What He Will Do with the Wicked, Part 2

In this part of the sermon: Martin places this sermon within a series on Christ's return, explaining that while previous messages covered Christ's gracious dealings with His people, this one focuses on His…

Martin uses the analogy of a pie to represent all the events connected with Christ's coming, with different slices representing various aspects like His gracious dealings with His people and His judgment of the wicked. This helps organize the complex biblical teaching on eschatology.

I then sought to answer the question, why do true believers in a healthy spiritual state eagerly await and love the return of Christ? And then we have moved on, seeking to get a firm grasp upon some of those events which Scripture tells us will be connected with our Lord's return. And I've used the analogy of a pie. And I am not...

5:18 - 5:48 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: The sermon's first main point is the banishment of the wicked from Christ, drawing from Matthew 7:23, Matthew 25:41, and Luke 13:27. Martin emphasizes that Christ's first words to…

He uses the example of John Mark departing from Paul on the missionary journey to illustrate the meaning of the Greek verb for 'depart,' emphasizing the physical separation implied by Christ's command.

A present imperative of one of the verbs used in the New Testament that simply means to go away from someone, to leave the company of a given individual or individuals. It's the word used of John Mark, departing from Paul in that first missionary journey. He departs from Paul, goes back to Jerusalem. That's the verb that is used.

11:24 - 11:53 Read in full sermon

The point: Ask yourself if you want to hear words of banishment from Jesus, the source of all life and grace.

Martin compares the 'blackness of darkness' reserved for the wicked to astronomical black holes, which are spaces of utter darkness, to convey the horrifying, unmitigated nature of eternal banishment from God's light.

In 2 Peter chapter 2, Peter gives us a more abbreviated statement of it and Jude then enlarges upon it. In 2 Peter 2 and verse 17, speaking of the ultimate destiny of these false teachers and those who follow their ways, this is what Peter says, 2 Peter 2, 17, These are springs without water and mists driven by a storm for whom the blackness of darkness has been reserved. The blackness of darkness has been reserved. Listen to the words of Jude as he expands in a more horrific way upon those very words in Jude verses 14, Jude verse 13, I'm sorry. Wild waves of the sea foaming out their own sham...

19:58 - 21:25 Read in full sermon

The point: If you are out of Christ, cry to God for mercy to avoid banishment into the blackness of darkness forever.

He uses the image of a 'wandering star, in no constellation, in no galaxy out there by itself' to depict the utter isolation and desolation of a soul banished into eternal darkness.

If God the Holy Spirit would take those few words and press them deeply upon the heart of every man, woman, boy or girl out of Christ this night, I don't see how one of you could keep your sanity through this night without crying to God for mercy to be banished by Christ the light of the world into the blackness of darkness forever to be like a wandering star, in no constellation, in no galaxy out there by itself, shut in with the horrific darkness of a soul devoid of all light and all grace. Jesus says, depart from me, banishment. If you will not embrace him in the day of salvation, he will n...

22:50 - 24:07 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: The second main point is that the banished will go to a place of horrifying torment, specifically 'eternal fire' as described in Matthew 25:41. Martin expounds on Mark 9:43-48…

Jesus' gruesome illustration of the 'undying worm' is explained as a worm continually feeding on a carcass that is never consumed, symbolizing unending physical and spiritual torment in hell.

All who are in hell where their worm does not die and the fire is not quenched. As worms feed upon dead flesh as long as there's flesh on which to feed, the worm deprived of its nourishment dies. Jesus is using a gruesome, a grotesque illustration. You'll be like a carcass upon which the worms can continually feed because the carcass is never consumed.

28:17 - 28:53 Read in full sermon

Driving home: And there is a wretched, horrible deflection from the biblical teaching of the eternality of hell by even some so-called respected evangelical leaders in our day.

The 'unquenchable fire' is explained as fire that never consumes because its fuel source is unending, symbolizing the eternal, never-ending nature of hell's torment.

Then look at that hand and look at that eye and look at that foot and say to yourself, the place where the worm never dies. Where God's judgment will be poured out upon the body and the soul of all who are not in Christ. And in this grotesque and in this shocking imagery, Jesus said that place is the place of the undying worm. And the unquenchable fire, as long as fire has something combustionable to feed upon, so the process of oxidation goes on, the fire burns. Jesus is saying, unquenchable fire, fire that never consumes, fire that is unquenchable because that on which it feeds continues to ...

29:03 - 30:27 Read in full sermon

Driving home: And there is a wretched, horrible deflection from the biblical teaching of the eternality of hell by even some so-called respected evangelical leaders in our day.

Martin shares a personal anecdote from his childhood, recalling how the words 'forever and forever, no rest day or night' caused him to wrestle with the concept of eternity and fear dying in his sleep, illustrating the sobering impact of hell's reality.

And God has as much horse sense as we do. And he tells us that a smoke from their torment, which is unending, and it's as though God says, and if you don't get the imagery, I'll tell you in plain language, they have no rest day and night, forever and forever. It's a sobering thing. I remember as a little boy, and I thank God for the background I had in many ways, even though I didn't hear clear gospel preaching in the association we were in, religious context.

33:39 - 34:23 Read in full sermon

The point: Fear God, who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell, and let that fear generate the question: 'How can I escape his wrath?'

He argues that the proliferation of horror movies (e.g., Terminator, Jurassic Park, Scream) is a devil's tool to desensitize a generation to the true horrors of God's wrath and the reality of hell, making biblical descriptions seem like mere 'special effects.'

But I hope you'll think about it. I hope you'll at least credit me with enough rationality and enough contact with the real world not to discount what I'm about to say as foolish talk from a preacher. You know what one of the devil's greatest instruments in this generation right now to neutralize this dread of the horrifying reality of hell you know what one of his most powerful instruments is? The proliferation of horror movies.

39:53 - 40:25 Read in full sermon

The point: Don't be afraid of those who can kill the body, but fear the God who can take your body and soul and cast you into hell.

Martin recounts breaking a gopher's neck and being emotionally distraught watching its life ebb away, using this to illustrate how even the death of animate life should sober us, contrasting it with the desensitization to spiritual death.

sequels what's behind all of that? There is a devil who wants to harden you to the horrors and the realities of that which is grotesque and ugly in human life but when you hear words like these don't fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul fear him who can destroy body and soul in hell you flip it all off and say oh that's special effects like Hollywood does. If you ever get to the place where you can see any form of animate life die and not be sobered something's gonna do to you to save you from the worst nightmare you also want to kill the devil who is the worst creature you'll...

41:54 - 43:20 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: Martin quotes a hymn by Annie Cousin, 'O Christ, what burdens bowed thy head?', to beautifully illustrate how Christ bore the full wrath of God, the curse, and the tempest of…

He quotes Annie Cousin's hymn to beautifully articulate how Christ bore the full weight of sin, the curse, and God's wrath on the cross, thereby removing the burden and judgment from believers.

One of my favorite hymns that I love to quote whenever pausing around the cross of Christ is that lovely hymn by Annie Cousin. We sing her hymn based on the words of Samuel Rutherford. But this is a lesser-known hymn. O Christ, what burdens bowed thy head?

48:31 - 48:54 Read in full sermon

The point: Love Christ, let your heart burn with a passion to please Him, and have an increasing burden to make known His great salvation.

Martin compares the church's current stance to the father in the parable of the prodigal son, waiting to rejoice at returning sinners, rather than rejoicing in the damnation of the wicked now.

God will be so glorified in his justice in damning you that all of his people, in perfect sympathy with his heart, will rejoice. But we can't rejoice now. We stand like the father in the parable of the prodigal, waiting to rejoice. At returning sinners.

53:54 - 54:14 Read in full sermon