other graduates.

25:09 - 25:21 Read in full sermon

The point: Attempt to secure a weekly mental Sabbath for the refreshment of your intellectual faculties.

He uses the vivid metaphor of an 'old mule' rolling over and refusing to go further to describe the mind's breakdown when driven without a mental Sabbath, leading to burnout.

And you're a cruel master to your mind. And the result is, you then are guilty when you sit down and thanks to Jesus for it. Finally the old mule just rolls over on its side and looks up at you and says, shoot me if you want to, but I ain't going nowhere. What's happened?

26:58 - 27:26 Read in full sermon

The point: Attempt to secure a weekly mental Sabbath for the refreshment of your intellectual faculties.

He quotes Presbyterian minister Murphy on the necessity of a weekly mental and bodily rest day for ministers, emphasizing its importance for sustained vigor and health.

You have been eating your demands upon your intellectual and mental faculties. And it's again interesting how all the old masters address this. The men who understood preaching. Listen to one by the name of Murphy, a Presbyterian minister of another generation and century in Philadelphia.

27:26 - 27:50 Read in full sermon

Driving home: Finally the old mule just rolls over on its side and looks up at you and says, shoot me if you want to, but I ain't going nowhere.

He humorously suggests that Murphy's description of forcing oneself to unattractive tasks sounds like he 'visited you,' making the historical advice personally relevant.

The work of other days will be more vigorous. The physical and mental tone will be kept up, and at the end of the year far more will be accomplished. One day of wakeful energetic work is worth three or four spent in half-dreaming and forcing oneself to unattractive tasks. It seems to me he's visited you, hasn't he?

29:12 - 29:44 Read in full sermon

The point: Avoid the burnout that limits your reading to that reading done in conjunction with specific sermon preparation.

He uses the biblical metaphor of 'treasure in earthen vessels' (2 Corinthians 4:7) to describe ministers as frail, imperfectly sanctified humanity carrying the gospel, setting up the warning against hiding this humanity.

We have this treasure in earthen vessels, in clay pots and not a very flattering imagery to be called a clay pot but that's precisely what we are. We have the treasure in earthen vessels that the excellency of the power may be of God not. Now if then we carry the treasure in an earthen vessel, what is that earthen vessel? Well, it is frail humanity.

33:17 - 33:56 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: Martin introduces the seventh warning: beware of allowing the ministerial office to become a 'wall' or 'cocoon' that hides or locks up one's 'real humanity.' He explains that this…

He uses the analogy of a 'dog collar of your office' to illustrate how ministerial function should not fundamentally change who a man is, warning against artificiality.

We desire to be models of the grace and power of the gospel of self-control and we think therefore there cannot be any innocent expressions of the human emotions of grief, of joy, of disappointment certainly not publicly yes to my wife and kids. We'll put the wall this side or the other side of the front door of our home but then others go even further and they make a cocoon and they don't even express these things to their most intimate friends and companions. Well what happens? Well because anything which is essentially an attack upon our humanity is not of God. Anything which is an attack u...

37:06 - 38:33 Read in full sermon

The point: Get your theology of the purposes and dynamics of redemptive grace in line with the word of God.

He uses the example of a 'cleric laughing at monkeys' to challenge the defective theology that suppresses natural human joy and expression, arguing that God himself smiles at creation.

and smiling delightful to be holy so they command to what? Abstain from meats and to marry he says it's demons that concoct that view doctors of demons the demons that control philosophical thought that make matter and human pleasure essentially evil and that's why Paul says grace with what is human only with what is sinful and if we understand that then you see we are liberated in the work of the ministry we don't need to be under this unnatural strain I have my I cannot be a natural man I cannot speak like a natural man I must have a ministerial tone I cannot pray in my normal voice I must h...

41:32 - 43:02 Read in full sermon

The point: Get your examples of sanctified ministerial humanity from the word of God especially the Lord Jesus and the Apostle Paul.

He details Jesus' righteous anger during the cleansing of the temple, describing His vigorous actions, to illustrate that sinless humanity can express strong emotions without sin.

are transformed into that image from one stage of glory to another even by the Lord the Spirit and here I heartily recommend brethren that you periodically read Warfield's masterful treatise on the emotional life of our Lord found in the single volume the person and work of Christ marvelous treatise and in our Lord the only perfect ministerial model we see him this sinless humanity follow closely now sinless humanity in ministerial position and function with no wall to hide all the dimensions of that humanity and no cocoon within which it is locked up when he comes to the temple and sees what ...

44:28 - 45:57 Read in full sermon

The point: Get your examples of sanctified ministerial humanity from the word of God especially the Lord Jesus and the Apostle Paul.

He cites Mark 3:5, where Jesus looked around with anger and grief, and Luke 7:36, where Jesus expressed disappointment at being slighted, to show Christ's legitimate human emotions.

and in the synoptics the second cleansing on the tail end of his ministry and the man who is so full of fury the fury extended to his fingertips when with the scourge it says he drove them out and I remember when preaching through Mark and studying those vigorous verbs oh changers tables they weren't made of light plastic friend rough hewn wood he gets his hands beneath them throws them and the money goes clanking down on the stone floor of the temple he had the appearance of a man on a mission and it was evident in every single cell of his being did he sin? Jesus being grieved for their hardn...

45:57 - 47:23 Read in full sermon

The point: Get your examples of sanctified ministerial humanity from the word of God especially the Lord Jesus and the Apostle Paul.

He cites Luke 10:21, where Jesus 'exalted or rejoiced in the spirit,' to illustrate Christ's spiritual exhilaration and holy joy.

Luke 7 36 is that sinful? when a man feels slighted does it mean he's guilty of sinful self pity to say I have been slighted and I'm grieved if so our Lord sinned because he said to Simon when I came in you didn't give me those graces I took notice of it and I'm now telling you about it then he used it as the occasion to teach a vital lesson did our Lord show spiritual exhilaration? yes Luke tells us that he exalted or rejoiced in the spirit and said Father I thank thee as he contemplated God's discriminating grace and felt fresh impulses of holy joy upon his countenance and then it gave birth...

47:23 - 48:50 Read in full sermon

The point: Get your examples of sanctified ministerial humanity from the word of God especially the Lord Jesus and the Apostle Paul.

He alludes to Jesus' grief at the loss of a human friend (Lazarus) to show Christ's brokenness of heart.

Luke 7 36 is that sinful? when a man feels slighted does it mean he's guilty of sinful self pity to say I have been slighted and I'm grieved if so our Lord sinned because he said to Simon when I came in you didn't give me those graces I took notice of it and I'm now telling you about it then he used it as the occasion to teach a vital lesson did our Lord show spiritual exhilaration? yes Luke tells us that he exalted or rejoiced in the spirit and said Father I thank thee as he contemplated God's discriminating grace and felt fresh impulses of holy joy upon his countenance and then it gave birth...

47:23 - 48:50 Read in full sermon

The point: Get your examples of sanctified ministerial humanity from the word of God especially the Lord Jesus and the Apostle Paul.

He cites Jesus' lament 'O unbelieving faithless generation, how long shall I bear with you?' and 'I would have gathered you' to illustrate holy frustration and disappointment.

to the cross he took notice if his cross of peace was the preventing of the pharmaceutical from creating and in the myriads of divine holy frustration oh unbelieving faithless generation how long shall i bear with you is it sinful to express disappointment and frustration when you've had spiritual hopes and they are dashed not fulfilled if it is notion if my disciples see me expressing holy frustration they will reason back to their theology that god's decrees and purposes and somehow be frustrated i'm amazed how some people bleed so many portions of the gospels of their obvious meaning becaus...

48:50 - 50:04 Read in full sermon

The point: Get your examples of sanctified ministerial humanity from the word of God especially the Lord Jesus and the Apostle Paul.

He cites Jesus' request 'Watch with me one hour' to illustrate Christ's acknowledgment of the need for companionship.

near as fastidious as they are about leaving his truth vulnerable to those who might twist it to some unholy end so when jesus says i would have gathered you i doesn't mean what it says yes it does mean what it says in his holy humanity he would have gathered to all of that city to himself but he says he would not same one who kneels and says i finished the work you gave me to do all that you gave to me i've given eternal life to them don't allow your cannon the so-called human logic to believe the word of god of its obvious meaning be prepared to live not with the irrational what the contradi...

50:04 - 51:30 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: The second remedy is to draw examples of sanctified ministerial humanity from the Word of God, especially from the Lord Jesus and the Apostle Paul, observing their legitimate…

He references Romans 7:14-25, where Paul openly discusses his 'constant agitation of two contrary principles,' to illustrate the Apostle's transparency about his imperfectly sanctified humanity.

watch with me one hour could you not watch with me one hour go to the life of paul the great apostle he's not ashamed to say i live with a constant agitation of two contrary principles at work within my breast thank god for romans 7 14 to the end he lays it out the quint generations you look upon me and think i've got my act together in every you don't know the half of the story the good that i would i do not the evil that i would i do shit man that i am he expresses loneliness god who comforts those who are cast down comforted us by the coming of titus he says without were fightings within we...

51:30 - 52:59 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: The second remedy is to draw examples of sanctified ministerial humanity from the Word of God, especially from the Lord Jesus and the Apostle Paul, observing their legitimate…

He cites Paul's confession of loneliness (2 Corinthians 7:6) and 'without were fightings, within were fears' (2 Corinthians 7:5) to show the Apostle's openness about his human struggles.

watch with me one hour could you not watch with me one hour go to the life of paul the great apostle he's not ashamed to say i live with a constant agitation of two contrary principles at work within my breast thank god for romans 7 14 to the end he lays it out the quint generations you look upon me and think i've got my act together in every you don't know the half of the story the good that i would i do not the evil that i would i do shit man that i am he expresses loneliness god who comforts those who are cast down comforted us by the coming of titus he says without were fightings within we...

51:30 - 52:59 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: The second remedy is to draw examples of sanctified ministerial humanity from the Word of God, especially from the Lord Jesus and the Apostle Paul, observing their legitimate…

He cites Psalm 56:3, where David says, 'What time I am afraid, I will put my trust in thee,' to illustrate that even great men of God expressed fear without shame.

watch with me one hour could you not watch with me one hour go to the life of paul the great apostle he's not ashamed to say i live with a constant agitation of two contrary principles at work within my breast thank god for romans 7 14 to the end he lays it out the quint generations you look upon me and think i've got my act together in every you don't know the half of the story the good that i would i do not the evil that i would i do shit man that i am he expresses loneliness god who comforts those who are cast down comforted us by the coming of titus he says without were fightings within we...

51:30 - 52:59 Read in full sermon