Cast Not Pearls Before Swine

In this part of the sermon: Martin begins by reviewing the previous section on avoiding a censorious spirit, then introduces Matthew 7:6 as a balancing command against an undiscerning spirit that would…

This grotesque figure of speech from Matthew 7:4 is used to highlight the absurdity of attempting to correct others while having greater faults oneself, setting up the need for discernment.

How can I pluck the splinter from the eye of my brother when the two-by-four is hanging out of my own eye? That's the grotesque figure of speech that our Lord uses here in this passage. Now this morning we move on to the next verse, which is a unit of thought in itself. Verse 6.

1:37 - 1:57 Read in full sermon

The point: Recognize and obey the command of Matthew 7:6 as a non-optional directive from Christ.

Martin contrasts the modern perception of dogs as pets with the ancient Jewish understanding of dogs as wild, carnivorous, and unclean animals, to clarify the meaning of 'dogs' in the text.

Now it has two aspects, and they were very common in the thought pattern of Jewish people in the day in which our Lord spoke, but perhaps not so common to us, so it's going to take a little explaining. First of all, we have this matter of the dawns. Give not that which is holy unto the dawn, but that which is holy unto the dawns. Now when we think of dawns in our domesticated America, we think of a nice little house pet who sits down and warms our feet by the fireplace, or who meets us at the door with a bark, and if he hasn't been trained too well will jump up on us, like some of the dogs I k...

7:53 - 8:33 Read in full sermon

The point: When someone explicitly rejects the truth, take them at their word and cease sharing with them, leaving them to their sin and ignorance.

An old evangelist teaches a young seminary student the importance of preaching God's law to reveal sin before offering the gospel, illustrating the principle of not casting pearls before swine.

And we see it in His own ministry, in the ministry of the apostles, and also in these warnings in the book of Proverbs. In teaching unselfishly, teaching unsaved men and women were not to cast holy things before dogs and pearls before swine. Several of you have heard the tape of an old evangelist who has been mightily used of God. And he tells the story of how he went with a young preacher into a little country town.

23:21 - 23:46 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: The sermon explains the two reasons given in the text: lest they trample the truth underfoot (abusing it) and turn and rend you (abusing the messenger), highlighting the motive of…

A friend's brother, who refused to hear the gospel for 20 years, lay dying, and Martin found himself unable to speak to him about Christ, illustrating the frightful consequence of becoming a 'dog' or 'swine' to the truth.

You know, I actually know of an instance, and it's a frightening one, where a friend of mine was converted out of just empty religion. He'd been a Protestant, but had nothing but religion. There are Protestants and Catholics like that. There are probably some here, the Alliance, Presbyterian, Methodist.

36:23 - 36:41 Read in full sermon

The point: Cultivate a discerning, discriminating spirit to accurately assess the character of those with whom you are dealing, avoiding both hypercritical judgment and naive gullibility.

Martin uses the analogy of a 'jaundiced eye' (suspicious nature) versus gullibility to explain how natural temperaments can lead people to either withhold truth too readily or dispense it indiscriminately, highlighting the need for balanced discernment.

By nature, every one of us walks in the balance of God's truth. Every one of us will go to one extreme or another. Now if your nature's sort of jaundiced, you know, everything you look through is a jaundiced eye and yellow glasses, and you're suspicious, if your wife gives you an extra good meal you wonder what she wants. An extra five dollars for groceries?

40:17 - 40:32 Read in full sermon

The point: Acquire a working knowledge of the Word of God, storing its truths in your heart and mind, so that the Holy Spirit can guide you to speak a word in season.

This metaphor describes someone who indiscriminately shares God's truth without discernment, like Rockefeller casually dispensing dimes, illustrating the lack of appreciation for the truth.

Others of you, nothing's swine or dog. Why you just throw out God's truth like Rockefeller throws out dimes? I mean, you just have the best time. And people will mock the truth and they'll abuse the truth, but you're just so good natured you can't believe that anybody would be a swine or a dog.

41:23 - 41:38 Read in full sermon