Ministry of Mutual Exhortation

Driving home: Our holding fast does not bring us into the possession of life. It is the manifestation that we do indeed possess life.

The example of God's ancient people, brought out of Egypt but whose carcasses rotted in the wilderness, illustrates the consequence of not persevering in faith, holiness, and obedience.

beginning of our confidence firm unto the end. Now because this is the most strategic passage on this subject, mutual exhortation as a divinely appointed means of perseverance will concentrate all of our attention upon this passage this morning. And I'll spend the first half of our time together opening up the meaning of the text, and then the last half seeking to draw out of the text three major principles of our duty in this area. First of all then, in the opening up of the text will you notice the setting of this charge to the people of God. It comes in a setting which as to its general imp...

6:08 - 7:26 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: Martin meticulously defines the biblical meaning of 'exhort' (parakaleo), showing its etymological root 'to call alongside.' He demonstrates through numerous New Testament…

Martin describes asking a family member what 'exhort' means, and the answer (rebuking, reproving) highlights a common misunderstanding he then corrects biblically.

What does it mean? That's what it says, but what does it mean? And I did a little experiment in my own household yesterday. I asked one of the members of my household this question. When you think of the word exhort, what concepts immediately come to your mind? And the answer I got was, well, rebuking, reproving, pointing out the sin of another. I said, well, I hope your response is the average response, because I think that's what most of us assume is the answer. The dominant concept in exhortation. Exhortation is loving, gracious, reproof, rebuke, the pointing out of error, fault, or sin in ...

10:19 - 11:37 Read in full sermon

The point: Engage in mutual exhortation as a solemn duty and sacred privilege.

Martin describes the spectrum of personalities from naturally outgoing to socially awkward, to emphasize that the command to exhort applies to all, regardless of temperament.

He lays upon every church member the duty of engaging in this means of perseverance. Now the writer to the Hebrews was not ignorant of the fact that within any church you had the broad spectrum of divergent personalities. You had those who are naturally outgoing. They always know the right thing to say in any circumstance to anyone of any station.

28:49 - 29:18 Read in full sermon

Driving home: You are my friends if you do whatsoever I command you. Even the things that are contrary to your nature and temperament and background and training, you are my friends if you do whatsoever I command you.

A vivid, humorous metaphor of feeling one's feet, hands, nose, and ears are disproportionately long when meeting strangers illustrates the discomfort of socially awkward individuals.

You get that strange look in someone's face and you say, well, I tried. Well, in that church, no doubt, there were people who had that gracious gift of being able to set anyone at ease in any circumstance, from any background, all the way to the person who, when he meets a stranger 50 yards away, feels like his feet are three feet long, his hands are a foot and a half long, his nose is 18 inches long, his ears are 27 inches long. He just feels, oh, like this.

29:35 - 30:03 Read in full sermon

The point: Seek to cultivate skill in the performance of mutual exhortation through prayer and studying scripture.

Quoting Proverbs on 'a word fitly spoken is like a beautiful work of art' emphasizes the need for skill and appropriateness in exhortation.

Well, then we must hurry on and notice the second thing that we deduce from the text. Not only is it the duty of every church member to engage in this means of persecution, but it is the duty of each church member to seek to cultivate skill in the performance of this duty. It is the duty of each church member to seek to cultivate skill in the performance of this duty. The writer of the Proverbs says that a word fitly spoken is like a beautiful work of art.

38:51 - 39:27 Read in full sermon

The point: Seek to cultivate skill in the performance of mutual exhortation through prayer and studying scripture.

An analogy of a Rembrandt painting marred by an out-of-place impressionistic splash illustrates how clumsy or inappropriate exhortation can be jarring and ineffective.

Everything's in its right place. Now, you can imagine what it'd be like. It'd be like a beautiful work of art. If we were to look upon a beautiful work of art, say one of Rembrandt's paintings, and there where everything was symmetrical and all of the various hues played upon one another, you saw something in the way of a splash of color that looked like a segment taken from a modern impressionistic artist.

39:27 - 39:53 Read in full sermon

Driving home: Exhortation is nothing but an encouragement given to others to walk with us or after us. In the ways of God and of the gospel.

Martin quotes John Owen on three fundamental ingredients of effective exhortation: based on truth, delivered comfortably, and conveyed from an exemplary life.

Study the book of Proverbs in particular, where we are given the principles which ought to regulate this ministry one to another. John Owen, in his perceptive comments on this passage, says that the people of God, in cultivating this skill in mutual exhortation, need constantly to take account of three fundamental ingredients of effective exhortation. exhortation. He said, number one, the exhortation ought to be based upon the words of truth as found in the scriptures. If our exhortation is to be the voice of Christ to our brethren, it must be the word of Christ. Now that does not mean you can...

40:36 - 41:49 Read in full sermon

Driving home: Exhortation is nothing but an encouragement given to others to walk with us or after us. In the ways of God and of the gospel.

Martin quotes Owen's definition of exhortation as 'nothing but an encouragement given to others to walk with us or after us in the ways of God and of the gospel,' highlighting the need for an exemplary life.

You go to encouraging your brethren. You better be a living monument of not one who is perfect, but one who is pressing on in dead earnest in the path of perseverance. In fact, Owen describes exhortation in what to me was the most helpful way. This is a direct quote. Exhortation is nothing but an encouragement given to others to walk with us or after us. In the ways of God and of the gospel. Isn't that beautiful? What is exhortation? Nothing but an encouragement given to others to walk with us or after us in the ways of God and of the gospel. Well, you better make sure you're walking in the wa...

43:03 - 44:08 Read in full sermon

Driving home: Exhortation is nothing but an encouragement given to others to walk with us or after us. In the ways of God and of the gospel.

The metaphor of putting a 'notch in my rifle' for each exhortation illustrates that the duty is not about tallying achievements but about a matter of conscience and prayer.

If I know that when I gather with God's people, I'm under solemn obligations, not every single meeting to go home and put a notch in my rifle. I got in three exhortations today. I got seven. But we have it as a matter of conscience before God.

44:09 - 44:24 Read in full sermon

Driving home: Exhortation is nothing but an encouragement given to others to walk with us or after us. In the ways of God and of the gospel.

Martin shares a personal story of how the pressure of having to call others to faith and holiness as a preacher has been God's instrument to call him back into it, illustrating how duty checks one's own conscience.

We're making it a matter of prayer, and we're looking for opportunities. If we believe this definition of it, what a check it is upon us. Can I ask my brother how he's doing in the exercises of his own devotional life if I've been willfully shoddy in mine? You see, it's not qualitatively different from what happens in the life of a preacher who's determined to be a man of God and not a hypocrite.

44:24 - 44:50 Read in full sermon

The point: Welcome mutual exhortation when directed to oneself, viewing it as a means of perseverance.

The analogy of a traveler needing a meal for a journey illustrates how a person determined to persevere will welcome exhortation as essential spiritual nourishment.

the assumption is that the man who's determined to persevere will welcome the exercise of this means of his perseverance, does a man who knows that he must eat three times before his journey's end resent the person who steps into his path and offers him a meal? Does he say, who are you to offer me a meal?

46:51 - 47:19 Read in full sermon

The point: Do not limit your contacts with the people of God to only stated meetings in the church building.

The example of early Christians eating 'from house to house' illustrates the value of non-structured social environments for spiritual fellowship and exhortation.

It is said of the early Christians that they not only gathered in Solomon's porch for the apostolic teaching and at the temple for the stated seasons of prayer, but it says they ate their meat from house to house.

49:58 - 50:12 Read in full sermon

The point: Find delight in each other's company in non-structured social environments, keeping Christ central.

Martin recounts an anecdote about church members preoccupied with economics using the Lord's Day to discuss investments, illustrating how 'shop talk' can hinder spiritual exhortation.

It grieves me as a pastor when I hear people taking the few hours that we have during the week to be together by virtue of our stated meetings and consuming them in talk about things that are legitimate in themselves but have nothing to do with exhorting one another in the holy ways of God. I remember back some years ago, when we had some people in our midst who were totally preoccupied with economics. And they seized the Lord's day to buttonhole our people and tell them why they should invest in gold. Rooting people's minds to earth on the one day when they can be lifted to heaven all the day...

50:50 - 52:08 Read in full sermon