Christian Benevolence

The point: Engage in Christian benevolence in faith, having convictions concerning its scripturalness.

Martin uses the phrase 'nickel and 25-cent word' to explain 'ostensibly' to the children, making the vocabulary accessible.

Today is that day in the so-called Christian calendar that has been called Easter, a day in which men ostensibly, for you kids that's just a nickel and 25 cent word that means on the surface of things,

0:05 - 0:20 Read in full sermon

The point: Engage in Christian benevolence in faith, having convictions concerning its scripturalness.

Martin explains why he is not preaching a typical Easter message, having deferred to Pastor Blaise to avoid 'stealing his thunder,' which led him to this topic on benevolence.

are celebrating, whatever that means, the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Now you will be getting a proper Easter message this evening when Pastor Blaise will speak to you from the 16th chapter of the Gospel according to Mark. But the proper English or the proper Easter message that I was preparing had to be shelled for another time when we met on Friday and compared notes because I would have stolen about half to two-thirds of our brother's thunder and I trust instruction as well. And this left me asking the Lord what he would have me to bring and I felt constrained, I trust, by sound judgment ...

0:23 - 1:52 Read in full sermon

The point: Engage in Christian benevolence in faith, having convictions concerning its scripturalness.

He cites past instances of special offerings for flood victims in Pennsylvania and relief work in Africa and Honduras to show the church's history of benevolence.

are to be designated exclusively for benevolent concerns outside of the circle of our own assembly, outside of the circle of our regular missionary responsibilities. Now, in the past, we have had special benevolent offerings. We have designated certain Sundays as days in which every penny given would go, for instance, to some of the saints who were deprived of much of their physical and material possessions in the flood out in central Pennsylvania several years ago. During the past year, you gave over $8,000 for relief work in Africa and in Honduras.

1:52 - 2:33 Read in full sermon

The point: Engage in Christian benevolence in faith, having convictions concerning its scripturalness.

He mentions how the elders and deacons have quietly met internal congregational needs, such as for those laid off from work, to distinguish it from the new policy's external focus.

Also, we have always responded, as elders, and deacons out of the regular funds with reference to benevolent needs in our own congregation. Many of these things have never been made known to you because they would be embarrassing to the people involved. For instance, when someone is laid off from work, there is inquiry made almost immediately as to the financial status to see if benevolent offerings are needed. But we're talking about something that goes beyond these critical needs that come from time to time for which special offerings are made.

2:33 - 3:07 Read in full sermon

The point: Be responsible to see the naked flesh of your destitute brother and subject yourself to whatever disciplines are necessary to clothe, feed, and shelter him.

The image of a man turning aside and hiding from his naked brother is used to illustrate the sin of ignoring a brother's need to avoid a troubled conscience.

The matter of food the matter of shelter and the matter of clothing and God says if you're going to subject yourself to spiritual disciplines that are pleasing in my sight deny yourself to the end that your brethren may have his basic physical needs met bread shelter clothing and then God gives a frightening indictment at the end of that verse and that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh it's the picture of a man passing by his brother in his nakedness and rather than stay long enough and let the sight sink in that it might affect the bowels of his compassion the man turns aside and hid...

17:30 - 18:27 Read in full sermon

The point: Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due when it is in the power of your hands to do it.

He uses the example of Church A supplying Church B's lack, and vice-versa in the future, to illustrate the principle of equality and mutual dependence among believers over time.

made rich at your expense he says no no that now your bounty may supply their lack that in the future their bounty may supply your lack so that there may be an equality that's what he's saying at one point in the history of the church brother A church A has its hands full of the ability to respond to the needs of those to whom it is due 50 years later church B who received from church A now has its hands full and church A is destitute and you see one of the things that God in his providence does is so to order even even famines and material prosperity and economic stability that the church wil...

21:48 - 23:17 Read in full sermon

The point: Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due when it is in the power of your hands to do it.

Martin shares that the assembly gave $109,000 the previous year, expressing awe at God's provision and using it to underscore the church's current 'power to do good.'

made rich at your expense he says no no that now your bounty may supply their lack that in the future their bounty may supply your lack so that there may be an equality that's what he's saying at one point in the history of the church brother A church A has its hands full of the ability to respond to the needs of those to whom it is due 50 years later church B who received from church A now has its hands full and church A is destitute and you see one of the things that God in his providence does is so to order even even famines and material prosperity and economic stability that the church wil...

21:48 - 23:17 Read in full sermon

The point: Work that which is good toward all men, and especially toward them that are of the household of faith, including responding to material needs.

He gives a specific example of how the church's gifts will be administered: providing dignified housing for a godly pastor in a Muslim culture, making it a testimony to the gospel's holistic impact.

will be administered putting a roof over the head of a godly pastor in the midst of a Muslim culture where a church is seeking to bear witness to the grace of God helping the man to get out of a place as I mentioned a week ago Sunday in which you would not even keep your dog stalled that there might be a sense of dignity and self-respect and that the lovely little place the two-room house provided by the congregation with a little assistance from some Christians in another place may be a monument of the grace of God and a testimony to the non-Christian community that the gospel is that which t...

26:11 - 27:39 Read in full sermon

The point: Love not in word or with the tongue, but in deed and in truth, demonstrating genuine love through tangible acts of benevolence.

He uses the contemporary example of people fleeing war zones, abandoning possessions because life is more precious, to highlight the lesser value of 'this world's goods' compared to life itself in 1 John 3:17.

we are under solemn obligation if we love our brethren to give our lives for them now notice the subtlety of his argument the inescapable logic the the almost pummeling power of his logic but he says who so hath the world's goods what are your possessions compared to your life you see they are nothing that's why the pictures in time magazine and on your newspapers will show people fleeing from Danang fleeing from Phnom Penh forgetting their possessions why because their most precious possession is worth more than all those things life itself that's why a man jumped on the undercarriage of a pl...

29:09 - 30:37 Read in full sermon

The point: Love not in word or with the tongue, but in deed and in truth, demonstrating genuine love through tangible acts of benevolence.

He recounts the story of a man attempting to escape by clinging to a plane's undercarriage, emphasizing the desperate value placed on life, to further underscore the argument from 1 John 3:17.

we are under solemn obligation if we love our brethren to give our lives for them now notice the subtlety of his argument the inescapable logic the the almost pummeling power of his logic but he says who so hath the world's goods what are your possessions compared to your life you see they are nothing that's why the pictures in time magazine and on your newspapers will show people fleeing from Danang fleeing from Phnom Penh forgetting their possessions why because their most precious possession is worth more than all those things life itself that's why a man jumped on the undercarriage of a pl...

29:09 - 30:37 Read in full sermon

The point: Love not in word or with the tongue, but in deed and in truth, demonstrating genuine love through tangible acts of benevolence.

For the children, Martin uses the analogy of 25 model cars and one special car to illustrate 1 John 3:17: if you won't give an ordinary car, you certainly won't give your most precious one (your life).

apparatus of human speech let us love in deed then we are loving in truth and I know of no passage in the New Testament that to me is more powerful in bearing home upon the conscience the biblical foundation and obligation of Christian benevolence for you kids let me try to illustrate suppose one of you fellows has got 25 model cars you've worked on them with your dad for several years you've got them all lined up on top of your bookcase but then there's one very special model car and you'd be willing if necessary to trade away all the others to preserve this one you see now John is saying see...

32:05 - 33:33 Read in full sermon

The point: Examine your conscience regarding the needs of brothers and sisters redeemed by Christ's blood, and do not shut up the bowels of your compassion.

For the girls, he uses the analogy of 25 dolls and one special doll to reinforce the same point as the model cars, making the application relatable to them.

how dwells the love of God in you girls we could change the illustration and talk about your dolls okay so you've got 25 little dolls you've collected them you know these dolls from different countries one of my daughters likes those alright and you've got your Irish doll and your Japanese doll and all the other dolls but then you've got that very very special doll and she's in a place all her own now God says if you really love you'd be willing to give that special doll but if you're not willing to give one of those 25 dolls let alone that special one do you really love it do you feel the for...

33:33 - 35:03 Read in full sermon

The point: Examine your conscience regarding the needs of brothers and sisters redeemed by Christ's blood, and do not shut up the bowels of your compassion.

He contrasts the average American spending 20% of income on food with other cultures spending 70-100% for inadequate caloric intake, to highlight the relative wealth of the American church and the reality of global poverty.

how dwells the love of God in you girls we could change the illustration and talk about your dolls okay so you've got 25 little dolls you've collected them you know these dolls from different countries one of my daughters likes those alright and you've got your Irish doll and your Japanese doll and all the other dolls but then you've got that very very special doll and she's in a place all her own now God says if you really love you'd be willing to give that special doll but if you're not willing to give one of those 25 dolls let alone that special one do you really love it do you feel the for...

33:33 - 35:03 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: He continues the biblical foundation by citing the apostolic example in Acts 4:34-35 (voluntary sharing) and Acts 6 (deacons for widows), and Paul's zeal to remember the poor…

He points out that in the early church, there were no social security or life insurance benefits, emphasizing the destitution of widows and the necessity of the church's benevolent care.

apostolic law it became regulative for the church of Christ throughout all of the ages so there is a valid apostolic tradition it doesn't exist over there in Rome a la Roman Catholicism and a la Pope Paul and all his cohorts but there is a genuine apostolic tradition Paul says mark those that walk contrary to the traditions that you've received of us and when we read through the book of the Acts and the epistles we notice that one of the apostolic traditions was this concern for active genuine Christian benevolence and time will not permit a careful study let me just give you the references an...

36:31 - 37:59 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: He continues the biblical foundation by citing the apostolic example in Acts 4:34-35 (voluntary sharing) and Acts 6 (deacons for widows), and Paul's zeal to remember the poor…

He shares his frustration with those who tell sick missionaries to 'trust God for a miracle' instead of addressing material needs, contrasting it with the apostles' practical concern for widows.

and they said alright if you want to do that fine we'll sit down and divvy it up and they made distribution according as every man had made there is tacit apostolic approval upon that spirit though there is no explicit apostolic regulation directing us to the form that that spirit must take you see the difference then when we read on further in the book of Acts we come to chapter 6 and what happens well there's some widows they don't have social security they don't have widows benefits they don't have decreasing term insurance and the rock didn't exist then nor Metropolitan nor John Hancock no...

37:59 - 39:29 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: He continues the biblical foundation by citing the apostolic example in Acts 4:34-35 (voluntary sharing) and Acts 6 (deacons for widows), and Paul's zeal to remember the poor…

He describes the account of deacons in Acts 6 as 'sandwiched' between the multiplying of disciples by preaching, illustrating that tangible concern for the whole man is integrated with gospel proclamation.

to their higher calling namely word and prayer so what do they do they do not try to change the mind of the church about this concern they redirect the administration of that concern and they say look out among you seven men full of good report full of good report full of the Holy Ghost whom we may appoint over this business and it's interesting that the whole account of the choosing of those first we assume first deacons is bound to be bounded by the first couple of verses of Acts 6 and then verse 7 in which there is the testimony of the multiplying of disciples and the power of the word of G...

39:29 - 40:58 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: He continues the biblical foundation by citing the apostolic example in Acts 4:34-35 (voluntary sharing) and Acts 6 (deacons for widows), and Paul's zeal to remember the poor…

He describes Paul's approach in 2 Corinthians 8 and 9 as using 'holy tact and holy guile,' 'buttering them up' and 'cutting them down,' to illustrate Paul's masterful efforts to stir up benevolence.

he says look verse 6 but from these that were reputed to be somewhat whatsoever they were it makes no matter to me God accepteth no man's persons he says you want to call them big shots fine there ain't no big shots in my book but he said furthermore they didn't tell me anything they added nothing to me the gospel I preached was received from heaven he said they did give me a little advice now look at verse 10 only they would they gave me the right hand of fellowship they said you're kosher apostle we'll buy your claims to apostleship you're alright Barnabas has convinced us we'll shake your h...

40:58 - 42:28 Read in full sermon

The point: Actively seek out needs in the Christian community and respond to them, even if it means cutting back on personal luxuries.

He notes that truly righteous people are amazed when Christ commends their deeds, contrasting them with 'terrible hypocrites' who keep records of their piety.

on how you become righteous you go to the book of Romans for that you go to the book of Galatians for that a man is not made righteous by the deeds of the law but by faith in Jesus Christ this is the public demonstration of the reality of the righteousness not only imputed but imparted and how is he going to vindicate the justness of his action taking them into his presence he says here's how I'll do it I will say to the righteous come ye blessed inherit the kingdom for I was hungry and ye gave me drink gave me to eat I was thirsty and you gave me drink I was a stranger and ye took me in naked...

46:53 - 48:21 Read in full sermon

The point: Actively seek out needs in the Christian community and respond to them, even if it means cutting back on personal luxuries.

He illustrates a humble believer taking excess clothing from his closet and quietly slipping it to a needy brother, without ostentation, as an example of Matthew 25:40.

you're vindicating the genuineness of your work in us by saying that we fed you we clothed you we gave you to drink we visited you but Lord we can't recall any such incidents and what is the Lord's response verse 40 and the king shall answer and say unto them verily I say unto you inasmuch as ye did it unto one of these my brethren even the least even the least even the least even the least he did it unto me and who are his brethren in the gospel of Matthew the Lord answers that question explicitly in Matthew chapter 12 in the last five verses we have the record of people who come and say Lord...

48:21 - 49:50 Read in full sermon

The point: Actively seek out needs in the Christian community and respond to them, even if it means cutting back on personal luxuries.

He illustrates a family cutting back on luxuries like frequent car trading to send a check to a needy brother, demonstrating a practical response to benevolence.

quietly goes maybe slips it under the door doesn't even let the brother know he's been there then he goes home convicted Lord did I give as much as I should then he hears of another brother who doesn't have the wherewithal to provide adequately for his family and he thinks of his own bounty and he sits down with his wife and have a little family powwow and how they can cut back here and a little bit there and it's really not necessary to be trading in that car every couple of years and some of these other unnecessary expenses that are the fruit of our own luxury and our affluent way of life an...

49:50 - 51:19 Read in full sermon

The point: If you are unsaved, respond to human needs, but know that this will not save you; repent and believe the gospel.

He recounts a missionary's desire to teach skills and raise chickens for protein, but being told 'that is not our concern,' to illustrate the 'stench' of truncated evangelicalism.

I will cut you down in your pride oh may God help any who may be infected with that error but this teaching we have considered this morning exposes an error on the other end of the spectrum the error of an evangelicalism which claims such a preoccupation with the roots of the gospel that it will have nothing to do with the fruits see liberalism says we want the fruits without the roots we want compassion and social concern liberalism has said we want and this is no straw dummy I have heard it with my own ears in these past weeks as I have seen young people growing up in a church situation and ...

54:14 - 55:44 Read in full sermon

The point: If you are unsaved, respond to human needs, but know that this will not save you; repent and believe the gospel.

He references Jesus telling the disciples to 'give ye them to eat' when they suggested sending the multitudes away, to expose any remnants of a narrow view of God's concern for the whole man.

I will cut you down in your pride oh may God help any who may be infected with that error but this teaching we have considered this morning exposes an error on the other end of the spectrum the error of an evangelicalism which claims such a preoccupation with the roots of the gospel that it will have nothing to do with the fruits see liberalism says we want the fruits without the roots we want compassion and social concern liberalism has said we want and this is no straw dummy I have heard it with my own ears in these past weeks as I have seen young people growing up in a church situation and ...

54:14 - 55:44 Read in full sermon

The point: Strive for true biblical holiness by being conformed to the image of Jesus Christ, who was concerned for the whole man, dealing with both spiritual roots and practical fruits.

He contrasts true biblical holiness with superficial experiences like 'shivers and shakes' or 'ecstatic feelings,' to emphasize that holiness is conformity to Christ's character.

they said Lord it is getting late better send them into town to get something to eat we have done the spiritual thing Lord let them take Jesus said give ye them to eat give them to eat so that the Lord would expose in any of us any remnants of this area of this error that is a hangover from a narrow truncated view of God's concern for the whole man so this teaching constitutes an expose of these two great errors liberalism and a truncated narrow visioned evangelicalism but secondly it reveals the nature of true biblical holiness what is true biblical holiness? is it a shiver and a shake? some ...

55:44 - 56:51 Read in full sermon