Summary4 min read

The Daily Blade Episode #348: Joby Martin // Only The Cross

Date: May 1, 2026
Hosts: Joby Martin & Kyle Thompson

Episode Overview

In this short yet powerful devotional, Pastor Joby Martin focuses on the closing verses of Galatians 6, urging listeners to seriously evaluate what “marks” their lives as Christ followers. Using Paul’s personal testimony and the challenge to bear the visible and tangible marks of faith, Joby provides practical and convicting questions for self-reflection, particularly regarding money, time, and witness. The tone is direct, earnest, and pastoral.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The True Mark of a Christian

Text Reference: Galatians 6:17-18:
- “From now on let no one cause me trouble, for I bear on my body the marks of Jesus. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit, brothers. Amen.”
Paul’s Rebuke of the Judaizers:
- Judaizers insisted circumcision was the necessary mark of being “truly” Christian.
- Paul counters by pointing to the suffering and scars he’s endured as a true mark:
  - “Paul had the physical marks on his body of what it looks like to follow after Jesus faithfully.” (01:35)
- Paul’s story: radical conversion, relentless, grace-driven effort, and real suffering (shipwrecks, beatings, stonings).
  - Notable quote:
    - “He was not ruled by fear. He was ruled by faith. That he would take the Gospel into the hardest places, that he would go to places even though he knew it was dangerous.” (02:03)

2. Challenging Listeners: Evidence of Faith

Joby challenges men to consider: What evidence is there in your life that shows you are a faithful follower of Christ? (02:44)

a. Finances/Stewardship (02:51)

Question: “If I were to look at your bank account? Does your bank account have the marks of Jesus, or do you spend money just like people that don’t believe in Jesus?”
- Do you chase luxury and comfort or invest in kingdom advancement?
- “Are you cheerfully bringing back to God your first and best…or does your life look just like everybody else’s life?”

b. Time Management/Priorities (03:27)

Question: “If I were to look at your calendar, does your calendar have the mark of Jesus?”
- Do you give Jesus your first and best time daily?
- Do you regularly gather with the church, or do other commitments (like kids’ sports) always take precedence?
- “When’s the last time you got your family together and took them on a family mission trip?”

c. Public Witness and Words (04:00)

Question: “If I were to walk into your office…would they know [you’re a believer]?”
- Do your coworkers see the difference?
- Do your words testify about Jesus?
  - “Do you use your words the way Christ has compelled us…to give testimony about Him?”
  - Reference: Acts 1:8 – “You will receive power…and you will be my witnesses.”
Overarching Challenge:
- “Has Jesus compelled us and changed us enough that our life is marked in our body? In other words, can the world see Christ in us?” (04:46)

3. Application & Exhortation (05:08)

Joby calls for serious self-examination:
- “If you are feeling defensive about it…spend some significant time this weekend looking at the mirror of your own walk with Jesus and say, where has my life been marked by Christ?”
- For marked areas: give praise. For unmarked areas: surrender at the altar.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

On Paul’s suffering:
“He was not ruled by fear. He was ruled by faith…he was shipwrecked, he was flogged many times, he was jailed, over and over and over.” (02:03)
On practical evaluation:
“Does your bank account have the marks of Jesus, or do you spend money just like people that don’t believe in Jesus?” (02:51)
On witness at work:
“If I were to walk into your office and say, all right, is this person a believer? Would they know?” (04:00)
Closing challenge:
“Has Jesus compelled us and changed us enough that our life is marked in our body? In other words, can the world see Christ in us?” (04:46)

Key Timestamps

00:20 – Main reading and context on Galatians 6:17–18
01:30–02:44 – Paul’s testimony, the true marks of following Christ
02:44–03:59 – Practical questions: finances, time, priorities
03:59–04:48 – Public witness: words, actions in the workplace and beyond
05:08–05:31 – Final exhortation for personal reflection

Overall Tone & Takeaway

Direct, challenging, but pastoral: Joby Martin calls believers—especially men—to examine the tangible, visible evidence of Christ’s lordship in every aspect of life, not settling for comfort or culture’s standards, but being marked by sacrifice, generosity, fellowship, and an unashamed public faith.

If you haven’t listened:
This episode is a succinct but potent devotional urging Christians to apply the gospel to their everyday lives, offering practical, soul-searching questions and real-life examples rooted in biblical truth.

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Transcript3 lines

[00:01]
A
Welcome to the Daily Blade. The word of God is described as the sword of the spirit, the primary spiritual weapon in the Christian's armor against the forces of evil. Your hosts are Joby Martin and Kyle Thompson, and they stand ready to equip men for the fight. Let's sharpen up.
[00:21]
B
All right. The end of Galatians, chapter 6. Beginning in verse 17, Paul says, From now on, let no one cause me trouble, for I bear on my body the marks of Jesus. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit, brothers. Amen. All right, this whole thing has been about a mark to show that you're saved. This is another jab at the Judaizers. The Judaizers said that you had to have the mark of circumcision if you really wanted to be a follower of Jesus and be a Christian. And Paul is like, no, no, no, no. I bear on my body the marks of Jesus. What that means is that Paul did not. He knew man. He got saved radically. He's on the road to Damascus. He's on his way to terrorize Christians, men, women and children, to put them in jail. And yet the resurrected Christ appears to him as a bright light, thumps him off of his horse and says, saul, Saul, why do you persecute me? And Paul says, who are you, Lord? And in that very moment, the scales fall off of Paul's eyes and he surrenders his life to the lordship of Jesus. And then for the rest of Paul's life, he lived with a grace driven effort. And the marks of Christ on his body that he's talking about were the marks that he endured because he was a faithful follower of Christ. That he was not ruled by fear. He was ruled by faith. That he would take the Gospel into the hardest places, that he would go to places even though he knew it was dangerous. I mean, heck, one time in the book of Acts, Paul is preaching and the religious leaders grab him and they drag him out of the city and they stone him. I think it was probably to death. And then he eventually comes back to. And then walks back into the city to finish his sermon, that he was shipwrecked, that he was flogged many times, that he was jailed over and over and over. That Paul had the physical marks on his body of what it looks like to follow after Jesus faithfully. My question to you is this. Do you. Is your. Like. What evidence do you have in your life that you are a faithful follower of Christ? Let's start with the hardest one that will make you mad. If I were to look at your bank account? Does your bank account have the marks of Jesus, or do you spend money just like people that don't believe in Jesus? Do you think more is mine? Do you just chase after luxuries and comforts? While Jesus told us that the harvest is plentiful but the laborers are few? Are you cheerfully bringing back to God your first and best and investing in kingdom advancement, or does your life look just like everybody else's life? Next, if I were to look at your calendar, does your calendar have the mark of Jesus? I mean, do you give Jesus your first and best of every day? Or are you busy just like everybody else? Do you prioritize being together with God's people, gathering together with the saints on a weekly basis to make much of Jesus in worship and word? Or are kids sports the most important thing on your calendar just like everybody else? When's the last time you got your family together and took them on a family mission trip? I mean, you plan and save for your vacation, or do you treat your time just like everyone else? If I were to walk into your office and say, all right, is this person a believer? Would they know? Would they even know? Do you use your words the way Christ has compelled us to use our words, to give an account about him, to give testimony about him? In Acts 1:8, Jesus says, and you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, and you will be my witnesses? Are you. Do you use your words just like everybody else in your office, or are your words marked by Christ? I mean, we could go on and on and on. You see, because Jesus was nailed to the cross and even in his resurrected body, he had the scars to prove it. And when we put our faith in Jesus Christ and he becomes our Lord and our Savior, and we take up our cross daily to follow after him. Because that's what a follower is. Wherever the leader goes, that's where we go. Has Jesus compelled us and changed us enough that our life is marked in our body? In other words, can the world see Christ in us? I hope and pray you'll take this very, very seriously. And if your response to this, if you are feeling defensive about it, be like, whoa, whoa, yeah, but you don't know my life. Oh, that's easy for you to say. Cause you're a preacher, I would highly encourage you to spend some significant time this weekend looking at the mirror of your own walk with Jesus and say, where has my life been marked by Christ? And for the places where it is marked, give him praise. And where the places that it's not, surrender it at the altar. Amen.
[05:32]
A
Thank you for listening to today's episode. Before you go, if you want to help, equip other men for the fight, share this podcast around and leave us a five star rating and review. Stay sharp.