Who is Going There?

Driving home: Ain't everybody talking about heaven going there? And it isn't everyone who talks about heaven who's going there, nor is it everyone who is convinced he's going to heaven who will be in heaven.

Martin quotes an old Negro spiritual to introduce the sermon's central question, highlighting that profession of faith does not guarantee salvation.

And I want to underscore that we are concerned to address the question, Who, according to the Bible, is going there? I believe it was an old Negro spirit, a spiritual, that had the words, Ain't everybody talking about heaven going there? And it isn't everyone who talks about heaven who's going there, nor is it everyone who is convinced he's going to heaven who will be in heaven. For Jesus said, Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, and he will profess unto them, depart from me, I never knew you.

3:35 - 4:19 Read in full sermon

The point: It matters not if your name is upon a church robe, even Trinity Baptist church robe, if it is not inscribed in the Lamb's book of life, if you are not an heir of grace, if God has not been pleased to set his sovereign el…

He uses the analogy of the 'top stone of the great ark of the arch of displaying God's mercy' to illustrate that those in heaven will ascribe all glory to God's grace, not their own free will.

Well, it says this. It matters not if your name is upon a church robe, even Trinity Baptist church robe, if it is not inscribed in the Lamb's book of life, if you are not an heir of grace, if God has not been pleased to set his sovereign electing love upon you, you will not be found in heaven. And if you are found in heaven, you will bring forth the top stone of the great ark of the arch of displaying God's mercy with shoutings of grace, grace, grace unto it. You'll find no one in heaven reaching around and patting himself on the back saying, you know, I'm so glad I made good use of my free wi...

14:24 - 15:27 Read in full sermon

The point: It matters not if your name is upon a church robe, even Trinity Baptist church robe, if it is not inscribed in the Lamb's book of life, if you are not an heir of grace, if God has not been pleased to set his sovereign el…

Martin quotes a hymn to emphasize the sovereign, distinguishing love of God in drawing some to salvation while others refuse.

How wonderful it is that I ultimately made the right decision. No such language will be found in heaven. Heaven will be permeated with the language of grace. Why was I made to hear thy voice and enter while there's room when thousands make a wretched choice, rather start than come?

15:27 - 15:54 Read in full sermon

The point: Either put your hand where your mouth is if you claim to be Christ's servant and you fathers and mothers go home with a book of Proverbs and get down on your knees and say, oh God, we're committed to do what those passag…

He compares the eagerness of unfallen angels to do God's will to the disposition that believers should have, illustrating the spirit of service required of Christ's subjects.

before the throne, and they serve him. I frankly, personally feel this language taken from the description of angels who wait before the throne of God to do service to the angels. It's that posture of eagerness to know the slightest intimation of the will of their creator God, that they might, as it were, fly to the ends of the earth to do it. Now the very spirit that unfallen angels have, by grace, becomes mine as a child of God. They are before the throne, and they serve him day and night. And that disposition is either implanted here on earth by grace, or you'll never have it. In the world ...

38:53 - 39:52 Read in full sermon

The point: Either put your hand where your mouth is if you claim to be Christ's servant and you fathers and mothers go home with a book of Proverbs and get down on your knees and say, oh God, we're committed to do what those passag…

Martin references a previous sermon on Proverbs to illustrate the need for practical commitment to obedience in family life, particularly for fathers and mothers.

Christ. And that servitude, if it's not practical, is nothing. Now, it's rare that I want to put a P.S. on anyone's sermon. But you don't know the grace it took to sit in that chair where George is sitting tonight this morning. And Pastor Nichols was pouring out his heart and opening up those passages in Proverbs. You know what I wanted to get up and say? I wanted to get up and say, either put your hand where your mouth is if you claim to be Christ's servant and you fathers and mothers go home with a book of Proverbs and get down on your knees and say, oh God, we're committed to do what those ...

40:47 - 41:53 Read in full sermon

The point: If you, like Bunyan's Christian, are determined to cross the river and to the celestial city, you don't play games and strike treaties with Apollyon. With the things that drag you into the world and into spiritual dullne…

He tells a hypothetical story of a man appearing at his door threatening his family, to illustrate the seriousness and intensity required in the spiritual battle of overcoming sin.

God's preserving grace, but the necessity of our persevering activity. I really wonder, dear people, if we believe, either we overcome or we miss heaven. You let a man appear at my door who says, look, you kill me or I'm going to kill you and your wife and your son and your two daughters. If I believe him, I won't stand there and take a little jab at him with my elbow. I won't just stand there and spar with him. If I really believe it's either him or me,

45:36 - 46:09 Read in full sermon

The point: If you, like Bunyan's Christian, are determined to cross the river and to the celestial city, you don't play games and strike treaties with Apollyon. With the things that drag you into the world and into spiritual dullne…

Martin alludes to John Bunyan's 'Pilgrim's Progress' to emphasize that those determined for the Celestial City do not play games or make treaties with spiritual enemies.

I'm going to fight to the death and I'll go down in a pool of my own blood or he's going down in a pool of his. But I tell you, there's going to be no fooling around. If I sense he's a madman who's serious, he says, you kill me or I'm going to kill you, your wife and your kids. I tell you, friends, we're locked in a death struggle. And if you were looking in, everything about it would indicate those two guys are after one another's blood. And my friend, it's just that way in this business of overcoming. If you, like Bunyan's Christian, are determined to cross the river and to the celestial cit...

46:10 - 46:58 Read in full sermon