Stewardship of Physical Health: Part 4

The point: Use the provided detailed notes to refresh your minds and for family instruction.

The analogy of a string of pierced pearls, held together by a string passing through them, illustrates how specific biblical texts (pearls) on body stewardship must always be understood within the larger biblical and theological context (the string).

In this last session with you. I began my treatment of this subject of the Christian and the stewardship of his body by setting forth what I called an emphatic disclaimer and a sober warning. And then using the analogy of a string of pearls in which the pearls are not held on that string classed from some exterior metal class, but they are pierced pearls, hung, tied together by a string that goes through each one of them. I sought to open up what I meant by the analogy of the string, the six strands that comprise what I call the larger biblical and theological context of any responsible consid...

3:33 - 4:49 Read in full sermon

Driving home: And if you say that, I'm going to tell you, you're a liar or a freak. Excuse my bluntness. You're a liar or you're a freak. That's unnatural. And grace does not war against nature.

Martin asks if physical appearance played any role in initial attraction and marriage, asserting that denying its role is either a 'lie' or a 'freakish' unnatural claim, underscoring the legitimate place of physical attraction in marriage.

It is not. It celebrates it within the sacred bonds of the marital commitment, and in celebrating it, it underscores the physical, visual dimensions of holy eroticism. Now, let me ask you, as a husband and a wife, when you, when you first, quote, fell in love with your spouse, and your heart and affections went out in that mysterious emotional affinity that eventually led, I trust, to a deep, intelligent love that led to a covenantal commitment to be husband or wife, sickness, health, prosperity, difficulty, till death part you. Would it made any difference in the whole process? If she or he w...

13:41 - 15:04 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: The Golden Rule is extended to parent-child and grandparent-grandchild relationships, emphasizing the desire for children to be proud of their parents' physical bearing and for…

He asks if listeners, as children, desired to have legitimate pride in their parents' appearance and physical bearing, using this to apply the Golden Rule to parents' responsibility to their children.

When you were a child, did you not desire to have legitimate pride in the appearance and physical bearing of your parents? Can you remember as a child when if you could introduce your dad to your peers, say, This is my dad. You want to see his muscle? This is my mom.

21:43 - 22:04 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: The Golden Rule is extended to parent-child and grandparent-grandchild relationships, emphasizing the desire for children to be proud of their parents' physical bearing and for…

Martin asks if one desires to see grandchildren with an oxygen tank due to emphysema from smoking, or unable to play due to being a 'couch potato,' illustrating how neglect can rob grandparents of vigor and longevity.

In the ordinary course of things, God wants grandparents to live long enough and have sufficient vigor to enjoy and to delight and glory in their grandchildren. And in Deuteronomy 4, 9, grandparents are commanded to take an active part in the training of the grandchildren. And one of the blessings upon the righteous, Psalm 128, 5, they shall see their children's children. Do you want to see them with an oxygen tank at your side and the supply line in your nose because you've got emphysema from smoking?

23:48 - 24:32 Read in full sermon

Driving home: And God has not given food as a means by which I dig my grave with my teeth and seal my early demise with my taste buds and my belly.

Paul's advice to Timothy to take 'a little wine for your stomach's sake' is used as an example of judicious medical awareness and the use of available remedies to maintain physical efficiency for gospel work.

Bodily discipline or exercise is profitable for a little. And then medical awareness and involvement, 1 Timothy 5, 23. Timothy, Paul writes and says, be no longer a drinker of water, but take a little wine for your stomach's sake and your oft infirmities. Apparently, Timothy had a chronic problem of acid reflux or some other kind of gastrointestinal problem.

29:18 - 29:44 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: He identifies three major areas for implementing body stewardship: diet (eating to God's glory), exercise (bodily discipline), and medical awareness and involvement (judicious use…

Hezekiah's healing from a boil using a poultice of figs, even after God promised healing, illustrates the principle that God often uses means to fulfill His purposes, supporting the use of medical interventions.

You see it again in 2 Kings 20 and verse 7. The prophet comes to Hezekiah and says, hey, get your house in order. You're going to die. Hezekiah prays.

30:35 - 30:44 Read in full sermon

The point: Indicate desire for voluntary church seminars addressing diet, exercise, and medical awareness to deacons or elders.

Martin shares that his urologist offered to speak on general health at churches, demonstrating that competent medical professionals are available and willing to help.

It is, by all responsible nutritional knowledge, a balanced, healthy diet in proper proportions, et cetera, et cetera. That's the role of the nutritionist to help you. Likewise, with starting in some regimen of exercise, it's the province of the physician and of the professional physical trainer to be able to say, look, if you're totally out of shape, this is how you've got to start. Reasonably, in this way, this way, this way, and where it'll go, nobody knows, but it's my hope that there'll be that kind of groundswell, and I believe with a good conscience, we could sponsor something like that...

33:52 - 34:57 Read in full sermon

The point: Seek to be faithful in judicious and gracious exhorting, admonishing, and helping one another in matters of physical stewardship.

Martin describes his internal debate and constant struggle with sin's deceitfulness when it's time to exercise, illustrating how sin adjusts reality to fit fleshly appetites and the need for mutual exhortation.

Sin is deceitful. It's constantly adjusting reality in order to fit the passions and appetites of the flesh. And in few areas is its deceitfulness seen more clearly than when we get determined to get a handle on bodily discipline. Oh, but I face its deceitfulness every single time I know in my schedule it's time to get on my treadmill and do my other exercises.

40:46 - 41:15 Read in full sermon

The point: Practice self-denial and graciously decline unhealthy food in social settings if struggling with diet and weight.

Leslie, a church member, shares his experience of losing 75 pounds but having his legs ruined by years of excessive weight, serving as a warning and example of the long-term consequences of physical neglect.

In double blind studies and there do not seem to be a lot of toxic side effects so a believer then can say Lord, my joints are getting a little stiff I want to honor you and do all I can to unstiffen them would you bless? I don't mean to be cheeky when I say this when I take my medications that I have to take for a couple of medical problems with my supplements put them in my hand in the morning almost every morning I pray over them and say Lord, these have no power to help me but with your blessings I can take them in faith and I swallow them all at once I drive my wife crazy one gulp of oran...

47:08 - 48:37 Read in full sermon

The point: Practice self-denial and graciously decline unhealthy food in social settings if struggling with diet and weight.

Martin advises how to graciously decline unhealthy food at social gatherings when one is struggling with diet, comparing it to how some teetotalers decline alcohol, emphasizing self-denial and gracious communication.

at one another's home and there's a lot of stuff that's got what should we say it's not the most nutritional and for someone struggling with weight I would say two things Bill number one are we all right Leslie do I need to repeat that are we all right okay I would say first of all there is a biblical handle on the lifestyle of your eating you can go out and someone can treat you to a meal when you can have a big fat juicy well marbled steak with sour cream on a potato to the glory of God because it's not part of your lifestyle and you know that you know an extra 15 minutes on the treadmill th...

50:06 - 51:35 Read in full sermon