Practical Effects of Hope, Part 1

In this part of the sermon: The first inward effect of Christian hope is providing a major ingredient for true and constant joy. Martin explains that this joy is not based on creature comforts but on the…

Martin uses the analogy of pouring gasoline into a car's tank to question if joy is directly poured into a believer's heart, concluding that the Holy Spirit produces joy in connection with truth, not as a direct, unmediated infusion.

Is there a direct pipeline, a sort of spiritual conduit flowing from the throne of God right straight into the heart of the believer, and joy is poured in like you put gasoline into your... tank of your car?

9:24 - 9:37 Read in full sermon

The point: Is your life characterized by true and constant joy? If not, could it be that you are not studying sufficiently your Christian hope?

Martin references the common accusation of 'pie in the sky by and by religion' to highlight that Christian hope, while future-oriented, is a present reality that sustains believers through earthly difficulties, which God says 'at best, things will be a mess down here.'

Let the world, as we said last week, accuse us of having pie in the sky by and by religion. No, no. This is Christian's hope. God says, at best, things will be a mess down here.

15:45 - 15:58 Read in full sermon

The point: The inward effect of Christian hope will be the providing of a major ingredient for true and constant joy.

Martin illustrates how many mistake creature delights (feeling well, bills paid, good job) for joy in the Holy Ghost, only to have their 'joy' blasted when comforts are removed, showing God sometimes blasts comforts to redirect perspective heavenward.

Could it be that one of the reasons why your joy is so fluctuating, and at times your joy is not true joy, it's a mere creature delight in creature comforts, and you think that's joy in the Holy Ghost, till God blasts your comforts, and then your joy is blasted. God says, uh-huh. You thought you had joy in the Holy Ghost? No.

15:58 - 16:21 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: The second inward effect is that hope provides a basis for genuine stability of soul. Drawing from Hebrews 6, Martin illustrates hope as an anchor, fixed to God's throne, that…

Martin uses the analogy of an anchor for a sailing vessel to explain how Christian hope provides stability. He asks children what an anchor is for, then explains its two uses: stabilizing a ship in a storm and holding it steady in harbor.

Now an anchor is always attached to a sailing vessel. Now let me ask the question of you kids. Don't answer out loud. But what do you use an anchor for if you have a ship, if you have a boat?

20:44 - 20:54 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: The second inward effect is that hope provides a basis for genuine stability of soul. Drawing from Hebrews 6, Martin illustrates hope as an anchor, fixed to God's throne, that…

Martin recounts a personal story of being on a 37-foot ketch during a sudden hurricane, where 'mud anchors' were thrown out to hold the boat steady against violent waves, preventing it from being dashed on rocks, illustrating hope's role in storms.

My first experience in anything other than a little 11, 12 foot rowboat was back when I was a kid when there was a work associate of my father's who owned a 37 foot catch. That's a two masted. Vessel with the second mast in front. Yes, in front of you all has it behind in front of the helm and we sailed over to Long Island from Connecticut was about 11 miles the direction we went in that evening.

22:00 - 22:28 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: The second inward effect is that hope provides a basis for genuine stability of soul. Drawing from Hebrews 6, Martin illustrates hope as an anchor, fixed to God's throne, that…

Martin quotes John Owen, who beautifully points out that Christian hope is precisely what the anchor is to the soul of the believer, providing stability through life's storms and in calm periods.

Namely to bear goods to a certain port and it keeps the ship there so that the business can be done. Now as John Owen points out so beautifully in his commentary on this passage. This is precisely what the Christian...

23:30 - 23:43 Read in full sermon

The point: If your stability of soul has been less than it should, could it be because your confidence in hope has not been as discerning or firm as it ought to be?

Martin shifts the anchor metaphor, explaining that the anchor of hope is not on the ocean floor but 'within the veil,' fixed to the very throne of grace by Jesus' covenant promises, with a cable of His unchanging character connecting it to the believer's soul.

May I say it reverently. The Lord Jesus has taken the anchor of His covenant promises. And He has fixed it to the throne of God. And He has woven a cable of His own unchanging character and His omnipotence.

26:26 - 26:41 Read in full sermon

The point: If your stability of soul has been less than it should, could it be because your confidence in hope has not been as discerning or firm as it ought to be?

Martin uses the metaphor of God tightening the winch to describe death, conveying that death is God's means of drawing the believer home to where the anchor (Christ) is fixed.

And that cable fixed to that anchor. Has its other fixation in the very soul of the child of God. And one day the boat will go where the anchor is. Death is God tightening up the winch to carry me home.

26:41 - 26:56 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: The third inward effect is that hope is a major factor in the pursuit of true godliness and holiness. Referencing 1 John 3, Martin argues that the certain knowledge of present…

Martin uses the analogy of a ball team going out knowing they will be beaten, leading to a lack of cohesion and effort, to illustrate why one would not fight against sin if there was no certainty of victory or glorification.

Who wants to go out on a ball field. Can you imagine a team going out. And I've seen this happen. And I remember one game.

35:43 - 35:50 Read in full sermon

The point: Do you profess to have a biblical hope? Then you must demonstrate that you're pursuing a life of godliness, fighting against your inward corruptions.

Martin quotes an extended passage from John Bunyan's 'Pilgrim's Progress,' where Prudence questions Christian about his struggle with inward corruption and how he finds victory, linking it to meditation on the cross, justification, assurance, and the hope of Mount Zion.

I was going back over a section in Bunyan this week and he states it so beautifully. Bunyan has come to the house beautiful. And these three beautiful women have come to interview him, talk with him. And prudence is talking with him about this very problem.

39:12 - 39:27 Read in full sermon

The point: Children, do you think about death? How would you do if you knew death was knocking on your bedroom door? Would you be able to look death in the eye and say, 'You can only deliver me on the lap of Jesus'?

Martin uses the example of a ten-year-old named Vicki Barnhart facing death to challenge listeners, especially children, on how they would respond if death were knocking, emphasizing the composure hope provides.

Suppose you were little Vicki Barnhart who's having to face death as a ten-year-old. How'd you do if you knew death was knocking on your bedroom door saying, I'm coming to get you? Would you be able to look death in the eye and say, you've come to get me, but you won't hold me. You can only deliver me on the lap of Jesus.

49:01 - 49:20 Read in full sermon

The point: Face death honestly and with true Christian composure based upon the hope, knowing that for believers, death brings one into the presence of God.

Martin quotes a beautiful phrase from an old Negro poem describing death bringing Sister Caroline into God's presence and laying her on the loving breast of Jesus, illustrating the comforting aspect of death for a believer.

That beautiful old Negro poem written by a southern Negro years ago. There's a beautiful phrase in which he's describing death coming down to get Sister Caroline. And he says, when death came, he brought her into the presence of God and laid her on the loving breast of Jesus.

49:21 - 49:42 Read in full sermon