Reduction of Elders: What Might God be Saying? Part 4

In this part of the sermon: Through detailed word studies, Martin explains the nuances of 'admonish' (nutheteo) as putting someone back in rank, 'encourage' (paramutheomai) as comforting the 'little souls,'…

The Greek word 'ataktos' (disorderly) is explained as a military term for not keeping rank or being insubordinate, illustrating someone out of step with God's Word, like a soldier marching right when everyone else is marching left.

and the disorderly are the ataktos and Vine in his expository dictionary of New Testament words says ataktos signifies not keeping order the alpha privative a and taso which means to put in order or arrange under it was especially a military term denoting not keeping rank or insubordinate. So the disorderly is someone who's out of step with what the word of God says ought to be the marching tempo of the people of God. And when you see someone not who occasionally hits a pebble and just has one step and then looks and gets back in line left, right and he's marching along but he's always right w...

15:15 - 16:18 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: Through detailed word studies, Martin explains the nuances of 'admonish' (nutheteo) as putting someone back in rank, 'encourage' (paramutheomai) as comforting the 'little souls,'…

The word 'encourage' (paramutheomai) is illustrated by Jesus comforting Mary and Martha at Lazarus's grave, showing its meaning of bringing solace to those with 'little souls' or faint hearts.

And he is to be put in mind authoritatively firmly and lovingly of where he is out of step that he might be brought back in line and though the elders do this officially notice that up in verse 12 know them that are over in you in the Lord and the same Greek verb and admonish you. It does not mean that what the elders do officially and with unique ecclesiastical authority is their unique province and responsibility. You as the people of God are responsible to admonish one another particularly when someone gets out of step falls out of rank becomes disorderly. And then the next injunction encou...

16:18 - 17:46 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: Through detailed word studies, Martin explains the nuances of 'admonish' (nutheteo) as putting someone back in rank, 'encourage' (paramutheomai) as comforting the 'little souls,'…

The 'faint-hearted' are described as 'Mr. Little Heart' or 'Mr. Fainting,' contrasting with Bunyan's 'Mr. Great Heart,' to vividly portray their spiritual condition.

The small soul among us the opposite of what Bunyan calls Mr. Great Heart this is Mr. Little Heart. Mr. Fainting.

17:46 - 17:56 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: Through detailed word studies, Martin explains the nuances of 'admonish' (nutheteo) as putting someone back in rank, 'encourage' (paramutheomai) as comforting the 'little souls,'…

The verb 'support' (antechomai) is illustrated by a child clinging to a father going to war, a wife clinging to a husband leaving on a trip, or a man of God clinging to the Word. This conveys the idea of drawing alongside and holding up the weak as crutches.

who holds fast to the faithful word as he hath been told now think of the two images from the other two usages of this verb in Matthew it's the picture of someone clinging to an object of supreme affection a child clinging to a daddy who's about to go off to war a wife clinging to a husband when he's about to go off on a lengthy business trip that's the picture that we are to cling to and hold up and draw alongside us the weak ones we are to do what every true man of God does with the word of God he holds it to his heart as his only source of authoritative instruction he will not let it go und...

19:50 - 21:19 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: Through detailed word studies, Martin explains the nuances of 'admonish' (nutheteo) as putting someone back in rank, 'encourage' (paramutheomai) as comforting the 'little souls,'…

Supporting the weak is likened to being crutches for a perpetually crippled man, acknowledging that the task can be wearying but emphasizing the clear mission.

who holds fast to the faithful word as he hath been told now think of the two images from the other two usages of this verb in Matthew it's the picture of someone clinging to an object of supreme affection a child clinging to a daddy who's about to go off to war a wife clinging to a husband when he's about to go off on a lengthy business trip that's the picture that we are to cling to and hold up and draw alongside us the weak ones we are to do what every true man of God does with the word of God he holds it to his heart as his only source of authoritative instruction he will not let it go und...

19:50 - 21:19 Read in full sermon

The point: Look on interactions that cause suffering as opportunities to obey the injunction to be long-suffering to all.

God's long-suffering is used as an analogy for how believers should be long-suffering to all, noting that if God wrote us off for our first, second, or hundredth offense, we would all be in hell.

4 love suffers long in its noun form it's spoken of God in Romans 2 4 and 1 Peter 3 20 in its noun form it's one of the ninefold fruit of the spirit Galatians 5 22 5 22 the fruit of the spirit is love joy peace long suffering it's one of those qualities true servants of God must have 2 Timothy 4 2 where Paul admonishes Timothy that he is to preach the word he is to be instant in season out of season reprove rebuke exhort with all here it is macrothumia with all long suffering now what is long suffering it's suffering for a long time and when he says be long suffering to all you know what he's ...

24:16 - 25:45 Read in full sermon

The point: Engage in a labor of exhortation one to another day by day.

The nuance of 'exhort' (parakaleo) is illustrated by a coxswain inciting rowers near the end of a race, or a coach barking orders at halftime, to convey stirring to greater diligence and action.

is more strongly what you're doing when someone is pulling on the oars coming near the end of the race and the coxswain may be there and say pull give it all you've got one, two he's inciting to greater diligence it's not the soft word of encouragement now you do them all right just keep it up it's barking orders it's what the coach does at halftime when the team's down 25 points and he's seeking to stir them up incite them to action to impel them to greater diligence and sometimes it even has little bits of overtone of admonition where it may have some at least some lacings of exhortation in ...

30:11 - 31:40 Read in full sermon

The point: Be on constant red alert regarding your own heart, and then constant loving red alert regarding your brethren.

The deceitfulness of sin is illustrated by Eve's temptation, where sin was presented as a luscious, wise-making fruit, not in terms of its painful consequences, showing how sin always promises what it can't give and gives what it never promises.

for ourselves we're on red alert for our brethren now you better have the order right I'm always suspicious of the person who's out looking how to exhort someone else when his own life is like the field of the sluggard the walls are broken down and the field is full of the weeds of obvious pride and spiritual sloppiness no it's in this order not one without the other but in that order constant red alert regarding myself but then constant loving red alert regarding my brethren exhorting encouraging one another day by day so long as it is called today now notice why we need one another lest any ...

31:40 - 33:10 Read in full sermon

The point: If a brother or sister comes to you with a concern about your spiritual life, receive it with appreciation for their concern, not in a huff.

The idea that others can see sin in us that we cannot see ourselves is illustrated by a mole on one's ear: one can only see it in a mirror, but someone sitting behind can see it growing, highlighting the need for mutual vigilance.

standing by the grave of her second born it didn't come that way it came only in terms of a luscious piece of fruit that looked so good and that promised so much that's all she saw if she saw it was good desired it would make her wise pleasant to the eyes it was deceitful and from that time on sin has always been deceitful promises what it can't give gives what it never promises and sometimes though we're on red alert for ourselves sin deceives us but our brothers and sisters can see how sin is at work in us and what's their attitude to be that of Cain my brother's keeper what are you asking m...

33:10 - 34:37 Read in full sermon

The point: If a brother or sister comes to you with a concern about your spiritual life, receive it with appreciation for their concern, not in a huff.

The potential for 'nitpicking' or abuse of mutual exhortation is addressed by noting that man can turn any blessing into a curse (e.g., food, sex), but this doesn't mean the blessing itself should be discarded.

and talk to my husband or my wife about this you see what the issue is? we are to exhort one another day by day so long as it is called today lest any one of you be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin that's why we need one another your eye may see in me that which is like a mole on my ear I can only see it if it's in the back of my ear if I stand in front of the mirror and pick my ear up you sit behind me in church and you can see the thing growing and often through the deceitfulness of sin there are spiritual molds evident to one another that are not evident to ourselves and someone says we...

37:36 - 39:03 Read in full sermon

The point: If you love your neighbor as yourself, be just as determined that he will persevere to the end as you are determined that you will persevere to the end.

Faith is described as the 'nerve' that grasps unseen spiritual realities, and if that nerve is cut, the hand withers, illustrating how a decline in faith impacts personal holiness and disciplines.

we shall and we must persevere in faith and the fruits of faith which are a life of holiness unto the end or we will make it manifest that we were never truly partakers of Christ so this duty of mutual encouragement mutual exhortation is according to this passage an integral and necessary element in persevering grace now I believe you're well instructed enough as a congregation that you are convinced of those two truths yea I to the end shall endure yes I to the end must endure both are true and what are the means that God will use here is one of them loving sensitive mutual encouragement part...

40:31 - 42:01 Read in full sermon

The point: Be delivered from the fear of men and self-love that would keep your mouths shut and make you vulnerable to temporary alienation.

Martin shares that in 30 years, he's never received a call from someone asking him to collect their paycheck because it's a 'distasteful thing,' humorously highlighting the aversion to difficult spiritual duties compared to desirable worldly tasks.

that would either paralyze the leg or turn it in an opposite direction alright any other specific reasons why you don't find this the easiest thing to do alright so it's much easier to push it off onto the professionals we pay them and why do we want to push it off on them I mean you don't push off payday on us I never yet have had a call I'm serious 30 years in this conversation I've never yet had a call on payday Pastor Martin I've got the most distasteful thing to do this afternoon I've got to go and collect my paycheck will you do it for me never I want in my notes that silly thing just ca...

44:57 - 46:26 Read in full sermon

The point: Be delivered from the fear of men and self-love that would keep your mouths shut and make you vulnerable to temporary alienation.

The fear of man is illustrated by a faithful preacher who, if not delivered from it, would hold back truths that might step on someone's 'big toe,' showing how it snares the tongue.

I'm not going to be protecting myself from the possibility of temporary rejection I'll remember the text in Proverbs he that rebuketh a man shall afterward find more favor than he that flatters with his lips faithful are the wounds of a friend but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful so we need to be delivered from the fear of men we need to be delivered from self love that would keep our mouths shut that makes us vulnerable to temporary alienation the thing any faithful preacher faces almost every single time he preaches the word if he knows his people and if he knows the human heart in gener...

47:55 - 49:23 Read in full sermon

The point: Be delivered from the fear of men and self-love that would keep your mouths shut and make you vulnerable to temporary alienation.

The willingness to endure 'temporary sparks' in mutual exhortation is illustrated by a husband lovingly admonishing his wife, or vice versa, acknowledging that the recipient rarely responds with immediate joy but eventually thanks God for the faithful rebuke.

I'm not going to be protecting myself from the possibility of temporary rejection I'll remember the text in Proverbs he that rebuketh a man shall afterward find more favor than he that flatters with his lips faithful are the wounds of a friend but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful so we need to be delivered from the fear of men we need to be delivered from self love that would keep our mouths shut that makes us vulnerable to temporary alienation the thing any faithful preacher faces almost every single time he preaches the word if he knows his people and if he knows the human heart in gener...

47:55 - 49:23 Read in full sermon