Elijah and His Successors

In this part of the sermon: Martin introduces the principle that people see what their eye is trained to see, illustrating it with examples of professionals viewing a home. He applies this to biblical…

An interior decorator, builder, and architect tour a home and report different observations based on their training, illustrating how one's background shapes what they perceive.

As I've sought to study this passage, and ask the Lord what he would say to my own heart, and to our hearts together. I've been struck again with the principle that in any given situation, A person generally sees what his eye is trained to see. Let me illustrate. Suppose we were to bring into this room a man who by his training and profession is an interior decorator.

4:33 - 4:58 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: Martin explores the historical background of the 'sons of the prophets,' tracing their origins to Samuel's ministry, their decline, and their revival under Elijah and Elisha…

The example of John Sung establishing 'preaching bands' in the Far East is used to illustrate the function of the 'sons of the prophets' as roving evangelists.

Apparently under the ministry of Samuel it was his desire that there would be gathered around him this band of relatively young men to whom would be imparted knowledge, knowledge of the law of God and unusual sensitivity to the ministry of the spirit of God as the spirit of prophecy and who would go about almost as what we would call a roving band of street preachers who would sing the praises of the God of Israel with their musical instruments and who would give instruction in the law of God. There is something very similar to this under the revivals that followed under the ministry of John S...

13:53 - 14:56 Read in full sermon

The point: Cry mightily and often to God to raise up some Elijahs who may cast their shadow upon the Elishas and gather about them some sons of the prophets.

An extended quotation from the original charter of Princeton Seminary is used to argue for the necessity of theological teachers being experienced, practicing preachers, not merely academics.

that they in turn might pour their lives into the Elishas and the sons of the prophets. I suggest to you that this was the original vision of the schools founded for the training of ministers here in our own lands and yet how strange it sounds upon our ears in this day. I want to read from the original charter of Princeton Seminary. This was to be the purpose and function of the seminary.

28:24 - 28:56 Read in full sermon

The point: Be prepared to expend ourselves wherever necessary for this purpose.

Further quotations from Princeton Seminary's original charter are used to emphasize the importance of devotional life, self-examination, and practical piety in ministerial training, contrasting it with modern academic trends.

Now I quote what I started to quote before. This was the vision of Princeton Seminary when it started. Listen to this language. It's expected that every student in the theological seminary will spend a portion of time every morning and evening in devout meditation and self-recognition and self-examination, in reading the Holy Scriptures solely with a view to personal and practical application of the passage read to his own heart, character, and circumstances, and in humble, fervent prayer and praise to God in secret.

36:40 - 37:18 Read in full sermon