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Without the facts of biblical history there is no gospel. From a Christian perspective, this becomes most important in approaching the book of Genesis. While the first book of the Bible is full of historical facts, it is also much more than this. It is where the great biblical drama begins—the drama of what God is doing in salvation. In this sermon on Genesis 3:15 titled “True History?” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones calls the listener to see the big picture of the biblical message. He teaches literal historical facts but he also notes the beginning drama of deliverance as God pronounces a great conflict between the seed of the woman and the seed of the serpent. In order to understand secular history that is marked by sin, evil, war, pride, and hopelessness, people must come to grips with the biblical history of God initiating liberation of humanity from the bondage of Satan. Genesis 3:15 reminds that humanity’s problems run much deeper than morality or mere happiness. As Dr. Lloyd-Jones says in this compelling sermon, Genesis 3:15 recalls the utter helpless condition that only the cross of Christ can fix. Listen as he traces biblical history from the beginning to the end where Christ returns in glory and subdues the devil fully and finally.
How do we experience God? Chaos and confusion results among Christians as religious movements emerge based upon unique experiences. In this sermon on Genesis 32:24 entitled "The Man Who Wrestled With God", Dr. Marytn Lloyd-Jones desires to counter this confusion by discerning the essence of true Christian experience. He seeks to do this by looking at the great turning point in the life of Jacob in Genesis 32. While he acknowledges that any standardized Christian experience is unhelpful, Lloyd-Jones affirms there are broad elements which can be used to authenticate our experience. True Christian experience will penetrate the heart of the individual and therefore disrupt the person’s entire life. With true Christin experience the attitude of the person moves beyond general interest in religion to being dominated with the one thing that matters: knowing their Creator. All these things result in a changed person or a new man. They become someone who knows they have peace with God. Someone who is humbled by the presence of God. Hear this challenging sermon from Genesis 32:24 as you consider your own Christian experience.
The story of the flood as found in Genesis tells of something very important about who God is and who humanity is. In this sermon on Genesis 6:7–8 titled “God Must Punish Sin,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones explains that the justice of God will not tolerate sin and His holiness demands the punishment of evil. This is exactly what He did in sending the flood upon the whole earth, wiping out all the inhabitants for their iniquities. He spares only Noah and his family because Noah found favor with God. Furthermore, just as God judged the world in the time of Noah, He will also come again to judge the world and punish all evildoers who do not repent and believe in Christ Jesus. Despite this clear warning, many live as if God never judges the earth. Just as those in the time of Noah scoffed at the idea that God was going to flood the earth, so today many laugh at the belief that Christ Jesus will return and bring judgment on the last day. The Bible warns that God is just and holy, and because of sin the whole world lies under the condemnation of God. It is only by believing in the gospel that any will be saved.
In the Garden of Eden, Adam and Eve find themselves in a fearful, worried state. In this sermon on Genesis 3:1 titled “God and the Ideas of Man,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones considered how they arrived to this state. Often times Christians can find ourselves fearful and worried like Adam and Eve. This is because they, like them, ask the question, “Did God really say?” Christians have absolutely no reason to believe that God is not kind, but they still question His goodness when they are told to obey Him. This is what happened to Adam and Eve; they allowed themselves to question the intentions of the Lord. Dr. Lloyd-Jones encourages Christians to believe what has always been true of God: He is infinitely good, infinitely just, and infinitely holy. Give up foolish reason when questioning the goodness of God. Instead of asking, “did God say?” proclaim, “I believe what God has said and I believe it!”
Why is it so important to understand the narrative of Scripture? In this sermon on Genesis 3:1 titled “The Message of the Bible,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones preaches on the great story of the Bible by looking at the fall of humanity into sin, and the death of Jesus—the only remedy of sin. The state of the world can only be accounted for in the story of the fall. When humanity sinned against God, the whole world fell into sin, and they became slaves of the devil. No other story can account for the sin and evil that is in the world. Only the word of God tells why the world is in the terrible state that it is, and God’s word alone gives the answer to all the world’s problems. The glorious truth of Scripture is that God has sent His only Son to overcome sin, Satan, and the fall. Jesus is the new man who has come to redeem the whole world. This is the story of the world: humanity sinned against God, but God has sent Jesus to make all things new. This sermon confronts all with the truth of God’s salvation in Christ and the need to repent.
In this sermon on Genesis 12:1–4 titled “The Seed of Abraham,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones shows how all humanity’s troubles throughout history have arisen from its rebellion against God. Before this pagan backdrop, the life of Abraham shines as an example of what it looks like to live a life of faith. The Lord called Abram out of his old way of life, offering him His friendship and untold blessing. Abram responded, leaving everything, and becoming a sojourner in this world. Do today’s Christians have the same confidence in the word of God? Abram’s world was exactly the same as today, and God requires the same response to His call—a call to repentance, seeing that the life one lives is against God, and doesn't have a foundation. There is a glorious type of life possible, not based on uncertainties or works, but a life based on the Son of God who gives peace with God. That was the offer made to Abram and it is the offer made to today. Come out of the old life and follow the call of God, through life and death, and even into the everlasting bliss of His kingdom.
In this sermon on Ephesians 2:14–16 titled “He is Our Peace,” Dr. Lloyd-Jones explains that the main purpose of Paul’s letter to the Ephesians is to encourage the church in the peace of Christ. Christians have been saved and are in the body of Christ and as such, they have been redeemed and the war with God is over. They now have the peace of Christ that governs them. Dr. Lloyd-Jones says that the realization that Christ is the peace of believers is one of the most significant and meaningful encouragements to the soul. Only when people understand the true nature of sin do they understand the true nature of salvation. Additionally, Dr. Lloyd-Jones addresses some who would discount the first few chapters of Genesis. Dr. Lloyd-Jones stresses that without the beginning of the Bible, people will not understand why the world is as corrupt as it is, nor will they witness the roots of the gospel. Without understanding the sin that originates in Genesis, people will be confused about the lack of peace in the world. Unbelievers will never have peace with each other unless they have peace with God in salvation. Thankfully Jesus made a way to have peace with God through His death on the cross. Through Christ, all can have lasting peace.
In the garden of Eden, humanity tried to recover from what was lost at the fall. Adam and Eve covered their nakedness with leaves and hid from God. Ever since, humanity has never ceased to run from God and cover the results of the fall with intellect, politics, and medicine, ignoring the reality that no politician or medicine can address the guilt-ridden conscience. In this sermon on Genesis 3:7–8 titled “They Were Naked,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones points out that humanity has been trying to ignore the reality of God and of guilt ever since the garden. He illustrates this idea by calling out to the individual conscience and showing that fear of death and a guilt-ridden life have a God-given conscience in common. Christians must fight the temptation to convince themselves that everything is just fine as it is but instead recognize that without a Savior, this whole world is upside down and their own soul is torn with sin and guilt. Listen and hear about the God who is both just and merciful. Dr. Lloyd-Jones encourages Christians not to cover over inadequacies with false hopes that cannot fix a guilt-stained conscience but to look to Christ who forgives sin and makes filthy consciences clean.
No one is wise, clever, or powerful enough to escape the corruption of sin. In this sermon on Genesis 3:9 titled “Where Are Thou?” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones proclaims that the power of sin over the world can be seen in the garden when Adam and Eve rejected God’s commands, lived by their own desires, and plunged the world into disastrous sin. Ever since, people reject the truth of Christianity by claiming that it is irrational, intellectually inadequate, and foolish. In its sinful pride and arrogance, humanity seeks to judge God’s word using the intellect and mind. But according to Scripture, all are slaves to sin and are born wholly corrupt. Only by God’s grace can those born in Adam receive new eyes and a new mind to see and know God rightly. It is not up to humanity and its reasoning, but to God and His infinite grace that He grants to those whom He has given to Christ Jesus. This is the heart of the gospel that God promised to Adam and Eve when He said that the seed of the woman would crush the serpent once and for all. Christ was born of a woman and died upon the cross so that all who repent and believe upon His name will be saved and made inheritors of life everlasting.
Genesis 3:22-24 helps understand that this is an uncertain and restless age, and the anxiety of science pervades. In this sermon on Genesis 3:22–24 titled “Is Christianity Out of Date?” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones teaches that this was not the way God made the world. God made humanity perfect and put them in a perfect environment. God had fellowship and communion with people. How did the world become what it is today? People ceased to realize they had lost communion with God; they failed to see their own finiteness and dependence on God. Desire usurped everything else; people were no longer guided by truth and principle, but by appearance and lust. Fear and guilt came. Look at history and see war and conflict; original paradise was lost. No one escape the judgment of God. All have tried to get back to paradise, but it is always futile as they depend on philosophy, politics, nature, or reason. People were indeed meant for something better; even the nonbeliever understands that. But, all are self-centered and the devil is the god of this world. No one can have paradise on human terms or without God. Look to Christ and find spiritual paradise today.
What is wrong with the world today? Apart from the Bible, one can only speculate about the trouble humans find themselves in. However, with the Bible, one can know the cause of the broken world, as well as the solution. In the Bible, God works out His plan of salvation for His rebellious people. In this sermon on Genesis 11:1–32 titled “Babel” The Tragedy of Man,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones preaches about the Tower of Babel with this theme of Scripture in mind. In this story, he sees the whole essence of the tragedy of humanity. They displayed great ingenuity in noticing the effect the sun had on clay and used that knowledge to make brick. The tragedy of humanity is that it uses its ingenuity to build a life apart from God. Their controlling ideas revolve around trade, pleasure, and security; thus, the city of Babel was built out of pride and self-sufficiency. The tower was built with brick so it would last forever, yet Dr. Lloyd-Jones notes the trace of humanity’s lurking fear in the building of Babel. There was a threat of being scattered because God abhors the thought of His creation building a life apart from Him. Indeed, God came down, destroyed Babel, and scattered the people.
What is at the root of all of humanity’s problems? In this sermon on the fall of man from Genesis 3:22–24 titled “Man Ate of the Fruit,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones preaches on the fall and the first transgression of Adam and Eve. He says the reason the first parents sinned is because they refused to acknowledge their own creature-hood and ignorance. They sought to become like God Himself. This is still the fundamental problem of sin and evil: people do not accept that they are God’s creatures and subject to his law. In their pride, people seek to understand and explain the world by their own reason and standards. This is utter folly because apart from God, no one can truly know themselves or the world. True understanding only comes when one accepts that they are not God, but His creatures. All must put their faith in God and in what He has done on the cross in Jesus Christ. Only by repenting and believing in Jesus Christ can one return to true fellowship with God and be freed from the curse of sin. This sermon calls all to ask, “do I believe? Have I forsaken any chance of understanding the world without Christ?” There is no more important question one can ask because it concerns not only their good in this life, but their eternal salvation.
What is truly in the heart of people? What is the mind really like? In this sermon on Jeremiah 17:5–8 titled “A Life in Christ,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones teaches that everyone is born in sin and darkness. This is found all throughout Scripture, beginning with the fall in Genesis and ending in the final judgment in Revelation. So much of the world’s suffering stems from humankind rejecting God and replacing His ways with their own. They scorn the very word of God that offers hope to those blinded by Satan. The wickedness of the human heart can only be overcome by the miracle of regeneration. This transformation turns a wicked enemy of God into a forgiven child of God. It is then that Christians can live as new creatures who seek what is holy, pure, and godly. They no longer walk the broad road of destruction, but now they follow the narrow path with all its hardships and struggle as children of God who faithfully await the return of Christ.
What could be better than living with the incarnated Son of God? What could be better than audibly hearing His voice and feeling the wounds He bears from the cross? Remarkably, Jesus said that the sending of the Spirit would be better than if Jesus stayed on Earth bodily. In this sermon from John 1:16 titled “The Promise of the Spirit,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones discusses the glorious truths surrounding the sending of the Spirit and its impact on Christian theology and practice. He traces the activity of the Spirit from Genesis through Acts to see how the giving of the Spirit at Pentecost was a vital gift from Christ to His Church. The Spirit was involved intimately with creation and in giving strength and wisdom to the people of God, but only in the new covenant is the permanent indwelling of the Holy Spirit found as the new norm for the people of God. This giving of the Holy Spirit is intimately connected to the Christian’s understanding of the new heart and the sanctification of the Christian.
The apostle Paul tells that all are in sin and ruled by sin. Apart from the gospel all are dead in their sins and trespasses. In this sermon on Ephesians 2:1–3 titled “The Wrath of God,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones preaches that the judgement of God is the only answer for the children of wrath. It is vital to understand the wrath of God in order to understand both the grace and love of God. One can only understand Christ, His life, and His death if they see the great problem of their sin and God’s wrath. This wrath is the manifestation of God’s just indignation and this just judgment of sin can be seen from Genesis to Revelation as the plan and story of redemption unfolds. In God’s love He provided hope for sinful and fallen people. By sending His Son to die for sinners who deserved nothing but condemnation and judgement, He provides a way of salvation and justification for His enemies. This is the glory of the gospel: it is adoption and justification for those who deserve nothing but judgment. It is the adoption of God’s enemies as children and inheritors through the work of Christ.
All of Scripture is about the promises of God. What does this mean? In this sermon on 2 Peter 1:4 titled “The Promises of God,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones preaches on the great truth of God’s promises given to His people. It is these divine promises from Genesis to Revelation wherein God tells that He will grant peace and blessings. How does God give Christians all these things? The answer is in the person of Christ Jesus. It is Jesus that gives all peace and happiness because it is He who saves from all sin. Sadly, many have mistaken the law of God for the promise itself, for the law looks forward to Jesus, but it is not the promise. The law brings condemnation on all because they are sinners. Jesus, however, delivers His people from sin and fulfills the entire law for them. The only question to ask is, “do you hope in the promise of God, namely Jesus Christ?” Those who die apart from Christ will never know the peace of God. There is no more pressing matter than belief in the great Savior, Jesus Christ.
What are the needs of the church today? Have the needs of the church changed since early Christianity? Does the church face the same issues as it did since it first began? In this sermon on Genesis 26:17–18 titled “Revival Sermon: The Power and the Possibilities,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones answers that as Isaac dug again the wells of his father Abraham, the church must also dig again the wells that have been filled by modern Philistines in order to rediscover the history of the church: “There is nothing so foolish as to ignore the past.” It is wise to study the pattern of revivals as they have taken place, so as to expose the one main issue that hinders the growth of the church. As Dr. Lloyd-Jones makes clear, “My dear friends, there is only one explanation of the state of the church today: it is the work of the Philistines.” He explains that the church doesn’t seem to see this, and instead puts the blame on false ideas such as the modern day or “new knowledge.” Christians must recognize that humanity’s problem is still the same, God is the same, and the solution of the problem is the same: Jesus Christ.
What words and images are adequate to convey the experience of conversion? For the Apostle Paul, nothing other than the biblical imagery of creation satisfied the profound change that took place when he encountered the Lord Jesus Christ on the Damascus road. Listen to this sermon on 2 Corinthians 4:6 as Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones shares the echoes of the creation story from Genesis. By attributing creation imagery to the experience of conversion, Dr. Lloyd-Jones shows how Paul reveals the profound change that occurs when a person becomes a Christian. Moving from darkness to light and chaos to new creation is no superficial change. He challenges his listeners to consider their own conversion and how Paul’s experience can help listeners understand themselves. Dr. Lloyd-Jones challenges the professing Christian to look for a clear move from spiritual blindness and ignorance to knowledge of the true and living God; a life marked by order and discipline rather than disorder and chaos. Listen as Dr. Lloyd-Jones expounds the doctrine of conversion and the beautiful truth that God moves sinners from the domain of darkness to encounter the light in the face of the Lord Jesus Christ.
The condition of the church today suggests that her need is as urgent as it has ever been. In this sermon on Genesis 26:17–18 titled “Revival Sermon: The Modern Philistine,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones expands on the great and urgent need for revival and reawakening. To influence this, he says, the church must follow Isaac, who dug again the wells of his father Abraham: “The essence of wisdom for the church at a time like this is to look back into her own history.” When she does this, what will she find? She will find that no revival has ever been known in history that denied the fundamentals of the Christian faith or neglected such vital truths. These truths are constantly buried by “the rubbish of the Philistines.” Dr. Lloyd-Jones explains the vital truths and doctrines denied by the Philistines: the sovereignty of God, the authority of the Bible, the doctrine of sin, and the wrath of God. Revival cannot happen without the proclamation of these truths. It is with arrogance, pride, and the tendency to glorify oneself rather than God that stands between us and His mighty blessings of revival.
In this sermon on Ezekiel 36:33–35 titled “The Temple in the Soul,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones proclaims that there is one God and one message of salvation that runs consistently throughout the entire Bible. From Genesis to Revelation, God is working to bring His plan of salvation to its fulfillment in Christ Jesus. The prophet Ezekiel looked forward to this fulfillment when God would rebuild what was lost in the fall. God does this through the gospel and forgiveness of sins. All were born in sin because of the fall and this fallen nature is wholly given over to sin and corruption. Humanity’s will, mind, and every action are tainted by sin. Relationships are twisted and marred by the effects of the sinful nature and disposition. Ignoring it doesn’t change the presence or reality of sin. The good news is that there is hope in Christ. Dr. Lloyd-Jones teaches that it is only in Christ that anyone can have true fellowship with God and neighbor. In the gospel people are made right with God and humanity by the blood of the only Son of God. Listen as Dr. Lloyd-Jones shows the path out of the loneliness and confusion that engulfs humankind.
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