Jesus or Barabbas? Part 2

The point: Behold in the cross the most blazing and comprehensive displays of God's glorious attributes and the most hideous revelations of human depravity.

Martin quotes Bishop Ryle, who beautifully articulates how the release of Barabbas and the crucifixion of Christ vividly illustrate the gospel plan of salvation: the guilty are set free because the innocent suffered in their stead.

And the innocent Christ is punished by scourging, And handed over to crucifixion, and then, And handed over to crucifixion, and then, And handed over to crucifixion, and then, A marvelous picture of the very heart of the gospel of the grace of God. And that point and observation is made very perceptively and beautifully By Bishop Ryle commenting on this very fact. Let us mark in these verses what a striking picture The release of Barabbas affords of the gospel plan of salvation. The guilty is set free, and the innocent is put to death the great sinner is delivered and the sinless one remains b...

9:03 - 10:30 Read in full sermon

The point: Young people, beware of forming friendships based on a mutual delight in sin and rejection of Christ's authority, even in Christian environments.

Martin illustrates how young people, initially at odds, can form close friendships based on a shared delight in sin (e.g., dirty jokes, curse words, secret misbehavior), rejecting the claims of Christ despite Christian upbringing.

where I want to press in terms of personal relationships how about you young people some of you in Trinity Christian school until you started in school together and got to know one another maybe there's a couple of you guys one of you was king on the hill along came someone else and he began to rival your turf maybe you were little miss cute miss and all the boys looked at you until that other gal came into the class and now they look at her first and there's enmity opposition striving for places of influence and popularity but when you long enough to find out that in your heart of hearts the ...

32:21 - 33:50 Read in full sermon

The point: True Christians must not expect the world's favor; if you are of the world, the world will love its own, but if chosen out of the world, the world will hate you.

Martin quotes Bishop Ryle again, who observes how easily unconverted men, even those with discord, can unite in opposing Christ and true biblical religion, binding them together in common hatred for the cross.

again listen to Bishop Ryle let us observe in this passage how easily and readily unconverted men can agree in disliking Christ we're told that when Pilate sent our Lord a prisoner to Herod the same day Pilate and Herod were made friends together for before they were at enmity between themselves we do not know the cause of their enmity it was probably some petty quarrels such as will arise among great as well as small men but whatever the cause it was laid aside when a common object of contempt fear or hatred was brought before them whatever else they disagreed about Pilate and Herod could agr...

35:18 - 36:47 Read in full sermon

The point: Unsaved friend, your accusing conscience will never be silenced righteously until you bow in penitence and faith before Jesus Christ, willing to accept all consequences of embracing Him.

Martin challenges believers who compromise their Christian conscience at work, fearing consequences rather than confronting unrighteous demands from their boss, leading to a 'bloodied conscience'.

cut out your conscience or you may try to compromise and shift and strike bargains with yourself but conscience will not allow you peace in that condition my unsaved friend hear me this morning that accusing conscience will never be silenced righteously and safely until it is silenced as you bow in penitence and faith before the Lord Jesus Christ willing to accept all of the consequences of embracing him for who and what he is all of the consequences personally relationally economically career it means who says whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath cannot be my disciple an...

49:57 - 51:26 Read in full sermon

The point: Husbands and fathers, do not capitulate to ungodly pressure from your wife or children, but stand firm in biblical headship and righteousness.

Martin illustrates how husbands might capitulate to a wife's ungodly pressure, or wives to a husband's, or parents to their children's demands, rather than upholding biblical norms, due to fear of consequences.

right attitude and a right disposition and sit down with your boss and say to him sir I seek to give eight hours in this area you are forcing me to compromise my Christian conscience and sir if this cannot be altered to make me comfortable with my conscience you'll have my two weeks notice oh no you're fearful of the consequences and so you go to work week after week with a bloodied conscience that you are knowingly and volitionally without protest being complicitous with evil and with sin there are some of you who are the heads of your home who are the there are areas where your wife is devia...

51:26 - 52:52 Read in full sermon

The point: Let the sin of envy loosen your heart today; do not tolerate unmortified envy, as it contains the seeds of murder and bitter strife.

Martin clarifies the definition of envy as displeasure at another possessing what you don't want them to have, distinguishing it from jealousy, which is the desire to possess it for oneself.

even a morally vacillating man like pilot could see through the thin veneer of these accusations that the chief priest and the scribes and the elders were bringing against Jesus he could see clean through it and it says he perceived he knew that it was on account of envy that they had handed him up on account of envy what is envy well here's the best description I found of envy envy is the feeling of displeasure around seeing someone possess what you don't want him to possess jealousy is the desire to possess it for myself envy in the case of Jesus well through his ministry the crowds were com...

55:33 - 57:02 Read in full sermon

The point: Let the sin of envy loosen your heart today; do not tolerate unmortified envy, as it contains the seeds of murder and bitter strife.

Martin contrasts John the Baptist's humble acceptance of Jesus' increasing following with the religious leaders' envy and pride, which led them to deliver Jesus to death.

and stopping short of murder will be the mother of all kinds of strife here we see this heart sin doing its worst it delivers up the son of God to death and at the root of envy is pride and rebellion against the ways and the will of God I couldn't help but think of the contrast with John the Baptist when his following began to run after Jesus people came and said John all your disciples are going up and John said a man can receive nothing except it be what given him from heaven he recognized that the size and the nature of his following was determined by God and then he said this is what I've ...

58:30 - 59:58 Read in full sermon

The point: Let the sin of envy loosen your heart today; do not tolerate unmortified envy, as it contains the seeds of murder and bitter strife.

Martin asks listeners whether they rejoice or 'turn green with envy' when a brother or sister is blessed with a new car or home, highlighting the pervasive nature of envy.

brother sister young man young woman let this sin loosen your heart today and you may be watering the seats of murder and of strife it's amazing how seldom you ever hear anyone confess either the sin of pride or the sin of envy people will confess anger confess the sin of love seldom do men want to confess to the sins of pride and envy when you see one of your brothers or sisters drive in God's blessed them with a new car what's your attitude thank you Lord thank you Lord God enables them to get into the real estate business and they get their own home or at least they've got a little piece of...

59:58 - 61:27 Read in full sermon

The point: Refuse any voluntary friendship or association that compromises Christ's rightful claims over you; only form friendships with those who are Christ's friends.

Martin references Martin Luther's famous 'Here I stand' declaration, illustrating the courage needed to stand by an enlightened conscience against immense pressure, contrasting it with Pilate's compromise.

to the pressures that come because of my obedience when a Martin Luther stands and faces the whole imposing sight of the church of Rome virtually unchallenged in her structures for centuries except for a little voice here or there and says here I stand so help me God reason he said it can never to violate one's God Luther gave here I so help me God that's the kind of husbands we need it's the kind of wives we need sons and daughters and preachers and missionaries and workmen in the workplace that people have conscience what a trap when people think every man's got his price every man's basical...

65:49 - 67:14 Read in full sermon

The point: Be free of the sin of envy by being content in the Lord Jesus, realizing you are His and in Him you are complete.

Martin quotes John Ryland's hymn, "Oh Lord, I would delight in Thee," to express the contentment in Christ that frees one from envy, emphasizing that in Christ, believers have all things.

in may God give us people who will who would under any pressure but the pressure of the word of God upon an enlightened conscience and how are we going to be free of the sin of envy it's only when our hearts are content in the Lord Jesus and we live in the realization that we are his and he is ours and in him we are made complete in the language of John Ryland oh Lord I would delight in thee and in that hymn he says I must have all things and abound while God is God to me oh may the Lord help us to linger even though the scene is ugly let the ugly reality of these things drive us to our precio...

67:14 - 68:43 Read in full sermon