One Jot or One Tittle of the Law

Mat. 5:18 Sermon on the Mount

Pastor Albert N. Martin expounds Matthew 5:17-18, asserting Christ's affirmation of the absolute authority and infallibility of the Old Testament Scriptures. He argues for the essential unity between the Old and New Testaments and the basic harmony between God's law and grace. Martin applies these truths by challenging young people to stand firm in their biblical convictions against evolutionary teaching, urging unrepentant sinners to recognize God's coming judgment, and calling all to a deeper appreciation of Christ rooted in a proper understanding of their lostness through the law.

3 illustrations in this sermon

The Authoritative Voice of Christ and the Permanence of Scripture

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Tittle change in Leviticus

Driving home: For even the Son of God Himself was subject to the Word of God. And the Word of God was of such authority and permanent validity in the eyes of Christ that even He, He made no attempt to set it aside but subjected Himsel…

Martin uses a specific example from Leviticus 22:32, showing how changing one 'tittle' (smallest mark) in a Hebrew letter could reverse the meaning from 'profane my holy name' to 'praise my holy name,' illustrating the extreme precision and authority of God's Word.

Now studying for this, I came across some interesting quotes from some of the Jewish who showed how true this could be. And there were some quotes. I'll share just one with you. In Leviticus 22, 32, we are told, Neither shall ye profane my holy name.

6:29 - 6:49 Read in full sermon

Principle 2: The Essential Unity Between Old and New Testaments

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Joseph Smith's contradictions

The point: Take the Bible down from the shelf, open its pages, and read it with a hungry heart, recognizing it as a marvelous heritage.

Martin contrasts the blessed unity of the Bible (40 authors over 1500 years) with the blatant contradictions in Joseph Smith's writings (one man over a few years), highlighting the unique divine inspiration of Scripture.

And I wonder tonight, this morning, as God's people, if we appreciate this. This book, written over a period of 1500 years, by about 40 different authors, and blessed unity and harmony. This is what sets it completely apart from the...

31:37 - 31:58 Read in full sermon

The Law's Role in Effective Evangelism

compare analogy

Band-aid vs. Drowning

The point: Go home today, get on your knees, open up to Exodus 20, and ask God to show you if you are a lawbreaker, letting the Spirit reveal where you've fallen short so you may cry out for Jesus and mercy.

Martin uses the analogy of a scratch needing a band-aid versus drowning in a river to illustrate the difference between a shallow understanding of sin and a profound realization of desperate lostness, which then leads to a deeper gratitude for Christ's salvation.

The shallow measure of our devotion to Jesus Christ in our evangelical circles, is greatly due to our little appreciation of Him. And our little appreciation of Him is rooted in the fact that our evangelism has been void of the law of God which has shown us our desperate need. If you're walking down the street with a scratch on your finger and I give you a band-aid, you'll be indebted to me. But not the same way as if you're drowning in the Passaic River and about to get down for the third time and I take you out.

42:56 - 43:31 Read in full sermon

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