Graces Needed to Maintain Unity of The Spirit (2)

In this part of the sermon: Pastor Martin begins by reiterating the foundational text of Ephesians 4:1-3 and contextualizes the sermon within Trinity Baptist Church's 25th-anniversary 'Manifesto,' which…

The church's 25th anniversary is used as a backdrop for a 'spiritual exercise' of examining biblical convictions, emphasizing that this exercise is more important than mere celebration.

This present calendar year of 1992 marks the 25th year of the existence of Trinity Baptist Church as a duly constituted church of the Lord Jesus Christ. And those who are a part of this fellowship know that we have had no elaborate celebrations of this milestone in our corporate life, nor are there any plans for celebration. There are no such celebrations as legitimate and as edifying as they might be. However, in conjunction with this milestone of our 25th anniversary, we have been engaged in a rather lengthy spiritual exercise of far greater importance than any such innocent, ordinary, and e...

1:11 - 2:17 Read in full sermon

The point: When sensing sparks of contention, use your words to back off from anything that would add to the possibility of an outbreak of ill-will and enmity.

The beginning of strife is compared to a dam breaking, illustrating that it's much easier to prevent strife than to stop it once it has started.

The beginning of strife is as one letteth out water, and the precise imagery there is debated by the commentators, but this much is clear. If you've got a dad, and once it begins to break and the water begins to make its way out, you're in big bad trouble. It's much easier to buttress and strengthen the dam before the water begins to flow than to stop it once it does start flowing. The beginning of strife is as when one letteth out water, therefore leave off contention before there is quarreling.

21:20 - 22:00 Read in full sermon

The point: Change the direction of conversation or the climate of the congregation by your words when strife is brewing, as it is honorable to keep aloof from strife.

The analogy of a fire needing wood to burn is used to explain that contention ceases when there is no 'whisperer' adding fuel (words) to the fire of strife.

Proverbs 26, 20 and 21. For lack of wood, the fire goeth out. You kids, you know if you have a fireplace, you have a wood-burning stove, and the log doesn't burn forever and forever. If you don't put another log on, the fire will eventually die out.

23:42 - 24:03 Read in full sermon

The point: Change the direction of conversation or the climate of the congregation by your words when strife is brewing, as it is honorable to keep aloof from strife.

A contentious man is compared to someone adding a bucket of coal to hot embers or logs to a dull glow, showing how he inflames existing 'embers' of sin into raging fires of ill-will.

As coals are to hot embers, and wood to fire, so is a contentious man to inflame strife. You see what he's saying? Here you have a little handful of hot embers. They can't cook much, can't give out much heat, can't hurt anyone.

24:31 - 24:54 Read in full sermon

The point: Examine whether your words are dispensing 'coal and logs' to inflame strife or 'water and foam' to extinguish it.

Water extinguishing embers and airport foam smothering sparks are used to illustrate how peacemakers should use their words to extinguish potential strife rather than inflame it.

If you want to put out that little glowing ember, what do you do? Just take a little pan full of water and throw it on it and it's gone. Well, what they do at the airport when they think a plane is going to come in and for some reason the landing gear can't be put down, it's going to have to land on its belly and sparks will fly by the thousands. They'll lay down a blanket of foam and pour it on the plane.

27:49 - 28:17 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: He provides two detailed biblical examples of skillful peacemaking actions: Abram's resolution of strife with Lot in Genesis 13 and Abigail's intervention to prevent David's…

The story of Abram resolving the conflict between his and Lot's herdsmen is presented as a prime example of a skillful peacemaker in action, demonstrating humility and deference.

And there are two wonderful examples of peacemakers in action, skillful peacemakers. One in Genesis chapter 13, many examples, but these are the two that came to mind in my preparation. Most of you will remember the setting, Abram goes up out of the land of Egypt with all of his possessions, he's a wealthy man and he takes with him his nephew whose name is Lot. Verse 5 of Genesis 13, and Lot also, who went with Abram, had flocks and herds and tents.

30:48 - 31:24 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: He provides two detailed biblical examples of skillful peacemaking actions: Abram's resolution of strife with Lot in Genesis 13 and Abigail's intervention to prevent David's…

The detailed account of Abigail's intervention to prevent David's vengeful destruction of Nabal's household serves as an extended example of a godly woman's consummate peacemaking skill through wise words and humble actions.

Some of you are guessing now, and you know who we're talking about. Verse 2. There was a man in Maon whose possessions were in Carmel. Very great.

34:50 - 35:00 Read in full sermon

The point: Cultivate the grace of living by the Golden Rule, doing to others as you would have them do to you.

A humorous anecdote about a young lad's misinterpretation of the Golden Rule ('do unto others as they have done unto you') is used to clarify the true meaning of Matthew 7:12.

Now, there was a time when anyone who was reasonably intelligent had come to 20 years of age in our country, could give you the Ten Commandments, say the Lord's Prayer, and knew what you meant by the golden rule. But alas, those days have long since passed. The golden rule is not that perverse rule of the young lad that I quoted the other day who said, it is written somewhere in the Psalms, do unto others as they have done unto you. No, that's not the golden rule.

43:36 - 44:09 Read in full sermon

The point: Avoid irritants by consistently thinking, 'What would I that others do to me?' and acting accordingly, even if inconvenient.

Pastor Martin shares a personal story of picking up broken glass while running, illustrating how living by the Golden Rule can be inconvenient but leads to a good conscience and prevents potential harm to others.

I can remember how inconvenient it used to be when I'd be out running on the streets. They don't do that anymore because the doctor said to stop it. And there'd be a jagged piece of a broken beer bottle right where somebody could drive a car. And I'd run by it and say, I'm not a street peeper.

57:05 - 57:22 Read in full sermon