Uncertainty of Life / Certainty of Death (introduction by Achille Blaize )

Luke 13:1-5

In a sermon prompted by recent tragedies within the church, Pastor Albert N. Martin expounds on Luke 13:1-5 and Luke 12:16-20, arguing that God's providence highlights the uncertainty of life and the certainty of death. He asserts that the greatest folly is to be unprepared for death, which is inevitable due to sin (Romans 5:12). Martin then presents Jesus Christ as the only valid preparation for death (John 11:25-26), emphasizing the necessity of repentance and faith for union with Him. Finally, he warns against grieving the Holy Spirit through disaffection and self-centeredness, which impedes the Spirit's work in bringing sinners to Christ.

3 illustrations in this sermon

Introduction: Providence as an Arrow and Spotlight

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Jonah's Folly in Providence

Driving home: The will of God is revealed in the word of God. But what God does do in his providence is to construct an arrow which points us to certain truths in the word of God at certain times, and under the pointer of that provide…

Jonah is presented as a classic example of someone who misinterpreted favorable providences as God's will, leading him to disobey God's explicit word and travel in the opposite direction.

Jonah is the classic example of that. From the favorable providences, he could prove that it was God's will for him to get into a ship that was carrying him in the opposite direction from which the word of God had directed him to go.

6:10 - 6:29 Read in full sermon

Truth 2: The Folly of Being Unprepared for Death

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Man Sinking Gold in the Ocean

In this part of the sermon: The sermon moves to the second truth: the greatest folly in life is to be unprepared for death. Martin illustrates this with the parable of the rich fool from Luke 12:16-20…

A man who spends his life amassing a fortune only to sink it in the ocean is used as an analogy for worldly folly, setting up the argument that being unprepared for death is an even greater folly.

That the greatest folly in life is to be unprepared for death. Now there are many things that constitute folly in this life. If you were to see a man spend his whole lifetime to amass a fortune. Convert all of that fortune into gold.

21:38 - 21:59 Read in full sermon

Truth 3: The One Valid Preparation for Death is Christ

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Billy Bray's Joy at His Wife's Funeral

In this part of the sermon: Martin declares that the only valid preparation for death is a person: Jesus Christ, who is the resurrection and the life (John 11:25-26). He contrasts the empty comfort offered…

The story of Billy Bray, an old miner known for his holy joy, dancing and praising God at his wife's funeral, illustrates the profound comfort and hope that true Christian theology provides in the face of death.

I tell you, I have seen bereaved widows and fathers and mothers come to the border of being dancing happy with tears in their eyes by a graveside. The comfort of that reality so permeated the soul that they could barely contain the joy were they not tempered with tears. There was at one time a real man. His name was Billy Bray.

35:26 - 36:01 Read in full sermon

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