Conviction of Sin

In this part of the sermon: Martin reviews previous sermons, reiterating the importance of repentance as a foundational, saving grace, a gift from God that leads to despair of self and reliance on Him.

Martin uses the analogy of a tree to illustrate the doctrine of repentance, with the soil representing God's grace and the roots representing conviction of sin and revelation of Christ. This helps visualize the interconnected components of repentance.

And I indicated last week that our approach to answer that question was going to be working with a formal definition, the definition given in the Shorter Catechism, and expanding that definition into an illustration, the form of a tree, so that as we study the doctrine of repentance, we will be continually referring to this formal definition and then giving its substance to the doctrine of repentance. And I indicated last week that our approach to answer that question was going to be working with a formal definition, the definition given in the Shorter Catechism, and expanding that definition ...

2:34 - 3:09 Read in full sermon

The point: Get a good baptism of godly despair that undercuts all the ground from underneath you and leaves you broken and helpless, throwing yourself upon the mercy of God in Jesus Christ.

The story of blind Bartimaeus crying out to Jesus is used to show that despair of self is a good thing, as it drives a sinner to cry out to the only one who can help.

Despair of looking for any help from himself. And it'll cast him upon the only one who can help him. The same kind of despair that was the best thing that ever happened to blind Bartimaeus, for when Jesus passed by, as we looked at it last week, his despair is what made him cry out, Son of David! Have mercy!

5:10 - 5:27 Read in full sermon

Driving home: Number one, conviction of sin, and number two, a revelation of Christ crucified. Those are the two roots of biblical repentance.

Martin uses the vivid image of wisdom teeth roots to describe the deep, foundational nature of the two roots of repentance, making them memorable.

The soil of repentance is the grace of God. Now, look beneath that soil, and I want you to think of two big roots, like the ones that hold your wisdom teeth in place there. If you haven't had the happy privilege of having yours out and see those roots, that's yet to come. But you'll know then what I mean.

6:14 - 6:28 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: Expounding Matthew 9:10-13, Martin shows how Jesus' interaction with sinners, in contrast to the self-righteous Pharisees, illustrates that He came to call those who recognize…

The calling of Matthew, a 'chief of the publicans' or 'mafia overlord,' illustrates that Jesus saves even the most notorious sinners and that new converts desire to share their salvation.

The Lord Jesus has passed by and called to Himself a man of very checkered past and of a very suspicious reputation. Matthew, this chief of the publicans,

11:13 - 11:27 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: Expounding Matthew 9:10-13, Martin shows how Jesus' interaction with sinners, in contrast to the self-righteous Pharisees, illustrates that He came to call those who recognize…

Jesus' analogy of calling a doctor only when sick is used to explain that He came for those who recognize their spiritual sickness (sin), not those who perceive themselves as healthy (self-righteous).

When do you send for a doctor? It's not when you get up in the morning and feel like a million bucks, and the bills are all paid, and kids are smiley and happy, and everything's great. Doctors don't have time to just come and pay little social calls with you. But when you get sick, sick enough that what you've got in your medicine chest won't help you.

14:18 - 14:36 Read in full sermon

The point: Ask yourself if your sin has ever come home to you in the light of being a grievous revolt against a good and gracious God.

Martin explains the difference between poetic license in Psalms (hills leaping, trees clapping) and literal narrative, to emphasize that David's confession 'against thee and thee only have I sinned' is not mere poetic exaggeration but a profound spiritual truth.

My temptation is I think I may have mentioned when we studied this a couple of years ago to say well let's give David some liberty for poetic license. The psalms are poetry and poetry can partake of a literary form that would make it something less than true if you were stating it as actual narrative. In poetry David can talk about the hills leaping and the trees clapping their hands but if he came into the room tonight and said you know I took a trip to Grover Cleveland Park today and as I walked through the park and he gives us narrative he says the trees began to clap there we'd say wait a ...

32:44 - 34:11 Read in full sermon

The point: Ask yourself if your sin has ever come home to you in the light of being a grievous revolt against a good and gracious God.

Martin walks through David's sins (lust for Bathsheba, adultery, murder of Uriah), showing how each act was a deliberate pushing aside of God's specific commandments, revealing his sin as a direct revolt against God Himself, not just an impersonal code.

for that's the condition it was in prior to Nathan's visit and Nathan's visit was the thing that probed his conscience and dug down to the deeps of his soul and caused him to cry out I've sinned against the Lord so his conscience was at a very keen sensitive position or in a very keen and sensitive state and that's the very thing that made him cry out this way against thee and thee only have I sinned and done this evil in thy sight why? because David came to the recognition and this is what broke him that before he could ever take Bathsheba when he looked out upon the rooftop and saw her and l...

34:11 - 35:38 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: Using the parable of the Prodigal Son, Martin illustrates how the son's realization of sin 'against heaven' signifies seeing his rebellion not just against his father's rules, but…

The story of the Prodigal Son is used to illustrate how the son's desire to 'do his own thing' was a rebellion against his father's authority, which he later recognized as sin 'against heaven' (God).

all these rules and regulations that mom and dad imposed upon you here's looking at them these regulations hanging out there in the sky somewhere God's holy law that says love me with your whole heart honor my day honor constituted a trial father and mother do you see those things as expressions of the law of your creator? the gracious God who designed you as he did fearfully and wonderfully made you showered upon you a thousand gifts that none of us deserves has it ever got you right down in there until it's stung and hurt that you've revolted against that God and that every breach of his law...

38:34 - 40:01 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: Using the parable of the Prodigal Son, Martin illustrates how the son's realization of sin 'against heaven' signifies seeing his rebellion not just against his father's rules, but…

Martin likens the Prodigal Son's squandering of his inheritance to 'spiritual embezzlement,' arguing that humans squander the 'capital' of life, breath, and strength given by God, which should be used for His glory.

flighting from one night spot to another, until he ends up in abject poverty and says, I'd fill my belly with a husk if I could. And then it says he came to himself. You see, he was in a state of moral and spiritual insanity. God who gave him life, that that life might be lived to his glory, he's squandering all that capital that was never his. God invested that capital in him and said, now you put it to good use and bring the return to me in glory and in praise. He was squandering capital that wasn't his own. What did God do? God didn't haul him into court for embezzlement, he let him go, con...

40:42 - 41:25 Read in full sermon

The point: Parents, be sure that what you bind the consciences of your kids to is the law of God, not man-made rules.

Martin quotes A.W. Pink's definition of sin as 'rebellion against the majesty of heaven' and 'to treat the Almighty with contempt,' providing a concise and powerful theological summary of sin's true nature.

Who keeps that mind functioning? If you're not up on the hill there, the border of Rome and Cedar Grove tonight, God does. When that comes home to you, that I've used this mind, I've used this breath and all this invested capital to carry out my own lustful plans and purposes, you'll cry with the prodigal, I've sinned against heaven. That first root will go down into your heart, that root of conviction of sin. May I quote from a little booklet of A.W. Pink on the subject of repentance? He says this far more accurately, and it's beautiful in its accuracy, though it's terrible in its content. Wh...

47:05 - 47:58 Read in full sermon

Driving home: You see, no man wants to be delivered from what he is until he sees that what he is is polluted and foul and revolting in the sight of God.

John the Baptist's command 'Behold the Lamb of God' is used to explain the meaning of 'behold' in Psalm 51:5, emphasizing that David is commanding God to pay attention to his inward pollution.

made in the image of God, made to do his will, but that we were made upright and like him and that something's happened to make us so unlike him. We've become polluted. And again, we see the example of this in the 51st Psalm. For as David went on to confess his sin, he moved from the acknowledgement of its guilt as criminal offense against God to tracing the sin backward to its source. And he says in verse 5 of Psalm 51, behold, what does the word behold mean? It says pay attention, look at something. When John said behold the Lamb of God. He was saying whatever else you're looking at, look at...

52:39 - 53:24 Read in full sermon

Driving home: You see, no man wants to be delivered from what he is until he sees that what he is is polluted and foul and revolting in the sight of God.

Martin critiques a superficial understanding of salvation as merely having one's 'record book juggled up in heaven,' arguing that true conviction desires deliverance from the pollution of sin, not just its guilt.

Nod your head to the fact. You mean you don't need to pay so much a month? Not a thing. It's all free. Someone says, that's a good idea. I think I'll do that. So he said, all right, what do I do? You pray this prayer after me. Oh God, oh God. I ask you to go through all emotions. And then someone says, now your record book's all juggled up in heaven. It's all fixed up. That's a pretty good deal. Three minutes, a little prayer. What about what you are? Anything happen there?

55:30 - 55:56 Read in full sermon