© 2024 MLJ Trust
In this sermon on Ephesians 2:18 titled “Access to the Father,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones speaks of the solution to the struggle to understand the love of God. It could be because people don’t understand that the three persons of the Trinity have acted in time, each to pursue the Christian’s salvation who must feel the weight of that truth. The Father planned salvation, the Son was sent by the Father to give of Himself to accomplish salvation, and the Holy Spirit has been sent by the Father and the Son to apply redemption. Also, this shows the wretchedness of sin. “Sin is as great a problem as this: that it necessitated the three person of the Trinity to deal with it,” Dr. Lloyd-Jones states. However, removing enmity with God was not the ultimate reason, but God’s “objective” was to bring His people to Himself. As Dr. Lloyd-Jones notes, this is the “whole object and purpose of salvation.” He made His people to enjoy Him and that is His end goal. Therefore, the questions must be asked: “Do you enjoy God? Do you enter into His presence? Do you go before Him with confidence because of what Jesus has done on your behalf? Do you come before Him by His Spirit?”
The Christian must ask themselves: what characterizes their life? Do they see themselves becoming increasingly more godly? When they sin, are they convicted and fueled on to godly repentance? In this sermon on John 1:16 titled “God Works in You to Will and to Do,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones discusses one major doctrine of the Christian faith, namely, the doctrine of progressive sanctification. He elaborates that the Christian is always being made more holy by God. The way that God sees fit to accomplish this task is not all at once, like an explosion, but more like the wearing away of rocks along the seashore. At times there are great storms that move boulders, but more commonly there is the constant ebb and flow of the tide that slowly erodes the rocks on the shoreline. Similarly the Christian life will have great times of power where sin is cast off with great vigor, and at times it is a constant reviving of faith in the word of God that will erode the strongholds of sin in the Christian’s life. Dr. Lloyd-Jones highlights that this work is done by God through His word and Spirit. The Christian’s walk is enabled and led by the Spirit.
Is Christianity really a fact? Was it founded like other religions or are its roots anchored to something eternal? The world asks many questions about Christianity and thankfully God's inerrant word teaches the Christian. Listen to “The Book of Facts” as Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones opens Acts 8:1–5 and teaches of God’s actions in history. Christianity exists because of what happened in time and space with the primary events being the birth, life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. Scripture does not end the account there but promises the Spirit to indwell His own. This coming of the Holy Spirit was a true event that enabled the church to faithfully and boldly proclaim the gospel to the whole world. Those who seek to disconnect the Christian message from the actual historical facts are actually distorting and rejecting the true message of Christianity as it was taught by Jesus and the apostles. As Dr. Lloyd-Jones preaches in this sermon, the rejection of the facts of Christianity is also the rejection of the truth revealed in Scripture. The world’s greatest problem is its sin and coming judgement of God but through the gospel, all who believe will be saved.
In Acts 5:1-11, Annanias and his wife Sapphira were udged by God for lying to the Holy Spirit. This episode reveals that God is active and rules in this world. As Creator, He has the right and the power to do as He wills with His creation. In this sermon on Ananias and Sapphira, Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones expounds on Acts 5 and shows that while many modern men hate the idea of a supernatural spiritual realm, the Bible reveals the existence of angels, demons, and the devil. This is a part of the world we live in and the Bible clearly teaches this from beginning to end. But God is sovereign over all of it, both the spiritual and the material aspects of reality. We must not shy away for what Scripture teaches regarding the existence of the spiritual realm. The church must be active in its opposition to evil in all its forms and ways. There is a war between God and Satan, between good and evil, and between light and darkness. This is a cosmic war that takes place amongst us but we have hope in the power of God and his gospel. In the gospel, Jesus triumphs over all sin and evil, and through his Spirit we have the power to fight against all evil and darkness in this world.
The Christian is called to deal with sin in a radical way. The language the apostle Paul uses is “to mortify flesh.” But what exactly does this mean? How does the Christian kill sin? In this sermon on Romans 8:12–13 titled “Sin and the Body,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones examines the passage and looks deeper into the doctrine of sanctification. Specifically, he gives attention to the practical expression of sanctification. He gives both negative ways to mortify sin and positive expressions. What must be remembered, he says, is that the Christian is not powerless against sin. Many false views of the doctrine of sanctification teach this. However, the biblical teaching is that the believer has the Holy Spirit indwelling them. They cannot rely on joyless legalism. Instead, they gaze their attention on the glorification that awaits them. While the Christians practically shun darkness, lust, and enticement, they also expose and denounce immediately any evil that comes out. More importantly, they remember that they are God’s chosen means of representing Him to the world. Listen as Dr. Lloyd-Jones gives a pastorally-sensitive message on sanctification and holiness.
When the apostles met the risen Christ, they were transformed and empowered with boldness to proclaim the gospel to all that they could. Before the outpouring of the Spirit at Pentecost, they were fearful and timid but after they were fearless in their mission. In this sermon titled “Saved to Serve,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones explains this change enabled them to stand against the Jewish leaders when they refused to cease preaching the gospel of the risen Christ. This is no ordinary boldness, but it is a result of the new nature that is brought about by salvation and regeneration. As the gospel transforms Christians, they are given the Holy Spirit and filled with its wisdom and guidance. The apostles in Acts could not stop preaching the glory of Christ. They were no longer the weak and fearful men who were hiding in the upper room. They had received the new life that the gospel brings and they fearlessly proclaimed the gospel message. Christians have a new source of life and wisdom when they are made anew in Christ. They are motivated to bring the gospel to this broken and sinful world. It is this hope in the new life in Christ that compels Christians to share the gospel with all to the praise and glory of Jesus Christ.
There is no doubt that God gives guidance and wisdom to believers, but how does He do this? In the Bible there is extraordinary proof of this as God gives visions to the prophets and apostles. Listen as Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones preaches this sermon from John 4:13–14 titled “Divine Guidance,” and shares that these extraordinary instances of God revealing Himself in order to make known His will are not the normal way that He leads. Christians should not expect God to communicate in these extraordinary events but they should look to many of the ordinary ways He guides and leads His people in the Spirit. Those who always look to an immediate and infallible revelation from God to guide them often fall into error. They should look to the Holy Spirit’s ordinary guidance that can be found in Scripture, wise advice, and enlightened common sense. All these things form the Christian conscience. It is not in a way that makes it an infallible guide, but it is an everyday means that God uses to guide and lead to a deeper knowledge of Him. Ultimately, the Christian’s conscience can only be bound by Scripture and God uses the ordinary things in life to lead to a deeper knowledge of Him and His will for the Christian life.
What is the doctrine of sonship? How might Christians practically deny this important doctrine? How may they be sure they are children of God? In this sermon on Romans 8:14 titled “The Father’s Children,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones examines the teaching of sonship in various ways. The New Testament takes keen interest in sonship, as Dr. Lloyd-Jones says, because it is the great motive for sanctified living. Christians glory in the truth that the Father has taken special care in them as His children. However, they may practically deny their sonship in their prayer life if they are convinced it is more spiritual to offer distant or cold prayers because of God’s holiness and majesty. Dr. Lloyd-Jones cautions against this extreme by appealing to the adoption as His children. With full assurance, he says, Christians can offer prayer to God because His presence is always with His children. Since they are led by the Holy Spirit into this relationship with the Father, they can be sure of their adoption. No matter faults or failures, they are sons and daughters of God. Listen as Dr. Lloyd-Jones expounds the apostle Paul’s beautiful message on Christian salvation – the adoption as His children.
The great message of Christianity is that Christians are not only saved from their sin and made right before a holy God, but they are made new creatures as the first fruits of the new creation in Christ. In this sermon on Ephesians 5:3–5 titled “Distinct Roles of Church and State,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones demonstrates how Scripture undercuts all doctrines of antinomianism, because by the power of the Holy Spirit all who are true believers are renewed and transformed daily through God’s grace. For it is the gospel that truly transforms fallen men and women; it alone can overcome the depravity of fallen human nature and make them new in Christ. This is why all attempts to make people moral without the gospel fail to address the deepest need of humanity. When the church becomes more concerned with moralism than the gospel, it loses the focus of its mission. This has often happened throughout the history of the church, and today many are repeating this error. The remedy to this is to see the distinction between the church and the state. It is the church that has been given the gospel and it is the state that is to rule and bring justice. As Dr. Lloyd-Jones powerfully proclaims, the church must never stray away from its main goal in proclaiming the gospel of God’s grace.
Why can't the world figure out its own need for salvation? In the sermon “Do You Understand?” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones shows from Acts 8:29–30 how the natural human is blinded to the truth of God. That is, they are unable to understand the spiritual things because they are fleshly and carnal. This is why those in the church who want to change the Christian message to be more accommodating to modern people are so mistaken. Modern humanity’s problem with the Christian message is really nothing unique. It is the product of an unbelieving and sinful nature. They do not need a more up-to-date message; their problem is much deeper. It is one of spiritual blindness and deadness. This is why only those who the Holy Spirit of God enlightens can see and believe in the gospel of Jesus Christ. Only God can give sinful people a new heart and mind that seeks after what is good and holy, and only He can work the miracle of regeneration so that those who were once dead can come to life in Christ. This is the Christian message that is so necessary in this time and in all times. This is the only message that the church has been given to proclaim to this broken and sin-filled world.
Opposition to Christianity is nothing new. The apostles faced much resistance in their day when they proclaimed the gospel of the risen Christ. Listen to “The Nature of Unbelief” as Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones unpacks Acts 5:33–42, showing how this came primarily from the same Jewish leaders who had opposed the ministry of Christ and put Him to death. The Jewish leaders did this not because they were rational individuals who sought to preserve the truth, but because they had been blinded by sin and the devil. This is unbelief manifested. It is a reaction against the truth of the gospel that is produced by a sinful, fallen nature. As it was then in the early church, so it is also now. Modern humanity opposes the truth claims of Christianity because they think they are scientific and enlightened. This rejection of Christianity is really nothing more than the outworking of a fallen and sin-corrupted heart and mind. Humanity’s fundamental problem with the gospel is never a matter of intellectual objections alone, but with the heart. The heart of a person can only be renewed by the sovereign working of God’s Holy Spirit when it opens the eyes of the spiritually dead. The church should take great comfort in knowing that it is the Spirit of God that has the power to make even the most hardened sinners repent and believe.
“What seek ye?” This is a pivotal question Jesus asks not only His followers in the New Testament, but of His followers today. Has the Christian church truly sought after and found the fullness of Jesus through the baptism of the Holy Ghost? Preaching from John 1:35–39, listen as Dr. Lloyd-Jones answers these questions and explains the simple steps to attaining this same baptism. First, he states the importance of John the Baptist’s message within this passage of beholding the Savior. It is through beholding and seeking after Him that the Christian can truly understand what Jesus has done in becoming the substitute who took sins upon Himself. It is through putting faith and trust in this simple, yet monumental, truth that brings about the baptism of the Holy Spirit, and which opens eyes to the fullness of God. Dr. Lloyd-Jones ends by examining the difference between seeking after Jesus for who He is versus seeking after Him for what He can do. The Christian should truly seek after Christ with the goal of glorifying Him. It will take the form like that of Mary, kneeling down at her savior’s feet. The Christian is asked “what seek Ye?” and can respond with thankful and sincere hearts, “Jesus, my Savior.”
Can people do anything to save themselves? Are all good deeds really worthless? In this sermon on “Simon the Sorcerer,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones proclaims the powerful gospel from Acts 8:18–24, showing that it does not matter how many good works one does or how religious they are: human effort is powerless to save. The severity of sin cannot be undone by good deeds and righteous works. Those who believe it can do not understand the reality that sin absolutely corrupts. Dr. Lloyd-Jones describes sin’s impact on humanity as every aspect of a person, their heart, will, and soul is corrupted. The message of the Bible is not good religiosity but it is one of supernatural regeneration and new birth. Salvation is obtained by Christ’s death on the cross and His resurrection from the grave. It is applied to everyone who believes by the Holy Spirit, giving them new life. Those like Simon the magician who see salvation as something that is simply a choice fundamentally distort the biblical notion of salvation. They detract from the supernatural aspect of salvation and from the work of God. The church must preach both the necessity of the new birth, as well as the supernatural aspect of salvation. They must make clear that desires alone do not save, but it is the Spirit working to give faith that saves.
If the Christian feels like they are standing alone in opposing the world, they should be encouraged that they are not alone in this thought. In this sermon on Acts 2:41-47 titled “A New Reformation,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones proclaims how the apostles confronted the ancient world with the gospel of Christ. They sought to confront the deepest ills of humanity through the power of the gospel and the work of the Holy Spirit. The early church did this as a community of believers who had true fellowship in the gospel. This fellowship was more than simple friendship; it was a deep communion based on the new life in Christ. This love of one another is one of the marks of the true Christian; it is this love of fellow believers that makes the church distinct from all other institutions. The church of Christ is a Spirit-filled community of believers who love one another and Christ because of God’s great work of redemption. The early church in Acts lived out this salvation by loving one another and proclaiming the gospel to the whole world. The church of today must not stray away from the great truth of who the church is and of the glorious gospel with which they have been entrusted. Only the church has been entrusted with the truth of God’s gospel, and only the church can confront the fallen world with the good news of who they can be in Christ Jesus.
Every Christian still battles with sin. But how should Christians approach this issue? The doctrine of sanctification is filled with hope, and in this sermon on the different views of sanctification, Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones guides the listener through the different views of this doctrine. Sanctification means to be set apart for God and His service, to be made holy. Though it doesn’t remove sin, it is the process by which the Holy Spirit removes the pollution of that sin and shifts desires from disobedience to God-honoring behavior. How long does sanctification take, and when in a person’s spiritual journey does it take place? Dr. Lloyd-Jones walks through the various perspectives and aids the believer in reaching a biblical understanding of the answers. Some Christians have asked, “Why does it matter to study a doctrine that doesn’t determine where someone will spend eternity?” Dr. Lloyd-Jones explains it is the Christian duty to search for the truth in all areas of life and study. Without knowing the truth, believers can become vulnerable to believing false doctrine and fall prey to heresies. Studying truth helps believers to avoid this, and it aids in growing them closer to Christ. Praise God that He does not abandon His children after saving them, but rather actively molds them into the image of His Son, Jesus Christ.
Great awakenings by God are often accompanied by great physical and mental phenomena. During revivals, men and women are described as being “struck”—falling to the ground and fainting. Supernatural knowledge about the future is given to ordinary people. What is to be made of these revival testimonies about prophesy and physical phenomena? Should such things as hysteria or brain washing be dismissed? In this sermon on Acts 2:12–13 titled “Revival Sermon: The Phenomena of Revival,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones pushes back against the Western tendency to describe these kinds of things in naturalistic terms. While acknowledging there can be mixture of false phenomena with the true, he cautions Christians not to merely dismiss these physical phenomena based upon a dry intellectualism. Such reasoning could result in Christians quenching the Holy Spirit. Instead, Dr. Lloyd-Jones reminds that these kinds of phenomena are always accompanied by a response from bystanders. It is either a response of doubt, amazement, or mockery. This was the experience of the early Christians in Acts 2:12–13 and it has held true throughout the history of revivals as well. The Christian response, says Dr. Lloyd-Jones, must test such things. Nevertheless the whole person can be impacted by a great movement from the sovereign Spirit. Listen as Dr. Lloyd-Jones seeks a balanced approach in this controversial topic.
Although everyone is under God's sovereign control, His special purpose and promises are only for His children, those who are born of the Spirit. As Paul argues this case in Romans 9:10–13, he gives examples in the Old Testament including that of Isaac and Ishmael. Because Paul understands that there may be some arguments or disputes against this example, he then goes on to give the example of Esau and Jacob. In this sermon on Romans 9:10–13 titled “God’s Purpose Made Sure,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones points out that Paul always refutes any arguments with facts first, and later provides doctrine to prove his point. The example of Esau and Jacob proves that God intervened in their situation because Rebecca was barren. Before the twins were even born, God said that he would choose Jacob to fulfill his promise and not Esau. This shows that the Lord draws distinctions among people, proving the doctrine of election. God did this because it was part of his holy plan. God’s purpose is always worked out by means of election. Dr. Lloyd-Jones reminds that God’s plan is never based on works and it is all through those whom he calls. Therefore, only those who are born of the Spirit are truly part of God’s plan.
Perhaps the pastoral question most often asked by the Christian church concerns the will of God. Christians want to know what decisions they ought to make. They want to make plans, but are often perplexed and overwhelmed by the prospect of making the wrong decision. Many faithful believers have desires, intentions, and longings for their lives, but hesitate and/or doubt because they wonder if these things are in accord with the will of God. In short, faithful Christians often ask: “How do I know the will of God? How can I be guided by God’s will?” As Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones says of the apostle Paul in this sermon titled “Submitted to the Word of God” on Romans 1:7–15, nothing is more characteristic of Paul than his submission to God. It would be appropriate then to learn from the great apostle on this topic. Dr. Lloyd-Jones outlines several principles from the apostle Paul’s life which teach about unfulfilled desires, longings, plans, hinderances, open doors, shut doors, and prayers. Dr. Lloyd-Jones notes the importance of Christians using minds, reason, common sense, godly counsel, and circumstances in order to determine and interpret God’s will in their lives. A fundamental characteristic for determining God’s will for the Christian is the Holy Spirit’s witness to their spirit. Listen as Dr. Lloyd-Jones explains what this means and how the Christian can fully submit to the will of God.
According to Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones, one of the most important parts of prayer is thanksgiving. In this sermon on Ephesians 5:20 titled “Giving Thanks Always Unto God,” he says that one of the clearest gauges of spiritual maturity is how much of prayer is spent in thanksgiving. All who know God as Lord and Savior should live lives marked by continual Spirit-filled praise for all that God has done in and through Jesus Christ. It is by God’s loving grace that His people know Him and are partakers of all the blessings of Christ Jesus the Savior. Christians have new life and hope only in Jesus, and only come to know Christ through the grace of God in sending His Holy Spirit. As Dr. Lloyd-Jones elaborates, Christians can give thanks even for the hardships in life. This can be seen in Acts when Paul and Silas are beaten and thrown in prison but continue to sing praises to God. This is because it is God who sovereignly works in and through all things to bring about His purposes for His people. No matter what trials and tribulations Christians are experiencing, and no matter how bad the circumstances are, they can always give thanks to the God who has delivered them from sin, who loves them, and guards them through all of life.
What is the purpose of miracles? Can they happen today? In this sermon on miracles from Acts 7:30–33 titled “The God of Miracles,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones explains the power of God to supernaturally work through miracles and providence. He cannot be comprehended by finite creatures apart from the Holy Spirit’s illumination. Modern humanity rejects God, refusing to submit to the One who stands above and beyond all humanity and who reserves the right to do with them and all of creation as He pleases. Humanity wants a god they can understand and grasp, not one who is the ultimate authority, directing and ordaining all things. Sinful people do not want to believe in angels, demons, or miracles because their hunger for imperial evidence views them as non-scientific or irrational. However, these reasons for denial are only excuses to avoid accountability to God’s holy standard. With the message of the gospel comes the strong warning of condemnation that will fall on all who reject God. On that final day all will bow their knees before the throne of God and there will no longer be any objection to God’s law and reign. They will no longer sneer at the word of God and its miracles. All who reject the gospel of God and His only Son will perish without any hope. Only by believing in the gospel can any rebellious sinner be saved.
To use this feature, register a free account.
If you already have an account you can login instead.