Gleanings from the Olivet Discourse, Part 2

In this part of the sermon: Pastor Martin begins by setting the context of the sermon as a continuation of his exposition of Mark 13, the Olivet Discourse. He explains that after covering the main structure…

The metaphor of returning to a harvested field to pick up 'gleanings' illustrates the sermon's purpose: to revisit Mark 13 and extract important points not fully emphasized in the initial exposition.

Now, keeping that tight rein upon myself meant that I had to submerge the desire to underscore and highlight several very important points. As I was saying, I was also thinking about the vital, very vital principles of the Christian life, the vital principles of saving truth as revealed in the scriptures. And so, under the imagery of going back to a field already having undergone its main harvesting, we are now returning to pick up the gleanings. We sought to harvest the major structure and emphasis of this discourseune which our word-of-mouth, and moral discourse, is to be able to be fully ge...

4:03 - 4:40 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: The third gleaning identifies God's three great provisions for His people facing demanding events: the grace of God, the Spirit of God, and the throne of grace. Martin explains…

Martin uses a personal anecdote about his natural timidity and fear of creaking boards or thunder to illustrate how a naturally fearful person might doubt their ability to be a martyr, setting up the point about the Holy Spirit's courage.

You sit there today and say Pastor that is one thing I could never be. I could never be a martyr if I knew it. If they shot me in the back and didn't tell me they were doing it then I could be a martyr. But there's no way I could look and straighten the eye and walk toward the gun.

25:50 - 26:05 Read in full sermon

The point: Be willing to put your job on the line for the sake of the gospel, trusting the Holy Spirit to provide the necessary courage.

The example of Peter's transformation from denying Christ before a maid to boldly preaching before authorities and sleeping soundly in prison illustrates the Holy Spirit's power to grant moral courage.

How could I ever have the courage to stand and say if necessary it will be my blood before I will deny my Savior. Well you see it is the Holy Spirit who gives that moral courage. He took a Peter who before a little maid who said hey you're one of them your speech betrays you. And his speech was then filled with his old sailor's language.

26:31 - 26:59 Read in full sermon

The point: Pray and wrestle with God to develop effectiveness at the throne of grace, rather than just reading about prayer.

The analogy of a glowing charcoal igniting cold coals, or a single hot coal losing its fire amidst many cold ones, illustrates the contagion of spiritual coldness and the need for prayer to maintain a 'white hot heart' for God.

of responsible fulfillment of my God given stewardship I need to be kept in the way of a heart that is permeated with the spirit and the truth of the gospel all that involves readiness where am I to get it Jesus said take heed watch and pray for you know not when the time is and in the light of the uncertainty of the time but the certainty of what the scripture reveals concerning what it is to be ready get all that you need to be ready at the throne of grace all the grace needed to be kept in the way of spiritual alertness all the grace needed to be kept in the way of a burning heart when Mark...

36:38 - 38:07 Read in full sermon

The point: Do not give up praying, as neglecting the throne of grace is the first step towards apostasy.

Martin references John Bunyan's 'man in the iron cage' from Pilgrim's Progress to illustrate that neglecting to watch and pray is the first step towards apostasy, preceding other sins.

upon the coming of Christ and the spread of the gospel and the issues that are closest to the heart of God it is there at the throne of grace what I'm trying to say is this dear people neglect the throne of grace and you will not know the ministry of the spirit nor the ministry of the grace of God you see we read Psalm 2 this morning Jesus Christ is the mediator is bound by the law of asking and receiving I will tell of the decree the Lord said unto my Lord what? ask of me and I will give thee God's decree to give his own son the nations as the inheritance of his suffering comes in the way of ...

39:35 - 41:04 Read in full sermon

The point: Fly to Christ now, asking God for eyes to behold His beauty, trustworthiness, and the sufficiency of His work for sinners, to avoid facing Him with terror.

Martin quotes an old song about the 'great judgment morning' to vividly portray the terror and despair of the lost when they face their fate, emphasizing the finality of judgment and the lateness of their prayers.

it's not going out and doing some heroic thing saying well if the Lord's coming tomorrow I'll give up all my duties as a housewife and a mother and I'll run up and down the street saying Jesus is coming, Jesus is coming, Jesus is coming may I say to you that would be to be found unprepared at his coming because Jesus nowhere told a housewife to go up and down the street yelling Jesus is coming but he says the older women are to train the younger women to be keepers at home to love their husbands, love their children to be workers at home, etc, etc, etc that's what it means to be ready to be fo...

55:42 - 57:08 Read in full sermon