Old Testament
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God Must Punish Sin
Attitudes towards religion; the nature of the world's problems to be found in Genesis; a pattern in history of God's intervention; the claim of history; the New Testament evidence; belief in Genesis crucial; God must punish sin : why? the violence in man; God's plan not dependant on ignorance.
Babel: the Tragedy of Man
Why is the world in the condition it is? modern man dismisses the Bible; the evidence of archaeology has caused a new interest in the Old Testament; the evidence of language; man's powers of observation; man succeeds in science and fails in relationships; man glorifies himself today; as did the builders of Babel.
The Seed of Abraham
The perpetual struggle examined; God's action in history; the offer of new life; the importance and example of Abraham; the problem s of life the same in Abraham's day; the call to every person : repentance; the city of man; or the city of God; the offer of the Christian message; belief; faith; obedience.
It is God Who Acts
Do you turn to God only when you are disturbed by your experience? Inquiring only to satisfy your curiosity? This is what Moses did at the burning bush, but God arrested Moses’ cares and attention. In this sermon from Exodus 3:3, Dr. Martin Lloyd-Jones addresses this fatally casual approach to God. Often times, Lloyd-Jones states, we address God out of exhaustion or need. He corrects this saying we must always begin with God. He is the root of all things! What a transformation that would take place if we applied God to our experience rather than appealing our experiences to God. Indeed, The Doctor shows us that the main business of Christianity is Christ’s death on the cross bringing us face to face with God. God is so pure that he cannot look upon sin, but because of salvation we can enter his presence. Not only this, but God’s plan for salvation is certain, as we see in this passage. He sees our sorrows and acts like he did for the Israelites. Turn to God in full attention to him. His purposes are good and he has cared for our greatest need so that we might dwell in his presence rather than address him only when we must.
A Living God
Blaise Pascal once said, “God is not the God of the philosophers.” Dr. Martin Lloyd-Jones expounds on how dangerous this statement is. The philosophers deal in the abstract, but we have a God that is real and can be known personally. When God described himself to Moses as I AM in Exodus 3:6, he was showing himself as the familiar and intimate God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Lloyd-Jones shows us in this sermon that our God is a God of compassion and faithfulness throughout the ages. This is the God who sees our sorrows and looks upon us as a father pities his children and then works his good purposes for us. He remains who he has always been, in covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and he acts out of compassion on our behalf. Do you know this God? Has he interrupted your life? Go to him as your father!
The Message of the Bible Today
Why are we unable to live in right relationship with one another? It is because we are not in right relationship with God! In this sermon from Exodus 20:1-26, Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones shows us that at every opportunity throughout Scripture, man failed to dwell in obedience to God. Adam, Noah, Abraham, they all failed! Even when God gave the Israelites the Ten Commandments they were unable to live in obedience. Scripture highlights God’s holiness and the depravity of sin in men with the sole purpose of turning our eyes to Jesus Christ. Our greatest need is to live in right relationship with God and this is accomplished because our sins were punished in Christ. Lloyd-Jones asks, “has the law of God brought you to Christ?” When you consider the state of man and our inability to live in obedience, turn to the character of God and the gift of his Son!
The Message of the Tabernacle
Have you ever wondered why your prayers are not answered? In this sermon from Exodus 24:12, Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones proposes that perhaps our prayers are not answered because we do not approach God rightly. When we approach God, we cannot disregard the reason why we are able to approach him. Rather than rushing to God with our needs, remember that God’s Son was given as a sacrifice for our sin that we might dwell in God’s presence. In this passage Lloyd-Jones considers the significance of the tabernacle for the Israelites. The sweet message that comes with the tabernacle in the Old Testament is that God desires to dwell with us. Now in the New Testament, Jesus’ death shows God’s desire to dwell with us forever. Will you accept this good gift? Do not look past Christ’s sacrifice as you approach your good Father.
The Essence of True Religion
Why is the Church in such a dire situation? Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones tells us that it is because the Church in modern times has lost a sense of God’s presence. Just as in ancient Israel, the glory of the Lord departed when they turned away from God and sinned against Him, so in modern times something similar has taken place in the Church. The people of God are no longer aware or sensitive to His presence. What is the answer to this great dilemma? Only by returning to God and by seeking His face can the Church become faithful and able to fulfill its mission of preaching the Gospel! Christians must reject all forms of materialistic religion that is devoid of true love for God and His Word. The Church should not try to attract unbelievers by appealing to their fleshly desires and unregenerate minds, but they must pursue true spiritual religion that is focused on God’s Word and His glory. What does this sermon mean for the lives of ordinary believers? It is a call for all Christians to seek God according to true religion. It is a call for Christians to seek the presence of God anew in every generation!
The Condition of Man
Why is the Bible relevant to modern man? In this sermon from Numbers 11:4-6, Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones answers this very question. He says that the moral problems of society are nothing new and are really problems of humanity in general. The many efforts of man to fix and diagnose his own problems are all vain and misplaced. Scripture not only tells us what the problem is, but also the answer. Man is fundamentally fallen, and therefore evil according to the Bible, he has rebelled against God and rejected His Law and rule. The answer is not more moralizing, but it is the Gospel! The answer to the deepest moral dilemmas is in the fact that God has sent His own Son to die for our sins. God made a way for sinners to be redeemed and reconciled to Him. This new life changes the hearts and minds so that men and women now desire what is true and godly. What does this sermon mean for each and every one of us? First, it is the declaration that sin and depravity an only be overcome by the Gospel. This sermon also tells us of Jesus Christ who is the only Savior that God has granted to the world.
The Mind of Man
How has sin affected man and his reasoning? Many scorn the ideas of God, Jesus, and the need for salvation. The say that no rational person can possibly be a Christian. But in this sermon on Numbers 11:4-6, Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones shows that Scripture has a very different idea of what it means to be reasonable. After the people of Israel are set free from bondage in Egypt, they quickly begin complaining that they do not have the food and comfort that they had while they were slaves. This is wholly irrational, but it serves to show that we are fallen, and sin has affected our minds and hearts. It is rational to believe that God has sent Jesus into the world and died, but we are blinded to this truth until God graciously opens our eyes to see Him and believe Him. Man’s essential problem is that he is fallen and blinded by sin and immorality. Fallen man is a slave to sin until Jesus Christ overcomes his sinful heart and makes him new. Do you scorn the idea of Jesus Christ? Or do you believe that God has sent his Son to save sinners? There is no more vital question we can ask ourselves.
About Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones
Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones (1899-1981) was a Welsh evangelical minister who preached and taught in the Reformed tradition. His principal ministry was at Westminster Chapel, in central London, from 1939-1968, where he delivered multi-year expositions on books of the bible such as Romans, Ephesians and the Gospel of John. In addition to the MLJ Trust’s collection of 1,600 of these sermons in audio format, most of these great sermon series are available in book form (including a 14 volume collection of the Romans sermons), as are other series such as "Spiritual Depression", "Studies in the Sermon on the Mount" and "Great Biblical Doctrines". He is considered by many evangelical leaders today to be an authority on biblical truth and the sufficiency of Scripture.