The Persecuted Church, Part 3

Driving home: Our remaining sin is essentially self-centeredness. And because we live in a society, that fosters self-indulgence, and in the providence of God we are not yet living in the normalcy of real persecution for Jesus' sake, …

Martin recalls a WWII poster depicting a sinking troop ship and a drowning soldier's hand, with the caption 'Somebody Talk.' This illustrates how seemingly small, careless actions (loose talk) could have devastating consequences (sinking a ship), serving as a constant reminder of being at war and the need for vigilance, analogous to the spiritual battle against selfish indulgence.

Trying to illustrate this, my mind went back to ancient history for you kids. And among the many things I remember during the Second World War period, there were some of those posters, on Antiques Roadshow a few weeks ago, someone had a collection, about 50 of them, and it just brought back so many memories. And one of them that is stamped on the walls of this man's brain, and I can see it right now, if I were an artist and I had an easel here, and I had ability to draw, I'd paint it for you. In the background, there was a ship, and that ship was sinking.

26:18 - 26:55 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: Martin transitions from theory to specific examples, emphasizing these are illustrations, not new rules. He first illustrates with a Christian music lover who, faced with buying…

A Christian who loves God-glorifying music considers buying a new, expensive multi-disc set of Beethoven symphonies. Upon remembering the need for Bibles for suffering Chinese saints (costing $5 each), he chooses to forgo the new set, finding greater joy in providing Bibles, illustrating self-denial of a legitimate liberty for the sake of others.

Example number one. We're going to consider the Christian who's a lover of God-glorifying music. The Christian who is a lover of God-glorifying music. He appreciates God's gift of music that reflects God's character, marked by order, harmony, progression, tension coming to resolution, has beginning, has middle, has end.

32:43 - 33:14 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: The second illustration involves a lover of fine clothes who, when choosing between an expensive suit and a less costly but still good one, opts for the latter to use the savings…

A person who appreciates fine clothing is choosing between an $800 suit and a $500 suit. Recognizing the $300 difference could buy 60 Bibles for persecuted Christians, he chooses the less expensive suit, demonstrating how a commitment to Hebrews 13:3 can inoculate against selfish indulgence in personal aesthetics.

This person, you could blindfold him, blindfold her. Put fabric in front of him or her. Let them feel it. And they could tell you, this is the finest imported Italian wool.

39:43 - 39:56 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: Martin continues with illustrations for young people, contrasting the cost of recreational activities like skiing with providing 'life packs' for displaced families in Sudan. He…

Young people considering a day of fun on the slopes (costing $100) are challenged to consider that $45 can provide a 'life pack' (food, utensils) for a family displaced by persecution in Sudan. This illustrates how prioritizing the needs of suffering saints can lead to greater joy than personal recreation.

Now let's move to something that doesn't apply so much to the people with big bucks. much to the people with big bucks. What about the lover of fun on the slopes? Fun in the bowling alley? Farnet! I'm going to talk to you young people and you kids now. And remember,

44:26 - 44:49 Read in full sermon

The point: Consider the cost of personal indulgences (e.g., fancy nails) in light of what that money could do to feed a suffering child of a godly saint.

Martin directly challenges a young lady admiring her fancy nails, pointing out that the cost of such an indulgence could feed a suffering child of a godly saint for a whole month, highlighting the disparity between personal luxuries and urgent needs.

I see one of the young ladies looking at your nails.

50:49 - 50:51 Read in full sermon

The point: Consider how the cost difference between a fine indulgence (e.g., expensive wine) and a more modest alternative could benefit imprisoned and ill-treated brethren.

A person choosing between an expensive wine and a less costly alternative is challenged to consider what the $10 difference could do for imprisoned and ill-treated brethren, applying the principle of self-denial to culinary pleasures.

Carry it over into the lover of fine food and wines?

52:39 - 52:42 Read in full sermon

The point: Embrace Christ-like, self-denying love that reaches out in appropriate actions of remembering the imprisoned and ill-treated, seeking to please others rather than oneself.

The story of Onesiphorus diligently seeking out and ministering to Paul in prison (2 Timothy 1:16-18) is used as an example of active, Christ-like, self-denying love that goes beyond mere remembrance to appropriate action and effort.

By the grace of God, I will be like my Savior and seek to please others. I will seek to have the disposition of Philippians 2 that does not turn inward upon itself but looks upon the things of another. By the grace of God, I'm going to be a modern-day onus, onus, onus-sephorus. I'll get it out yet.

61:43 - 62:10 Read in full sermon