Spiritual Experience

In this part of the sermon: Pastor Martin begins by explaining the extensive reorganization of his Pastoral Theology course material, specifically Unit 7 on the call to ministry. He outlines the four main…

Martin recounts staying up until 1:30 AM, agitated and unable to properly organize his material on the call to ministry, illustrating the difficulty and spiritual wrestling involved in structuring theological content.

Now, some of you are aware that the history of this material that I'm reworking and presenting in Unit 7 of our Pastoral Theology goes way back to probably at least 15, 18 years ago when in a Sunday afternoon class of seminary students and men aspiring to the ministry, I had the temerity to attempt to speak on the subject of a call to the ministry. And I have given much thought to that subject over the years, and as I contemplated these new units of Pastoral Theology, I felt that it was right and proper that this matter should be addressed at this point, though in the total restructuring of th...

0:11 - 1:39 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: Martin introduces 'spiritual experience' as the second crucial component of 'proven competence' for the pastoral office. He states that this refers to the inner life of the man of…

Martin uses the analogy of his body running out of fluid due to medication and needing to 'fill up my radiator' to humorously request water, highlighting a personal physical need.

Excuse me, would someone just get me regular water, that will be fine. With my sister, I'll get you some water. System full of antihistamines and antibiotics, I'm running out of running out of fluid here. Need to fill up my radiator, alright?

10:50 - 11:06 Read in full sermon

Driving home: There must be a deep, experimental knowledge of and devotion to the person of our Lord Jesus Christ. Not sufficient experimental knowledge, which is of the essence of possessing eternal life, but a deep, experimental kno…

The 'crucible of their attachment to his person' is used to describe the intense, refining process through which Christ would transform His disciples into effective ministers, emphasizing the foundational role of personal devotion.

Come ye after me, and I will make you to become fishers of men. And straightway they left their nets and followed him. It was in the crucible of their attachment to his person that he would make them into effective ministers in his kingdom. Come ye after me, and in that context of living intercourse with my person, I will make you to become fishers of men.

14:27 - 15:06 Read in full sermon

The point: If Christ is not occupying all the crevices of our heart and there is not present experience of the reality of fellowship and communion with Christ then even the most explicitly Christological truth will be tinged with d…

Christ is described as the 'great lodestone of all truth,' to whom all roads of God's truth lead and from whom they emanate, illustrating His centrality in all doctrine and Christian duty.

if proclaiming Christ is the great, the fundamental, the all-encompassing task of the ministry, what can be more deadening than to proclaim an unknown and an unfelt and an unexperienced Christ? 1 Corinthians 2.2 I determine to know nothing among you save Jesus Christ and him as crucified. Colossians 1.28 Whom we proclaim we preach not ourselves 2 Corinthians 4.5 but Christ Jesus as Lord and ourselves your bond slaves for Jesus' sake. If proclaiming Christ not in some narrow truncated church Jesus' only simplistic mentality but in a way consistent with Acts 20.26 proclaiming the whole counsel o...

26:32 - 27:49 Read in full sermon

The point: If Christ is not occupying all the crevices of our heart and there is not present experience of the reality of fellowship and communion with Christ then even the most explicitly Christological truth will be tinged with d…

Martin quotes George Whitefield, who declared he 'would not preach an unknown Christ for ten thousand worlds,' emphasizing that preaching without personal experience of Christ results in 'poor dry sapless stuff' and 'strange fire'.

In his excellent little book on preaching very powerfully expresses this quoting from Whitefield on the duty of a gospel minister this is Whitefield's word you will never preach he said in a sermon in Glasgow with power feelingly while you deal in a false commerce with truths unfelt it will be but poor dry sapless stuff your people will go away out of the church as cold as they came in for my own part he cried I would not preach an unknown Christ for ten thousand worlds I would not preach an unknown Christ for ten thousand worlds such offer God strange fire and their sermons will but increase ...

29:05 - 30:34 Read in full sermon

The point: If Christ is not occupying all the crevices of our heart and there is not present experience of the reality of fellowship and communion with Christ then even the most explicitly Christological truth will be tinged with d…

Isaac Walton's description of John Donne 'preaching the word so as showed his own heart was possessed with those very thoughts and joys that he labors to distill into others' is quoted to illustrate the ideal of a preacher whose heart is deeply engaged with his message.

In his excellent little book on preaching very powerfully expresses this quoting from Whitefield on the duty of a gospel minister this is Whitefield's word you will never preach he said in a sermon in Glasgow with power feelingly while you deal in a false commerce with truths unfelt it will be but poor dry sapless stuff your people will go away out of the church as cold as they came in for my own part he cried I would not preach an unknown Christ for ten thousand worlds I would not preach an unknown Christ for ten thousand worlds such offer God strange fire and their sermons will but increase ...

29:05 - 30:34 Read in full sermon

The point: If he is not manifesting that God is taking him a cut above the ordinary Christian in this area and I am for one ready to discourage him from pursuing the ministry because the measure of his gifts of utterance and rule w…

Isaiah's encounter with the exalted Christ (John 12) and his subsequent cry of 'Woe is me' is used as an example of how pride withers in the presence of God's glory, demonstrating the antidote to ministerial pride.

considering them as a union unit I'm using them as a singular subject which is the great antidote to the pitfalls of the ministry and I were using that as a compound subject it would be which are that I'm using the two as a combined singular subject knowledge of and devotion to Christ is the great antidote to the great pitfalls of the ministry now you tell me what are the great pitfalls of the ministry pride because of public posture public position well what's the great antidote to pride it's a deep experimental acquaintance with knowledge of communion with the Lord Jesus Christ pride withers...

32:02 - 33:30 Read in full sermon

The point: Prize above all things in these days of your preparation a deep experimental acquaintance with the person of Jesus Christ as revealed in the word of God.

Christ is likened to the 'central sun in the universe of God's truth and in the universe of the experience of God's people,' with everything else being planets and satellites. This illustrates His indispensable centrality for light, warmth, and life in ministry.

and I am for one ready to discourage him from pursuing the ministry because the measure of his gifts of utterance and rule will only set him up for an even more God dishonoring fall his profile will be all the higher because he doesn't have that which will keep him from the great pitfalls of the ministry so if this be lacking what can make up for it what can make up for it Christ in his glory in his the glory of his person is the central sun in the universe of God's truth and in the universe of the experience of God's people everything else are planets and satellites in their proper orbit arou...

34:58 - 36:27 Read in full sermon

The point: Prize above all things in these days of your preparation a deep experimental acquaintance with the person of Jesus Christ as revealed in the word of God.

Martin quotes Alexander White describing his walks with a fellow minister, where conversations always 'made a cross country somehow to Jesus of Nazareth,' illustrating how Christ should be the ultimate goal and mark of all sermons.

and I am for one ready to discourage him from pursuing the ministry because the measure of his gifts of utterance and rule will only set him up for an even more God dishonoring fall his profile will be all the higher because he doesn't have that which will keep him from the great pitfalls of the ministry so if this be lacking what can make up for it what can make up for it Christ in his glory in his the glory of his person is the central sun in the universe of God's truth and in the universe of the experience of God's people everything else are planets and satellites in their proper orbit arou...

34:58 - 36:27 Read in full sermon

The point: Prize above all things in these days of your preparation a deep experimental acquaintance with the person of Jesus Christ as revealed in the word of God.

The old dictum that 'from every village in Britain there was a road... to London' is used to illustrate that 'from every text in the Bible... there was a road to Christ,' emphasizing the Christ-centeredness of all scripture.

walks and talks with a fellow minister declared quote whatever we started off with in our conversations we soon made a cross country somehow to Jesus of Nazareth to his death to his resurrection and to his indwelling isn't that precious here two men of God out for a walk and he said wherever we started with our conversation we soon made a cross country somehow to Jesus of Nazareth to his death to his resurrection and to his indwelling and unless our sermons make for the same goal and arrive at the same mark they are simply beating the air it was a favorite dictum of the preachers of a bygone d...

36:27 - 37:57 Read in full sermon

The point: Prize above all things in these days of your preparation a deep experimental acquaintance with the person of Jesus Christ as revealed in the word of God.

John Donne's vivid statement that 'all knowledge that begins not and ends not with his glory is but a giddy... vertiginous circle... but an elaborate and exquisite ignorance' is quoted to underscore the futility of knowledge apart from Christ's glory.

in the express forthright language of John Dunn quote all knowledge that begins not and ends not with his glory is but a giddy but a vertiginous and I had to look up the word I had an idea it had to do with vertigo and it does spinning whirling but a vertiginous circle but an elaborate and exquisite ignorance what vivid language all knowledge that begins not and ends not with his glory is but exquisite ignorance exquisite ignorance all right so under the heading of spiritual experience I set forth as the first strand of that experience what I have called in your hearing this deep experimental ...

37:57 - 39:24 Read in full sermon

Driving home: But a man preacheth that sermon only well unto others which preacheth itself in his own soul. And he that doth not feed on and thrive in the digestion of the food which he provides for others others will scarce make it s…

John Owen is quoted saying, 'A man preacheth that sermon only well unto others which preacheth itself in his own soul,' emphasizing that a minister must personally experience the power of the truth he preaches.

But a man preacheth that sermon only well unto others which preacheth itself in his own soul. And he that doth not feed on and thrive in the digestion of the food which he provides for others others will scarce make it savory unto them. Yea, he who knows but the food he hath provided may be poisoned. Unless he hath really tasted of it himself.

47:31 - 48:00 Read in full sermon

Driving home: It is an easier thing to bring our heads to preach than our hearts to preach. To bring our heads to preach is but to fill our minds and memories with some notions of truth of our own or other men and speak them out to gi…

Owen's distinction between 'bringing our heads to preach' (easy, notions) and 'bringing our hearts to preach' (transformed by truth) is quoted to highlight the difference between intellectual and experiential preaching.

He who doth not feed on and digest and thrive by what he prepares for his people, give them poison as far as he knows. For unless he finds the power of it in his own heart, he cannot have any ground of confidence that it will have power in the hearts of others. It is an easier thing to bring our heads to preach than our hearts to preach. To bring our heads to preach is but to fill our minds and memories with some notions of truth of our own or other men and speak them out to give satisfaction to ourselves and others.

50:21 - 50:55 Read in full sermon

Driving home: It is an easier thing to bring our heads to preach than our hearts to preach. To bring our heads to preach is but to fill our minds and memories with some notions of truth of our own or other men and speak them out to gi…

The anecdote of Dr. Owen going to hear John Bunyan, the tinker, preach is used to illustrate the value of experiential preaching over mere academic learning, as Bunyan 'preached that which he did feel'.

And though there be twenty or thirty thousand in orders that is official reverence set apart to minister yet the nation perishes for want of knowledge and is overwhelmed in all manner of sins and not delivered from them unto this day. Now you see why with all his learning the good Dr. Owen would go to hear the tinker preach whenever he could. People thought it was beneath the dignity of the great Dr. Owen to be sitting at the feet of Bunyan.

51:57 - 52:29 Read in full sermon

The point: How in God's name are you going to teach your people to be real if you aren't real in your own struggles with overstatement?

Martin quotes Bridges on the 'ministerial standard' presupposing 'a deep tone of experimental and devotional character,' emphasizing that a 'babe in grace' is incompetent to teach.

Yes. Here it is. It's on page 27. It is evident that this ministerial standard presupposes a deep tone of experimental and devotional character habitually exercised in self-denial prominently marked by love to the Savior and to the souls of sinners.

53:54 - 54:15 Read in full sermon

The point: How in God's name are you going to teach your people to be real if you aren't real in your own struggles with overstatement?

Martin shares his personal 'agony' of reliving years spent 'chasing the rabbit trails of the charismatic experience and the deeper life experience and quietism,' illustrating how God used even painful experiences to teach him.

And he says a babe in grace and knowledge is palpably incompetent to become a teacher of babes much more a guide of fathers. The school of adversity of discipline, of experience united with study and heavenly influence can alone give to a man the tongue of the learned. Some measure of eminence and habitual aim towards greater eminence are indispensable for ministerial completeness. And brethren, how crucial this is that in our days of preparation we realize that with all of the acquisition of the tools of exegesis and the quality controls upon our ministries that come with our systematics and ...

54:15 - 55:42 Read in full sermon

The point: How in God's name are you going to teach your people to be real if you aren't real in your own struggles with overstatement?

Martin recounts the difficulty of confessing overstatement to his wife and then to his church, illustrating the ongoing struggle with sin and the necessity of being 'real' in ministry.

that God was teaching things from which I continue to draw to this day. And then it's in the present wrestling with the realities. You'd think it was easy for me to have my wife sweetly tell me that I overstated the case last Wednesday and go to my knees Thursday morning and say Lord if my wife's right make it plain to me from your word as I reflect upon the sanctity of truth and I have to confess my sin to God and go find my wife and say honey thank you and confess my sin to her and determine that first thing Wednesday night I have to confess my sin to the people. You think that's easy for me...

55:42 - 56:22 Read in full sermon

The point: There is no substitute for that experimental ongoing acquaintance with the great issues of sin and of grace.

Martin tells of a new man in their fellowship who, dealing with deep sins, was told he could 'afford the luxury of being an honest sinner in this place,' illustrating the community's approach to sin and grace.

Had a man new to our fellowship with whom I've had to deal at a very deep level with some very deep sins he came to me Wednesday night to acknowledge that as he's begun to deal with those sins God has laid bare areas of sin that he wasn't even aware of. And I put my arm around him and I said so and so look the longer you're around here you're going to find out two things. Number one we don't treat sin lightly we take it seriously. But number two you can afford the luxury of being an honest sinner in this place.

57:16 - 57:47 Read in full sermon

The point: The man, young or old, who believes tentatively that he is called of God to the ministry, who shows no real concern to serve people now in a way consistent with his dominant calling as a student, is kidding himself.

Jesus's interaction with little children, including the boy with loaves and fishes, is used as an example of His genuine love for people, suggesting that a true minister would naturally show affection to children.

Peter did everything to convince everyone around Him. I have no attachment to this person but Jesus looks at Peter in such a way and says but I have attachments to you in love and it is the love of people. He did it with little children. Someone who does not manifest love to children can never in a crowd motion to a little kid and get him to come and sit on His knee because He wants to use Him for an illustration but Jesus had no trouble. It says He brought Him the loaves and the fishes just receiving them and saying a polite thank you. I can't imagine not rubbing His head and saying thank you...

62:47 - 63:58 Read in full sermon

The point: The man, young or old, who believes tentatively that he is called of God to the ministry, who shows no real concern to serve people now in a way consistent with his dominant calling as a student, is kidding himself.

Paul's weeping when writing to the Philippians about the 'enemies of the cross of Christ' is used to illustrate his deep, demonstrable love for people, even those who cause him grief.

It is just incongruous in the context of our Lord's genuine love. I remember only there for three Sabbaths and yet He could say He was like a gentle nursing mother, a loving caring father and then He starts chapter three with saying I was being distracted from my labors. So solicitous was I for your spiritual well-being. I had to send Timothy and find out how you were doing and who is offended and I burn not.

63:58 - 64:42 Read in full sermon

The point: The man, young or old, who believes tentatively that he is called of God to the ministry, who shows no real concern to serve people now in a way consistent with his dominant calling as a student, is kidding himself.

Martin speculates that Paul's singleness was a 'deep painful wound' and that his love for people, even without the intimacy of marriage, drove his ministry, highlighting the depth of his self-sacrificial love.

I believe His singleness was a deep painful wound that He carried with Him continually. They are granite like men. There is just nothing in them that you would sense ever reached out for the warmth and the intimacy of a deep relationship in marriage. But I believe it was painful for Paul.

65:26 - 65:56 Read in full sermon

The point: How are you ever going to love when in return for your love all you get is dirt in your face and be able to say though the more I love you the less I be loved? Doesn't make any difference. I'm going to go right on loving…

Martin shares a personal story about wrestling with whether to support long-time neighbors in a dispute over a deck variance, illustrating the practical challenges of demonstrating love for people and maintaining gospel credibility in everyday life.

We moved into our present home in July of 67 and our neighbors across the street their kids were little like ours were and now they're grown and married all but well two of them aren't no in fact three of them are only ones married. Ours were quicker to get married. They got their pappy's genes I guess but they're about the same age. But we've established good relations and they have a lot of common grace.

70:43 - 71:06 Read in full sermon