Qualities Needed to Accomplish the Work of God

Driving home: You do not act alone. You do not act in your own strength. You do not act in your own authority. But you act in the authority and strength of the God of Israel.

Elisha placing his hands on Joash's hands as the king held the bow symbolized that God's authority and power were bound up with the king's actions, reminding him he did not act alone.

And we can just picture the king taking the bow in one hand and his arrows in the other, or placing a quiver upon his shoulder. And then the prophet does a strange thing. He tells the king to put his hand upon the bow, and no sooner has the king placed his hand upon the bow but what the prophet lays both of his hands upon the king's hand. And in that symbolic gesture, he was saying, in essence, the authority...

8:10 - 8:39 Read in full sermon

Driving home: You do not act alone. You do not act in your own strength. You do not act in your own authority. But you act in the authority and strength of the God of Israel.

The prophet's mention of Aphek would have reminded Joash of a past miraculous victory where God routed a vast Syrian army with a small Israelite force, serving as a tremendous encouragement for future conquest.

From symbolic action to an interpretive word, to an explicit promise, and woven into that promise is a tremendous encouragement from the history of Israel. When the prophet said to the king, you shall defeat the Syrians at Aphek, that would have brought immediately to the mind of the king the incident recorded in 1 Kings chapter 20, which occurred at this place called Aphek. 1 Kings chapter 20, and beginning with verse 26.

11:05 - 11:41 Read in full sermon

The point: Do not hide behind personality or temperament as an excuse for a lack of zeal in God's cause.

Martin contrasts Joash's lack of zeal against Syria with his aggressive zeal in fighting against the southern kingdom of Judah (2 Kings 14), demonstrating that his indifference was not due to temperament but a lack of commitment to God's cause.

For in 2 Kings 14 and verses, 12 through 14, we have the account of his zeal to fight against the southern kingdoms. And Judah was defeated by Israel and they fled each to his tent. Then Jehoash, king of Israel, captured Amaziah, king of Judah, the son of Jehoash, the son of Ahaziah, at Beth Shemesh, and came to Jerusalem and tore down the wall of Jerusalem from the gate of Ephraim to the corner gate, 400 cubits. And he took all the gold and silver and all the utensils which were found in the house of the Lord and in the treasuries of the king's house, the hostages also, and returned to Samari...

19:45 - 20:47 Read in full sermon

The point: Serve the Lord with unflagging energy and ardor of spirit in the battle against sin, the world, and in evangelism and discipling nations.

Martin quotes the New English Bible's rendering of Romans 12:11 ('With unflagging energy, in ardor of spirit, serve the Lord') to emphasize the intensity of zeal required in Christian service.

coming on the heels of that great exposition of the gospel of the grace of God that is found in the epistle to the Romans. And in this chapter where the apostle is giving general directions to the people of God, nestled in amongst those directions are these very pointed words, Romans 12, verse 11. Not lagging behind in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord. The New English Bible renders it this way.

21:36 - 22:12 Read in full sermon

The point: Do all work heartily, from the soul, as unto the Lord, not in a mechanical or perfunctory way.

Martin quotes J.B. Phillips' paraphrase of Colossians 3:23 ('Whatever you do, put your whole heart and soul into it as unto work done for the Lord and not merely, for men') to capture the essence of wholehearted service.

Heartily. As for the Lord, rather than for men. And I like the paraphrase that Phillips gives. I do not call it a translation, but an interpretive paraphrase which captures the essence of the admonition.

23:54 - 24:11 Read in full sermon

The point: Pray for a new measure of zeal in prayers, giving, witnessing, and willingness to work, ensuring all service is free from indifference.

Martin contrasts Jesus's vigorous actions in cleansing the temple with a hypothetical, indifferent approach ('Could it be, Mr. Money Changer... that there are a few abnormalities...') to highlight the intensity of Christ's zeal.

You see the vigor bound up in those verbs. Our Lord did not go through the temple saying, Could it be, Mr. Money Changer, Mr. Doves, Mr. Seller, that there are a few abnormalities in this setup, that things are not quite in accordance with the will of My Father. No, nothing of the sort. He wove together a scourge and like a man possessed He went through that temple overturning the tables, scattering the money, driving them out. And the disciples beholding this remember something that was said in the 69th Psalm.

27:21 - 27:57 Read in full sermon

Driving home: Unbelief, as it were, tied the hands of Christ. He could not do many mighty works. Because of their unbelief.

Martin quotes Puritan Thomas Brooks, who states that unbelief 'tied the hands of Christ' and 'spoils all the strength and power by which we should be serviceable to God,' emphasizing the destructive power of unbelief.

That isn't what the text says. It says he did not because of their unbelief. Thomas Brooks, one of the most readable of all the Puritans whose works have just gone through a recent reprint by the Banner of Truth, speaking of the sin of unbelief and eventually making reference to this very verse, says these very, very pointed words. If you will do gloriously, seeing hereafter you shall be glorious, in the first place, whatever you do, take heed of unbelief. There is nothing in the world that more hinders men from doing gloriously than unbelief. All other miscarriages and weaknesses have not so ...

36:23 - 37:33 Read in full sermon

The point: Take hold of Christ's promises with vigor and aggressive faith, pressing them before God in prayer for new conquests and opportunities.

Martin compares the church's move to Montville to Israel crossing the Jordan River, arguing that it's not a plateau for rest but a threshold for new conquest, illustrating the need for aggressive faith.

a more sure word of promise. Peter says that the word given to us in the inscripturated word is more certain than even the audible voice of God. We have great promises from our Lord as we anticipate the life and ministry of the church if the Lord is pleased to spare us. In no sense do we look upon this move to Montville as coming up a long hill and reaching a plateau where we can rest. No, no. Any more than Israel coming to the borders of the promised land was to think, oh well, Egypt is behind us, the wilderness is behind us, the Red Sea is behind us, the Jordan is behind us. Now let's have a...

40:40 - 41:38 Read in full sermon

The point: Embrace opportunities for gospel work as a stewardship, trusting God for grace to bear the arduous work and difficulties.

Martin describes the unromantic realities of his upcoming mission trip (sleepless nights on airplanes, speaking to unfamiliar idioms, feeling burdens) to illustrate that zealous, aggressive service is arduous work, not glamorous.

two nights on an airplane in seats this wide with a bad back, and I don't sleep on airplanes. So you get excited about the thought of two nights not going to sleep with people half drunk all around you, cramped up in a plane at 40,000 feet above an ocean. Does that sound very exciting?

44:59 - 45:16 Read in full sermon