Public Reading of the Scripture (1)

The point: Be able to give a solid, convincing biblical polemic for refusing any suggestion to jettison the practice of consecutive public reading of God's Word.

Martin uses the analogy of a 'thick list' of unbiblical worship elements to challenge the congregation to consider whether the public reading of Scripture is truly biblical and defensible, or if it could be 'jettisoned' without conscience.

scriptures. And today we're going to limit ourselves to a consideration of the regular, consecutive, consecutive, or some form of systematic public reading of the scriptures as an expression of this persevering attendance upon the ministry of the word of God. If you've come to this congregation for longer than several weeks, you will have noted that in each public service of worship, there is at least one dominant segment given to the congregation. This is before, after, and after, and after, and through worship, there is a greatitals なついつくる list. This thick list, of are there elements in our ...

10:25 - 11:47 Read in full sermon

The point: Be intimately acquainted with the words of God, treasure them in your heart, regulate your life by them, and pass them on as a legacy to your children.

Paul's question in Romans 3:1-2 about the advantage of the Jew is used to illustrate that their primary privilege was being entrusted with the oracles of God, setting the stage for their responsibility to His Word.

under the condemnation of God as sinners, as violators of his law, they stand in a posture of equal necessity of being forgiven and pardoned if they are to have acceptance with God, he then asks the question in chapter 3 and verse 1, what advantage then has the Jew? Or what is the profit of circumcision? If with all of his privileges the Jew is equally guilty with the Gentile, what then are his advantages? Verse 2, much every way there are many advantages, but notice first of all that they were entrusted with the oracles or literally the words of God. Verse 3, what were their privileges? Many,...

14:34 - 15:50 Read in full sermon

The point: Be intimately acquainted with the words of God, treasure them in your heart, regulate your life by them, and pass them on as a legacy to your children.

Martin highlights the Israelites' responsibility to know God's Word intimately, despite lacking modern printing technology, to underscore the gravity of their duty.

And without the advantages of desktop printers or even the Gutenberg printing press, there was a responsibility laid upon every single Israelite to make himself intimately acquainted with the words of God, and to have those words not only treasured up in his heart, but also part and regulative of his own life, but to pass them on as a legacy to his own children. Here is one of the fundamental passages which underscores the principle of the necessity of the study of the word of God as a private or individual means of grace. However, in addition to this individual exposure, God gave a clear dire...

17:08 - 18:29 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: Martin traces the historical implementation of this command, showing Joshua's implicit obedience in Joshua 8, Josiah's reinstitution of the practice during a time of reformation…

The 'strange incident' in Deuteronomy where blessings and curses were pronounced at Mount Ebal is referenced to show Joshua's obedience in fulfilling this command upon entering the land.

And that strange incident recorded in Deuteronomy, where the people stood and the blessings and curses of the law were pronounced, and Moses directed that this should be done when they enter the land. They did. They did it. But now look at verse 34.

27:34 - 27:50 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: Martin traces the historical implementation of this command, showing Joshua's implicit obedience in Joshua 8, Josiah's reinstitution of the practice during a time of reformation…

The linguistic shift during captivity, requiring Ezra and his companions to interpret the Hebrew law, illustrates the need for understanding and clarity in the public reading of Scripture.

And these people in the period of captivity had had a shift from being fluent in but one language, the language of their fathers. They now had a linguistic problem. And so these men reading the law of God in that original language, that Hebrew tongue in which it had been delivered, now they had to help them to understand the law. And so we read in verse eight, they read in the book in the law of God distinctly or with an interpretation and gave the sense so that they understood the reading.

37:45 - 38:27 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: Martin traces the historical implementation of this command, showing Joshua's implicit obedience in Joshua 8, Josiah's reinstitution of the practice during a time of reformation…

The establishment of synagogues and the rabbinic rule requiring at least 22 verses from the law and prophets to be read at every service illustrates the deep-seated practice of public Scripture reading by the New Testament era.

The prophets, who were called when the Holy Spirit came, and the prophets of Israel were called in the New Testament. and they established a synagogue, not for sacrifice, they would still make the trek up to Jerusalem, but gathered every Sabbath day, you know what was central to their life? Was unitedly confessing the words of Deuteronomy 6, for here, O Israel, the Lord our God is one Lord. No more would they confess anything else to be God, they were at least externally forever purged from their idolatry through the experience of the captivity.

39:10 - 39:53 Read in full sermon

Driving home: Spiritual apostasy and dullness and declension led to the giving up and the non-practice of what God had instituted and every reformation and return to God and renewal of covenantal fidelity was marked by the reinstituti…

Martin shares his personal experience of over 41 years in spiritual leadership, longer than Moses in the wilderness, to emphasize his conviction that solid, systematic instruction through biblical data is the only way to build a congregation, even if people grow 'restive'.

whenever there is a record of its implementation, it is in conjunction with a state of Israel that is commendable and desirable. Never, never is it mentioned as something that led to the dullness and declension rather the opposite is true. Spiritual apostasy and dullness and declension led to the giving up and the non-practice of what God had instituted and every reformation and return to God and renewal of covenantal fidelity was marked by the reinstitution of this practice of the public reading of the law of God well those are the old testament roots now very quickly and it's obvious I'll no...

43:48 - 45:16 Read in full sermon

The point: Pastors must not be indifferent to the public reading of God's Word; it is to have a dominant place in their ministerial duties.

A quotation from Fairbairn's commentary on 1 Timothy 4:13 is used to support the interpretation that 'the reading' refers to the public reading of Old Testament scriptures in the church service.

the word the reading is technical language pointing to that very practice with which Timothy would have been well acquainted in the synagogue it was the public reading of the Old Testament scriptures listen to Fairbairn's comment on this very passage till I come give attention to the reading the definiteness indicating respecting these things by the use of the article the reading seems to point to them as well known stated employments connected with ministerial agency the reading therefore will most naturally be taken for that kind of reading which form part of the public service of the church...

48:11 - 49:40 Read in full sermon

The point: Pastors must not be indifferent to the public reading of God's Word; it is to have a dominant place in their ministerial duties.

Paul's command to 'greet all the brethren with a holy kiss' is contrasted with a 'Judas kiss' to emphasize the sincerity and right heart attitude required in fellowship.

parting exhortations verse twenty five brethren pray for us first Thessalonians five twenty five verse twenty six greet all the brethren with a holy kiss whenever you gather make sure there's none of the brethren whom you cannot embrace not with a Judas kiss a holy kiss not a defiled Judas kiss but a holy kiss that is make sure your heart is right with all your brethren and if your heart's right then show it in the way you greet them now verse twenty seven he says I adjure you and he uses a word which means I solemnly charge you as a Jew and he uses a word which means I solemnly charge you as ...

55:29 - 56:23 Read in full sermon

The point: Pastors must not be indifferent to the public reading of God's Word; it is to have a dominant place in their ministerial duties.

Martin speculates that Paul's solemn charge to read 1 Thessalonians 5:27 to 'all the brethren' might have been to prevent those whose problems were addressed in the letter from being absent during its public reading.

strange that he should introduce that word but he does enor interacts with his students although still looo let he entrada along pool he's food Could it be that some of the very people whose problems and aberrations were addressed in this letter had gotten word that Paul had composed a letter that was going to address those issues and were going to be sure to be absent the day they knew that that letter was going to be read? I don't know, but this is what the text says. I adjure you, I lay upon you a solemn charge with the overtones of an oath sworn commitment from the Lord himself that this e...

56:26 - 57:43 Read in full sermon

Driving home: And, dear people, this is not some novel position to which we have come as a church. In commenting on Deuteronomy 31, Thomas Scott writes, The public reading of the scriptures is indeed an honor which should in all place…

A quotation from Thomas Scott's commentary on Deuteronomy 31 is used to underscore that the public reading of Scripture is an honor, a minister's commission, and a means for people to become acquainted with the whole Bible.

And that the apostolic letters which comprise the bulk of our New Testament and therefore the holy scriptures of the Old and the New Testament, that there is indeed warrant from God's dealings with the covenant community under the Old and the New Covenants, that his covenant words be systematically, periodically read in their entirety, in the company of God's assembled people. And, dear people, this is not some novel position to which we have come as a church. In commenting on Deuteronomy 31, Thomas Scott writes, The public reading of the scriptures is indeed an honor which should in all place...

58:49 - 60:14 Read in full sermon

Driving home: And, dear people, this is not some novel position to which we have come as a church. In commenting on Deuteronomy 31, Thomas Scott writes, The public reading of the scriptures is indeed an honor which should in all place…

The Puritans' dissatisfaction with the Anglican prayer book and their subsequent drafting of the Westminster Directory for Public Worship is used to show that the emphasis on public Scripture reading was a key aspect of thoroughgoing reformation.

Preaching, the hearing of the word of God, teaching and admonishing one another in songs, etc. It is the public reading of the word that is mentioned first. And when our spiritual forefathers, those great Puritan divines who drew up the Westminster standards, when they sought to draw up a directory for public worship that was reflective of thoroughgoing reformation, they were dissatisfied with the Anglican prayer book. And in the preparatory remarks, they're very gracious, saying they're so thankful for many good things in the Anglican prayer book that reflect the departure from Rome, but they...

60:38 - 61:20 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: Martin reinforces the biblical case by citing historical and confessional support, including Thomas Scott's commentary, the Westminster Confession of Faith (Chapter 22), the…

A reference to Spurgeon's writings on commenting and commentaries is made to further demonstrate that the practice of public Scripture reading is not a novelty but has historical support from respected figures.

This is the creed. This is the creed of the godly, most knowledgeable, useful, pastor, theologian, leader in the reformed churches that drafted this in the mid-1600s. This is no novelty. And when Spurgeon writes in his two articles on commenting and commentaries, he has some marvelous things to say on this very subject as well.

63:14 - 63:41 Read in full sermon