Essence of the Christian Faith – an Easter Message

Driving home: God sets before us the very essence, the very nerve centers of what constitutes the Christian faith. And if you and I, by God, by God's Spirit, are unable to grasp the significance of those historical facts, we have a ha…

Martin uses the analogy of drawing seven visual images on a blackboard to help children and adults grasp the essential facts of the Christian faith, despite his self-professed lack of artistic talent.

Now in order to help the many children who are早已回到这里 , 가지 fachų Eipa KuluicomeBIva, seven visual images of the facts which comprise the substance of the Christian faith. And if I had a blackboard, even in my rough scrawling, some of you, when I've taught the adult class, know that when I do any drawings, no one would suspect that if I just had enough time, I could become a consummate artist. My scratchings and scrawlings are helpful, but they are certainly not seminal of latent and hidden artistic talent. But, if I had a blackboard, and I were so disposed,

3:28 - 4:12 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: The first pillar is the Garden of Eden, representing God's perfect creation of man and woman, their placement in the garden, and the profound prohibition. Martin details the…

He uses the bursting forth of spring flowers, daffodils, and tulips as a contemporary example to connect with the image of the garden, making it relatable to the audience's present experience.

As it is, it is God's wonderful revelation of the only way of life and salvation. So we start with a picture of a garden. Now you ought not to have any problem with that this time of the year, with the flowers bursting forth in newness of life all around us. Wherever I've been going these days with my wife, she's been oohing and aahing and sighing at all the beautiful budding of the trees and daffodils and tulips.

6:35 - 7:03 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: The first pillar is the Garden of Eden, representing God's perfect creation of man and woman, their placement in the garden, and the profound prohibition. Martin details the…

Martin describes God's focus on man's creation in Genesis 2 as using a 'super zoom lens,' highlighting God's intense attention to humanity compared to the brief mention of stars and galaxies.

Of the things that fascinate us, it says, oh yes, oh by the way, he made the stars also. Think of it. All of the galaxies and all that constitutes the cosmos, God passes it over in a little word, and he made the stars also. But when it comes to the creation of man and woman, and God placing them in the garden, and that wonderful permission to eat of all the trees, and that profound and sober prohibition,

11:30 - 12:00 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: The first pillar is the Garden of Eden, representing God's perfect creation of man and woman, their placement in the garden, and the profound prohibition. Martin details the…

He uses the metaphor of Adam being the 'belt upon which all of humanity was hooked' or the 'shoulders upon which all of humanity rested' to explain the concept of federal headship and how all humanity fell in Adam.

In 22 we read, As in Adam, all die. God had obviously appointed Adam not just a private person, responsible for his own obedience to God, but God had appointed him the head and representative of the entire human race. God had designated Adam to be the belt upon which all of humanity was hooked. Right?

16:36 - 17:06 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: The second pillar is the womb, symbolizing the Incarnation of Jesus Christ, born of a woman as prophesied. Martin explains the miraculous conception by the Holy Spirit in Mary's…

Martin uses the profound analogy of Christ, while in Mary's womb, simultaneously upholding the universe by the Word of His power and creating every human being, to illustrate the mystery of His simultaneous deity and humanity.

And there in Mary's womb, God constitutes this, that next to the mystery of the Trinity is the great mystery of the Christian faith. There in Mary's womb is One being formed, who is as much God as though He were not man. While in Mary's womb, upholding all things by the Word of His power. While in Mary's womb, creating every single human being who was being conceived and born throughout the entire Roman Empire.

24:32 - 25:06 Read in full sermon

Driving home: And if we do not grasp by faith, though our minds can never wrap themselves around the mystery, but faith must grasp the reality that the great significant act is in that womb. When deity takes to himself true humanity, …

He gives examples of Jesus as a little boy learning basic human tasks like His alphabet, tying shoes, saying 'thank you,' and making His bed, to emphasize the reality of His human development and growth in wisdom.

And then we read of Him as a little boy, He grew in wisdom. Learned His alphabet. Learned how to tie his shoes. Learned how to say thank you and please and you're welcome.

25:47 - 25:58 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: The third pillar is the cross, representing Christ's central work of atonement. Martin highlights that the Gospels focus heavily on Jesus' last week, culminating in His betrayal…

Martin refers to the Gospels as 'passion narratives with brief introductions about his life and teaching' to explain why such a large portion of them focuses on the last week of Jesus' life, death, and resurrection.

Some have called the gospel records passion narratives with brief introductions about his life and teaching.

29:48 - 29:55 Read in full sermon

Driving home: God's raising him from the dead is his delayed aim and to his cry it is finished. And when the Father raised him from the dead the Father is saying it is finished.

He uses the example of 'no wheelchairs Tom, bless God, no wheelchairs David' to vividly illustrate the promise of a glorified, perfect body in the resurrection, free from earthly ailments.

As in Adam death so in Christ life he rose not as a private person he rose as the federal head of all forces for whom he had lived his perfect life died his substitutionary death and when he rose the head rose it's only a matter of time before the rest of the body will rise. Sitting here this morning whatever your ailments whatever the reminders that the outward man is decayed tin ears aching joints whatever it is that empty tomb says he's going to come out of his grave with a body fashioned Paul says like unto the body of his glory.

41:49 - 42:34 Read in full sermon

Driving home: He takes it with him so when the devil is parlaying with you and you feel the agony of this horrible thought I could do that and dishonor my lord oh Jesus look upon me in pity you know what it is to be tempted

Martin humorously questions the angel's rhetorical question 'Why stand you looking up into heaven?' at the ascension, imagining his own reaction of grabbing buddies, to make the disciples' awe and wonder relatable.

steadfastly into heaven as he went behold two men stood by them in white apparel who said you men of Galilee why stand you looking up into heaven there aren't many times when I'd like to criticize what an angel said to somebody well what would you have done you're standing there talking to Jesus and he's giving you directions and all of a sudden he begins to levitate I mean you're going to turn around and look at a crow flying across behind you what would you do what would I do I know what I would do I'd be grabbing onto my buddies

44:02 - 44:46 Read in full sermon

The point: Don't trifle anymore with Jesus; you will have dealings with Him eventually, either in judgment or now in mercy. Flee to Him.

He quotes C.S. Lewis, who said that if we could see now what glorified humanity will be like, we would be tempted to worship one another, to convey the immense future glory awaiting believers.

The outshining of all the wonders of what will be when we have sinless souls inhabiting deathless bodies. You've heard me quote C.S. Lewis, who said if we could see now what will be then, we would find it hard to resist the temptation to fall down and worship one another as God.

53:18 - 53:43 Read in full sermon