Warrant for Pursuing

The point: Consciously attempt to make sure that whatever the passage, subject, or application, something of the Lord Jesus is implicitly and explicitly present in your preaching.

Martin asks listeners to imagine a regenerate stranger attending their church for four weeks, morning and evening, under various preaching topics. The purpose is to prompt self-reflection on what dominant characteristics of their ministry would be perceived, especially regarding Christ's presence.

We are not alone. We are not alone. In our preaching and teaching of the Word of God, we should consciously attempt to make sure that whatever the passage, whatever the subject, whatever the focus of exposition may be, whatever the range of legitimate application may be, that something of the Lord Jesus, in the perfection of His work, the glory of His, His person, or the nature of His manifold ministry to His people, would be implicitly and explicitly present in that preaching. And in order to give us a greater feel for what I mean by that explanation, I want you to imagine with me that someon...

1:32 - 2:46 Read in full sermon

Driving home: Since he is the central subject of those scriptures, he did not have to engage. He did not have to engage in fanciful, imaginative, and bizarre interpretive principles to demonstrate that he was there. No, he is there. T…

Martin quotes William Henderson's thought that 'running through the Old Testament, there are four lines that all converge on Bethlehem and Calvary,' illustrating the pervasive Christ-centeredness of the Old Testament.

William Henderson states, it's a lovely challenging thought, that running through the Old Testament, there are four lines that all converge on Bethlehem and Calvary. I always use the alternate term Golgotha. Calvary is too smooth. It's Golgotha.

23:09 - 23:27 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: Martin quotes extensively from Gardner Spring's 'The Glory of Christ,' which beautifully articulates how Christ fills the sacred volume, is its author, and is inextricably tied to…

Martin reads an extended passage from Gardner Spring's 'The Glory of Christ,' which vividly describes Christ's omnipresence throughout the sacred volume, His authorship, and His light shining on every page, emphasizing that the Bible is full of Christ even if men do not see or believe it.

In himself, in his glorious person, in his unique and sufficient saving work, is the central theme of the Old and the New Testament scriptures. And at this point, I want to read a marvelous paragraph or two from Gardner Springs' book, The Glory of Christ. If you can find that at all, get it. Read a few pages a day in conjunction with your devotions, and it will warm.

30:53 - 31:23 Read in full sermon

The point: Ask of any and all portions you are expounding or applying, 'Where is my Savior in this portion?' and 'What shuts me up to Him?'

Martin references a previous sermon by Pastor Donnelly on Genesis 30, noting how it profoundly demonstrated preaching Christ from an unexpected Old Testament narrative without being artificial, highlighting the 'amazing grace' present even in difficult texts.

Lord Jesus Christ is the central subject of this blessed book. Once persuaded that He is the central subject of the Scriptures, then surely we will ask of any and all portions we are expounding or applying, where is my Savior in this portion? What shuts me up to Him in handling precepts and commands? What displays Him to me in type and in shadow? What points to His work once for all on behalf of sinners as our great prophet, priest, and king? What displays His grace in historical narrative? And did we not have a profound example of that here Sunday night? Most of us had to admit, I don't know ...

36:25 - 37:22 Read in full sermon

The point: Perform 'spiritual slash mental gymnastics' at your desk during preparation, constantly asking, 'Where is Christ in all of this?'

Martin describes the process of finding Christ in every text as a 'spiritual slash mental gymnastics' that pastors must perform at their desks during preparation, constantly asking, 'Where is Christ in all of this?'

Make Him more precious. What is there in this demanding duty that is meant to cause me to cry out, oh Lord, I'm not sufficient for that. I can't love my wife as you love the church. It's like the Lord says, yeah, I know you can't. So I told you to do it. So you'll be shut up to me, for without me you can do nothing. And that that's got to become a kind of spiritual slash mental gymnastics that we perform at our desks in the level of our preparation. Where is Christ in all of this? But I must hasten on. We should pursue a ministry permeated with the fragrance of Christ, not only because the per...

38:24 - 39:25 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: The fourth line of evidence is that Christ is the ever-present subject of apostolic didactic and corrective instruction to the New Covenant community. Martin shows how Christ is…

Martin points out that Paul cannot discuss husbands loving wives without immediately connecting it to Christ's love for the church, illustrating how Christ is the soul and substance of practical ethical instruction.

And when there are concentrated practical or ethically didactic portions, Christ is equally present as the soul and substance of that instruction, so much so that it's done giving instructions to husbands and wives. He says, oh, what am I talking about? Husbands or wives or Christ in the church? Oh, yes, I speak concerning...

49:19 - 49:41 Read in full sermon