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What is the Christian’s hope in life? Is it that the world will get better through social change or that humanity will get better and better until all evil is eradicated? In this sermon titled “Christ the Only Hope,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones preaches on the apostle Paul’s great doctrine of the resurrection in 1 Corinthians. For Paul, the Christian hope is not found in any worldly change, but in the future and final salvation of the people of God. This final salvation includes the physical and bodily resurrection of all believers when they will be made just as Christ is. While this earthly body is passing away and slowly dying, God in His power is able to make all things new and whole once again. Even though many in modern times scorn the idea of heaven, the resurrection, and salvation, the holy Scriptures are clear that there will be a day when Jesus comes again to judge the living and the dead. All will rise from the dead. Those that believe in Jesus will go to live in the new heaven and the new earth, for it is only through faith in Jesus that anyone can be saved from sin and the wrath of God.
Unbelief in the gospel is the great tragedy. Christians believe that the rejection of the Son of God has eternal consequences and as Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones preaches in this sermon on John 7:7 titled “Christ, the Only Hope,” there is no more serious and sober subject in all of Scripture than the world’s unbelief. Some give intellectual arguments as the reason for their rejection of Christianity or claim not to have strong enough information about God to accept the gospel message. What is the true nature of unbelief? What about those closest to Jesus in His earthly ministry — did they receive Him when seeing with their own eyes His power, authority, and miracles? The Gospel of John has much to say about the world and its unbelief. Dr. Lloyd-Jones leads His listeners through the puzzling reality that the Son of God came to His own and His own did not receive Him. Listen as Dr. Lloyd-Jones explains the great divide of the world and asks the listener for their reaction to Jesus Christ, the only hope for the world.
In this sermon on Ezekiel 13:1–16 titled “Christ, the Only Hope,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones addresses a question that is central to all of life: “who is man?”. Many today say that people are fundamentally good, or at least morally neutral, with the ability to become either a good or a bad person. But either way it is up to them. This is why people must be taught how to do the right thing, and once they knows what is right, they will do it. This is how the world’s problems will be solved, they contend. While this may be a popular teaching, it is directly contradicted by Scripture. The Bible teaches that all are fallen and slaves to sin. They are unable to choose the good or overcome their sin by themselves. The world tells humanity only what it wants to hear, but God’s word is different. It is seen in Scripture that all are sinful and under the wrath of God yet it is God who works to provide salvation for all. He sends His only Son to die upon the cross for the sins of humanity. Who then is man? According to Scripture, he has been created by God, yet he has sinned, but God has made a way of salvation in Jesus Christ.
What is the Christian’s hope in life? Many people hope in many things, whether it is money, security, or power. But the Christian’s hope is quite different. For the hope of believers is in the power of Jesus Christ. It is His death and life that liberates His people from all sin and darkness. This is a hope outside of and greater than the individual; it is a hope received in the grace of God. Not only this, but Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones also tells that all believers can and should have assurance of this hope. The Christian can truly know that they are loved by God and are His children. The Christian must consider where they find their hope and if they are trusting in Jesus Christ or themselves. It is the most important question that any can ask because it is the question of eternal destiny. For all are either in the kingdom of heaven as the children of God, or in the kingdom of Satan as slaves to sin. Only the name of Jesus Christ saves and makes fallen sinners into new men and women.
Why is the doctrine of union with Christ so important? Many people consider theology to be useless and irrelevant for their everyday life. They want what is practical. In this sermon on Romans 7:4 titled “Union – Its Privileges and Purpose,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones expounds on the great theological doctrine of union with Christ and its everyday importance. He says the Christian has hope anew each and every day because they have died to themselves and now live in Christ. The doctrine of union with Christ teaches that they are no longer slaves to themselves, but are now slaves to Christ. They are inheritors of all the promises because they are one in Christ Jesus. This is the pure and unmatched hope of the gospel: God in Jesus Christ for His people. What of those that do not know Jesus? It is only in Christ that anyone can have true hope and all those that reject His gospel reject the only way of salvation. This is why the church must preach Jesus Christ and Him crucified. The church is not only the bride of Christ, but also the ambassador of Christ in the world. This sermon asks all if they have this hope. Are they now one with Christ?
What is the only hope for the world? What is the only light that can pierce the darkness of sin and evil? In this sermon on Acts 20:24, Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones gives the one answer found in Holy Scripture: the gospel. There is no hope for this world apart from the electing grace of God in Jesus Christ. God sent His only Son into the world to die upon the cross in the place of sinners and the very enemies of God so that all who repent of their sins and believe in Jesus are saved. All who trust in Christ receive the grace of God. The Bible tells us that all salvation is wholly the result of God’s grace that He gives freely. There is nothing anyone can do to save themselves. God has given the ultimate gift of salvation to sinners who by nature hate God and all His ways. What grace! This sermon calls each and every man, woman, and child to repent of their sins and look to Jesus Christ as their only hope and comfort in this world. There is no other hope than Jesus Christ.
Is there hope for the world? Is there a purpose and plan for the Christian? In this sermon on Ephesians 3:9–11 titled “Hope for the World,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones addresses the question of hope amidst the seeming chaos and pointlessness of life on earth. The only hope is in the gospel of Jesus Christ. In the darkness of the world and in the minds of men and women, Christ is the light of the world. The world is God’s creation and He has had a plan and purpose for His creation since before the foundations of the earth were formed. This plan is revealed in God’s word, the Bible. The ultimate hope that is found in Christ does not, however, mean that the end of war, evil, and darkness will end in this age. The end of these things will come with the return of Christ. Rather, the Christian’s hope is the hope of salvation in Christ that points to the eternal home and reward, not a temporary peace in the circumstances of humanity.
What is the power of Christianity? The Bible is clear that it is not human wisdom or ingenuity, nor is it found in anything that people do. The power of the gospel is found in Jesus Christ alone. When Paul came to the Corinthians, he says that he came preaching Christ and Him crucified. By preaching in the power of Christ, the Christian shares the light of the knowledge of the glory of God and not their own efforts. When Christ is preached, Christians preach the only hope for this world because God can only be known through His Son. In this sermon on 2 Corinthians 4:1–6, Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones tells of the great need for Christ, and that it is Christ alone who can make the world right. Jesus alone is the power of God to save sinners and bring them to God. This sermon forces the question: do I know God? Do I seek to glorify God above all things? For there is no greater need than to know God and to know that all sins are forgiven. This gospel is the only true and lasting hope in this world, and it is this hope that Jesus gives.
What is the only hope for the world? In this sermon on 2 Corinthians 4:1–6 titled “A World in Darkness,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones says that the only hope for the world is not modern science or learning, nor is it politics and philosophy; it is the gospel of Jesus Christ. Only this message of true salvation and forgiveness of sins can bring hope to a world that is in darkness and rebellion against God. The Bible says that all who are born in sin are born in ignorance and blind to the truth of God. Because of this blindness, people are content to sin and live a life that is wholly opposed to God and His righteousness. How then can sinners be saved if they are blind? It is only by grace that anyone can be set free from darkness and come to know God. This is the glory of the gospel: God saves sinners by giving His Son to pay the wages of sin. There is no other way of salvation than to believe in the gospel of Jesus Christ. This sermon asks everyone the question: “have you believed in this gospel?”
Why is the cross of Jesus Christ so important for Christians? Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones gives a very practical reason: it is the basis of sanctification. He says that often times Christians separate their walk with Christ from what He has accomplished on the cross. They think that the Christian life is only a matter of striving and seeking in one’s own power, but this is wrong. For Christians can only live the Christian life in the power of Jesus’s atoning work and sacrifice. The power of the cross is to see the glory of Christ as the redeemer and Lord who has saved, who preserves, and who will glorify on the last day. This sermon on John 3:14–15 titled “At the Cross” offers hope for all, believers and nonbelievers. It exhorts everyone to put their trust in Jesus Christ as the only hope for this world, and as the only one that can redeem each and every fallen sinner that believes upon His name.
Why does the resurrection matter? According to Paul, the resurrection matters because it is the only hope for humanity. If Jesus did not rise from the dead, then all who believe in Him will not either. Christians only have hope if there is a resurrection and an afterlife. But if there is no resurrection, then there is no soul and morality. In this sermon on 1 Corinthians 15:12 titled “…if Christ be not Risen,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones says that all of Christianity depends on the fact of Jesus’s empty tomb and of the future hope of the resurrection to life of all believers. Jesus did not simply live a perfect life and die upon the cross to atone for sins; He also rose from the dead to overcome death. Likewise, all those that believe in Jesus not only receive His righteousness, but they will rise from the dead on the last day just as Jesus has. In a world that sees people as nothing more than mere animals who are destined to die and decompose, the message that believers will live forever with Jesus Christ if they believe in Him is a message of great hope. All who flee sin and come to Jesus are promised to live with Him forever in the new heaven and new earth.
This world is one of uncertainty. Some lives seem to be near perfect, and some seem to be falling apart. What does the Christian do when the trials of life seem to continually crash like waves against them? Listen to this sermon on 1 Peter 1:13-25 as Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones challenges the listener to “gird up the loins of our mind,” as they live in this ever-changing world, and proclaims the hope that Christians have as foreigners in a strange land. The only hope is the return of Jesus Christ that will take place at the end of the age when everyone will rise from the dead to experience judgment. Dr. Lloyd-Jones clearly explains that the judgment comes from a God who is holy and judges each person’s works impartially from the standard of His own holiness. The only way that one can measure up to his standard of holiness is through the Lord Jesus Christ who died and rose again on humanity’s behalf. In this sermon, Dr. Lloyd-Jones reminds the Christian to remember that this life is short, death will come, but Christ will return. He encourages hope in Christ, for that is the only certainty in an uncertain world.
Is salvation about individuals or the world? Many criticize Christianity for focusing only on the individual and ignoring the rest of the world. In this sermon on Colossians 1:20 titled “The Only Message of Hope,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones says Christianity is about both the redemption of the individual and the whole world through Jesus Christ. Jesus died not only to save sinners, but also in order to reverse all the effects of sin and evil in the world. The apostle Paul tells that all of creation groans, awaiting the time of final redemption. This final redemption is when Christ returns physically and bodily to bring the new heavens and the new earth. This means that redemption, while starting in individuals, changes the whole world. Salvation is always a matter of personal redemption, but it is the beginning of universal redemption. As Dr. Lloyd-Jones explains, those who have put their faith in Christ are the first fruits of this new world.
What is the only hope for this world? Humankind puts its hope in all kinds of different things, from politicians to wise people. The world is always looking for a cure to its many ills. However, try as it may, the world has never found an answer to its many problems over the hundreds of years it has searched. Why is this? In this sermon on Revelation 21:5 titled “A False Hope,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones says that the answer is really quite simple: the world does not know God. For this reason, it always looks to the wrong places for hope. The world looks to itself, but this is vain and hopeless because only God can take this broken world and make it right. He is doing just this in His Son, Jesus Christ. By dying on the cross Jesus has vanquished not only sin and death, but He has destroyed Satan and broken his hold on this world. Jesus will return and put all things under His feet, He will make all things new and finally vanquish sin and evil once and for all. In the new heaven and earth, creation will be remade and freed from all pollution. All those who believe in Jesus will be made partakers of this new creation by grace and faith in Christ Jesus.
What is the foundation in this life? Is it personal possessions or sense of security? People put their hope and base life on many things. In this sermon on 1 Corinthians 3:11 titled “Christ the Foundation,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones says that any foundation in life that is not Jesus Christ is doomed to fail. All other foundations are passing and transient; they satisfy, but only temporarily. Jesus Christ is an eternal foundation that can never be shaken. He is a foundation that never leaves His people wanting for more. Christ alone can satisfy one’s deepest needs and desires. It is only Christ who can take away sin and make one a child of God. The greatest tragedy is that many reject Christ as their hope, and turn to everything else that is vain and passing away. Christ calls His people to turn away from the world and trust solely in His work on the cross for salvation. All other foundations are like sinking sand, but Jesus Christ is God’s appointed means of salvation as the only sure and steady foundation for all who believe.
The Christian’s hope in Christ radically changes how they see the future. Why is this? In this sermon on 1 Corinthians 13:9–13 titled “Now and Then,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones answers this question. Christians are new people in Christ. This means that they now live new lives, not focused on the passing things of this world, but on the eternal things of God. Christians can look at the future, not as something dark and mysterious, but they can have hope knowing that Christ reigns over all things and will bring His kingdom to completion. This is not mere escapism, but it is a real hope experienced here and now based on the faithfulness of God. Unbelievers cannot have any true and lasting hope for the future. The best they can have is a blind optimism that cannot really give any hope. This sermon calls all to forsake their sins and look to Jesus who is the hope today and tomorrow. Only by believing in Jesus can anyone have their sins removed and become the children of God. This is the hope for everything in life.
The world can only be saved by the grace and power of God almighty. As Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones proclaims in this sermon on Acts 4:31-33 titled “The God of Grace and Power,” there is no other way. The whole world lies under the condemnation of God’s wrath that justly befalls all the unrighteous and ungodly who reject God’s rule over the world and their lives. The only way to escape this judgment has been provided by God in Jesus Christ’s death and resurrection. This is the gospel: God showing grace to those who hate Him and reject Him by sending His only begotten Son to die in their place. In this grace, God’s wrath can be escaped and fallen sinners can receive new life and become the children of the God they once hated and despised. They can have complete assurance that they will be saved on the last day because of the grace of God made manifest in Christ. This is the hope of the gospel: salvation to all who trust in Christ. All who rest in His grace will conquer with Christ when He returns to bring the new heavens and the new earth. God’s grace in Christ is the only hope for the world. All must not fail to repent and believe in the only savior that the world has ever known.
Why do Christians go to church? What compels them to gather for a day of worship, fellowship and preaching? Is it because of an agreement of morals or a collective optimism about life? Is it only for the weak and discouraged? In this sermon on Acts 1:1-3 titled “Christianity – the Only Hope,” Dr. Lloyd-Jones explains the true purpose of the church. With clear exposition and thought-provoking questions, Dr. Lloyd-Jones presses into the heart and asks a compelling question: “do you know the gospel?” Listen as Dr. Lloyd-Jones explains the saving message of Jesus Christ with an emphasis on how Luke writes it in his gospel and his treatise to Theophilus titled “The Acts of the Apostles,” or “Acts.” The sinner’s past is forgiven when they repent of their sin. In an instant they are made a new creation because of what Jesus did on the cross in paying the wages of sin. The victory is secure by the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Since He is alive today, He fulfills the promise of being with His people to the end of the age. As Dr. Lloyd-Jones exposits on Acts 1:1–3, listen as he very precisely explains why Christianity is the only hope and how this concept displays itself in the church: “If you want to understand Christianity, don’t shut your Bible, open it! Listen for your life!”
When a person is saved, a profound change occurs and they are taken from one realm to another. The non-Christian only knows the earthly realm. But the Christian knows two realms: earthly and heavenly. In this sermon on Ephesians 1:3 titled “In Heavenly Places,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones expounds the mystery of Paul’s words, showing that in Christ, the Christian has heavenly citizenship. The consequence of this teaching is far-reaching. This makes the Christian an enigma to others and to themselves. They wrestle with sin like others do but do not enjoy it. There are social consequences as well. While the world places its confidence in the perfectibility of humanity and hope for a better future through education, government, and culture, the Christian is engaged in such matters, but their hope is firmly set on the heavenly places, in their afterlife with Christ. Their faith is on the sure ground of the return of Christ and the eternal home where the Savior is, seated in the heavenlies. No one can change their nature; it is only done through faith in God's only Son.
In Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones’s sermon on 1 Peter 1:3-5, he describes, “the great characteristic of the New Testament.” This being our response the gospel. Dr. Lloyd-Jones points out how Peter “burst forth in Praise to Christ” when he relayed the gospel to his audience. But we must ask ourselves, do we have a similar response? Is there the same spirit within us that was in Peter? Well, to answer this question, Dr. Lloyd-Jones first defines what the gospel is. It is, simply put, the resurrection of Jesus Christ who, by rising from the dead, takes away the sins of the world. Dr. Lloyd-Jones explains that by rising from the dead, Christ becomes our living hope who enables us to endure hardships that we go through in life. But how is the resurrection of Christ a living hope, and why should we celebrate it with such joy? Dr. Lloyd-Jones establishes that the resurrection of Christ is, in fact, a living hope because Christ died and rose again. He defeated sin and death and now is a living hope to all who believe in him. Our sinful selves were buried with Christ so that we can live as new people. However, this is not the final step to unification with Christ. No, we are only truly unified with Christ when we enter heaven. When we pass from this world into eternity, our physical body will be renewed as well so that the entire man will be renewed. Dr. Lloyd-Jones then finishes his sermon by asking the question, “Have we got this living hope?”
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