Steadfastness, Aggressiveness, Courage

Driving home: I cannot submit my faith either to the Pope or to the councils, because it is as clear as noonday that they have often fallen into error, and even into glaring inconsistency with themselves. If then I am not convinced by…

Illustrates the resoluteness of 'stand fast' by picturing a newly freed slave resisting attempts to re-enslave him, showing the depth of determination required.

And then when Paul writes to the Galatians, you remember how his soul was stirred as the Judaizers sought, to move the believers away from their dearly purchased liberty in Christ. And in chapter 5 and verse 1 he says to the Philippians, Stand fast in the liberty wherewith Christ has made you free, and be not entangled again in a yoke of bondage. Can you imagine how a man who for years had been a slave, and was suddenly granted legal freedom from his slavery, how he would stand his ground, if someone came attempting to put him in manacles and chains again. He would stand his ground with every ...

11:21 - 12:26 Read in full sermon

Driving home: I cannot submit my faith either to the Pope or to the councils, because it is as clear as noonday that they have often fallen into error, and even into glaring inconsistency with themselves. If then I am not convinced by…

A classic historical example of 'standing fast,' where Luther, under immense pressure, refused to recant his beliefs unless convinced by Scripture, declaring, 'Here I stand, I can do no other.'

than that classic illustration that comes from the history of Martin Luther. And for you children who have never read the account, I want to read just a little bit that I hope will whet your appetite. Luther was called to stand before the great ones of the earth, both religious and political leaders. And he was being pressured to back off from the things he had written, and spoken with respect to the gospel, as it exposed the errors of the church, as it exposed the errors of the church, as it exposed the errors of the church, as it exposed the errors of the church, as it exposed the errors of ...

12:27 - 12:59 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: The second manifestation is 'harmonious aggressiveness,' characterized by 'striving with one soul for the faith of the gospel.' Martin unpacks 'striving' using athletic metaphors…

Paul's frequent use of athletic metaphors (boxing, wrestling, racing) is used to explain the vigor, discipline, and intense effort implied by the word 'striving' for the gospel.

Now some of you may have your opinion of Paul's spirituality greatly altered when you know or find out or are informed that he obviously admired a boxing match and a wrestling match, and he also loved to watch races. Now I doubt it was horse races and if it were, I doubt he was putting his two bucks on catch-em-if-you-can or whatever else was running on that particular day. But we find the Apostle frequently making references to those realities of the Grecian games. 1 Corinthians 9, he speaks, he said, I am not a shadow boxer, I don't just fight the air.

28:39 - 29:22 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: The second manifestation is 'harmonious aggressiveness,' characterized by 'striving with one soul for the faith of the gospel.' Martin unpacks 'striving' using athletic metaphors…

Illustrates the intense, long-term discipline required for a short race, emphasizing the focused effort and regulation of life for a future goal, akin to striving for the gospel.

He says, I am a boxer. I buffet this body and keep it under. And he speaks of athletes who, when they are in training, they exercise a discipline that meets them from the moment their feet hit the floor in the morning to the time they go to bed. They've got in their minds that on a certain date, six months away, I think of it particularly with men who run the short races, the dash men.

29:22 - 29:44 Read in full sermon

The point: Be gripped with the self-conscious awareness that you hold the gospel not only as a treasure for personal benefit but to share with others as gift, opportunity, and station dictate.

From the book of Kings, this story illustrates the constraint to share good news. The lepers, having found abundance, felt it was wrong to keep it to themselves, paralleling the Christian's obligation to share the gospel.

who came upon the spoil of the Syrians whom God had destroyed, they looked at one another and said, We do not well. This is a day of great tidings. We do not well to stand here, lepers and beggars who were about to perish, who have come upon this great bounty, and simply lavish it upon ourselves. They were constrained to spread the news that there was bread and food enough to spare for others.

36:10 - 36:43 Read in full sermon

The point: Reflect liberation from self-centeredness and smugness, finding delight in denying self to impart the message of life to others.

Illustrates the meaning of 'affrighted' as being spooked or caused to shy back, emphasizing that a gospel-worthy life is one where believers are not startled or terrified by adversaries.

And the word in secular literature was the word you would use if you tried to describe what happened to a horse who was very quietly being ridden down a bridle path and all of a sudden a rattler snake suddenly began to click his rattle. And some of you have seen in an old western, the great heroes are riding down the trail and all of a sudden the snake comes out and the horse rears back and he goes off on his back and all the rest. Well that's the picture here of what happens to an animal that is startled or is caused to shy or to draw back. Now Paul says, a life worthy of the gospel is one in...

40:39 - 41:59 Read in full sermon

Driving home: If somebody sitting here this morning is filled with such hatred of God and you've been offended that you've been told you're a sinner and under divine wrath and if all of that hatred focused upon me right now and you we…

A quote from an old Covenanter tombstone, 'all he can do is chase us up to heaven,' illustrates the ultimate fearlessness of a believer who knows God's wrath is appeased, making human threats trivial.

And you say if God who was my greatest enemy and the wrath of God which was my greatest dread if those things have been resolved in the gospel what can man do to me but guard me and send me to hell because there is no condemnation to those who are in Christ. And if any man hates me and turns against me because of my attachment to the Savior who turned away the wrath of God all he can do in the language of the old covenanters I saw it etched in one of the tombstones all he can do is chase us up to heaven. What a wonderful picture to have of the wrath of man. If somebody sitting here this mornin...

45:54 - 47:15 Read in full sermon

Driving home: If somebody sitting here this morning is filled with such hatred of God and you've been offended that you've been told you're a sinner and under divine wrath and if all of that hatred focused upon me right now and you we…

A vivid hypothetical scenario where an angry listener shoots the preacher, used to dramatically illustrate that for a believer, even death at the hands of an enemy only hastens their journey to heaven, reinforcing undaunted courageousness.

And you say if God who was my greatest enemy and the wrath of God which was my greatest dread if those things have been resolved in the gospel what can man do to me but guard me and send me to hell because there is no condemnation to those who are in Christ. And if any man hates me and turns against me because of my attachment to the Savior who turned away the wrath of God all he can do in the language of the old covenanters I saw it etched in one of the tombstones all he can do is chase us up to heaven. What a wonderful picture to have of the wrath of man. If somebody sitting here this mornin...

45:54 - 47:15 Read in full sermon