Kingship of Christ in 1 Corinthians 15:25, 26

The point: Follow God's thoughts with your minds if you would apprehend them with your hearts, especially when the argument is complex.

The concept of 'firstfruits' is used to illustrate that Christ's resurrection is not an isolated event but a pledge and guarantee that the entire harvest of His people's resurrection will follow.

First fruits of them that sleep. You see what he's saying? The first fruits, you see, were the first gatherings of the harvest that had come to full bloom or had come to the place of maturity. And you would gather the first fruits and bring them as an offering to God in acknowledgment that the entire harvest was his.

14:34 - 14:55 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: Martin extracts four clear statements from the text: all in Christ will be raised; this occurs at His coming; it represents triumph over all hostile powers; and it results in…

Martin quotes Candlish's exposition of 1 Corinthians 15 to describe Christ's coming forth from the Father to a rebellious province (earth), expiating sin, and wielding universal power to gather His people and overthrow enemies, eventually delivering up the kingdom.

You remember he said, All power hath been given unto me in heaven and on earth. Ephesians 1, he has been exalted far above principality and power, and everything's been put under his feet and given head over all things to the church. Well, perhaps the best description of this adjustment in a short compass is given in the reprint of a classic exposition of this chapter by Candlish, notice how perceptively he picks up, as it were, the very heart of the issue. Contemplate our Lord's coming forth from the Father.

21:32 - 22:09 Read in full sermon

The point: Find comfort in knowing that Christ is a reigning King committed to destroying every last enemy of His people, including death.

Martin uses the vivid imagery of the body's decay, hands that serve, and eyes that see, to illustrate the healthy fear of the experience of dying, emphasizing the wrenching apart of soul and body and the physical reality of the grave.

While at the same time to have a healthy fear of the experience of dying. All your life you've been a body soul entity. You never thought without your soul. You never thought without your body.

42:20 - 42:33 Read in full sermon

Driving home: Death is no longer his enemy. He conquered it when he rose from the dead. But because death is still my enemy. My Lord makes it his. And he says look. Your enemy my child is mine. I'll take care of it. Oh what a comfort.

Martin shares a personal anecdote of his own rebellious heart being subdued by Christ's scepter, illustrating how the King destroys the enemy of rebellion in a sinner's heart, leading to submission.

He stretched out his scepter and he said enough. He stretched out his scepter. And this rebel heart that said through all of its days. I will.

44:34 - 44:44 Read in full sermon

The point: Face death squarely, not with the thought of a vacated throne, but with the comfort that Christ is on His throne and will raise you to life.

He notes that his congregation is young and many have not experienced death firsthand, using this to highlight the importance of facing death squarely and finding comfort in Christ's reigning kingship.

We don't see death. There are many of you children here. Seven eight nine 10 12 40. You've never stood by a casket.

46:33 - 46:40 Read in full sermon

The point: Understand that if Christ is reigning as King, everyone not under His scepter in love is His enemy, whom He is committed to destroy, leading to conviction.

He contrasts the common image of Jesus 'standing outside the locked door of the heart with a languid look' with the reality of an enthroned King wielding a scepter, to show how obscuring Christ's kingship diminishes conviction for sinners.

Whom he is committed to destroy. You see the whole idea of Jesus. Standing outside the locked door. Of the heart.

51:34 - 51:41 Read in full sermon

The point: Be preserved from being sucked into seeking a present carnal kingship, which attempts to extend Christ's kingdom with carnal weapons or impose it through legislation.

He uses the examples of banks handling money on Christian principles and labor unions bargaining with the Bible open to illustrate the natural human desire for societal transformation, which he then cautions against pursuing through carnal means.

That if you went down to your bank. They were handling your money. On the basis of Christian principles.

57:55 - 58:01 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: Martin concludes with a caution against misinterpreting Christ's present kingship as a call to establish a carnal, political, or societal kingdom through worldly means. He…

He references Abraham Kuyper and the Netherlands to caution against the idea that being Dutch equates to being Christian, illustrating the danger of structuring Christianity downward by legislation and conflating national identity with faith.

If you tell me what Abraham Kuyper did in the Netherlands. I will say fine. If you want. What the Netherlands is now.

59:25 - 59:31 Read in full sermon