How the Unsaved Shall not Prosper

In this part of the sermon: Martin defines the general meaning of 'prosper' as to flourish, succeed, or thrive. Crucially, he then clarifies that in this text, 'prosper' does not necessarily refer to…

Martin uses the analogy of a flourishing garden versus a scrubby, dying garden to explain the simple, intuitive meaning of the word 'flourish' or 'prosper,' even for children.

If we say, well, my garden is really flourishing this summer, we mean all the plants that we planted are growing and growing well and bearing fruit. So the meaning of the word flourish is very obvious even to the children amongst us who perhaps could not give a technical definition, but if they went out and saw a scrubby garden, with half the plants drooped over, half dead and instead of big luscious vegetables, little scrawny ones, we say to the child, is the garden flourishing? The kid would say, uh-uh, no way. Well, the child would indicate that he understood the meaning of the word flouris...

4:56 - 5:33 Read in full sermon

The point: Flee to a fountain open for sin and uncleanness, having your hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience through the blood of Jesus Christ.

An accusing conscience is described as 'the worst companion in all the world,' and 'the hell of hells in hell,' emphasizing its tormenting nature both in life and eternity.

Like it or not, that's as much a part of your humanity as the nose on your face. Now when we transgress and conscience is act… active with respect to that transgression, and then we cover that sin. You know what we do the moment we do that? We bring into our companionship the worst companion in all the world, an accusing conscience. The worst companion in all the world is an accusing conscience. It is the companion that will be the hell of hells in hell. For Jesus said, Where there worm dieth not, and the fire is never quenched, it will be the accusing worm of a condemning conscience. The damn...

10:45 - 11:52 Read in full sermon

The point: Flee to a fountain open for sin and uncleanness, having your hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience through the blood of Jesus Christ.

The story of Adam and Eve hiding from God and their subsequent disharmony is used as a biblical example of how an accusing conscience affects relationships with God and fellow humans.

in the Garden of Eden? The moment Adam had an accusing conscience, what happened? Instead of running to God, he ran where? He ran from God. He tried to hide. Why? Conscience was accusing. And because conscience was accusing him, what happened in his relationship to Eve, in the place of harmony and concord, there was disharmony and enmity and resentment. An accusation! Why? He had an accusing conscience. He that covers his sins shall not prosper.

14:08 - 14:41 Read in full sermon

The point: Flee to a fountain open for sin and uncleanness, having your hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience through the blood of Jesus Christ.

Martin uses the example of young people who are 'shifty-eyed' and uncomfortable looking others in the eye, attributing this behavior to an accusing conscience that makes them uneasy around those who reflect God's image.

What happens? There is no pacified conscience through the blood of Christ. That affects us not only God-ward, but man-ward. It affected Adam's relationship to Eve. Cain's relationship to Abel. Listen. You know why some of you young people are so shifty-eyed? You can't even look your mum and dad straight in the eyeballs, back to the retina. You know why you're so shifty-eyed with your elderly friends? Because they're always thinking about God. You know why you're so shifty-eyed with your elderly friends? Because they're always thinking at the door? I'll tell you why. You've got an accusing cons...

14:41 - 15:31 Read in full sermon

Driving home: Woven into the fabric of the world. Woven into the fabric of the world. Woven into the fabric of the world. Woven into the man's manness was his capacity for and his enjoyment of fellowship with God. That's as much a par…

The practice of people drinking multiple cocktails to numb themselves to the real world is used to illustrate the desperation of those who lack access to God in prayer and cannot unburden their hearts.

come to the throne of grace to obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need? I do not marvel that people have to belt down three or four cocktails at lunch and another three or four at night, keep themselves half numb to the real world. Why? If there's no access to the throne of grace where we can unburden the deepest concerns of our heart and know that we have a loving Father who hears and answers, it's no wonder. I just marvel at more people. Don't put a gun to the head and end it all. You can't have that privilege. See, if you cover your sin, if I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lor...

17:02 - 17:49 Read in full sermon