Jesus by the Seaside

Driving home: Rather, Jesus was conscious that he yet had much work to do before voluntarily giving himself up to the murderous designs of his enemies. Those designs are already being made. But to use the language of John, Jesus knew …

Martin uses the flight of Joseph, Mary, and Jesus to Egypt (Matthew 2:14) as an example of a 'withdrawal' or 'retreat' for safety reasons, illustrating the connotation of the verb used for Jesus's withdrawal.

Now the verb used, translated withdraw, though it does not necessarily mean withdrawal for safety reasons, we would call it a retreat, does have that connotation in several pivotal passages in Scripture. For example, in Matthew 2 and verse 14, it records the flight of Joseph and Mary and the young child. And he arose and took the young child. And he took the young child and his mother by night and departed. He withdrew. This was a defensive measure. He withdrew into Egypt.

6:36 - 7:15 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: This section details the composition of the vast multitudes, coming from all over Palestine and even Gentile borderlands, and explains their motivation: they came because they…

Martin contrasts the spread of Jesus's fame with modern methods like portable TV cameras, daily newspapers, or promotional organizations, emphasizing that His works spread purely by oral report due to their undeniable reality.

from all points of the compass, and there seems to be a deliberate omission of Samaria, which lies in the middle between Judea and the Galilean section, people were coming to him, Jews from all of these areas, and most likely, as we'll see in subsequent lessons, even some Gentiles here of his fame, and they comprise this vast multitude that now gather by the Sea of Galilee. So much then for who comprise the multitude. Now, the second thing that is addressed in the passage is why they came together by the sea. And the text says, they were continually hearing, the things that he was continually ...

12:22 - 13:39 Read in full sermon

Driving home: God is making it plain that this was not a matter of playing head games on oneself. There was healing virtue and power in Christ and if He would stretch forth His hand symbolizing that that virtue and power was going for…

Martin contrasts Jesus's healing power, which resided in Him and was conveyed by touch, with modern faith healers who suggest healing power is 'in your own head' or a matter of positive thinking, underscoring the objective reality of Christ's power.

You remember in chapter 1 in verse 41 when He came into the presence of a leper He stretched out His hand and He touched him. And you remember the incident that we'll study God willing subsequently in chapter 5 that Gentile woman she said if only I can what? The hem of His garment I'll be made whole. And so this connection established by God and this is the essence of the healing follow closely unlike so called modern faith healers who say that basically the healing power is in your own head.

17:35 - 18:11 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: This section covers Jesus's command to demons and healed individuals not to make Him known, aligning with Isaiah's prophecy. It also details Jesus's wise provision for His own…

Martin explains that Jesus's authoritative directive to keep His ministry quiet was to fulfill Isaiah's prophecy, showing He was not like a political agitator seeking publicity or a military conqueror announcing His arrival, but rather the Messiah described in Scripture.

Notice in Matthew chapter 12 and verse 16 after telling us that He healed them all then Matthew writes and charged them that is those that were healed that they should not make Him known. So there's no contradiction as we've seen again and again there's a wonderful synthesis. Mark's emphasis falls particularly upon Jesus charging the demons that they should be still and not openly confess His identity. The emphasis in Matthew falls upon Jesus charging those that are healed that they should not emblazon abroad that they have been healed by Him. Now according to Matthew 12 17 and following Jesus...

20:10 - 21:36 Read in full sermon

The point: No Christian should sit in a car with a seatbelt unbuckled, as God ordains means to ends for safety.

Martin recounts a conversation with a preacher who didn't wear a seatbelt, challenging him on whether he was a 'hyper-Calvinist' for not believing God ordains means to ends, using this to illustrate the principle of not tempting God by neglecting safety precautions.

No Christian should sit in a car with a seatbelt unbuckled. If God's ordained to keep you from going to the windshield and laying your face open, He's ordained to use a shoulder harness, and a seatbelt to keep you from going through the windshield. And if you say, well, I'm in the hands,

31:45 - 32:04 Read in full sermon

The point: Take immunization shots, have life insurance, and make wise provisions for circumstances you can control, rather than tempting the Lord.

Martin quotes a state trooper who said he's 'never pulled a dead baby out of a seat harness,' powerfully reinforcing the practical wisdom and life-saving efficacy of using safety devices.

As one state trooper has said, he's never pulled a dead baby out of a seat harness.

33:31 - 33:37 Read in full sermon

The point: Anticipate real dangers and make real, legitimate, reasonable provisions to escape those dangers in the care of our automobiles, persons, and homes.

Martin provides a counter-example of 'Mr. Fury,' who imagines threats everywhere and takes extreme, unnecessary precautions (boiling water, Lysol), to clarify that his teaching on caution is about reasonable, legitimate provisions, not paranoia.

And it means in the care of our automobiles, in the care of our persons, in the ordering of our homes, we are to be like our Savior. Anticipate real dangers and wherever possible, make real, legitimate, reasonable provisions to escape those dangers. I'm not talking about the Mr. Fury who finds behind every corner some imagined threat to his life, who's about to boil every mouthful of water that he ever drinks and about to defumigate with Lysol every chair on which he sits.

34:23 - 34:59 Read in full sermon