The Way of Forgiveness of Sins

The point: Be brought to know Jesus Christ in a saving way.

Bunyan's 'Celestial City' from Pilgrim's Progress is used as a graphic synonym for heaven, setting the theme for the sermon series.

Last Lord's Day evening, we began what will be a relatively brief series of messages entitled Simple Signpost to the Celestial City. Taking the term Celestial City from Bunyan's Immortal Pilgrim's Progress, used as a graphic synonym for heaven, this series of sermons will be an attempt to preach and to apply some of the most simple and clear texts in all of the Word of God, which indeed constitute signposts to heaven. Texts which address the great issues of sin and of grace. Texts which call us to repent and to believe. On the Lord Jesus Christ.

0:00 - 0:58 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: He briefly recalls the previous sermon on John 14:6 and expresses a desire to have heard an apostle preach. He then directs attention to Paul's sermon in Acts 13 as a divinely…

Martin expresses a personal wish to have heard Whitefield, Spurgeon, Peter, or Paul preach, highlighting the impact of powerful gospel proclamation.

Well, tonight we're going to fix our attention upon another simple signpost to the celestial city. A signpost taken from a sermon preached by the great Apostle Paul. Have you ever wondered what it would be like to have heard an apostle preach the gospel? As I have read biographies, I have wished that somehow I could be shot into a time capsule and taken back to some of the open fields in England and hear the great Whitefield preaching Christ with such passion, with such earnestness and burning, almost seraphic eloquence.

4:58 - 5:42 Read in full sermon

The point: Gaze intently upon this simple signpost to the celestial city, recognizing the eternal consequences of your choices.

He uses the shock of Michael Jordan's retirement and the desire of young men to emulate his basketball skills to illustrate what captures their attention and commitment, contrasting it with the eternal importance of the gospel.

is that portion upon which we shall see etched a simple signpost to the celestial city. And I want to make a direct appeal as Paul did not to men of Israel and you who fear God but especially to you children and young people within these walls tonight. If I were to say to some of you teenage guys who are very much aware of the great shock wave that went through the athletic world upon the news of Michael Jordan's retirement Hey guys! All of you guys with hoops to whom Michael was your idol of idols listen to me and if you follow my directions I can guarantee you in six months you can jump and ...

10:36 - 12:03 Read in full sermon

The point: Gaze intently upon this simple signpost to the celestial city, recognizing the eternal consequences of your choices.

He uses the desire of young women for a handsome, wealthy husband and young men for a 'dream woman' to further illustrate what worldly things command attention, contrasting them with the ultimate significance of eternal salvation.

and I were to say to you listen to me guys I'm going to give you a sure fire rate in six months you'll be Michael's replacement. Would you listen? There are some of you that would. I were to say to some of you young women listen to me listen carefully if you listen to me carefully I guarantee by the time you're 25 you'll be marrying a guy handsome enough to be a movie actor strong enough to make Arnold Schwarzenegger look like a wimp wealthy enough to make the Rockefellers go on welfare would you listen?

12:03 - 12:46 Read in full sermon

The point: Never become so sophisticated that you do not return again and again to proclaim forgiveness of sins to fellow sinners.

The gospel is likened to a many-faceted diamond, with forgiveness of sins shining out as its deepest, most marvelous provision, addressing all needs of sinners.

or remission of sins is the central blessing of the gospel now the gospel is like a many faceted diamond it has many planes and it shines in many ways because our needs as sinners are many and there is no need that we have as sinners which is not addressed in some marvelous facet of gospel privilege in Christ however shining out of the deepest center of that diamond and radiating to every plane of every facet is its most marvelous provision and that is the blessing of forgiveness of sins and hence when the apostle in his sermon there in that synagogue comes to bring that sermon to a conclusion...

15:41 - 17:07 Read in full sermon

The point: Never become so sophisticated that you do not return again and again to proclaim forgiveness of sins to fellow sinners.

The phrase 'as far as the east is from the west' (Psalm 103:12) is explained by noting the absence of an 'east pole' or 'west pole,' illustrating the infinite, unrecoverable distance God removes our sins.

from the reckoning of God and from God's dealings with us as a righteous and holy judge and when sin is removed we have no more guilt and when guilt is removed there is no more wrath and there is no more condemnation and God delights to extol how thorough is that central blessing under the gospel when he uses such language as we find in Psalm 103 and verse 12 as far as the east is from the west so far has he removed our transgressions from us we have a north pole we can locate it precisely we have a south pole but we have no east or west pole and one can chase the east to the west or the west ...

18:34 - 19:59 Read in full sermon

The point: Never become so sophisticated that you do not return again and again to proclaim forgiveness of sins to fellow sinners.

The image of casting sins into the 'depths of the sea' (Micah 7:19) is used to convey the thoroughness of God's forgetfulness of sin, emphasizing its complete removal.

from the reckoning of God and from God's dealings with us as a righteous and holy judge and when sin is removed we have no more guilt and when guilt is removed there is no more wrath and there is no more condemnation and God delights to extol how thorough is that central blessing under the gospel when he uses such language as we find in Psalm 103 and verse 12 as far as the east is from the west so far has he removed our transgressions from us we have a north pole we can locate it precisely we have a south pole but we have no east or west pole and one can chase the east to the west or the west ...

18:34 - 19:59 Read in full sermon

The point: Do not be deceived by the nonsense that says your sense of guilt is imposed; it is real guilt against a real God.

The conscience is described as 'the eyelash of God brushing over your moral consciousness,' illustrating that guilt is not imposed but an inherent evidence of being an image-bearer of God.

but then underneath it printed with equal clarity is this statement that this forgiveness is found only in connection with the Christ of Old Testament prophecy and of New Testament history for the simple reason that true forgiveness deals with the true God and with real sins that can only be dealt with with the real Christ of real biblical revelation we are not dealing with philosophical ideas kids we are not dealing with religious theories the very God the consciousness of whom you cannot drive from your mind though it would make life a lot easier for some of you if you could the haunting awa...

25:48 - 27:16 Read in full sermon

The point: Throw yourself into the lap of Jesus, entrusting your entire sin problem to Him, in light of His death and resurrection.

Martin quotes a perceptive writer who describes Acts 13:38-39 as 'the book of Romans and Galatians in a nutshell,' emphasizing its concise articulation of justification by faith alone.

one believing is justified you see the emphasis upon everyone believing is held to the last to give it tremendous impact upon the mind and the spirit from all things from which you were not able to be justified by the law of Moses why that's all of my sins do not justify me forgive me pardon me give me acceptance with God with reference to one of my sins from all things from which I cannot be justified by the law of Moses in this one yes in this one but how in this one everyone believing is justified the third line upon this simple signpost of the celestial city says in Christ by faith alone o...

31:39 - 33:06 Read in full sermon

The point: Throw yourself into the lap of Jesus, entrusting your entire sin problem to Him, in light of His death and resurrection.

He quotes a description of salvation as 'slowly and with such difficulty prepared for us... yet so short and so pleasant for us to travel,' highlighting the contrast between God's redemptive work and the simplicity of faith.

inexhaustible theme the way to salvation so slowly and with such difficulty prepared for us slowly through the time of preparation in the old covenant head one of Paul's sermon with difficulty through the bitter suffering and death of Jesus head number two in his sermon yet so short and so pleasant for us to travel short for all we need do is to embrace the cross of Christ by faith pleasant for here we find remission of sins life and salvation now I don't know what else to call that but beautiful that's not only true dear people that's beautiful think of what it meant for God to procure salvat...

33:06 - 34:31 Read in full sermon

The point: Throw yourself into the lap of Jesus, entrusting your entire sin problem to Him, in light of His death and resurrection.

Faith is likened to drinking the water of life, eating the bread of life, and looking upon the serpent of brass, illustrating its unique capacity to go out of itself to find Christ.

he dares to simple signpost to the city right in a sinner is that it is told it takes it receives provided by another therefore it is likened to drinking of the water of life it is likened to eating of the bread of life it is likened to looking upon the serpent of brass it is the unique capacity of faith to have nothing in itself upon which to rest and to go totally out of itself into another to find that other and that other is the Lord Jesus and you dear children one of my greatest fears and you young people is that because you have been soundly and properly instructed and catechized and doc...

35:58 - 37:26 Read in full sermon

The point: You've got to go in on your own; you've got to stand by the simple signpost and lay hold of Christ in the word and promise of God.

He uses the analogy of children needing to go to Christ on their own, not on 'mom and dad's apron strings,' to stress personal responsibility in believing.

applied with the promise moves to one by word to go out we could bring you have been it tools was to go out local get you in our is in fact that the q� the Prophet said The Father forgot we have violated his meaning of the Scriptures and hasyears just loving them in our hearts they did not chicken out at all managers and we've had the same bruises. he would not follow the sect towards us in bad faith to be misguided you'd preach to accusation To God, we could get you in on mom and dad's apron strings. There's no one who doesn't for the power to bring his children in. I've never asked for power...

42:22 - 43:24 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: The signpost concludes with a solemn warning against unbelief, citing Habakkuk 1:5 and New Testament passages, identifying unbelief as the greatest, damning sin that keeps one out…

The common warning sign 'beware of the dog' is used to explain the meaning of 'beware' in the text, indicating a lurking danger, which in this context is unbelief.

You come up to a house. You're going to a friend's place and it says beware of the dog. Beware of this danger. The word beware means there's a danger lurking about.

46:55 - 47:09 Read in full sermon

The point: Stand by that signpost and thank God for planting it in His word and bringing you near it in the preaching, acknowledging your sin and Christ's ability and willingness to take it away.

He quotes lines from the hymn 'Just As I Am' to illustrate the posture of a sinner coming to Christ without any merit or delay, relying solely on His shed blood.

And I want them taken. What do I wait for. Just as I am. Without one plea but that thy blood was shed for me.

51:42 - 51:52 Read in full sermon