Our Duty Toward the Rising Generation (6)

In this part of the sermon: Martin clarifies that the focus is on God-sanctioned means, not merely what God sovereignly uses. He provides examples from Matthew 7, Philippians 1, and Acts 8 to illustrate that…

Matthew 7:21-23 is used to illustrate that God sovereignly uses unconverted individuals to prophesy and perform miracles, but He does not sanction their ministries, distinguishing between God's use and His approval.

For example, in the day of judgment, the Lord Jesus said, according to Matthew chapter 7, 21 and following, that there will be those who have taken Christ's name upon their lips, but will be shut out of heaven, and among them will be not a few who prophesied by His name, and by His name cast out demons, and by His name did many mighty works. But He will profess unto them, depart from Me, I never knew you, ye that work iniquity. In this passage, it's obvious that God sovereignly used the prophesying and the miracle work, the working of damned, doomed, unconverted men and women to advance the ca...

8:27 - 9:42 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: Martin clarifies that the focus is on God-sanctioned means, not merely what God sovereignly uses. He provides examples from Matthew 7, Philippians 1, and Acts 8 to illustrate that…

Philippians 1:15-18 is cited to show that Paul rejoiced in the gospel being preached even by those with bad motives (envy and strife), demonstrating that God can bless preaching from unsanctioned motives.

So, our concern, is not with what God sovereignly uses, but what He clearly sanctions. The rule of our duty is not what God may do in His own sovereign rights, but what He has revealed as our duty as the people of God. Another example is found in Philippians chapter 1. Paul says in verses 15 and following, that due to his imprisonment, there has been a tremendous, intensification of gospel proclamation.

9:42 - 10:19 Read in full sermon

Driving home: My friends, we do not argue from what God seems to bless to what our duty is. Our duty is to be determined by the word of God.

Acts 8:1, 4 and Acts 11 are used to illustrate how God sovereignly used the evil action of persecution to scatter believers and intensify gospel proclamation, but this does not mean persecution is a sanctioned means to be sought.

God uses the evil action of persecution in order to intensify gospel proclamation. For we read after the death of Stephen, there arose on that day, Acts 8.1b, a great persecution against the church that was in Jerusalem. And they were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria except the apostles.

11:52 - 12:20 Read in full sermon

Driving home: even so did the Lord ordain that they that proclaim the gospel should live of the gospel

Paul's analogies in 1 Corinthians 9 of a soldier, a vine-dresser, and a herdsman are used to demonstrate the principle that those who labor in a calling have a right to be supported by it, applying this to gospel preachers.

to forbear working that is working at an ordinary calling in life to supply our basic needs. He uses the illustration of a soldier what soldier ever went out at the behest of his king or of his government and had to provide his own k-rations had to provide his own rifle and his own ammunition it's never heard of the one who sends him provides for him. Then he uses the illustration of the vine dresser the farmer whoever plants a vineyard and eats not of the fruit thereof or who feeds the flock and eats not of the milk. Do I speak these things after the manner of men or saith not also the law th...

26:58 - 28:26 Read in full sermon

The point: Determine before God that in your commitment to see the gospel proclaimed and defended with unashamed aggressiveness, you are a people who never denigrate the significant place of the preacher.

The story of Areth, a young man from Indiana who trained at the academy and was sent to Westchester, PA, is used as an example of God raising up and sending out men for church planting through the academy.

as he brought this before God in our corporate prayer tonight keep fresh our vision for the academy God is sending to us as far as we know at least four and possibly a fifth new men this fall a good vision for this task that God would give to all of us who have been in it now going on close to two decades this fall will mark I believe the eighteenth year of that endeavor and we grow weary over the long haul in those months when the sessions are the semesters are in session for some of us it's a relentless grind week after week and Sunday seems to kiss Sunday and for me Friday kisses Friday and...

37:10 - 38:38 Read in full sermon

The point: Determine before God that in your commitment to see the gospel proclaimed and defended with unashamed aggressiveness, you are a people who never denigrate the significant place of the preacher.

The story of Jim Don being sent to a struggling church in Paradise, PA, is used to illustrate the academy's role in providing equipped men to strengthen existing churches.

why could we pray for the situation in paradise because there a church with a death rattle in its throat cried out for help and we were able to send a man who proved himself over the course of a year under the scrutiny of the people of God as to life and to doctrine and as we have worked with him giving us the opportunity he has even gained a more firm hold upon our conscience that indeed he is a man equipped of God and sent forth by the church in the person of Jim Don and we prayed for the work in Irvington where this night Pastor Brevard is laboring to establish that segment of our congregat...

38:38 - 40:08 Read in full sermon

The point: Determine before God that in your commitment to see the gospel proclaimed and defended with unashamed aggressiveness, you are a people who never denigrate the significant place of the preacher.

The labor of Pastor Brevard in Irvington is mentioned as an example of a man equipped and recognized by the church to minister in a specific segment of their 'Jerusalem'.

why could we pray for the situation in paradise because there a church with a death rattle in its throat cried out for help and we were able to send a man who proved himself over the course of a year under the scrutiny of the people of God as to life and to doctrine and as we have worked with him giving us the opportunity he has even gained a more firm hold upon our conscience that indeed he is a man equipped of God and sent forth by the church in the person of Jim Don and we prayed for the work in Irvington where this night Pastor Brevard is laboring to establish that segment of our congregat...

38:38 - 40:08 Read in full sermon

The point: Determine before God that in your commitment to see the gospel proclaimed and defended with unashamed aggressiveness, you are a people who never denigrate the significant place of the preacher.

The story of Steve Hoffmeyer, an engineering graduate who gave up a career to become a missionary in the Philippines, is used as a powerful example of a man thrust out by God and the church to proclaim the gospel, challenging others to consider similar calls.

why could we pray for the situation in paradise because there a church with a death rattle in its throat cried out for help and we were able to send a man who proved himself over the course of a year under the scrutiny of the people of God as to life and to doctrine and as we have worked with him giving us the opportunity he has even gained a more firm hold upon our conscience that indeed he is a man equipped of God and sent forth by the church in the person of Jim Don and we prayed for the work in Irvington where this night Pastor Brevard is laboring to establish that segment of our congregat...

38:38 - 40:08 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: The second sanctioned means is the activity of each Christian seizing God-given opportunities to proclaim and defend the gospel. Martin expounds 1 Peter 2:9, 1 Peter 3:15, and…

Martin shares personal anecdotes from his early Christian days, describing the pressure to be a 'soul winner' by buttonholing people, distributing tracts, and even preaching in bars, to illustrate a misguided but sincere approach to evangelism.

to be light and salt part of the new humanity that would validate the we never heard that we thought we're here for one reason as to buttonhole everything that walked and breathed stick a track under its nose or in its pocket preach them into hell or try to drag them into heaven that was it beginning middle and end that was your duty and some of us took it seriously we went into bars and sat up in the bar stool not to drink but to preach to people I marveled and we never got punched out or thrown out it just so shocked people they just kind of sat there with their jaws hanging down and we give...

44:32 - 46:01 Read in full sermon

Driving home: a consistently holy life without a verbal witness is an unexplained mystery

A lengthy quotation from John Stone's commentary on Philippians is used to explain the meaning of 'holding forth the word of life' as encompassing both a consistent Christian character and definite verbal action for the extension of Christ's kingdom.

the word of life holding forth holding out as well as holding to the word of life and the most balanced comment that I have read on that particular text is found in John Stone's commentary on Philippians in which he writes in this statement on the way in which Christians shine by holding forth the word of life the apostle passes from the image of the luminary and adopts one somewhat of this kind a herald of the king of kings holding out to public view a scroll on which is inscribed in great letters a proclamation of mercy a promise of everlasting life to all that believe in Jesus the primary r...

56:41 - 58:09 Read in full sermon

Driving home: a consistently holy life without a verbal witness is an unexplained mystery

The metaphor 'a consistently holy life without a verbal witness is an unexplained mystery' is used to emphasize the necessity of verbal communication to explain the difference observed in a Christian's life.

them he endeavors to go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature and he who sees the end from the beginning recognizes in his servant sympathy and prayers and gifts for missions a true holding forth of the word of life everywhere would it be that the very ambiguity of the word is intended to encompass both ideas that there would be in the context of a holy life that verbal life without which listen carefully a consistent holy life without a verbal witness is an unexplained mystery you got that a consistently holy life without a verbal witness is an unexplained mystery people ...

59:37 - 61:05 Read in full sermon

Driving home: a verbal witness without a holy life is an inexcusable tragedy

The metaphor 'a verbal witness without a holy life is an inexcusable tragedy' is used to highlight the hypocrisy and damage caused when one's words about the gospel are not supported by a godly life.

mouth a holy life without a verbal witness is an unexplained mystery and hear me a verbal witness without a holy life is an inexcusable tragedy a verbal witness without a holy life is an inexcusable tragedy in the language of Paul you give occasion for the enemies of God to blaspheme I've been around people that blabber about Jesus all the time and every time they open their mouths they make the gospel stink the gospel comes out of their mouth not as a sweet fragrance but as horribly acrid garlic breath because their life does not adorn the gospel in its demeanor and disposition but dear peopl...

61:05 - 62:32 Read in full sermon