Reduction of Elders: What Might God be Saying? Part 6

The point: Prayerfully and humbly seek to understand what God may be saying to us in his providence.

Martin uses the analogy of a triangle to represent three biblical truths for interpreting God's providence: God's decree, His comprehensive understanding, and our responsibility to seek understanding. This helps structure the theological framework for the sermon series.

with respect to this matter of what God may be saying to us, all of which fit within what I have called the triangle of seeking to interpret God's providence according to the scriptures. When we turn to the scriptures, ask the question, do we have any right to seek to understand what God may be saying to us in his providence? The scriptures do give us an answer to that question by setting before us, what I have called this triangle of interpreting or seeking to interpret God's providence. Truth number one, everything that comes to pass in our individual or corporate history

1:32 - 2:16 Read in full sermon

The point: Prayerfully and humbly seek to understand what God may be saying to us in his providence.

Martin adds a 'granite base' to the triangle analogy, representing the fourth principle: holding tenaciously to present revealed duty while seeking to understand providence. This emphasizes that seeking understanding should not suspend obedience.

because they are hardened through providences that should have softened them. When God sends natural calamities, to get men's attention and they will not listen in spite of blasting and famine and earthquakes. God holds men accountable for their refusal to listen to his voice in this providence. And then as I was prayerfully preparing for today, I said you know that a triangle lacks something, a big granite base.

3:25 - 3:59 Read in full sermon

The point: Recognize that God gives elders to equip you for works of service, not to negate your responsibility to perform them.

Martin quotes Job 16:5 to illustrate a beautiful picture of strengthening and assuaging grief with words, contrasting Job's integrity with his friends' accusations and providing a positive example of mutual encouragement.

of each other. And in my Old Testament reading in the book of Job this past week, with how Job brings this forward, one of the marks of his integrity as a true child of God, and one who was not a hypocrite, as his so-called friends were accusing him of being. He says, friends were reversed. Job 16, 5, strengthen you with my mouth, of my lips

9:04 - 9:42 Read in full sermon

The point: If your brother sinned, rebuke him, rather than just praying about it.

Jesus' use of the millstone imagery is described as 'grotesque' and 'almost sadistic' to emphasize the extreme seriousness of causing one of God's little ones to stumble, highlighting the moral accountability involved.

the world being what it is the devil being who he is human nature being what it is it is impossible but that occasions of stumbling and in the context that means falling into sin should come so the lord is not all upset and shocked and and unstrung when he sees sin he's grieved he's morally enraged but he's not shocked but he says woe unto him through whom they come there is moral accountability for everyone who is the occasion of the sin of another it were well for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck and he was thrown into the sea rather than that he should

21:15 - 21:57 Read in full sermon

The point: If your brother sinned, rebuke him, rather than just praying about it.

Martin uses the analogy of a 'mafia-style rub out' (feet in concrete, thrown in Lake Michigan) to vividly portray the severity of Jesus' millstone warning, making the ancient imagery relatable and impactful for the modern audience.

cause one of these little ones to stumble this is the meek mild jesus using grotesque we'd say almost sadistic imagery he said it be better than the great large millstone that had the large pole attached to it and the ox with the blinders turns to grind the meal not the little millstone that mama had at home where she ground up a meal enough of the meal for today's supper but the kind the commercial man would use he said it were better that the great millstone were on his neck jesus talking about a mafia style

21:57 - 22:37 Read in full sermon

The point: Do not attribute sin to people for minor things or misinterpretations; get over self-centered nonsense.

Martin gives examples of people attributing sin to others for minor things like an 'unright' look or a 'flat hello,' illustrating a self-centered tendency to find fault where none exists, which hinders true reproof.

rebuke him if he does that which is clear before the court of any mind and judgment influenced by the word of god if he's sinned not if he simply doesn't look at you quite the right way and you read into his look that he's mad at you that's not sin that's your own moral sickness in your head where you're ready to attribute sin to everyone that doesn't look at you quite right and everyone that doesn't frame his hello with the right melody if it's a flat hello dissenting if it's a hello dissing it has to have the right melody

23:16 - 23:58 Read in full sermon

The point: Be sure you reprove not that as a sin which is no sin, either by mistaking the law or the fact.

Martin quotes Richard Baxter on the danger of reproving things that are not sins, or making duties and sins out of personal opinions. This historical quotation provides wisdom and authority to his warning against nitpicking and judgmentalism.

some of you are ready to attribute sin to people if their hello doesn't have the right melodic line if it goes this way or this way sinning against me now get over that self-centered nonsense you know baxter had that way back in the sixteen hundreds my little baxter's directory i was reading baxter on the art and ministry of sin reproving one another listen to what baxter said way back in the sixteen hundreds be sure you reprove not that as a sin which is no sin either by mistaking the law or the fact to make duties and sins of our own opinions and inventions and then to lay out our zeal on th...

23:58 - 24:41 Read in full sermon

The point: Choose not the smallest sins to reprove nor the smallest duties to exhort them to, as this makes zeal seem trivial.

Martin shares a personal anecdote about receiving notes or calls correcting his verbal slips after pouring his heart out in preaching, without any encouragement for the message. This illustrates the problem of nitpicking and the pain it causes, reinforcing Baxter's point.

smallest duties to exhort them to, for that will make them think that all your zeal is taken up with little matters and there's no great necessity. of regarding you and conscience will be but little moved by your speech when greater things will greatly and more easily affect man. You know, it's an interesting thing. Many a time, I've poured my spiritual guts out in this pulpit and in the midst of the obsession of mind with what you're doing, I might mispronounce a word, make a grammatical slip, and do you know that on many occasions, I've had notes,

25:44 - 26:25 Read in full sermon

The point: If a man be overtaken in any trespass, ye who are spiritual, restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, looking to thyself, lest thou also be tempted.

Solomon's analogy of a gold earring on an obedient ear is used to illustrate the beauty and value of a wise reprover speaking to someone willing to receive correction. The 'pierced ear' signifies a heart open to truth, not resistant due to pride.

restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, looking to thyself, lest thou also be tempted. That's why I use the term a gracious, principled, restoring of one another in the light of evidence, sin, or offense. And then I read three texts out of Proverbs before I leave this heading. 25 and verse 12, as an earring of gold and an ornament of fine gold, that is, an earring

28:55 - 29:39 Read in full sermon

The point: Cultivate an 'obedient ear' that is open to wise reproof from brothers and sisters who want you to get to heaven safely.

Martin uses the analogy of 'spiritual otitis media' (inner ear infection) affecting one's spiritual balance, causing them to think they are upright when they are tilting like the 'leaning tower of Pisa.' This illustrates how sin can distort self-perception and the need for a brother to bring the 'level of God's word' to correct it.

to the man who says, I want to get to heaven, and I want anything that's going to impede me in my journey if I'm blind to it and my brother sees it. I want him to believe me. I want him to believe me. I want him to point out that pothole in the road on which I'm traveling. I want him to point out that I'm very near a precipice that I'm not seeing because I've got a crick in my neck and I'm only looking to the left and the precipice is on the right. Something's happened in my spiritual inner ear and my sense of balance is off and I think I'm standing upright and lo and behold, I'm toppling to t...

30:48 - 31:27 Read in full sermon

The point: Do not hide love by avoiding open rebuke out of fear of rejection; call it self-love and get honest.

Martin suggests a hypothetical 'Obedient Ear Sunday' where people wear necklaces saying 'an obedient ear' to signify their openness to reproof. This vivid image underscores the rarity and importance of a receptive spirit to correction.

leaning tower of Pisa. And he says, brother, thank you for bringing the level of God's word and helping me to get straightened up. That's a wise reprover. I want a wise reprover upon an obedient ear. I wonder if it wouldn't hurt. We don't have pack a pew Sunday. We don't have bring a neighbor Sunday. But I wonder if we wouldn't have a Sunday. But we should ask people if they could with judgment day honesty, all to take a piece of stiff paper stiff enough to take a piece of yarn three inches by 12 inches long and to write on it an obedient ear and hang it around our neck and come to church.

31:45 - 32:30 Read in full sermon

The point: Do not hide love by avoiding open rebuke out of fear of rejection; call it self-love and get honest.

Martin challenges the excuse 'I love my brother too much to hurt him' by rephrasing it as 'You love yourself too much to run the risk of rejection.' This exposes the self-centered motive behind avoiding necessary reproof.

This cuts at the heart of the saying, well, I just love my brother so much I can't run the risk of hurting him. If I point out his fault, it may hurt him. No, no, no, no. What you mean is you love yourself too much to run the risk of rejection. Call the thing what it really is. You really don't love your brother too much that you're afraid you're going to hurt him. You love yourself too much to bear the possibility of rejection. Come on, get honest. Isn't that a problem?

33:43 - 34:13 Read in full sermon

The point: Husbands, confront sinful patterns in your wives, even if it means enduring temporary difficulty, trusting God to break her down.

He gives the example of a husband who sees a sinful pattern in his wife but avoids confronting her because he fears her pouting, coldness, or ability to 'push the right button.' This illustrates how fear of rejection prevents necessary reproof within marriage.

The husband that sees a pattern in his wife. That he knows he's got to sit down and say, sweetheart, as the one responsible to nurture you and cherish you and dwell with you according to knowledge, I see a pattern in you that I believe is contrary to the word of God. But you won't do it. Why? Because you know in the past when you've done that, she's pouted. She's made life difficult. Her kisses have been very quick, very cold. And her glances, like steel. And she knows how to get you to shut your mouth.

34:14 - 34:47 Read in full sermon

The point: Husbands, confront sinful patterns in your wives, even if it means enduring temporary difficulty, trusting God to break her down.

Martin shares a personal (though generalized) story about a wife's eventual repentance and gratitude after being reproved, even if it initially led to 'stinky, rotten, nasty, icy looks.' This provides encouragement for the 'afterward' of faithful reproof.

She knows the right button. She knows how to push. And you're not man enough to take that for a day or two until God breaks her down. And she throws her arms around your neck and says, honey, I was a terrible witch. The Lord's dealt with me. He's forgiven. Thank you for loving me enough to reprove me. Thank you for loving me enough to put up with my stinky, rotten, nasty, icy looks for a day or two. I didn't read that out of books, folks. My wife's not here, so I'm not saying anything to embarrass her.

34:47 - 35:23 Read in full sermon

The point: Do not kiss one another with smiles and warm greetings when you ought to put a hand on the shoulder and speak about a concern.

The analogy of a friend lancing a boil to cut out pus is used to explain that a friend's 'wounds' (reproof) are meant to help, not hurt, by removing infection (sin) from the spiritual system.

He wounds me to help me. He lances my boil to cut out the puss-axe that it might not spread infection through the whole of my spiritual system. But the kisses of an enemy are profuse. God help us if we're kissing one another with smiles and warm greetings when we ought to put a hand on the shoulder and say, brother, sister, can we slip off in the back room down into one of the Sunday school rooms?

35:52 - 36:21 Read in full sermon

The point: When approaching a brother with a concern, pray together, humbly state your perception, and ask if there is any validity to your concern.

Martin recounts instances where people deliberately deceived the elders about their sin, only for God to later 'blow their cover.' This illustrates the reality of hard-heartedness and lying, but also the elders' commitment to open rebuke despite it.

But this is what I perceive with my limited understanding. This is what concerns me. Is there any validity to my concern? Now, if that brother's so perverse as to deliberately deceive you, and we've had that happen.

36:37 - 36:50 Read in full sermon

The point: Have a long-term perspective in the duty of gracious, principled reproving, forgiving, and restoring, knowing that favor will come afterward.

Martin admits that some in the congregation are angry enough to 'kick him in the shins' after certain sermons. This personal admission highlights the difficulty of faithful preaching and the resistance it can provoke, but also his commitment to it.

In this place every Lord's Day, there's some Lord's Days when some of you are angry enough at me to kick me in the shins. If you could do it and be socially acceptable, you would. I know that. I'm not stupid. I wasn't born yesterday.

38:29 - 38:42 Read in full sermon

The point: Have a long-term perspective in the duty of gracious, principled reproving, forgiving, and restoring, knowing that favor will come afterward.

He mentions keeping 'files' of notes from people who later thanked him for reproving their sin, even if they were initially angry. This illustrates the 'afterward' of Proverbs 28:23 and the long-term fruit of faithful ministry.

But I love you enough to get you mad enough to kick me in the shins if that'll help you get to heaven. Because afterwards I know you're going to come to me. You're going to fill up the files that I've kept over the years. I don't read them. I figure someday in an old folks' home I'll pull out the files.

38:43 - 38:57 Read in full sermon

The point: If you don't want your sin dealt with, then put yourself on the high road to hell and go to where people will stroke you into hell without disturbing you.

Martin candidly states that some in the congregation would be happy if he needed triple bypass surgery and died, or retired for a 'more comforting ministry.' This stark example underscores the deep resistance to sin-confronting preaching.

I know. I'd be very surprised if there's some of you sitting right here now. Nothing make you happier than to hear I need a triple bypass. And while I was under surgery, I went.

39:22 - 39:30 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: He clarifies that elders cannot be ubiquitous or have 'spies,' emphasizing that the entire body of Christ is responsible for mutual reproving, forgiving, and restoring. This…

Martin humorously dismisses the rumor that the elders have a 'network of spies,' using it to emphasize that the responsibility for mutual ministry falls on every member of the body, not just the leadership.

Paul said, and as certain things were reported of him, well, it is reported we elders have a network of spies.

41:28 - 41:34 Read in full sermon

The point: Do not find it difficult to forgive fellow sinners, given that you are forgiven by God.

Martin describes people being shocked when he freely and unqualifiedly forgives them after they confess sin, asking 'You mean that's all?' This illustrates the human difficulty with both giving and receiving true forgiveness, highlighting its counter-intuitive nature.

People at times struggle coming saying, oh, then they finally get it out. Pastor, will you forgive me? I say, what? I don't even know what you're talking about.

45:41 - 45:48 Read in full sermon