Conclusions Drawn

Driving home: He did not come with the specific intention of disrupting families, disrupting societies, disrupting friendships. But He says it is an inevitable accompaniment of His coming, for He came on a mission of salvation, a miss…

Martin mentions that he rarely titles his sermons and that Rogers (presumably for tape distribution) often has to create titles, highlighting the difficulty of the task.

Because the exposition this morning and this evening is really one unit, it will be necessary to take just four, I hope five, at the maximum, minutes to go over the main thrust of what was considered this morning, and I trust what was opened up according to the mind of the Spirit in the text, and then we shall proceed to study verses 37 through 39. In the introduction of our study this morning, I justified the title to the sermon, something I rarely do simply because I seldom have titles. Rogers makes up titles for the tapes, but he usually has to make them up out of his own head. We lay a ter...

1:33 - 2:14 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: Expounding Matthew 10:37, Martin clarifies that 'love' here refers to natural affection (phileo) and that 'not worthy of me' means one is not a true disciple if they prioritize…

Martin uses the example of 'wholesale murder in the womb' (abortion) in the US and Great Britain as a contemporary manifestation of the absence of natural affection (phileo).

The scripture speaks of people who are without natural affection. Natural affection. Great sin that we find on every hand, where animals do their best to protect their young, unborn and born. We see on every hand the absence of natural affection.

9:36 - 9:51 Read in full sermon

The point: In the heart of a true Christian. Christ is preferred before ease, safety, reputation and comfort.

Martin uses Peter's denial of Christ as an example of a true Christian flinching in a moment of weakness, but then returning to open espousal of Christ, showing that temporary failure does not negate true faith.

Moments of weakness and thank God for Peter's denial. Is it pastor you crazy? Thank God for Peter's denial. Yes.

22:23 - 22:30 Read in full sermon

The point: Our Lord is teaching that in the heart of a true Christian, Christ is preferred before ease, safety, reputation, and comfort.

Martin recounts the story of a converted Muslim in Pakistan who faced a death threat for publicly debating a Muslim priest, illustrating what it means to 'take up the cross' and prefer Christ above safety and life itself.

When the sword comes, it often brings more than the alienation of affection. It brings at times even open opposition, the maligning of character, and possibly the threat of death itself. I think of that dear man of whom I heard when I was in Pakistan, a converted Muslim who dared to take on the local Malvi, that's the local Muslim priest, along with one of his superiors in public debate and so put him to public shame that the head Malvi has placed a price on the head of that man and promised anyone, kill him and several thousand rupees are in your hand.

24:53 - 25:28 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: Addressing Matthew 10:39, Martin interprets the paradox of losing and finding life through the analogy of a grain of wheat from John 12:24-25, explaining that disciples must 'die'…

Martin uses the planting of a cucumber seed that 'dies' to produce much fruit as an analogy to explain how 'he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it,' illustrating spiritual death leading to true life.

back up to verse 24. Verily, verily, I say unto you, except a grain of wheat fall into the earth and die, it abideth by itself alone. But if it die, it beareth much fruit. Back a couple of months ago, before I planted my garden, sitting in a cupboard in the laundry room, there was a bag with a bunch of seeds in it, little packages of seeds. Now, one of those packages

27:45 - 28:14 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: Addressing Matthew 10:39, Martin interprets the paradox of losing and finding life through the analogy of a grain of wheat from John 12:24-25, explaining that disciples must 'die'…

Martin personifies the cucumber seed as 'Little Harry Seed' who resists being planted, to further illustrate the human reluctance to 'die' to self and the ultimate fruitfulness that comes from such surrender.

Suppose that little seed could have a name. And we'll call him, with all due respects to a gentleman here, we'll call him Little Henry Seed, all right? Or Little Harry Seed, all right? And suppose the day came to plant those seeds, and Little Harry reared up on his little seed high in legs and said to me, He said, Don't plant me. The earth looks so damp, and it's so dark.

29:54 - 30:17 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: Addressing Matthew 10:39, Martin interprets the paradox of losing and finding life through the analogy of a grain of wheat from John 12:24-25, explaining that disciples must 'die'…

Martin introduces 'Henry,' Harry's twin, who refuses to be planted and remains on the shelf, symbolizing those who preserve their life and thus lose it, contrasting with Harry's fruitfulness.

And we'll name him Henry.

31:02 - 31:03 Read in full sermon