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“My time has not yet come.” This simple phrase uttered by Jesus describes the vast chasm that exists between the unbeliever and the follower of Christ. In this sermon on John 7:6 titled “The Unbeliever,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones explains the depth of Jesus’s words. The context for this statement comes as Jesus’s brothers are preparing to go to Jerusalem to celebrate the Feast of Booths. Jesus announces that he will not be going up to the feast and His brothers react to Jesus’s announcement with the typical unbelieving mindset. They thought that if Jesus in fact had a message that would change the world, the feast is the perfect opportunity to reveal Himself. However, this is worldly thinking. Jesus exposes their earthly ambitions by telling them that “for you any time will do.” A worldly message delivered to worldly fallen sinners is always available. But Jesus, His message, and His mission are under a divine timetable. The Triune God of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit is on a divine mission to reconcile sinners through the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus, and nothing will stand in the way of that mission or its perfect timing. Therefore, in this message, Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones challenges all to turn from worldly thinking and belief, and receive Christ for the forgiveness of sin.
How does being a Christian change one’s life? In his sermon on Philippians 3:8–9 titled “Living in the Light of Christ,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones says that it changes everything about the Christian as it totally reorients and directs them to Christ. Before one sees Christ, they are lost in darkness and alienated from God and His love. They live according to the principle of sin and evil. But when the Holy Spirit gives the gift of salvation, the person is moved out of this kingdom of darkness and transferred into the kingdom of God. Christians now are to leave the world and its sinful desires behind and pursue Christ and His kingdom. How does one know that they are a Christian? They are to test themselves and see if they are in the faith and truly believers. All Christians ought to know that they are truly saved and live knowing that they are loved by God because Christ has made Himself known. God gave His word in the Old and New Testaments and in these Scriptures is found God’s will for His people and the way that Christians are to live. But most importantly they find the gospel of grace that frees them from sin and reveals the God of all love and peace.
The apostle Paul teaches that the cross of Christ is at the center of the gospel and in this Scripture, he defends the gospel of God’s grace alone. In this sermon on Galatians 1:3–5 titled “The Results of the Cross,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones explains how all stand before God condemned for their sin and rebellion against a holy God. But God, in His grace, sent His Son into the world to die for sinners so that they might be forgiven and made His children. This salvation is an ultimate act of grace that is a result of God’s free love. There is nothing anyone can do to merit God’s favor or love. It is God who sends His Spirit to convict people of their sin and awaken them to their fallen condition. How does salvation change a person? The Bible is clear that not only does salvation make one right with God, but it gives them a new mind and new desires. It changes them by giving them a love for God and the people of God. It makes sinners into new people who now love and serve God. This sermon calls all to leave behind sin and come to Jesus who alone can save sinners and give them eternal life.
Many in the modern church are like the seven sons of Sceva who know of Christianity, but they are not truly regenerate. As Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones preaches in this sermon on the Sons of Sceva from Acts 19:13–16, they have yet to give up their worldly ways and believe in the truth of the gospel. Many associate themselves with the church for social or financial gain. They are self-deceived hypocrites who try to use Christianity for worldly gain and pleasures. Many of these people are simply humanists or socialists who use Christianity as a platform for their ideologies. This kind of association for gain has been prevalent whenever Christianity is viewed as socially expedient. But this has the terrible effect of creating false believers who have never truly believed in the gospel of Jesus Christ or repented of their sins. This is why there are so many Christians who resemble the world more than Christ. The answer to this is a call to true faith in the only gospel that can save. It is a call for all to turn from their sins and hypocrisy and be born again to a new life in Christ. The church must be clear that to be a Christian one must have been regenerated and given a new nature that comes from the work of the Holy Spirit.
In this sermon on Ephesians 3:14–15 titled “Praying to the Father,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones stresses the importance of prayer and its practice from Paul’s example. Dr. Lloyd-Jones discusses prayer in three important principles from this passage. First, it is important that the apostle Paul is praying for the Ephesians. Even in the midst of his imprisonment he is praying. Prayer is a vital necessity for every believer in every circumstance. Second, Dr. Lloyd-Jones looks at the manner in which Paul is praying. He is praying with reverence. Though he has just mentioned earlier in the chapter that one can come to God in prayer with boldness, he shows here a heart of humility in how he approaches God in prayer. The Christian should be careful to evaluate how they come to God in prayer. It is not necessarily about the outward posture, but does the inward posture show humility in spirit before the Holy God when He is approached in prayer? Lastly, Dr. Lloyd-Jones points out the importance for Paul’s description of God here in the passage. He speaks of Him as being the Father of all. Jews and Gentiles alike are now fellow heirs, children of God, bearing the name of God and addressing Him as their Father.
In this sermon on Ephesians 2:7 titled “Through Jesus Christ,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones unpacks the words of Luke in Acts 2:7. In the incarnation, the second person of the Godhead descends and takes up a true human nature for the redemption of all those whom God elected. He did not count equality a thing to be grasped, but He came to earth as a baby born in a manger. Not only this, but He suffered and died upon a cross in the place of sinners. Even in the midst of this suffering, Jesus Christ never ceased to be fully divine but suffered as the God man. It is through His death on the cross and resurrection from the dead that believers receive the blessings of salvation and redemption. This is the new life in Christ where all who are granted faith by the Holy Spirit receive in full all the blessings that God has given in Christ. As Dr. Lloyd-Jones explains, all the good that God gives Christians only comes by and in the work of Christ, for in Him are all the blessings of God. This should bring all believers to worship God for all He has done in Christ. Christians should be encouraged to take the gospel to all, knowing that it is only in this gospel that peace with God and redemption come.
Will this world ever get better? In the sermon “A New Life,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones brings the hard reality from God’s word in Acts 8:5–12 that the entire world lies in darkness and under the control of the evil one. This is because the original man, Adam, was deceived and fell into sin. This fall has poured throughout every aspect of creation. This is why the world of today is as it is, filled with sin and suffering. As a result of this sin, humanity is blinded and spiritually dead. It is unable to hear and believe the good news of the gospel. This is why the only way one can be saved is through the regenerating grace of God in the Holy Spirit. This is a miraculous work by which God gives new life to dead sinners who hate and reject Him. This is the greatness of the gospel; it is something God does for those who are not even able to hear the good news without grace. By their very nature, all people know of the need for salvation. They know that they will continue to live once this life has ended. Dr. Lloyd-Jones warns that while eternal life is offered to all who believe, all who reject Jesus Christ have no hope in eternity.
Salvation is the result of God’s grace alone. In this sermon on Ephesians 2:8–10 titled “ By Grace Through Faith,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones preaches that no one is saved by anything they do or any merits they earn, but it is wholly the result of grace. For in their sin, no one is able to do anything pleasing to God nor able to even believe the good news of the gospel without the work of the Holy Spirit giving them a new heart. This is contrary to what many have believed and taught throughout the centuries. Some say that grace is good but not sufficient to save, whereas some have gone as far as saying that by the works of the law alone people can be saved and made right with God. But the apostle Paul clearly denies any such teaching in his insistence on the power of God’s grace alone. For through grace God gives people the gift of faith. It is faith that is the instrumental cause of justification and by it believers are united to Christ and receive the benefits of His life, death, and resurrection. Listen as Dr. Lloyd-Jones explains this great doctrine of justification by faith alone that is the very heart of Christianity and without it there is no true gospel.
A Christian will hear the voice of God and understand His mind by reading His Word. In this sermon on Ephesians 3:19 titled “Preparing for a Guest,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones proclaims that this requires both prayer and study to come to a deeper knowledge of God and His word. This should be part of a continual pursuit of God that marks the whole life of a Christian. But Christians must always avoid the temptation to fall into ritualistic practices of reading Scripture and praying as dead acts. Dr. Lloyd-Jones exhorts the listener to cultivate deep and abiding affections for God. This is not as a way to gain favor with God, but instead born out of a heart of thankfulness and love for all that He is and all that He has done in Christ. Ultimately no one is able to seek and worship Him rightfully without the saving work of Christ Jesus being applied by the saving power of the Holy Spirit. Even in the believer’s pursuit of God, they only do so because of what God has already done for them by the grace of His gospel. This should encourage believers to respond with nothing but gratitude and affection toward God for the great salvation and new heart that He has given in Christ Jesus.
The greatest hindrance to belief in the gospel does not arise from human intellect, but from the heart that has been darkened by sin. In this sermon on Ephesians 4:17–19 titled “Darkness and Light,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones highlights the warning of Christ that all people in their natural state are alienated from God and unable to pursue what is good and right. This is because the effects of the fall extend to every aspect of humanity. It corrupts the mind, hardens the heart, and distorts the will. Despite this fallen state, humanity still places great worth and confidence in their ability to reason and know morality. This is evident in the many great philosophers of the ancient world who after all their learning and knowledge were still never able to come to true knowledge of God. As Dr. Lloyd-Jones teaches, this shows that what people need is not simply more knowledge, but a new heart and mind that is freed from the mastery of sin and its domination. However, freedom from sin comes only through the gospel of grace and the sovereign working of the Holy Spirit. This is why it is so important to pray that God would work in the hearts and minds of others to reveal Himself to them and give them a true understanding of the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Salvation only happens by repenting of sin and believing in Jesus Christ. In this sermon on Ephesians 4:20–21 titled “Knowledge of the Truth,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones warns against those who reduce salvation to a mere intellectual assent. The gospel is not dependent on the wisdom of people and their ability to comprehend it. All are born in sin and blindness, unable to see the truth or know God. But true Christianity and faith are a result of what the Holy Spirit does in bringing dead people to life and making them new creations in the Savior Christ Jesus. Understanding true doctrine and godliness are a result of salvation, not the means of it. All who are truly saved have a growing knowledge of God, as His word is absorbed by hearts freed from the blinding nature of sin. Those who know much about the Bible and about doctrine but who have never been broken by their sin are deceived and lost. They presume intellectual understanding is an acceptable substitute for confession of sin and faith in Christ. The church must always be wary of confusing these two kinds of knowledge. Many are self-deceived and lost because they have no real relationship with God, but instead are puffed up with knowledge.
Why does the church need revival? Is it merely for the experiences it brings or perhaps for evangelistic purposes? It seems that the reason for revivals has been forgotten by many today, and the desire for them to happen has gone with it. In this sermon on the power of God in revival from Joshua 4:21–24, Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones points out the “meaning of these stones” in regards to revival. Like the stones that were placed by the Lord along the Jordan to serve as a reminder of His mighty hand, so revivals are an act of God placed among His people to display His glory, and that all peoples and nations may know Him. Dr. Lloyd-Jones reveals the supreme need of the church today, and that is a reminder that the living God is present and active among them. He explains that revival does this. It also encourages the church to pray for their preachers, delivering them from self-reliance, and causing them to rely on the Holy Spirit. In conclusion, Dr. Lloyd-Jones teaches that God allows revival in order to lead His people into the “land of blessing.” Men and women affected by it overflow with praise, adoration, and full enjoyment in knowing the living God. Christians must remember to pray and plead with God for revival so that He may be truly glorified.
The church has an important duty to fulfill before she can truly benefit the kingdom of God. She must deal with the hindrances that keep away the truths of the gospel. In this sermon on Genesis 26:17–18 titled “Revival Sermon: Dead Orthodoxy,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones presents these dangerous obstacles and asks the listener to consider the lack of balance within the church. It is necessary to consider dead orthodoxy along with defective orthodoxy. He is convinced that out of all dangers threatening revival, this is the greatest danger confronting the church and any individual with an evangelical outlook. In the midst of dead orthodoxy, people are driven to contentment and to practice religion merely for safety and security. Is the Christian just content because they have the right beliefs? Do they come to God’s house just to listen to a sermon? Dr. Lloyd-Jones references 1 Thessalonians 5:19 which tells the Christian not to quench the Holy Spirit. He explains the different ways one can avoid this: recognizing a fear of enthusiasm, confusion, false excitement, emotionalism, and pseudo-intellectualism. He clarifies the difference between emotionalism and emotion. Christians may be so afraid of the false that they quench the true emotion: “We’ve forgotten how to weep my friends,” with joy and with sadness.
The church today focuses too much on doing what other religions can do. Other religions can teach a person to be moral and just. Other religions can create a sense of community and friendship. Other religions can do good things in the community. Christians tend to be content with these small things; content with the unexceptional and ordinary condition of the church. They must pray for revival. In this sermon on prayer for revival from Exodus 33:12–17 titled “Revival Sermon: Prayer for Revival,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones looks at the prayer of Moses where he prays for more. God had returned to Israel and Moses is grateful for this, but he wants more. Dr. Lloyd-Jones explains that praying for revival is praying for something extra, something more. Revival is not ordinary. It is a special, unusual, and exceptional move of God. The Christian praying for revival is no longer satisfied with the ordinary condition of the church. They pray for God’s glory to be shown, and cries from the “depths” that God may be known. True revival cannot be manipulated. The moment one believes this can be organized, they are in great danger. Listen in as Dr. Lloyd-Jones explains that church needs the power of God. The Holy Spirit must fall upon His people, and they must be revived.
What do doctrine and practice have to do with each other? Some Christians doubt the relevance of doctrine to the Christian life at all. For them it’s simply a matter of being ethical and moral and there is no need to understand biblical doctrine for good works. Antinomians, on the other hand, hold to doctrine but live however they please. In this sermon on Romans 12:1–2 titled “The Christian Life,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones says “no” to both. One may claim doctrine however they wish but if it does not change their life, they have not understood the doctrine. Likewise, Dr. Lloyd-Jones says, doctrine is key to Christian morals because it provides the right motivation and power to live the sanctified life in Christ Jesus. He contends in this sermon that Paul shows that motives are important and the Christian lives in view of God’s mercy. The strength to perform good works is not simply in one’s own effort but the power that comes from the Holy Spirit. If the doctrine proclaimed in evangelism does not match Christian practice, says Dr. Lloyd-Jones, the doctrine has been understood. If good works are not informed by doctrine, a person is not truly living the Christian life. Listen as he unpacks the key distinctive of a Christian life.
Why does the Christian church gather weekly to hear a message when each person could be at home reading from the Bible? In his sermon on Romans 10:14–17 titled “Why Preaching?” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones addresses this question as he delivers a message about the importance of preaching as it is God’s chief way for the gospel to be heard. Reading is right and good for the knowledgeable Christian, but for someone newly touched by the Holy Spirit, the words of a pastor are formative to their acceptance of the good news. Dr. Lloyd-Jones recalls the Ethiopian man who was reading the Old Testament but could not understand the writings. He needed Philip to come into his chariot and explain its meaning. This is the wonderful power of preaching. In addition to this truth, Dr. Lloyd-Jones explains how important it is for believers to gather in church to hear a message. Believers, he says, need to be present for those who need help. Perhaps it is a person has lost a family member, needs encouragement, or needs help understanding the sermon. Believers are there to also lean on each other. He concludes by saying that preaching can be the powerful spark of revival and that the gathering of Christians has the potential to glorify God in ways that didn’t seem possible.
In his sermon on Romans 10:14–17 titled “The Preacher’s Message (2),” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones talks about the great joy believers have within the gospel. Reading from this Scripture passage, he reminds the listener of the basics of the good news and how it should inspire Christians. He says that preaching is God’s chief appointed role for sharing the gospel to the congregation and unbelievers. Because of this responsibility, it’s important for preachers to integrate the good news into their message. Dr. Lloyd-Jones offers this suggestion with a warning to the congregation: do not grow tired of hearing the gospel. It is easy for Christians to forget the amazing power bestowed by God to those who believe. Dr. Lloyd-Jones takes an opportunity to remind Christians of what they have in Christ. He says that God gave His Son for the forgiveness of sins simply because He is rich in mercy and grace, as seen in Ephesians 2. Dr. Lloyd-Jones expounds upon the daily intercession Christ takes for Christians at the right hand of the Father. He goes on to describe the groaning of the Holy Spirit that prays when believers don’t know what to pray for. With these incredible privileges, Dr. Lloyd-Jones concludes with a call to obey the gospel and take joy in the promises within.
What does one consider central to their Christian life? In this sermon on Romans 14:17 titled “The Principles of the Faith,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones suggests this could be an indication of what they think Christianity is all about. The church at Rome had much to say about observance of days and whether a Christian can or should eat this food or drink this drink. Paul abhors such pettiness in the church at Rome, and through God’s inspired word, the reader can see He is not pleased with such smallness in the church today. Dr. Lloyd-Jones brings the gospel back to center of a church that is often divided over pettiness. He cautions on the subtle loss of proportion or a sense of balance on secondary matters. Dr. Lloyd-Jones explains in this message how zealous and well-intended Christians can over-concentrate on matters like eating and drinking and miss what the kingdom of God is all about. This does not mean those secondary issues are unimportant or should not be discussed with full conviction. Instead they ought to be discussed in accordance to the principle of Christian liberty. Listen as Dr. Lloyd-Jones shows how righteousness in Christ, peace with God, and joy in the Holy Spirit contribute to genuine Christian unity.
How does one know if they are a born-again Christian? What are some ways they can test their lives to see if they have been saved? What are the manifestations of darkness and why should one know them? In this sermon on Ephesians 5:8–13 titled “Unfruitful Works of Darkness,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones walks through a standard against which Christians can measure their lives, teaching that it is important to know these so that they can see whether or not they are producing the fruit that stems from being a follower of Christ and being changed by the Holy Spirit. The first manifestation is the mind—those who are in darkness are ignorant of God and the truth about themselves and the state of their souls. They deny that their sin is grievous enough to separate them from God, and they don’t see the need to submit their lives to the authority of Jesus Christ. Another manifestation is the will. Many people today are trying to make the world a better place— they see all the crime in the world and think that it will be fixed with more money or success. However, dealing with unrighteousness without addressing the underlying ungodliness will avail nothing; the foundational issue must be fixed in order to see change. This is what needs to be repaired in order for the world to be a better place.
How can one know that God loves and cares for His children? In this sermon on Psalm 63:1–3 titled “Seeking Certainty,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones proclaims that Christians can know this by trusting in God’s revelation of Jesus Christ. A Christian that is maturing in their faith is one who rests on what Christ has done for them. This mature faith produces assurance that is not simply a passing emotion that comes and goes, but it is an abiding and true experience knowing they belong to God. That belonging is proven in a life of humble obedience. However, Dr. Lloyd-Jones also warns against those who teach an assurance of bare intellectual assent. They say that to simply claim that one believes in Christ and His gospel is all that is needed of assurance. This is shown to be inadequate from the many scriptural passages that show the deep and loving trust that the saints of God can have in the gospel. This is an intimate and personal knowledge that God loves them and has sent his Son to die a cruel death on the cross so that they could be saved. This is certainly intellectual assent to the gospel, but it is more. It is the product of the Holy Spirit working in their lives so that they trust God and His promises in true faith. This should be an experience that all Christians seek and obtain.
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