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Institutionalised Religion

Acts 7:1-2

Rejecting Christ is nothing new but why are so many people quick to turn against God today? In this sermon on Acts 7:1–2 titled “Institutional Religion,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones points out that many people who reject the gospel are just like the Jewish leaders who did so in the time of the apostles. They believe that just because they perform good deeds, they do not need a savior or salvation. Or they think that because of their heritage and association with institutionalized religion that they are in good standing with God. There are many people who go to church every Lord’s Day and who give their money and time to the church, and yet are not saved. Listen as Dr. Lloyd-Jones exposes the dangers of institutionalized religion. These are people who perform religious actions not out of a heart of love, but out of tradition and human means. This is the great threat to the church in all times because these people do not believe that they are in need of salvation and redemption. They are deceived by their own vain actions and traditions. The answer to this is the true and powerful gospel of Christ that alone can save people from their blind slavery to false religion.

Having Peace with God

Romans 5:1-2

Chapter by chapter, Paul’s letter to the Romans has explained that all humanity is under God’s judgement and have hope through justification by faith, and now he is explaining that all can have peace with God. Christians were previously enemies of God but now they can have assurance and a resting faith in their salvation through Jesus Christ. In this sermon from Romans 5:1–2, titled “Having Peace with God,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones outlines how Christians know if they have this assurance and peace with God: their mind will be content with the process of justification by faith, they know that Christ loves them despite being sinners, they can answer the accusations of conscience and the devil, and they no longer fear death or judgement. If they were to fail or falter at any of these tests, then they may not have a true peace with God. Sometimes sin makes one question or doubt their justification, but regardless, their salvation is still true. Dr. Lloyd-Jones reminds that justification is one declarative act forever and faith always can fight this doubt victoriously. Dr. Lloyd-Jones also explains what the results of justification by faith look like in their lives as well as discussing what a false sense of peace with God is.

Dead in Trespasses and Sins

Ephesians 2:1

What is the state of a person before Christ? Is the problem with humanity that it needs more morality or is it much deeper? The apostle Paul explains that humanity’s greatest problem is that it is dead in trespasses and sins. In this sermon on Ephesians 2:1 titled “Dead in Trespasses and Sins,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones expounds on Paul’s words and preaches how when the Christian has a strong understanding of the depth of their depravity, it makes the work of Christ all the more glorious. When the Christian sees the severity of their sin and their plight outside of union with Christ, they realize the great power and sovereignty of God in salvation and it inevitably leads to true worship and praise to God for all the grace and mercy that He shows in saving sinners. Because sin is so deadly, only the power of God can save. No one can be unified with Christ by any other means. A true understanding of sin will spur the Christian on to evangelize the lost. They should want others to know of the great salvation that resides in Jesus Christ. The greatest problem with the sinner is not just that they do not come to church on Sunday or that they are not a part of the Christian social club. The greatest problem is that the sinner is alienated from God and under God’s wrath. With this is mind, telling others about Jesus becomes all the more important a task.

God Manifest in the Flesh

John 5:17-23

Why is it absolutely essential to believe in Jesus? In this message on John 5:37–39 titled “God Manifest in the Flesh,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones considers the essential question of why one must believe in Jesus for salvation. This seems like an odd question, even one with an obvious answer. Yet the Pharisees, along with many today, zealously believe in God but never mention or acknowledge Jesus Christ. The Pharisees had just witnessed a powerful miracle but they completely overlook it because they did not believe in Jesus. According to them, in performing this miracle, Jesus had broken the Sabbath. He had broken God’s law which the Pharisees were dedicated to protect and confront Jesus about working on the Sabbath. Jesus responds, “My Father is working until now, and I am working.” Jesus responds by making himself equal with God, fully divine, fully a part of the triune God. Believing in Jesus and His identity as God in the flesh is essential to salvation and knowing God. The Pharisees ardently profess belief in God, but respond to Jesus with a further desire to kill Him. It is in the midst of this profound rejection of Jesus that Dr. Lloyd-Jones offers reasons why it is essential to believe in Jesus.

God So Loved

Colossians 1:14

In this sermon on Colossians 1:14 titled “God So Loved,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones focuses on clarifying the role of Christ in the gospel. And the question Dr. Lloyd-Jones seeks to answer: Why did Christ come? The answer, as Paul also points out, is that Christ came to redeem people from their sin. However, this great task is different from the other things God has done, Dr. Lloyd-Jones says. God’s redeeming act is not like creation, where He only had to speak. Salvation is much greater, more personal than creation. God sent Christ, with the body and blood of a man, to die so that His blood may cover those who believe. But Dr. Lloyd-Jones reveals that most of the world does not see Christ this way. The world sees Christ as a great pacifist, His death as the ultimate example of pacifism. Others see Jesus as a great moral teacher. However, Dr. Lloyd-Jones dispels these claims, for it is not pacifism or teaching that saves a soul. Salvation is only possible through Christ’s death on the cross. And in response to such a great gift, he encourages those who believe to praise God for such unfathomable love.

The Light Has Come

John 3:19

In this sermon on John 3:19 titled “The Light Has Come,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones says that this is the most tragic verse in all of Scripture. This is because though God has provided a way of salvation in His Son Jesus Christ, in sinful blindness people reject Jesus. They stumble over the message of God’s free grace in Christ because they seek to establish their own righteousness apart from God. Why do they oppose the gospel message? The answer is because they do not believe that they are in need. They do not see that they are sinners in need of redemption and God’s mercy. They do not come to grips with the clear facts of their own sin and brokenness; they seek to explain away sin, guilt, and death. The answer to humanity’s hopeless condition is Jesus, who is able to save even the worst sinners. Because they are unable to believe the message of the gospel on their own, it is only God who can grant the gift of belief and repentance. Even though humanity is lost in darkness and alienated from God, God in His power is able to give sight to the blind and restore the hearing of the deafest sinner. This is because God is the author of all salvation and blessing.

Mans Great Problem

Acts 5:29-32

What is wrong with humanity and the world? Many answers are given to this question. Some say it is the low self-esteem or ignorance of humanity but in this sermon on Acts 5:29–­32 titled “Man’s Great Problem,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones gives a very different answer. He says that Scripture states that humanity’s greatest need is to be forgiven and reconciled to God. Because all have sinned and rebelled against God, they are now an enemy and alienated from God. Humanity was once perfect and upright, but now is evil and wicked. The only answer to this dire situation is not in anything that people can do, but in what God has done. God has sent His only Son into the world to die for sinners. Jesus Christ is both God and man. For this reason He is the perfect mediator between God and humanity. Forgiveness comes only through Jesus Christ; there is no other Savior. God is wholly just in forgiving sinners because Jesus has died and paid the ultimate price for the sins of all who believe. What is the implication of this message? The gospel must be believed by all for salvation. The gospel message of salvation from sin and adoption into the family of God is the most important message one can hear.

Christ; the Answer to Our Needs

Acts 5:1-11

Modern people reject the truth of the Christian faith often on the basis of the supposed superiority of science over faith. The claim is that no rational person can believe the gospel and the Christian faith in light of what is known about the world. In this sermon from Acts 5:1–11 titled “Christ: The Answer to Our Needs,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones explains that while people may affirm the need for moral improvement, and therefore like the moral teachings of Jesus, they reject the two natures in Christ and the need for salvation from sin and the wrath to come. They reject the supernatural religion of Christianity for the moralistic teachings of godless humanism but moralistic religion cannot save people from their inevitable death. Humanity needs a new nature that will grant a true desire for righteousness. They must be delivered from the wrath of God and the power of Satan. Only through the supernatural work of Christianity can His children be transferred from the kingdom of Satan into the kingdom of God. As Dr. Lloyd-Jones powerfully says, those who reject the gospel of Christ have no hope. Moralistic teachings cannot save anyone from death, Satan, and the wrath of God against all unrighteousness. Salvation is only through the supernatural work of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Mortification of Sin

John 1:12-13

“It is not so much what we are saved from, but what we are saved for.” With these words, Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones exhorts the Christian to the mortification of sin and acknowledges that they are not under the dominion of the flesh. He goes on to describe how Christians who fight against their own flesh are no longer under its rule or reign, but rather united to Christ who has already died to sin and is alive in righteousness. In this sermon on John 1:12­–13, Dr. Lloyd-Jones unpacks the intricacies behind unity with Christ and how that unity is the freedom from sin. Moreover, Dr. Lloyd Jones gives hope for the Christian who question their salvation. Do wrongdoings haunt the conscience and encourage faithful acts? Does sin continually feel cheaper until righteousness is the only worthwhile endeavor? Is there an alienation from the former life of sin and a desire to be a citizen of a life that pursues righteousness? These things illustrate a heavenly citizenship and assurance of salvation. These very truths are essential to the joy-filled Christian life. Dr. Lloyd-Jones gives these proofs, along with several exhortations, to live in a manner worthy of the one and only God who calls His children into His own kingdom and glory.

The Exceeding Riches of His Grace

Ephesians 2:7

God uses the salvation of guilty and rebellious sinners as a means to bring glory and honor to His name. In this sermon on Ephesians 2:7 titled “The Exceeding Riches of His Grace,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones brings this convicting truth as he speaks of God’s Son Jesus Christ who died a cruel and torturous death as a criminal upon a cross. He did not do this so that the world would be a more comfortable place to live or so that people would become more moral. He did this to redeem a people to the praise of God the Father. The sin He died to overcome was far more than a simple social phenomenon; it was rebellion against God the Creator. And this world He came to set free from sin was not simply a world that had problems, but it was ruled by the devil, the god of this world. All of creation looked forward to this great act of redemption. From the creation of the world to God allowing the fall, it all finds its meaning in Jesus Christ and His vicarious death on the cross. Because this salvation is of God and wholly by grace, those who receive it can never fall away. For all who God saves, He will bring to perfection on the last day when He returns.

Rise Up and Walk

Acts 3:6

Are humans really born sinful? Is it truly something that contaminates everyone? Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones explains in this sermon from Acts 3:6 entitled “Rise Up and Walk”, how all are sinners from birth and completely unable to do good in accordance with God’s Law. Their natures are fundamentally corrupt and disordered, and out of this nature comes their propensity to do evil and sin. The reason all humanity is like this can be explained in Genesis and the fall. When Adam fell into sin, he caused all of his descendants to do so as well. This explains humanity’s current plight and need for salvation. No one is able to save themselves from sin because their nature has been wholly disposed to sin and unrighteousness. Only the gospel can break the chains of sin and give freedom. This Gospel is by God’s grace alone, for sinners are spiritually dead and unable to do any good act pleasing to God. It is in humanity’s hopeless state that the gospel of Jesus Christ brings hope. It is this same gospel that was preached by the Apostles two thousand years ago, and it is the message that transformed the world – rise up and walk! This is the only hope for the world, for it alone can triumph over sin and evil to bring salvation to all who believe.

Mercy; Immense and Free

1 Timothy 1:13

In this sermon on 1 Timothy 1:13 titled “Mercy: Immense and Free,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones focuses on Paul reminding Timothy of the mercy Christ showed him, even while Paul was persecuting the early church. Dr. Lloyd-Jones points to what Paul says earlier in the passage: people will try to distort the gospel. Dr. Lloyd-Jones reminds Christians to be weary of false teachers who often attempt to add to what Christ has already done. Christ’s death is enough for the payment of sin. No additional laws, rituals, or beliefs are necessary. This is the gospel: that Jesus Christ came to save sinners. But what of the law? Dr. Lloyd-Jones answers as Paul answered: the law could never save anyone. The law only reveals the sin in a person’s life and shows that he or she is in need of a savior. Paul also gives three facts about God’s salvation that tells about Him: that God is merciful, full of grace, and abundant in long-suffering. Dr. Lloyd-Jones says that God’s grace and mercy is available to everyone. God sees no difference among sinners. He is patient, withholding His judgment, allowing time for people to come to Him and accept His loving and free salvation.

Calvinism, Hyper-Calvinism, and Arminianism

What is the responsibility of evangelism? In this sermon titled “Calvinism, Hyper-Calvinism, and Arminianism,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones distinguishes between the three from a biblical perspective in regards to evangelism. There is a great confusion today between mere activity and real spiritual work. People are always impressed by activity, but this is often carnal zeal and activism. What is “prayer-backing”? Do Calvinists need to be reminded of the responsibility of evangelism in ministry? What is the right motive for evangelism? Learn of the history of Calvinism and the over-correction that often results. Hyper-Calvinists press logic so far that they do not give the free offer of salvation to others. Hear of election, predestination, and human responsibility, and of the biblical truths that cannot be logically reconciled. God alone is responsible for salvation, while humanity alone is responsible for damnation. Listen as Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones argues that a person ought to be a great Calvinist who preaches like an Arminian. Evangelism is the result of a great urge, not mere duty; it is an inevitable fruit, not something to be added. How did Christianity spread before the printing press? Look to God for help, rather than oneself; be filled with the glory of God, rather than statistics and organizations. Stand humbled before God.

The Unbreakable Chain

Romans 8:28-30

By denying the doctrine of the final perseverance of the saints, there will be inevitable negative implications for everything else that is true about Christian salvation. Perhaps even more problematic, says Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones in his sermon on Romans 8:28–30 titled “The Unbreakable Chain,” is the confusion and chaos that is introduced about God by those affirming the apostasy of genuine believers. He examines the harmony of each link in the apostle Paul’s unbreakable chain, noting how each inevitably hangs together. By considering the negative implications for the doctrine of predestination and foreknowledge, Dr. Lloyd-Jones demonstrates the absurd conclusions that must be affirmed about God when one holds to the possibility of a true believer falling from grace. Continuing through the chain of redemption, he argues that those who affirm the apostasy position make God’s “call” pointless and the doctrine of justification an error-filled action on God’s part. However, the doctrine of rebirth and union with Christ should settle the matter altogether, says Dr. Lloyd-Jones. It is scandalous to suggest that God’s creative work in giving new life and His seating of His people in the heavenly places with Christ can be suddenly undone. Listen to Dr. Lloyd-Jones’s argument for an unbreakable chain in salvation and find encouragement in the blessed doctrine of assurance from beginning to end.

Jesus Christ; Our Lord

Romans 1:3-5

Christians are forgiven of sin so that they may follow their Savior. Some today reject this notion that one must submit to Jesus as Lord. They argue salvation is by grace, and therefore obedience is not necessary. While salvation is completely by grace through faith, the Christian faith must not be separated from obedience to Jesus. Can one accept Jesus as Savior and not as Lord? In this sermon titled “Jesus Christ, Our Lord” from Romans 1:3–5, Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones answers that question with a resounding no. The earliest Christians were persecuted over the word “Lord.” For them, Jesus was not only Savior, but he was also Lord. The very nature of believing the gospel becomes an issue of submission. Christians are commanded to believe, and thus obey the gospel. Dr. Lloyd-Jones shows that the only way one can accept Jesus is in this full sense: as both Savior and Lord. Faith is obedience to the word of God. If the word of God is rejected, then God is also rejected, making Him a liar. Receiving the gospel is, therefore, to obey Him and receive Jesus as Lord. The entire Christian faith depends on the recognition of this and this is what makes one a Christian. This is the work of God: that the Christian believes on Him who He has sent –– Jesus Christ, the Lord.’

God or Man?

Jeremiah 17:5-8

Why has humanity strayed away from God? Many men and women go throughout their lives not caring about God, salvation, or eternity. They concern themselves with everything other than God and His ways, yet all were created by God and for God. In this sermon on Jeremiah 17:5–8 titled “God or Man?” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones proclaims that the reason for humanity’s refusal to love and serve God is found in the fact that people are sinners and rebels against God. Adam and Eve listened to the voice of the serpent rather than that of God Himself and fell into sin. However, people are still unwilling to accept that they are sinners; they claim that they do not believe in Christianity because it is intellectually ridiculous. What then is one to make of humanity in sin? How can they be saved? The answer is found in God’s great plan of salvation through Jesus Christ. God saves sinful and rebellious people by sending His only Son to die in their place that they might live as children of God. It is God incarnate in Jesus Christ that overcomes human sin and hatred for all that is good by living and dying as a person. Jesus was then raised from the grave and now reigns and intercedes for all those that trust in His gospel of grace.

What Mean These Stones?

Joshua 4:21

In guilt and shame, where is salvation found? The history of the church is a story which reminds the listener that no one is without hope, because salvation is the work of God. In this message on Joshua 4:21 titled “What Means These Stones?” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones examines the testimony of stones. After four hundred years of enslavement, Israel was being led out of Egypt. The Egyptians believed they were going to conquer Israel, but God was going to conquer the Egyptians. Stones would be set a reminder for generations to come that it is God who saves. God saves through judgement and deliverance. Dr. Lloyd-Jones continues through the biblical narrative and two-thousand years of church history, demonstrating that the Christian’s story is a story of God’s action, not of any human. It is a story of God’s power, not humanity’s. The greatest danger, therefore, is to forget history and turn Christianity into a mere philosophy of teaching. On the contrary, God acts through history and the Christian proclaims and remembers His actions. Nobody is hopeless because God is mighty. He can regenerate the hardest heart. He will save and deliver. As these stones were meant to teach, listen as Dr. Lloyd-Jones explains the meaning of these stones to today’s generation.

The Wisdom of God

Ephesians 3:10

What is the greatest manifestation of the wisdom of God? In this sermon on the manifold wisdom of God from Ephesians 3:10 titled “The Wisdom of God,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones points to the church. The church, that is Christianity and the salvation that it proclaims, is the greatest manifestation of God’s wisdom ever witnessed. Even the angels in Heaven see it and are amazed. It is this manifestation of God’s wisdom that Dr. Lloyd-Jones discusses first in a series of three propositions from this text. His second proposition is that the church is the median through which the variegated wisdom of God shines like light through a prism into its many beautiful colors. From these two propositions, Dr. Lloyd-Jones dives deeper and gives two conclusions to be considered. First, consider that the church was a part of God’s plan for His creation from the very beginning, not an afterthought as some believe. Second, consider that the church is not temporary as some have suggested, but is the final expression of God’s people on earth. Dr. Lloyd-Jones’s third and final proposition from this text is the consideration of how God has shown His wisdom throughout history. Dr. Lloyd-Jones encourages believers to meditate on and consider God’s wisdom through the ages, in the Bible and in all of history, and most importantly, to consider the greatest manifestation of His wisdom, salvation through Christ.

But God was With Him

Acts 7:9-10

Is God in charge of every detail? He is sovereign over the universe, but what about on a moment-by-moment level? In the sermon “But God was With Him,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones explains from Genesis to Revelation how God is at work on every level. This is true in the case of Abraham and the patriarchs as described all throughout the Old Testament. God is not abstract and above history, but He is very present in the world. He is actively working to bring about His great plan for the world. What is His plan? It is nothing less than the salvation of all who believe though the death, burial, and resurrection of the Son of God, Jesus Christ. God loves the world and He has acted through his Son to redeem it. Apart from His atoning work, there is no hope of salvation. Human effort cannot erase the guilt of sin or impress the holy God. The only hope for the world is not in human efforts or schemes, but in God who has acted in the world through his Son and the gospel. It is this gospel alone that is the power of God to save and redeem. It is by God’s actions that the world will be redeemed, not by human ingenuity and creativity. The church of today must proclaim this glorious truth of God and His plan and power to save through Christ Jesus.

Meeting Trials and Tribulations

1 Peter 1:13

Persecution of Christians is on the rise around the world and it’s not limited by geography or governmental laws. How can people of faith stand strong in the face of trials and tribulations? Is it better to ignore the issues, or face them head-on? The Apostle Paul acknowledges that instead of encountering fewer trials, Christians will have more tribulations than those who aren’t saved. Biblical trials and tribulations come from striving to live godly lives in a world that hates anything that resembles God's holiness. But yet, they are still called to rejoice. This can be hard to do, and Christians may struggle with finding joy while going through hard times. Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones says that Christians, while talking about the joy and peace Jesus gives us, often respond to trials the same way the world does— with despair and anxiety. In this way, the Christian testimony does not line up with how they live their lives. In 1 Peter 3, the author challenges us to conquer this defeatist mindset, not by building up positive emotion, but rather by “girding up the loins” of the mind and by choosing to dwell on the greatness of salvation as shown in the biblical text. The Christian can often think too lightly about their salvation, but is encouraged to fight this and preach the gospel to themselves. God is the sovereign Father, and eternal inheritance in Him is guaranteed.