Stands Not, Sits Not

Christ's parable of the children in the marketplace — playing 'wedding' and 'funeral' and never satisfied with either tune — is unpacked vividly as Martin role-plays the children to expose the inconsistency of his generation.

And you'll be the bride and I'll be the bridegroom. And so they put on their dress-ups and their heels. So here's a group of kids. And the Lord says, you're just like a group of kids.

8:58 - 9:05 Read in full sermon

The point: Reject the lie that you must 'try' sin to appreciate salvation — covet a clean past for your children rather than a dramatic conversion testimony.

Martin recounts how one of William Booth's daughters said she had been a Christian since she was a little child — there was 'never a time' she had to be saved out of the wreckage of experimenting with sin.

He's never had his ambitions perverted and turned aside. I can think of no greater blessing than to have it said of my own children, as one of William Booth's daughters said, She said, I can never remember a time when I have not loved the Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity. You say, oh, what a terribly sheltered life that would be. No, that would be the most blessed life.

15:25 - 15:51 Read in full sermon

The point: If God has called you to separation, watch your heart for Phariseeism — your separation must produce ministry to needy sinners, not insulation from them.

Pharisees so 'drew their skirts around themselves' to avoid defilement that they lost any ministry to those in need — a vivid picture of separation that becomes barren.

nobody eats with that crop you get defiled oh the Lord said no he said you're defiled with dead men's bones and all uncleanness because you've drawn your words around you and thanking God that you're not his other men you've lost sight of what true separation is oh may God keep us from the leaven of Phariseeism in our own assembly that we learn what it is to be identified with sinners while never walking in the way of sinners. In fact, dear ones, I know of nothing, I shouldn't say nothing, but I know of few things that make me want to be more truly separated unto God than some real close heart...

19:24 - 20:13 Read in full sermon

Driving home: We must never come to Holy Scripture as its judges, but always as its disciples.

Martin describes a college teacher's pitying head-shake when he offered to debate evolution — captured in one expression: 'You're fighting a rearguard battle.' That is the seat of the scornful.

When I said I'd like to come and debate the validity of the evolutionist claims, and he looked at me like I was some poor relic out of the past who had a few blitz less than a full load, as our good friend Mr. Riesinger would say.

28:10 - 28:26 Read in full sermon

The point: Young people facing classroom mockery: do not be bullied or embarrassed about believing the eyewitness God over the reconstructed theories of men.

Martin pictures a courtroom: would you trust a man piecing together a jaw fragment, or the eyewitness who was there? God was there at creation and told us how he did it.

Now I've found a little piece of a jaw over here. Now I wonder, probably now we surmise and suppose that and all of this, and then he conjures up his theory and spawns it on you as great scientific discovery. And when I see professing Christians cowering before the latest pronouncements of so-called science, it fills me with holy anger. Now you say there's only one person who is there to witness the whole event.

31:36 - 32:02 Read in full sermon

The point: Don't 'sit down for five minutes' in the seat of skepticism just to be culturally informed — those seeds germinate in seasons of spiritual weakness.

A young man went from Nyack Missionary College to a year of liberal seminary and at the end could no longer say 'thus saith the Lord' — the slow eating away of foundations Martin warns against.

A young man who graduated from Nyack Missionary College went off and spent a year at a liberal seminary and at the end of that year as we talked together about the Bible he in essence said I don't know what that is that book that you're holding in your hands I don't know what it is you see he sat in the seat of the scornful began to come to the word not as a disciple to be taught but you see as a judge to evaluate to look down by God's grace maintain that attitude of childlike and simplicity.

33:31 - 34:09 Read in full sermon

The point: Don't 'sit down for five minutes' in the seat of skepticism just to be culturally informed — those seeds germinate in seasons of spiritual weakness.

Blessedness cannot come when we play God any more than blessedness can come to a fish that tries to live as a bird in a tree — designed roles cannot be reversed.

The way of blessedness cannot come when we begin to play God any more than blessedness can come to a fish who tries to play like a bird and make his home in a tree.

34:11 - 34:19 Read in full sermon

The point: Apply Proverbs 1:10 immediately: when sinners entice you, consent not — close the door at the point of enticement, not after entry.

Even in the believer there is remaining corruption that acts like a negative polarity — sinful invitations function like the matching positive, and the two will leap to meet each other.

Even though you are a believer there are the remains of corruption and those remaining aspects of sin are like a negative polarity. And those appeals to your flesh are like a positive polarity. And there'll be that drawing. Don't enter into the way.

39:11 - 39:25 Read in full sermon