Suffering

In "Series Overview, Part 1," Pastor Albert N. Martin begins a two-part summary of his 101-message exposition of 1 Peter, which spanned two and a half years. He identifies the central pastoral burden…

In "Series Overview, Part 2," Pastor Albert N. Martin concludes his exposition of 1 Peter by summarizing the final three of six major statements on suffering for Christ. He emphasizes the believer's…

In "Sufferings of Christ and His People, #1," Pastor Albert N. Martin expounds 1 Peter 3:13-22, focusing on the similarities between Christ's sufferings and those of His people. He argues that…

Pastor Albert N. Martin expounds 1 Peter 3:18-22, focusing on the unique aspects of Christ's suffering and death. He argues that Christ's death was penal, final, and vicarious, suffered by the…

Pastor Albert N. Martin expounds 1 Peter 3:18-22, a notoriously difficult passage, to comfort and strengthen suffering saints. He argues that Christ, put to death in the flesh but made alive in the…

In 'Arm Yourselves w/the Mind of Christ #1,' Pastor Albert N. Martin expounds 1 Peter 4:1-2, urging believers to adopt the mindset of Christ in the face of suffering. He argues that just as Christ…

Pastor Albert N. Martin expounds 1 Peter 4:1-6, urging believers to arm themselves with the mind of Christ in the face of suffering. He argues that a powerful motivation to suffer rather than sin…

Pastor Albert N. Martin expounds 1 Peter 4:1-6, focusing on suffering and future judgment as motivations for Christian living. He argues that believers must arm themselves with Christ's…

Pastor Albert N. Martin expounds 1 Peter 4:17-18, asserting that the 'fiery trial' believers experience is God's disciplinary judgment beginning in His own house, the Church. He clarifies that this…

In 'Climactic Directive to Suffering Saints,' Pastor Albert N. Martin expounds 1 Peter 4:19, presenting it as Peter's final, capstone instruction on how Christians are to endure suffering for…

Pastor Albert N. Martin expounds on the Christian's response to suffering for righteousness' sake, drawing primarily from 1 Peter 2-4, Matthew 5, and Romans 12. He argues that Christ's suffering…

Pastor Albert N. Martin expounds on the relationship between the gift of the Holy Spirit and suffering for Christ, distinguishing it from general suffering. He argues that true conversion, marked by…

Preached by Edward Donnelly at the 2001 Southeastern Family Conference, this sermon takes Philippians 3:10 as its text and unfolds four ways in which the believer's sufferings are inseparably…

Pastor Martin expounds 1 Peter 2:21-25, focusing on Christ's suffering as the second incentive for Christian servants to patiently endure undeserved suffering. He argues that believers are called to…

In "Healed by Returning," Pastor Albert N. Martin expounds 1 Peter 2:24c-25, asserting that true conversion is a spiritual healing, not a physical one, and that this healing consists in being…

Pastor Albert N. Martin expounds 1 Peter 3:13-17, focusing on the godly response to persecution. He begins by establishing that suffering for righteousness' sake is a unique kind of suffering…

In 'Accompanying Graces for the Persecuted,' Pastor Albert N. Martin expounds 1 Peter 3:13-17, addressing the Christian's response to suffering for righteousness' sake. He outlines the central duty…

In "Three Doctrinal Gleanings," Pastor Albert N. Martin expounds 1 Peter 3:13-17, extracting three foundational doctrinal truths. He first demonstrates the bold affirmation of the Deity of Christ by…

In "Three Practical Gleanings," Pastor Albert N. Martin expounds 1 Peter 3:13-17, focusing on the inevitable suffering of true Christians and how they are to respond. He extracts three practical…

In "Arm Yourselves w/the Mind of Christ #2," Pastor Albert N. Martin expounds 1 Peter 4:1-6, urging believers to adopt the mindset of Christ in suffering. He emphasizes the centrality of the cross in…

Pastor Albert N. Martin expounds 1 Peter 4:12-19, focusing on verses 12-13, to instruct believers on how to respond to suffering. He argues that Christians should not be surprised by fiery trials…

Pastor Martin expounds 1 Peter 4:14-16, offering an additional encouragement, a necessary prohibition, and a further directive for suffering Christians. He teaches that believers reproached for…

In 'The Essential Grace of Humility, Part 2,' Pastor Albert N. Martin expounds 1 Peter 5:6-7, focusing on the command to humble oneself under the mighty hand of God. He argues that this humility is a…

In "A Most Encouraging Promise, Part 1," Pastor Albert N. Martin expounds 1 Peter 5:10-11, focusing on the author and executor of God's promise to perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle suffering…

In "Collage of Perspectives in Light of Peter Leon's Illness," Pastor Albert N. Martin expounds 1 Corinthians 12:12-27, using the recent severe illness of church member Peter Leon as a pastoral…

Pastor Albert N. Martin expounds Matthew 26:36-46, offering a 'second glimpse' into the mystery of Gethsemane, focusing on Christ's desire for human companionship in suffering. He argues that it is…

Pastor Martin expounds Mark 10:32-45, focusing on the ambitious request of James and John for places of honor in Christ's kingdom and Jesus' searching response. He highlights the disciples' ignorance…

In 'Gleanings from Gethsemane,' Pastor Martin expounds Mark 14:32-42 and Hebrews 5, drawing four key lessons from Christ's agony in the garden. He presents Christ's fervent prayer life as a…

In this sermon, Pastor Albert N. Martin addresses the devastating hurricanes Katrina and Rita, asking whether they are 'children of Mother Nature or of Father God.' He expounds on the absolute…

In this sermon, Pastor Albert N. Martin expounds on seven vital lessons learned from the lengthy illness and recent death of congregant Jake Vander Wiele. Drawing from passages like Proverbs 27:1…

In 'Minister's Heartaches and Triumphs,' Pastor Albert N. Martin expounds 2 Corinthians 6:10a, 'as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing,' to explore the paradoxical experience of a true minister of…

In "I Shall Rejoice," Pastor Albert N. Martin expounds Philippians 1:18-20, focusing on Paul's bold affirmation of continued joy despite uncertain circumstances, even the threat of execution. Martin…

Pastor Albert N. Martin expounds 1 Peter 2:18-25, focusing on the first incentive for Christian servants to submit to their masters: such a lifestyle is acceptable to God. He argues that this…

Pastor Albert Martin expounds 1 Peter 2:18-24, focusing on Christ's example of patiently enduring undeserved suffering as an incentive for Christian servants. He details Christ's sinless character…

In "The Baptism That Saves," Pastor Albert N. Martin expounds 1 Peter 3:20-22, addressing the challenging statement that "baptism now saves you." He argues that Peter uses the sign (baptism) to…

In this sermon, Pastor Albert N. Martin expounds 1 Peter 4:7, focusing on the assertion that 'the end of all things is at hand' and the central exhortation to 'be of a sound mind and sober unto…

In 'The Essential Grace of Humility, Part 3,' Pastor Albert N. Martin expounds 1 Peter 5:6-7, focusing on the attendant duty of casting all anxieties upon God. He argues that while believers are to…

In 'A Most Encouraging Promise, Part 2,' Pastor Albert N. Martin expounds 1 Peter 5:10, focusing on the divine author and executor of the promise, the setting of its fulfillment, and its substance…

Pastor Martin expounds 1 Peter 5:12, focusing on Peter's summary of his letter as 'exhorting and testifying that this is the true grace of God. Stand fast therein.' He details the letter's brevity…

Pastor Albert N. Martin expounds 1 Thessalonians 1:3, focusing on the 'patience of hope' as one of the three crown jewels of Christian virtue. He defines biblical hope as a 'joyful and confident…

Pastor Martin expounds 1 Thessalonians 2:14, showing that the Thessalonians' suffering for the gospel proved the genuineness of their faith. He argues that God-given faith is a whole-souled response…

Pastor Martin expounds Mark 14:53-65, detailing Jesus' initial nighttime trial before the Sanhedrin. He meticulously outlines the setting, the four stages of accusation, interrogation, condemnation…

Pastor Martin expounds Mark 9:9-13, detailing the disciples' descent from the Mount of Transfiguration and their perplexity regarding Jesus' command to keep silent about what they had seen until…

Pastor Albert N. Martin expounds Revelation 1:9-20, focusing on the opening vision of the exalted Christ amidst the seven golden lampstands. He emphasizes that this vision, given to John in exile…

Pastor Albert N. Martin expounds Revelation 5, presenting Christ's kingship as the Lamb who was slain, the only one worthy to open the seven-sealed scroll of God's complete purposes for the church…

In "Functions of Good Conscience, Part 2," Pastor Albert N. Martin concludes his series on the perseverance of the saints, focusing on the strategic role of a good conscience. He expounds passages…

Pastor Martin expounds Revelation 1:9-20, focusing on the opening vision of Christ's kingship. He argues that this vision provides essential comfort and stability for the suffering church…

Pastor Martin expounds Hebrews 4:14-16 and Hebrews 2:17-18, continuing his series on the intercession of Christ. He argues that Christ's heavenly work is not only securing and supplying what was…

Pastor Albert Martin expounds 1 Peter 1:1-2, focusing on Peter's apostolic greeting: "Grace to you and peace be multiplied." He argues that this greeting, while using a common first-century letter…

Pastor Albert N. Martin expounds 1 Peter 1:10-12, returning to glean fundamental truths after a prior exposition. He affirms three basic doctrines: special revelation, the pre-existence and deity of…

Pastor Martin continues his exposition of 1 Peter 2:18-25, focusing on the revealed will of Christ for Christian servants, specifically household slaves in the Roman Empire. He details the command…

In "Happy Life: Ancient Recipe," Pastor Albert N. Martin expounds 1 Peter 3:10-12, drawing heavily from Psalm 34, to present a biblical formula for a life worth loving and days that are truly good…

In this sermon, Pastor Martin expounds 1 Peter 3:22, focusing on the ascension and heavenly session of Jesus Christ. He systematically details where Jesus went after His resurrection (heaven) and His…

In this sermon, Pastor Albert N. Martin expounds 1 Peter 5:1-4, focusing on God's description of elders in His church. He begins by exploring Peter's unique self-identification as a 'fellow elder,' a…

In this sermon, Pastor Albert N. Martin expounds 1 Peter 5:8-11, focusing on the believer's required response to Satan's attacks and the encouragement given by God. He details the devil's deceptive…

Pastor Albert N. Martin expounds 1 Thessalonians 5:16, "Rejoice always," in the second part of his sermon series. He reviews the definition of spiritual joy as an affection of the soul rooted in the…

In this fourth message of his "Ballast for the Soul" series, Pastor Albert N. Martin expounds on the profound truth that the enthroned Christ is the believer's indwelling life and strength. Drawing…

In this communion meditation, Pastor Albert N. Martin expounds on the truth that the enthroned Christ is the believer's indwelling life and strength, building on the New Testament doctrine of union…

Pastor Albert N. Martin expounds 1 Peter 1:3-9, focusing on how manifold trials test the depth of a believer's attachment to Christ. He argues that true saving faith has Christ's person as its unique…

Pastor Martin expounds 2 Kings 6:1-7, the account of Elisha and the floating axe-head, to demonstrate that the miraculous is an integral part of revealed religion, that devotion to God does not…