Theological Implications of the Resurrection #4

In this part of the sermon: Recalling the previous sermon, Martin reiterates that the empty tomb answers the question, 'Who is in charge around here?' by declaring Christ's present rule as the Messianic King…

Martin uses the apparent contradiction of order and disorder in the world to pose the question 'Who is in charge around here?' which the resurrection answers.

With reverence to the present government of the world. In other words, as we look about and see this world that seems to be a contradiction of realities, many aspects reflecting order symmetry, discipline, progression, on the other hand many things that seem to be utterly disorderly, have no rhyme or reason to them. We may. Well ask the question.

5:52 - 6:21 Read in full sermon

Driving home: The resurrection of Jesus and the empty tomb declare to all the world That human history, bounded by time, will culminate in a day of universal judgment resulting in all men ushered into heaven or consigned to eternal pu…

He uses the metaphor of history 'running out of steam' to describe the cyclical view of history, contrasting it with the biblical view of a definite end and culmination.

Will it at any point in human history? Or will there simply be one cycle after another of generations that are born and live and die, nations that are formed and rise to power and sink into oblivion? Is this to go on forever and forever? Is it to simply run out of sight, run out of steam and peter out and know certainty as to what point it will thus run out of steam and come to nothing?

8:25 - 9:01 Read in full sermon

Driving home: The resurrection of Jesus and the empty tomb declare to all the world That human history, bounded by time, will culminate in a day of universal judgment resulting in all men ushered into heaven or consigned to eternal pu…

Martin contrasts the idea of human history ending in a gradual or sudden explosion, making everything 'cosmic dust and debris,' with the biblical truth of a day of judgment.

It tells us that human history will not be a gradual or sudden explosion of our planet, thus making all that has ever been upon this planet and exists upon this planet so much cosmic dust and debris to float around for unknown reason. No. Human history lived out in time a day of judgment. As surely as there is an end.

12:38 - 13:13 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: Martin asserts that while God's word is authoritative, the empty tomb is the great validation of these truths. He states that the resurrection underscores and declares the answer…

He contrasts the academic discussion of theological links with the reality of apostolic preaching to 'real live needy sinners,' emphasizing the practical, urgent nature of the message.

And this shows us you see that this link is not something for the theologians to talk about. When they sip coffee in the faculty lounge in their seminaries. It is not something for men to write about and to sell their books to intellectuals. This is stuff that comes out of real live apostolic preaching.

20:25 - 20:50 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: Martin expounds Acts 10:39-42, focusing on Peter's sermon to Cornelius. He highlights Peter's eyewitness testimony to Christ's life, death, and especially His resurrection…

Martin uses Cornelius's statement, 'We are all here present in the sight of God, to hear all things that have been commanded thee of the Lord,' as an example of an ideal congregation's disposition.

Now therefore we are all here present. In the sight of God. To hear all things that have been commanded thee of the Lord. Would to God every congregation could say that every Lord's day.

21:36 - 21:54 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: Martin expounds Acts 10:39-42, focusing on Peter's sermon to Cornelius. He highlights Peter's eyewitness testimony to Christ's life, death, and especially His resurrection…

He references John 21, where Jesus prepared fish for His disciples, as a possible instance of Jesus eating with them after the resurrection, though noting it's not explicitly stated He ate.

Of all the things he could have said about the us. He says who ate and drank with him. After he rose from the dead. Now why in the world of all the things Jesus did.

26:47 - 27:01 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: Martin expounds Acts 10:39-42, focusing on Peter's sermon to Cornelius. He highlights Peter's eyewitness testimony to Christ's life, death, and especially His resurrection…

Martin recounts the disciples' fear and belief that Jesus was a spirit, and Jesus' invitation to 'handle me and see' and His eating of broiled fish, to prove His physical resurrection.

Luke 24, 36. And as they spake these things. He himself stood in the midst of them. And said unto them.

28:25 - 28:33 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: Martin expounds Acts 10:39-42, focusing on Peter's sermon to Cornelius. He highlights Peter's eyewitness testimony to Christ's life, death, and especially His resurrection…

He uses the analogy of a finger passing through an apparition to highlight the physical reality of Jesus' resurrected body when He invited the disciples to touch Him.

Hand me and see. For a spirit has not flesh and bones. As you behold me having. You see if someone sees an apparition.

30:00 - 30:14 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: Martin expounds Acts 10:39-42, focusing on Peter's sermon to Cornelius. He highlights Peter's eyewitness testimony to Christ's life, death, and especially His resurrection…

Martin uses the act of eating and drinking, often seen as 'carnal' or 'sensual,' to emphasize the undeniable physical reality of Jesus' resurrected body when He ate the fish.

And what is I say it reverently. What is one of the human activities. In which we are most carnal. Most sensual.

32:53 - 33:01 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: Martin expounds Acts 10:39-42, focusing on Peter's sermon to Cornelius. He highlights Peter's eyewitness testimony to Christ's life, death, and especially His resurrection…

He describes the apostles' charge to preach as functioning like a herald and testifying like a witness under oath, emphasizing the solemnity and authority of their message.

And must have a hearing. He charged us to preach. In the function and manner of a herald. And solemnly to testify.

35:09 - 35:20 Read in full sermon

Driving home: Whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead.

Martin uses the metaphor of righteousness being 'stamped upon every board that makes up his bench' to convey the absolute, undiminished righteousness of God's judgment.

You're dealing with the God who made you. The God in whom you need to draw your life and who'll determine when you breathe your last. That God, he says, is going to judge the world. Secondly, he says he's going to judge the world in righteousness.

40:46 - 41:04 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: Martin then turns to Paul's sermon in Acts 17:30-31 to the Athenian philosophers. Paul preaches one God, one human race, and one way of salvation (repentance). He then presents…

He uses the metaphor of putting 'a worm in the core of human licentiousness and sensuality' to describe how the truth of judgment challenges unregenerate human nature.

When righteously God will welcome some to heaven. And consign others to hell. This is no fable. This is no notion concocted by people that want to spoil our fun.

44:29 - 44:45 Read in full sermon

The point: Be honest with your conscience about the coming day of judgment.

Martin asks the congregation to imagine a personal, 'eyeball to eyeball' conversation to encourage honesty about their conscience's awareness of judgment.

Will you be honest with me? Will you try to imagine that there are not several hundreds of people here. And you and I are just sitting talking eyeball to eyeball. And I ask you now be honest with me my friend.

46:32 - 46:44 Read in full sermon

The point: Listen to the clearer witness of the scriptures and stand by Joseph's empty tomb to understand the certainty of judgment.

He describes the smiting of conscience for sin as an 'echo' coming from the throne of the Lord Jesus, to which He will someday call them.

Of the hands. Of the feet. Of the tongue. That is for an echo.

48:04 - 48:07 Read in full sermon

The point: Do not attempt to disprove the resurrection, as it is God's ultimate assurance of judgment.

Martin challenges unbelievers to 'produce the dust and the ashes of the body of Jesus' to prove the apostolic witnesses were liars, highlighting the impossibility of denying the resurrection.

Don't play with your soul. Unless you're prepared to produce. The dust and the ashes. Of the body of Jesus.

50:15 - 50:24 Read in full sermon

The point: Recognize that the present time is the day of salvation, and the door of mercy is open.

He alludes to Isaiah's depiction of Christ as the 'suffering lamb' to illustrate the prophetic witness to Christ's atoning work.

The one to whom all the prophets bear witness. Isaiah depicting him as the suffering lamb. Who was bruised. Who was passed off.

52:34 - 52:46 Read in full sermon

The point: Recognize that the present time is the day of salvation, and the door of mercy is open.

Martin uses the ticking of watches and calendars to emphasize that while human history is still unfolding, it is 'the day of salvation' and the door of mercy is open.

Your watch and mine still ticking off its seconds and its minutes. And the calendar ticking off its days and its weeks and its months. This is the day of salvation. The door of mercy is open.

53:28 - 53:43 Read in full sermon

The point: Repent and believe, for your destiny hinges on what you do with the resurrected Christ.

Martin shares his personal struggle with quoting Christ's words 'Depart from me ye cursed,' questioning if he truly believes them if he can say them without sobbing, but affirming his duty to preach God's whole counsel.

And in perfect righteousness he will say to them. Depart from me ye cursed. Into everlasting life. As I contemplated even quoting those words.

54:17 - 54:34 Read in full sermon

The point: Draw comfort from the knowledge that human history is going somewhere, to the day of culmination and judgment.

He uses the example of Saddam Hussein's actions (raping a country, executing people) to illustrate that even such a heartless man cannot act without the sovereign will of King Jesus.

Yes somebody is in charge. In charge over there in the Middle East. In charge even when that heartless man Hussein. Can move in and rape a whole country.

56:10 - 56:24 Read in full sermon

The point: Draw comfort from the knowledge that human history is going somewhere, to the day of culmination and judgment.

He uses the example of a 'barrel of oil' to further illustrate Christ's sovereign control over all global events, including economics.

Couldn't lift his pinkie. Without the sovereign will of King Jesus. There isn't a barrel of oil that can go anywhere. Without King Jesus determining it shall go.

56:38 - 56:53 Read in full sermon

The point: Draw comfort from the knowledge that human history is going somewhere, to the day of culmination and judgment.

Martin references Lot's vexation of soul from the 'filthy conversation of the wicked' to describe the suffering of Christians living in an unrighteous age.

What a wonderful thing to know that all of human history is indeed going somewhere. It's going to that day of culmination and the teaching of the word of God is that Christians in the midst of seeing the suffering all around them experiencing their own sufferings feeling as lot did vexation of soul as he beheld the filthy conversation of the wicked his righteous soul vexed from day to day. What is our comfort? Look at 2 Thessalonians 1.

57:07 - 57:41 Read in full sermon

The point: Rest in the assurance that the Lord Jesus will come to glorify His saints and bring righteous judgment upon the ungodly.

He uses the framework of 'the then world' (creation to flood), 'the now world' (flood to second coming), and 'the new world' (new heavens and new earth) to describe the progression of redemptive history.

And it's going to that point that we heard about last Lord's Day night. There was the then world. From creation to the flood. There is the now world.

59:09 - 59:21 Read in full sermon

The point: Draw consolation that wickedness will not always go unchecked, and look forward to a new heavens and new earth where righteousness dwells.

He uses the vivid image of 'wickedness stops and stops through the land' to describe the pervasive evil that vexes believers, contrasting it with the coming day of judgment.

And it is not wrong. It is not sadistic. For the child of God to draw consolation. That wickedness will not always stop and stop through the land.

59:33 - 59:45 Read in full sermon

The point: Afford to buck against the prevailing tide of the world because God has appointed a day of judgment.

He uses the metaphor of looking 'on tiptoes' and 'eagerly awaiting' to describe the Christian's hopeful anticipation of the new heavens and new earth.

Look for on tiptoes. Eagerly awaiting. What? A new heavens and a new earth.

61:06 - 61:15 Read in full sermon

The point: Afford to buck against the prevailing tide of the world because God has appointed a day of judgment.

He uses the analogy of being able to 'buck against the prevailing tide' of the world because believers have the assurance of God's appointed day of judgment.

And we are exhorted to rest in that assurance. We can afford to buck against the prevailing tide. Why? Because God has appointed a day.

61:46 - 62:00 Read in full sermon

The point: Do not bank on proving God a liar, for it is 'losing business'.

He warns against trying to prove God a liar, calling it 'losing business' to emphasize the futility and danger of denying God's truth.

The empty tomb is God's plan. Don't bank on proving God a liar. It's losing business. For the scripture says let God be true.

63:04 - 63:22 Read in full sermon