Mat. 11:25-27, John 3:1-11, 1:12-13, Ja. 1:17-18

Driving home: faith may swim where reason and understanding may only wade. We may trust where we cannot fathom. We may believe where we cannot understand.

Martin quotes old Watson: 'faith may swim where reason and understanding may only wade,' to illustrate the attitude of faith required when studying profound biblical truths like God's sovereignty.

Some weeks has been the sovereignty of God in approaching this profound area of biblical revelation. We are seeking to come with a threefold attitude, one in which we are willing to go wherever the Bible leads us, willing to walk down any path that is marked out by divine revelation. Secondly, we're seeking to study this subject in a climate of faith. And I repeat the quaint saying of old Watson, faith may swim where reason and understanding may only wade.

0:01 - 0:43 Read in full sermon

Driving home: What reason can we give, does our Lord give, for the fact that he has chosen to hide the revelation of his truth from the wise and the prudent, and to reveal himself to babes... Even so, Father, for so it seemed good in …

Martin uses the example of God choosing most of His people from the 'small of the earth' rather than the mighty, to illustrate how God magnifies His grace and prevents human glorying, as described in 1 Corinthians 1.

You see, some of you have been rather disturbed that you weren't blessed with an overabundance of this world's possessions, of its wisdom, of its influence, of its might, of its power, of its prestige, you ought to stop that, for not many mighty, not many noble, and from God's perspective, he chooses to call out most of his people from the likes of us, so that no flesh should glory in his presence. Now, why did he choose this way? Well, that's his business. Why did he make you and me the small of the earth, that we might be among the chosen of his people? Why were not we made amongst the might...

16:36 - 17:36 Read in full sermon

Driving home: What reason can we give, does our Lord give, for the fact that he has chosen to hide the revelation of his truth from the wise and the prudent, and to reveal himself to babes... Even so, Father, for so it seemed good in …

The conversion of Saul of Tarsus on the road to Damascus is used as a vivid illustration of God's irresistible and sovereign grace, demonstrating His power to humble even the proudest and most determined opponent.

He wasn't seeking the Lord. He had the bit in his mouth, the reins loose on his neck, running on to Damascus, determined to kill the Christians, and God says, time to save him, speaks out of heaven, sends him on the ground, he cries out, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? If I didn't believe in the sovereignty of God in grace, I'd have to tear Acts 9 out of my Bible. Beautiful picture of the sovereignty of God in grace.

17:36 - 18:00 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: The sermon moves to John 3, focusing on verse 8, where Jesus likens the new birth to the wind. Martin explains that the Spirit's work is efficacious, sovereign (blowing where it…

Martin recounts his personal experience of being unable to summon wind into a hot room, even when desperately desiring it, to illustrate the unpredictability and sovereignty of the wind, and by analogy, the Holy Spirit's work in regeneration.

No, you don't do that. There is a sense of divine sovereignty in the blowing of the wind. I think I, again, I don't think I use the illustration here. I've got to keep a little book.

30:12 - 30:21 Read in full sermon

The point: Take away all self-confidence in witnessing to others, realizing that you might as well be talking in Chinese unless God performs the miracle of opening blinded eyes and quickening to life.

The story of Ezekiel in the valley of dry bones is used to illustrate that while God's servants are helpless to give life, they are commanded to preach, and God sovereignly brings life through His word, even in seemingly impossible situations.

But coupled with it will be a heart that goes out in deep earnest supplication to God that He might quicken to life those dead bones. When Ezekiel stood over that valley and saw those dead bones, God said, Can they live? Do you remember His answer? O Lord, Thou knowest.

41:56 - 42:13 Read in full sermon

The point: Avoid methods, tricks, and gimmicks in witness, as they are a denial of belief in God's sovereignty.

Martin alludes to Peter's response to the great catch of fish ('Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord!') to illustrate the profound humility that results when God sovereignly works through His servants, preventing them from counting converts or relying on gimmicks.

It'll send you down in your face, saying like Peter when that great draft of fish came in, Oh Lord, depart from me, I'm an unclean man. And that'll keep you and your witness from the methods and the tricks and the gimmicks that have become the vogue in the church today. It'll keep you from that because you know that they're a denial of what you believe. Our methodology is the loudest witness to our theology.

43:26 - 43:52 Read in full sermon