“He That is Not With Me is Against Me” (Mat. 12:30)

Driving home: he that is not with me is against me and he that gathers not with me scatters

Martin compares the desire for expensive ringside seats at sporting events to people taking the 'worst seats' (back rows) in church, expressing his bewilderment and suggesting a thesis on back-row mentality.

In moving in, I've often said in conferences, I don't need to say it to our own people, they've been schooled in this, but someone goes to a prize fight, I hope you don't, I don't, but I know the most expensive seats are the ringside seats. And if you go to a hockey game or to a basketball game, courtside, rinkside seats are the most expensive. In the one place, you get the best seats free, and people take the worst seats. I don't understand it.

0:00 - 0:28 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: Jesus uses the illustration of binding a strong man before plundering his house, explaining that His power over demons demonstrates He is stronger than Satan and is dismantling…

To explain Jesus' illustration of binding the strong man, Martin uses an extended analogy of a small person trying to steal jewelry from a large, strong football player without first incapacitating him, contrasting it with Shaquille O'Neal's ability to take anything he wants.

That is, take his stuff. Except he first bind the strong man, and then he will spoil his house. Now I think your professional football league up here is the CFL, right? Canadian Football League?

17:48 - 18:02 Read in full sermon

The point: Recognize that Jesus' words, 'He that is not with me is against me. He that gathers not with me is scattering,' are an infallibly accurate description of every person in the auditorium.

Martin uses the simple division of people into 'odd' or 'even' numbers to illustrate that there is no middle ground in Jesus' declaration; everyone falls into one category or the other.

And I want to bring three very specific lines of application in terms of the significance of these words for us tonight in this place in particular. First of all, these words constitute an infallibly accurate description of each and every person in this auditorium, starting with the preacher. These words of Jesus in Matthew 12, 30 constitute an infallibly accurate description of each and every one of us here, now, tonight, sitting where you sit and standing where I stand. Now suppose for the sake of giving up the conference into teams, we were to stop and say now we want everyone to say one, t...

29:06 - 30:33 Read in full sermon

The point: Recognize that Jesus' words, 'He that is not with me is against me. He that gathers not with me is scattering,' are an infallibly accurate description of every person in the auditorium.

He uses the clear, God-given distinction between male and female genders to further emphasize the infallible, non-negotiable nature of being either 'with Christ' or 'against Him'.

Odd numbers, even numbers. We could divide ourselves up according to our God-given identity as male and female. God made only two genders. He didn't make burls and goys.

30:57 - 31:11 Read in full sermon

The point: Understand that to be with Christ and gather with Him means your life and words point people to Christ, demonstrating the vanity of living for self and worldly pursuits.

Martin shares his personal experience of serving Christ since age seventeen, testifying to Christ being a 'gracious Master' and the source of his evident joy, which serves as an example of gathering with Christ.

To be with Him and to gather with Him is to be an instrument in union with Him to show others the utter vanity of living for themselves, living for the latest styles and the latest fads and the latest pop tunes and the latest obsession of this or that segment of society. Here you won't, quote, do the things they do to have fun and yet they've got to acknowledge you've got a joy that eludes them. At this stage in my life where I'm pushing my three score in ten, more and more when I preach, I tell young people, I say, now look at it. Do I look like a sour bitch?

38:23 - 39:02 Read in full sermon