His Ears

In this part of the sermon: Pastor Martin introduces the sermon as a continuation of his 'Anatomy of a Man of God' series, reviewing the characteristics of the head and eyes previously discussed, and setting…

The sermon series uses the imagery of human anatomy (head, eyes, ears, mouth, heart, knees, feet) to describe spiritual characteristics of a man of God, making abstract spiritual truths more concrete and memorable.

As is our custom, we permitted the incoming students, in this case four men, to introduce themselves, and then we sought to direct your attention from the Word of God to aspects of biblical truth appropriate to that occasion. And at that time, I began to speak to you on the subject of the anatomy of a man of God. And under that imagery, it was my purpose to set before you some of those spiritual characteristics that are cloaked in Scripture under the imagery of various parts of the human anatomy. And my purpose then and now, and God willing, next Lord's Day, in completing that subject, is very...

1:07 - 2:29 Read in full sermon

The point: Pray for the men in the academy that they will be men who know God other than by hearsay.

A dear old woman in Scotland, when asked about a preacher, requested, 'Sir, whoever you send us, send us a man who knows God other than by hearsay.' This illustrates the need for ministers to have a personal, experiential knowledge of God, not just academic or secondhand knowledge, which comes from an open ear to God's Word.

your meat and drink pause every tuesday morning before you come to that first class and say oh lord jesus make me to say with you the lord jehovah has wakened morning by morning he has wakened my ear to hear as a disciple as a learner as one who is prepared to hear and to do that my lessons will come through the crucible of my own struggles in my own spiritual experience that when when When I pass on the fruit of them to others, they will throb and bristle with the vitality of the energy of my own contact with that truth. This is what that dear old woman in Scotland meant when talking with a r...

18:59 - 20:25 Read in full sermon

The point: Love reproof; actively seek out brethren and sisters to point out areas in your life contrary to the Word, or graces that are lacking, or vices you are blind to.

Church history is 'strewn with the carcasses of ministers who hated reproof,' serving as a stark warning and fulfillment of Proverbs 15:10, illustrating the destructive consequences of rejecting correction.

Verse 10, There is grievous correction for him that forsakes the way, and he that hates reproof shall die. Church history is strewn with the carcasses of ministers who hated reproof. I'm the domine for you to tell me. And their rotting carcasses across the highway of church history are the fulfillment of this warning.

31:08 - 31:48 Read in full sermon

The point: In a secret place with God, pray for humility to receive correction from any source, even an enemy or a lowly creature, rather than being left to your own pride and blindness.

Martin encourages believers to pray, 'God, if you want to raise up a jackass to walk across the path of my driveway, to speak to me, to turn me into the way of obedience, Lord, rebuke me with a jackass, a donkey. Rebuke me with a cockroach.' This vivid analogy emphasizes the humility required to receive reproof from any source God uses, no matter how lowly, rather than being left to one's own pride and blindness.

No one will make progress in grace who does not, in a secret place with God, say, God, let even my enemy smite me and I shall count it kindness. I shall regard it as oil upon my head. And God, if you want to raise up a jackass to walk across the path of my driveway, to speak to me, to turn me into the way of obedience, Lord, rebuke me with a jackass, a donkey. Rebuke me with a cockroach.

43:31 - 44:05 Read in full sermon

The point: Have solemn times with your wives to honestly face God's call upon your husband, and wives, do not stand in the way of your husband having an ear open and feet ready for God's call.

The example of missionaries like Steve Hoffmeyer and the Nanny family, enduring oppressive climates, difficult languages, isolation, and suffering, illustrates the cost and commitment involved in responding to God's specific call, and the unwavering conviction that it is 'worth it.'

And when it comes, not by vision, as it did here, nor by prophetic utterance, as it did in the second passage we'll look at in a moment in Acts 13, the man of God, like a Steve Hoffmeyer, says, Here am I, Lord, send me, though it means going to a climate hot and oppressive to us. Our poor brother Nanny and his family, they're freezing all the time in this weather. Mr. Dixon, Pastor Bob, myself, those of us who've been there know the only time you're cool is when you stand wet when you've come out of a cold shower and you wish you could just put on a loincloth and throw water on yourself every ...

55:11 - 56:20 Read in full sermon