Ministry of the Word of God, Part 1

Driving home: But to despise them is to be guilty of presumption. We have no promise from God that we shall be kept in the way apart from these means. And to claim a great confidence in God's keeping power while despising the very mea…

The means of perseverance are likened to God's appointed stations of refreshment and nourishment along the path to His presence, emphasizing they are not saviors but essential for the journey.

These means are not our saviors. Christ alone is our savior. These means are not automatically effective, but positively stated, these means of perseverance are the divinely appointed spiritual activities which, by the blessing of God, are made effectual to keep us in the way of faith, holiness, and obedience. And I use the extended analogy, or rather an allegory or extended metaphor, they are God's appointed stations of refreshment and nourishment along the path that leads into his immediate presence. And therefore to trust in these means is to be guilty of idolatry. They are not our saviors....

6:36 - 7:33 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: Martin establishes that these appointed men are to exercise their ministry both publicly (Acts 2:42) and privately (1 Thessalonians 2:11) with a view to the perseverance of God's…

Paul's individual ministry to the Thessalonians is compared to a father dealing with his children, highlighting the need for personalized attention, correction, and encouragement due to diverse temperaments and needs.

Classic example of the fact that these whom God appoints are to carry out this ministry both publicly and as we shall see privately as well. In 1 Thessalonians chapter 2 the great apostle Paul sets forth the classic example of the individual dimensions of this work of oversight seeking to secure the perseverance of God's people. 1 Thessalonians chapter 2 and verse 11. As you know how we dealt now notice the individual emphasis with each one of you as a father with his own children exhorting you encouraging you and testifying to the end that you should walk worthily of God who calls you into hi...

34:37 - 36:02 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: Martin warns against any person, notion, or influence that undermines appreciation for this means of perseverance, drawing parallels to false teaching in Galatians and the…

A physician discovering a remedy for dying people is used to illustrate the absurdity of Christ providing a means of perseverance (pastors/teachers) and then leading His people to despise it.

Therefore, if now you are trusting Christ plus circumcision, Christ plus keeping holy days, Christ plus ceremonies, he said this persuasion does not come from the God who initially called you. Would God call you on the threshold to forsake all ritual and ceremony and mosaic trappings and then later on tell you to go back to them? You see his argument? Well, in the same way, if you're a Christian, it is most likely that the vast majority of you were made Christians when God brought a true preacher across your path, even in the form of a book or of a living witness or of someone speaking more fo...

47:43 - 49:12 Read in full sermon

The point: Deal ruthlessly with anything which neutralizes the profit of this means of perseverance.

Hearing the Word only for its immediate pleasantness is likened to treating it as music, rather than as food to be masticated, assimilated, and become part of one's being, emphasizing its purpose for spiritual nourishment.

Because that's such a vital subject, I don't think I want to even address it this morning, but perhaps open it up in an entire sermon. It's so vital. Suffice it to say in closing, one has very astutely observed that when we hear the word, only with a view to its immediate pleasantness, we have ceased to treat the word as food and meat, and have begun to treat it as music. A musical performance is the immediate aesthetic delight that it brings to us.

54:58 - 55:36 Read in full sermon