No Crisis Experience Commanded #3

The point: Bear with the review for the sake of new visitors, demonstrating love.

Martin describes his own frustration as a visitor to a class where the teacher assumes prior knowledge, using this to explain why he always provides a review, even if it's tedious for regulars.

This adult Sunday school class was held on September 26, 1982, at the Trinity Baptist Church in Montville, New Jersey. Now, in our adult class, we are presently engaged in a study that has been ranged under the very broad heading of major principles or some major principles of living the Christian life. And those of you who come weekly must bear with me as I give a brief introductory review each week, because as I look out, I see faces of people who are here for the first time. And I know how terribly frustrated I feel when I'm a visitor somewhere, and the teacher goes on like I've been there ...

0:03 - 1:26 Read in full sermon

The point: Bear with the review for the sake of new visitors, demonstrating love.

Martin uses the analogy of love being willing to bear tedium for the sake of its objects to encourage regular attendees to bear with the weekly review for the benefit of visitors.

Love is willing to bear tedium for the sake of its objects. So, please bear with us, those of you who are here continually. Now, we are concerned in this series of studies, not with the question, how does one enter upon the path of the Christian life? That's a separate question.

1:26 - 1:46 Read in full sermon

The point: Use the plain testimony of the Word of God, reading through large sections, to sort out teachings and confront overarching emphases.

Martin uses the analogy of body parts (hand, eye, foot) not lying to each other to illustrate the unity of believers indwelt by the same Spirit, reinforcing the imperative to speak truth.

Having put on the old and put off the new, you did not learn Christ that way. I'm calling you to this imperative in the light of this indicative. And then he goes on in verse 25. Put away falsehood, speak truth, every one with his neighbor. Why? We are members one of another. When we were indwelt by the same spirit, we were united to the same Lord. Therefore, my hand doesn't lie to my eye, and my eye does not lie to my foot. If it did, I'd be in all kinds of trouble. He says, reckon upon the reality of what God has already done. The imperative rests down upon the indicative. And you find that ...

40:38 - 41:24 Read in full sermon

The point: Prayerfully consider the Acts passages in light of the distinction between non-repeatable redemptive history and repeatable Christian experience.

Martin describes the historical events of Pentecost (rushing wind, tongues of fire, speaking in other languages) to illustrate non-repeatable redemptive history, arguing against the expectation that these specific phenomena must be replicated today.

alright now just to repeat what I've said there are certain aspects that the bible records as certain aspects of the Bible records as historical events now when the day of Pentecost was fully come they were all together in one place and suddenly there came from heaven the sound as of a rushing mighty wind and it filled the place where they were sitting they weren't kneeling at an altar somewhere agonizing they were sitting very unspiritual posture but they were sitting that's what the text says read it if you question it alright and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and they spoke in o...

54:16 - 55:46 Read in full sermon

The point: Prayerfully consider the Acts passages in light of the distinction between non-repeatable redemptive history and repeatable Christian experience.

Martin uses the analogy of putting God in a 'hammerlock' to demand a repeat of Pentecost, comparing it to demanding Christ die and rise again, to show the absurdity of expecting non-repeatable redemptive history to recur.

and say God you've got to do the same thing down here in 1982 it's just as ridiculous to tell God he's got to send his son again he's got to have him die again and rise from the dead or we're not going to embrace the gospel so there's the key to an understanding of the Acts passages and I hope then for some of you who are not going to be with us that you'll take that key that is a legitimate key to that particular problem and prayerfully consider the passages in that light while our time is gone let's commit our thoughts to God in prayer our Father we would seek to bow in humility before you a...

55:46 - 57:13 Read in full sermon