Our Duty Toward the Rising Generation (8)

The point: Remind ourselves that the rejection of Christ is infinitely more terrifying than the rejection of men.

Martin shares a personal story of struggling with reluctance to speak about Christ to a fellow passenger on a plane, even to the point of being ashamed to bow his head for grace before a meal, illustrating the sin of shame and the need for the antidote.

the one whom God has providentially put next to me as he sovereignly ordered what happened at the desk or at the travel desk, I've been able to say, I've been able to say, I've been able to say, I've been able to say, I've been able to say, I've been able to say, I've been able to say, I've been able to say, I've been able to say, I've been able to say, I've been able to say, when seats were assigned, we don't believe anything is by accident, and believing that that person is there by divine appointment and praying, when I've sensed a reluctance as an opening was coming or as I was seeking to ...

16:39 - 17:52 Read in full sermon

Driving home: Open confession of Christ is not a luxury. Thou shalt confess with thy mouth, Jesus is Lord, and believe in thine heart. Thou shalt be saved. An inescapable accompaniment of true faith is a confessing mouth.

He describes an experience where, upon realizing he was about to speak of his Savior, a fellow passenger put up a 'lead wall,' indicating rejection, to illustrate the reality of negative responses to the gospel.

Publicly, openly. Shall I be ashamed of a cold shoulder and a very clear lead wall between me and the person next to me on the plane? And I've had it more than once. When once it became evident I was to speak of my Savior, down came the lead wall.

18:19 - 18:37 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: Martin invites the class to suggest other hindrances, leading to the identification of a bad conscience (1 Peter 3:15) and, more extensively, an overreaction to boorish…

Martin vividly describes an overweight individual with a loud voice who would slap strangers on the back and ask, 'Are you born again?' to exemplify boorish and insensitive aggressiveness in evangelism that dishonors Christ.

It was almost, I was reluctant to even introduce him to people because the first thing he did in a very jocular, very overpowering way, the moment you introduced him to anyone, he was someone about 50 pounds overweight. He had the kind of voice that had a built-in megaphone. You could hear him three blocks down the street. Just talking in a normal tone of voice.

25:45 - 26:07 Read in full sermon

Driving home: And while men are lost and on their way to hell, they are still fallen image bearers of God whom we are to regard with the dignity befitting their identity.

He uses the analogy of a pushy salesman who doesn't respect a customer's pace to illustrate how boorish evangelism disrespects the dignity of humanity, violating the 'Golden Rule.'

Matthew 7, 12 says, As you would that others should do unto you, even so do you also unto them, for this is the law and the prophets, a distillation of all of the ethical requirements of the law and the prophets at a horizontal level is beautifully captured by our Lord in these words. As you would that others do unto you, even so do ye unto them. Do we want people with respect to anything to treat us in a boorish, insensitive, aggressive manner? What do you do with the salesman that does not respect your own pace of wanting to consider his product? You want to boot him out the door or turn on ...

28:20 - 29:16 Read in full sermon

The point: Recognize that two wrongs don't make a right; while boorish evangelism is wrong, sinful silence is also wrong.

Martin recounts his own early Christian experience of distributing tracts on a bus and confronting those who refused them, illustrating a well-intentioned but 'skewed' and potentially offensive approach to evangelism.

That's what I used to do as a young Christian. I've told some of you, get on a bus and start right down the bus and give a tract to everyone and if someone refused it, I'd preach them right under the judgment of God there and then and there on the spot. I thought that's what I was supposed to do. God knows my heart was right but my head was sure skewed and I wonder how much offense was brought.

39:53 - 40:14 Read in full sermon

The point: Recognize that two wrongs don't make a right; while boorish evangelism is wrong, sinful silence is also wrong.

He shares the story of a neighbor who explicitly told him not to discuss religion, which Martin uses as an example of someone proving themselves to have a 'swinish disposition' regarding the gospel, justifying a cessation of direct evangelism.

And when you have sought graciously and lovingly and tactfully to introduce the subject of the gospel if they say as one of my neighbors did, look, Al, if you and I are going to have any kind of a meaningful relationship don't ever discuss religion with me. Do you understand?

40:55 - 41:10 Read in full sermon

Driving home: If you love people, love is willing to relinquish what are perfectly innocent, rightful patterns of behavior that we might gain the ears and the goodwill of the people.

Martin describes his first trip to Pakistan and learning to adjust to cultural norms (e.g., not showing the bottom of his foot, not using his left hand for food) to avoid offense, illustrating Paul's principle of sensitivity to gain goodwill.

A lot of things that were offensive to me and Muslims. And I got hit with these things all at once. And some of them were a pain in the neck to have to adjust to. But if I loved those people then I was willing to have a pain in the neck and not sit cross-legged and show the bottom of my foot and not reach out for food with my left hand and a host of other little things.

44:00 - 44:20 Read in full sermon

The point: Parents, impose the rule, law, and gospel of Christ on your household and anyone in it, ensuring wholehearted participation in family worship.

He gives the example of his unconverted father-in-law living in their home, explaining that while he had an obligation to feed him, he did not have the right to demand his participation in family worship, distinguishing between different types of relationships and evangelistic obligations.

Suppose your kid thinks with the 16th birthday comes the right to say I don't want to be part of family worship anymore I don't want to be taken to church and have the gospel preached to me you say too bad as long as you're under this roof and you eat at this table you not only sit at family worship and here's where some of you parents need to get your act together you enter in wholeheartedly to family worship with your looks with your voice with your responses you don't sit there with a sulky look you permit that some of you shame on you you have a divine mandate to impose the rule and law an...

46:26 - 47:55 Read in full sermon

The point: If someone takes a posture of not wanting to discuss religion, respect their wish but continue to show goodwill, pray for them, and make it plain you are ready to discuss if they ever desire.

Martin shares the story of the neighbor who refused to discuss religion, whose wife later asked him to preach at the funeral, providing an example of how continued goodwill and prayer can open unexpected opportunities for gospel proclamation, even after initial rejection.

let us do good unto all men you see there so you have to ask what is the relationship and then secondly if someone takes the posture as my neighbor did who said look I don't want to talk about religion and about the gospel you let him know that though you're respecting that wish you love him you continue to pray for him you continue to take those steps to show you have good will toward him you don't wait for him to come to you you go to him and that's what I did with my neighbor when he'd be out working in his yard I'd go to him say Glenn how you doing talk about what he's doing seek to find s...

47:55 - 49:25 Read in full sermon