Paul - the Joyful Martyr

In this part of the sermon: Pastor Martin introduces the sermon, setting the context in Philippians 2:12-18 and recalling previous studies on Christian unity, humility, and obedience. He explains that Paul…

Martin imagines an objection to Paul's motive in Philippians 2:16 ('that I may not have run or labored in vain') as an 'ego trip,' which Paul then refutes by expressing his willingness to die joyfully for their faith, illustrating his self-denial.

And it's almost as though the apostle anticipates an objection. Now, Paul, isn't that an ego trip? For you to give us as a motivation unto godliness that you may not be found to have run or labored in vain in the day of Christ. Isn't that a rather self-centered motive?

5:19 - 5:40 Read in full sermon

Driving home: Yes, you Philippians, I am prepared, if necessary, to die a martyr's death in order to advance your faith, and in this prospect I rejoice in myself, and I rejoice with you.

Martin contrasts Paul's blunt use of 'die' in Philippians 1 with modern euphemisms like 'going on' or 'passing on,' highlighting Paul's directness and the modern tendency to avoid the reality of death.

comes to us couched in one dominant imagery. The man who said in chapter 1, verses 20 and 21, for to me to live is Christ and to die is gain. The man who could speak in plain language of departing and being with Christ, could he not have said, yes, and if I must die a martyr's death for the advancement of your faith, I rejoice. Could he not have said, yes, could he not have spoken of the possibility of a martyr's death in plain, unambiguous language?

8:34 - 9:11 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: The first key passage, Romans 15:15-16, is expounded to reveal Paul's understanding of his gospel ministry as a priestly function. He offers up the Gentiles, sanctified by the…

Martin uses the analogy of a priest needing an offering and an altar to explain that if Paul is a priest in his gospel ministry, then the Gentiles themselves are his offering, clarifying the imagery in Romans 15.

Romans, and I have done so, he says, because I have been given the responsibility as a minister. He's a minister of Christ, ministering in sacrificial service the gospel of God. Now if he's likening the gospel ministry to a priestly activity, then the question is, what does he have to offer as a priest? A priest with no offering is no true priest. If you have a priest, you must have an offering. If you have an offering, you must have an altar. I am bold to write to you because I recognize that by the appointment of God as a gospel preacher, I have a priestly function among the Gentiles. Now no...

17:54 - 18:55 Read in full sermon

Driving home: And when sinners slain by the word of the gospel, through the power of the Spirit, respond to the gospel, they give themselves up unto God through Jesus Christ. They become a living, acceptable sacrifice unto God and as …

The 'knife of the gospel' is a metaphor for the word of God slaying the pride, self-righteousness, and self-will of sinners, making them a living sacrifice to God, illustrating the transformative power of the gospel.

That the offering up of the Gentiles might be made acceptable, being sanctified not by priestly hocus-pocus, not by religious ritual, but it's an offering that is sanctified, set apart unto God as holy through the ministry of the Spirit. Now do you get the imagery? It's beautiful. It's beautiful imagery. Paul says, when I come as a gospel preacher, there are the things that are holy. There are the things that are unholy. There are the masses of the un-converted people, in their deadness and uncleanness, cut off from communion with God and not fit for the service of God. I come and I preach the...

19:39 - 20:26 Read in full sermon

Driving home: What greater privilege can there be to spend even unto death itself, if only God can have what God desires in you Philippians?

Martin uses the analogy of not selfishly sparing the wine for a drink offering, but gladly pouring it out to complete an acceptable sacrifice, to illustrate Paul's willingness to pour out his lifeblood for the perfection of the Philippians' faith-sacrifice.

If for the perfection of that sacrifice, my I counted a privilege to die and have His sacrifice whole from among the Gentiles. That's the picture. He says, My life, as far as sparing for Paul, is of no more worth to me than the wine, so determined that God will have a sacrifice according to His revealed will, that He does not selfishly, spare the wine, but He gladly pours it out, that the sacrifice may be a sweet-smelling, acceptable sacrifice to God. And the Apostle Paul is saying that he's prepared to have his lifeblood poured out, and perhaps even using the drink-offering imagery he was set...

27:53 - 29:11 Read in full sermon

The point: The spirit of our society... ought to be a rebuke to some of you sitting here today who have all too much imbibed that spirit.

Martin quotes from a Time Magazine article on cocaine and Christopher Lash's 'The Culture of Narcissism' to illustrate the 'cursed spirit of our society' – self-indulgence, living for the moment, and the loss of historical continuity.

Well, it is epitomized in the words, enjoy yourself, indulge yourself, fulfill yourself, your selfhood. And this philosophy comes to one of its most frightening expressions in the obsession with sex and with drugs. And in the recent article on cocaine and the tragic way it has taken over our nation, found in Time Magazine, July the 8th, listen to what pagan writers say. One of cocaine's biggest dangers is that it diverts people from normal pursuits.

32:21 - 33:01 Read in full sermon

The point: That's what being a real mother is all about. It's a daily climbing up on the altar and saying, Lord, I die. I die. I die. I die. ... Offered up on the sacrifice and service of the faith of my children, I will rejoice.

Martin applies the principle of self-sacrifice to mothers, describing true motherhood as 'a daily climbing up on the altar and saying, Lord, I die,' for the faith and spiritual growth of their children.

I've had to hang my head in shame at my desk and I've had to say, God, how can I think or talk of spacing my energies and planning out the rate at which I'll expend myself in the gospel? How can you live near a man like this even for these 45 minutes that we've done this morning and not feel ashamed of our selfishness? God, give us such a sight of the ultimate sacrifice of our blessed Lord who willingly laid down his life to be our true priest, our true sacrifice that we in turn seem somehow of that spirit in him and reflected in his servant Paul that we may be able to say to some degree, yes,...

45:02 - 46:30 Read in full sermon

The point: Fathers, what price are you paying for success in the business world? Is it the price of being a selfless father to your children? The price tags too high. To be able to say to your children, if I am in the eyes of the w…

Martin challenges fathers to consider the price they pay for business success, asking if it comes at the cost of being a selfless father, and urging them to prioritize their children becoming living sacrifices to God.

Fathers, what price are you paying for success in the business world? Is it the price of being a selfless father to your children? The price tags too high. To be able to say to your children, if I am in the eyes of the world, if my life is a waste, that I might see my children living sacrifices unto God, I rejoice.

47:25 - 47:59 Read in full sermon