Specific Descriptions of the Heirs, Part 1

The point: Carefully and honestly ascertain whether the descriptions of those destined for hell match your own character.

An analogy of a mayor warning citizens about time-bombs planted in 100 homes, with only character descriptions (not names) of the homeowners provided. This illustrates the seriousness with which one should examine God's specific descriptions of those destined for hell.

let me seek to secure a careful hearing by the use of a very simple analogy or illustration. What would you do if next week there came from your local town hall what appeared to have all the marks of an official announcement from the mayor of your town or city that some man had placed time-bombs in the homes of 100 people. To be a correct interpretation, we really need this text. Let's read it.

8:01 - 8:34 Read in full sermon

The point: Come to these descriptions with earnest prayer, asking 'Lord, is it I?' and seeking God's help to flee from wrath.

Martin recounts seeing a church member break into tears during a hymn about judgment, illustrating that at least one person takes God's word about hell seriously, likely burdened for a lost loved one.

God has given us in this book a very clear, a very specific, a very penetrating description of the character traits of those who will perish in hell. And if you take the doctrine of hell, hell seriously, then you will come to such descriptions with all the earnestness and sobriety of the last day upon your soul, saying, oh God, do I in any way fit that description? If I do, Lord, help me here and now to begin in earnest to flee from the wrath to come. As I looked out upon you as a congregation, singing that hymn, great God, what do I see and hear? I saw something that convinced me that at leas...

11:25 - 12:44 Read in full sermon

The point: If you are a fearful one, a coward, who will not come to Christ on His terms due to fear of man, possessions, or pain, listen to the word of God: the fearful shall have their part in the lake of fire unless purged by gra…

These biblical figures are used to illustrate different responses to Jesus' call to renounce possessions, highlighting the fear some have regarding what Christ might demand of their wealth.

Or perhaps they are fearful not with regard so much to people, but to possessions. They see that Jesus Christ says, coming to me, you must renounce all that you have. That is, you must come in the posture that from here on in, everything that you are and have, you willingly, joyfully give up to me, to be held loosely in my service, to be a steward of everything that you possess, and if you do not renounce all that you have, not knowing what I will do with it, you cannot be my disciple. And Jesus Christ has not rescinded that word to 20th century affluent America. It is still the word of Christ...

22:55 - 23:54 Read in full sermon

The point: If you are a fearful one, a coward, who will not come to Christ on His terms due to fear of man, possessions, or pain, listen to the word of God: the fearful shall have their part in the lake of fire unless purged by gra…

The example of John writing from Patmos to churches undergoing physical suffering illustrates how fear of pain and persecution can deter people from identifying with Christ when religion costs them something.

And you don't know that coming to Christ. And that's why he says, without exception, Whosoever he be, that renounces not all that he hath, cannot be my disciple. And before such demands, there is this cowardice that says, I dare not put myself in that place. And with that, so there is the fear of people the fear of possessions for some this was peculiarly relevant when the book of the revelation was written the fear of pain remember John wrote from the isle of Patmos and he wrote to the seven churches and how did he identify himself he said I John your companion in tribulation the churches wer...

24:24 - 25:51 Read in full sermon

The point: Young people, understand that God has ordained sexual desires to be expressed only within the sacred commitment of marriage.

Martin describes watching a TV program where an Australian discus thrower openly discussed living with her boyfriend without shame, illustrating how mass media normalizes and makes fornication respectable.

To relax my mind for a few minutes yesterday, I thought I'd turn on the program that was supposedly going to give us information about people preparing for the Olympics in 84. I thought that'd be innocent enough. And no sooner had I turned on the program. When the camera zeroed in on a woman, an Australian woman, who was a discus thrower, and I happened to turn in at the point where she talked before national TV audience and allowed herself to be photographed in a home with a man who is not her lawful husband and could say, I enjoy living with my boyfriend, so and so, and no sense of shame whi...

42:19 - 43:10 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: He defines 'sorcerers' as those who practice magic arts and dabble in the occult, warning against any involvement with spiritualism, astrology, or horoscopes as an abomination to…

Martin briefly mentions playing a sleight-of-hand game with children, pulling a nickel from behind their ear, to distinguish innocent illusion from dabbling in the occult.

Go ahead and charge me if you will. If that's sin, then I sin with many of the kids in the church when I play a little sleight of hand game with them with a nickel. And they think I'm picking it off the ceiling when in reality I'm just putting it up on the ceiling. But anyway, this is not talking about that.

46:32 - 46:48 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: He defines 'sorcerers' as those who practice magic arts and dabble in the occult, warning against any involvement with spiritualism, astrology, or horoscopes as an abomination to…

He points to local stores in Willowbrook selling books and paraphernalia for dabbling in the occult, illustrating the contemporary proliferation of such practices.

It is talking about dabble. Dabbling in the occult and the spirit world, the demons and the devil. And Wilson goes on to say, In an age which is not ostensibly religious, there's been a remarkable proliferation of false gods and a terrifying revival of the occult arts and practices. There are stores in Willowbrook, a few miles from here, where you can buy your books and paraphernalia to dabble with the devil.

46:48 - 47:20 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: He defines 'sorcerers' as those who practice magic arts and dabble in the occult, warning against any involvement with spiritualism, astrology, or horoscopes as an abomination to…

Martin notes that the New Jersey weather hotline offers a horoscope service, illustrating how occult practices are subtly integrated into everyday life.

Have you called the weather number in New Jersey recently? 936-1212. When you're done with your weather report, it says, So much for the weather. Now for your horoscope today, dial such and such.

47:48 - 48:01 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: He focuses on 'all liars,' defining lying as willfully misrepresenting or refusing to perceive reality, highlighting children's innate ability to lie and the pervasive nature of…

Their story is used to illustrate willful, knowing misrepresentation of reality as a form of lying.

Ananias and Sapphira were guilty of lying to the Holy Ghost when they attempted to lie to Peter. What was reality? Reality was they got a certain amount of money for the land they sold. Now they tried to misrepresent reality.

51:04 - 51:20 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: He focuses on 'all liars,' defining lying as willfully misrepresenting or refusing to perceive reality, highlighting children's innate ability to lie and the pervasive nature of…

Martin asks children if they learned to tie shoes with help, then if they learned to lie with help, illustrating that lying is an innate sinful disposition, not something taught.

How many of you can tie your own shoes? Let me see your hands. You can tie your own shoes. All the kids can tie your own shoes.

52:45 - 52:53 Read in full sermon