Reasons Why We Ought to Obey, Part 2

In this part of the sermon: The second reason is that members' responses directly cause leaders either joy or grief. Martin defines 'joy' as a deep, God-like gladness over the salvation and well-being of…

Compares the joy of winning a basketball game, a miser finding money, and a mother giving birth to a child to illustrate that the depth and quality of joy are directly proportional to the worth of what produces it, emphasizing the inestimable worth of a soul.

It is the emotion spoken of in Luke chapter two in verse ten, when the angels announce the birth of the Son of God. Now, that emotion of joy is measured in direct proportion by the worth of that which produces it. Some of you who follow basketball know there was great joy in North Carolina yesterday. When North Carolina state defeated UCLA in the NCAA, when North Carolina state defeated UCLA in the NCAA, When North Carolina state defeated UCLA in the NCAA, AAA semifinals. There was great joy. There was near pandemonium, a breaking loose when they won that game in double overtime. But there is ...

9:00 - 10:10 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: The second reason is that members' responses directly cause leaders either joy or grief. Martin defines 'joy' as a deep, God-like gladness over the salvation and well-being of…

Uses the biblical description of the Israelites' groaning in Egyptian bondage to convey the intense, inarticulate sadness and spiritual oppression implied by the word 'grief' when applied to leaders.

where it takes you. You obtain that game easily experienc'th sense of sex, which is to be set at a right place within your kami So you see, though it is the same emotion aración in看 if you extend what you have a good doubt of that, which is of inestimable worth, the soul, the immortal soul, of a human being, which makes the depth of the joy of a mother of a conquering basketball team or a miser whose found his money, seem as near nothing. The joy here is a joy to be understood in terms of the issues that produce it, likewise, it is soiled in mass whenhas created from the produce it likewise th...

11:24 - 12:45 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: The second reason is that members' responses directly cause leaders either joy or grief. Martin defines 'joy' as a deep, God-like gladness over the salvation and well-being of…

Compares the grief of a miser losing $5, a mother losing a child, and elders seeing men lose their souls to illustrate that the depth of grief, like joy, is determined by the significance of the loss, highlighting the profound loss of a soul.

it is that inarticulate venting of the deepest sadness its depth likewise is measured by that which occasions it. If the miser loses his five dollars on his way home to sew it up in his mattress, he is grieved.

12:45 - 13:04 Read in full sermon

The point: When they give corporate directives for the well-being of the entire congregation, obey them and submit to them.

Describes the deep, indescribable grief of parents who have lovingly warned a headstrong child about wicked companions, only to see them choose a path of self-destruction. This illustrates the 'frustrated love' that causes grief in spiritual leaders when their admonitions are spurned.

Think of the mother and father who have warned a headstrong son or daughter about the evil of wicked companions. They've pleaded. They've entreated. They've pleaded.

18:14 - 18:27 Read in full sermon

Driving home: Slothful, selfish, cold-hearted, cavilling, conceited, contentious congregations have broken the spirit of many a faithful minister of Christ and made him go mourning to his grave.

Quotes John Brown on the bitter sorrow of faithful elders laboring among a people who counteract their efforts, emphasizing how non-submission leads to grief and discouragement in ministry.

If you do not submit yourselves they will perform their work with grief. There are few more people with bitter sorrows than that of a faithful elder laboring among a people who counteract his attempts to promote their spiritual improvement. Even Moses, one of the elders who by faith received a good report when the Israelitish people were disobedient and rebellious was tempted to wish that God would kill him out of hand rather than continue to cause him to see his wretchedness. Numbers 11.15 When the people rebelled and complained he said, Lord, kill me out of hand and let me no longer behold m...

22:37 - 23:33 Read in full sermon

Driving home: Slothful, selfish, cold-hearted, cavilling, conceited, contentious congregations have broken the spirit of many a faithful minister of Christ and made him go mourning to his grave.

Cites Moses' desire for God to kill him rather than continue to see the wretchedness of the rebellious Israelites (Numbers 11:15) as an example of the profound grief and discouragement experienced by a leader.

If you do not submit yourselves they will perform their work with grief. There are few more people with bitter sorrows than that of a faithful elder laboring among a people who counteract his attempts to promote their spiritual improvement. Even Moses, one of the elders who by faith received a good report when the Israelitish people were disobedient and rebellious was tempted to wish that God would kill him out of hand rather than continue to cause him to see his wretchedness. Numbers 11.15 When the people rebelled and complained he said, Lord, kill me out of hand and let me no longer behold m...

22:37 - 23:33 Read in full sermon

Driving home: Slothful, selfish, cold-hearted, cavilling, conceited, contentious congregations have broken the spirit of many a faithful minister of Christ and made him go mourning to his grave.

Quotes several proverbs (12:25, 13:12, 15:13, 15:15, 17:22) to demonstrate the overpowering effect of deep grief and the salutary effect of exhilarating joy on a person's spirit and even physical health, applying these universal truths to spiritual leaders.

Turn to the book of Proverbs and let Solomon speak to our hearts this morning concerning the present influence of this joy or this grief. We're looking now at the influence of the grief upon the very hearts of those who have the rule over us. Proverbs 12 and verse 25 Heaviness in the heart of a man maketh it stoop. Proverbs 13 verse 12 Hope deferred maketh the heart sick.

23:37 - 24:16 Read in full sermon

The point: If you love your under-shepherds, the scripture says, love worketh no ill to his neighbor. Therefore, love is the fulfilling of the law.

Compares the grief/joy caused by fellow students, spouses, and children to illustrate that the more intimate a relationship, the greater its capacity for deep joy or sorrow, placing the elder-flock relationship as third in intimacy.

Think of it for a moment. Your fellow students can cause you grief or joy, but your wife or husband can cause you greater grief or joy.

28:07 - 28:16 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: The third reason for obedience is that disobedience is 'unprofitable' or 'unadvantageous' for the members themselves. This is a litotes, meaning it is profoundly detrimental…

Explains the literary device of litotes using the example of someone saying 'I have not a few regrets' about a bad trip to Florida, meaning 'I have many regrets.' This clarifies the meaning of 'unprofitable' as profoundly detrimental.

Well, this expression is a literary device and I'll give you a little English lesson this morning called a litotes. Spelled L-I-T-O-T-E-S. L-I-T-O-T-E-S. L-I-T-O-T-E-S.

31:40 - 31:52 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: The third reason for obedience is that disobedience is 'unprofitable' or 'unadvantageous' for the members themselves. This is a litotes, meaning it is profoundly detrimental…

Shares personal experience of trembling at news of disruption in sister churches and confronting someone attempting to cause schism, emphasizing the severe consequences of destroying the temple of God.

As news has come to me of the disruption in some of our sister churches in the past year, when church members have taken, as it were, the law into their own hands and rather than simply saying, I don't like things here, I don't like the rule, I don't like the set up and leave, they have stayed with him and caused schism and disruption and the crippling of the house of God. I said, Lord, how dare they?

36:00 - 36:26 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: Indirectly, members' disobedience and the resulting grief in leaders lessen the leaders' efficiency and fervor in ministry. Conversely, obedience and the joy it brings enable…

Quotes John Brown again, explaining how a disheartened spiritual teacher's labors are less effective, and conversely, how a joyful elder's work is more fervent and ingenious, leading to greater blessings for the church.

And I read him again because trying to paraphrase him, I only spoil him. He says it more concisely and beautifully. Think of the influence, which the manner in which the work is performed will have on your own interest. If it's performed with grief, that were unprofitable for you.

38:30 - 38:46 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: Martin frames the third reason as an appeal to legitimate self-interest, arguing that just as no one harms their own body, believers should not act in ways that are spiritually…

Asks if anyone would willingly cut off their own fingers to illustrate the absurdity of acting against one's own legitimate self-interest, connecting it to the spiritual unprofitableness of disobedience.

That's self-interest, but it's legitimate self-interest. We are to love our neighbor as ourselves, indicating that legitimate self-love is the index and the measure of proper love to my neighbor. Would you willingly and deliberately sit here this morning and take a hacksaw and start cutting off your own fingers? If we saw anyone doing that, we'd know that something had snapped up here.

41:38 - 42:08 Read in full sermon