Ministering One to Another

In this part of the sermon: Martin recounts John Calvin's banishment from Geneva and his return, noting that Calvin resumed preaching from the exact verse where he left off. Martin draws a parallel to his…

The story of John Calvin's banishment from Geneva in 1538 and his return in 1541, where he resumed preaching from the exact verse he left off, illustrates faithfulness to expository preaching and serves as a parallel to Martin's own return to the pulpit after a hiatus.

The following sermon was delivered on Sunday morning, December 3rd, 2000, at the Trinity Baptist Church in Montville, New Jersey. It was an Easter Sunday, April 21st, 1538 to be exact. The place was Geneva, Switzerland.

0:02 - 0:23 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: Martin introduces a visual image of a circle with arrows to categorize the church's activities: upward (worship), inward (ministering one to another), and outward (evangelism…

A visual image of a large circle with arrows pointing upward, inward, and outward is used to categorize the church's biblically mandated activities: worship, ministering to one another, and evangelism/church planting.

A large circle, and I can't make it very large with this hand, so I'll have to make it symmetrical, alright? Just imagine a circle a lot bigger, alright? A large circle. And that circle has an arrow pointing upward.

11:54 - 12:05 Read in full sermon

The point: Have the wisdom and discernment to recognize the need for Christ-provided pastors and teachers for your edification, even when tempted to rely solely on personal anointing.

An extended quotation from John Calvin's commentary on Ephesians 4:11-12 is used to underscore the divine appointment and necessity of the ministry of the word for the church's true completeness and perfection, and to warn against despising it.

for if he does not raise them up, there will be none. To Christ we owe it that we have ministers of the gospel, that they abound in necessary qualifications, that they execute the trust committed to them. All, all is his gift. Our true completeness and perfection, consists in our being united in the one body of Christ. No language that more highly commends the ministry of the word could have been employed than to ascribe to it this effect. What is more excellent than to produce the true and complete perfection of the church? And yet this work so admirable and divine is here declared to be acco...

26:41 - 27:39 Read in full sermon

The point: Bear one another's burdens, engaging in real, self-assuring interaction with fellow believers.

The example of the Thessalonians comforting one another with Paul's words about the resurrection (1 Thessalonians 4:18) illustrates how every church member has a ministry of comfort, even without formal office.

That our interaction is more than formal and occasional. It's real. It's so self-assuring that I know my brothers and sisters will welcome my burdens becoming theirs.

38:41 - 38:56 Read in full sermon

The point: Guard against conveniently closing your eyes and ears to the needs and cries of your brethren.

Martin shares a personal anecdote about his father's method of ensuring he heard his words ('a few good swaps') to illustrate how people can conveniently train their eyes and ears not to hear or see the needs of their brethren.

How many of you parents say to your kids, I thought I didn't hear you, mom. I can remember my dad saying, well, we're going to help the connection between your ears and my words. Go in the bathroom and a few good swaps here. Did marvelous to help the connection between my ears and what my dad said.

54:20 - 54:43 Read in full sermon

The point: Renew your commitment to faithful attendance at church, recognizing its vitality for your edification and the ministry of the word and one another.

The story of Daniel Baker's ministry in the South, where businesses would shut down for weeks for his preaching, is used to highlight the value of cherishing opportunities for corporate worship and fellowship, contrasting it with modern society.

My friends, it's vital to your edification. You need, as frequently as possible, the ministry of the word, the ministry one to another. I'm reading that marvelous biography of Daniel Baker. He made many glad.

61:41 - 61:58 Read in full sermon

The point: Flee to Christ and cry to Him for mercy, as He is a willing, able, and precious Savior, in light of the coming day of judgment.

The analogy of a well-cured Omaha steak versus McDonald's is used to illustrate that when the Spirit of God fills His institutions, believers will have no desire for 'trinkets' or worldly substitutes for true spiritual nourishment.

We'll have no stomach for trinkets. Let a man sit down to a well-cured, well-marbled, cholesterol-defying 12 ounce Omaha steak, and you ain't going to interest him in McDonald's. God help us. Did we ever go to McDonald's to be edified?

66:52 - 67:19 Read in full sermon