Christ's Death - The Purpose of God?
A Sermon on Acts 4:23-28
Originally preached Nov. 21, 1965
Scripture
23¶ And being let go, they went to their own company, and reported all that the chief priests and elders had said unto them. 24And when they heard that, they lifted up their voice to God with one accord, and said, Lord, thou art God, which hast made …
Sermon Description
What is the understanding of the cross of the Lord Jesus Christ? In this sermon “Christ’s Death—The Purpose of God?” from Acts 4:23–28, Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones explains how this is the ultimate test of the validity of the Christian faith. Was it simply the result of the actions of the cruel and ignorant? If God is so powerful and Christ so wonderful, why did He die and in this way? In this highly theological prayer made by the early church during their first evil hour of persecution, they focus on the central message of Christianity: the death of Jesus Christ on the cross was no mere accident, nor example, nor response of God to the actions of sinners. The cross was the purpose of God, foretold from Abel to Moses to Isaiah, all the way to John the Baptist when he cried out, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” There was no other way for God to remain just and the justifier of His people other than sending His own Son into the world to take upon Himself the sins of His people. Humanity killed Him, but only according to the definite purpose of God and it is the center of everything.
Sermon Breakdown
- The sermon begins by introducing the passage from Acts 4:23-28 which describes the early church praying after Peter and John were released from the Sanhedrin.
- The sermon then highlights verses 27 and 28 which state that Herod, Pontius Pilate, the Gentiles and the Jews gathered together to do what God's hand and purpose predestined to happen.
- The sermon points out that this passage gives insight into the early church's view of Jesus's death.
- The sermon argues that Jesus's death was not an accident or surprise but was predetermined by God. Jesus predicted his death, and it was necessary to fulfill God's plan.
- The sermon claims that Jesus's death was not just an example for us to follow. It was not meant to teach pacifism or obedience.
- The sermon argues that Jesus's death was not just a reaction by God to human sin. It was not meant just to show God's love in spite of human sin. Rather, it was planned by God before the creation of the world.
- The sermon cites multiple passages from the Old and New Testaments to show that Jesus's death was foreordained by God.
- The sermon argues that Jesus had to die in order to fulfill God's righteous demands for justice in punishing sin while also allowing God to forgive and save humanity. Jesus's death was the only way for God to remain just while justifying sinners.
- The sermon concludes by exhorting the listeners to see the meaning of Jesus's death, be broken by the sight of the cross, and pray to gain a deeper understanding of the cross.
Sermon Q&A
What Did Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones Teach About the Death of Christ?
Based on Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones' sermon on Acts 4:23-28, I've extracted key questions and answers about his teaching on the crucifixion of Christ.
What was the central focus of early Christian preaching according to Lloyd-Jones?
According to Dr. Lloyd-Jones, the death of Jesus Christ on the cross was the very heart and center of apostolic preaching. He notes: "The very center of Christian preaching is the preaching of the cross, the death of the Son of God." He points out that whenever Peter preached, whether on Pentecost or after healing the lame man, he always emphasized Christ's crucifixion. Similarly, Paul declared, "I determined not to know anything among you, save Jesus Christ and him crucified."
Was the crucifixion of Christ an accident or a mistake according to Lloyd-Jones?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones emphatically teaches that Christ's death was not an accident, unexpected event, or mistake. He states: "The cross, the death of Jesus Christ upon the cross was not an accident... it was not something unexpected." He points out that Jesus repeatedly told His disciples He would die, and that His death "was not something that could have been avoided" or "might not have happened." Instead, it was divinely ordained.
How does Lloyd-Jones explain God's involvement in Christ's crucifixion?
Lloyd-Jones explains that while human hands carried out the crucifixion, it was ultimately God's predetermined plan. He quotes Acts 4:27-28: "Both Herod and Pontius Pilate with the Gentiles and the people of Israel were gathered together for to do whatsoever thy hand and thy counsel determined before to be done." God wasn't merely responding to human actions; He was the architect of salvation through the cross, having planned it "before the foundation of the world."
What common misunderstandings about the cross does Lloyd-Jones address?
Lloyd-Jones identifies several misunderstandings: 1. That the cross was an accident or unexpected tragedy 2. That the cross is merely an example of pacifism or submission 3. That the cross was simply something to which God responded or used after humans acted 4. That God simply used the cross to demonstrate His continued love despite human evil
Why was Christ's death necessary according to Lloyd-Jones?
Lloyd-Jones teaches that Christ's death was necessary because of God's nature and character. He explains: "God's nature demands that sin should be punished," and "Without shedding of blood, there is no remission of sin." God cannot change His laws or compromise His holiness. Therefore, the only way He could forgive sinners while remaining just was to punish sin in Christ: "He takes our sins upon himself and God lays them upon him... because He has punished my sin in Him, God remaining just and righteous and true and holy can give me a free pardon and forgiveness."
How does Lloyd-Jones describe the ultimate test of Christian faith?
Lloyd-Jones states that "what ultimately tests whether you and I are Christian or not... is our view of the cross, is our view of the death of the Lord Jesus Christ." He calls it "the touchstone" and "the acid test" that "proves beyond any doubt exactly where we stand." The world may counterfeit many aspects of Christianity, but it "can never counterfeit the death upon the cross on Calvary's hill."
What does Lloyd-Jones say is the proper Christian response to the cross?
The proper response is to recognize Christ died for our sins and to personally appropriate this truth. He says a Christian is one "who realizes that the Son of God died and had to die for his sins in order that he might be forgiven." The Christian can say with Paul, "The Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me." Lloyd-Jones concludes that "the Christian is a man who is smashed and finished by the cross, reconciled to God, made a new man."
The Book of Acts
Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones
Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones (1899-1981) was a Welsh evangelical minister who preached and taught in the Reformed tradition. His principal ministry was at Westminster Chapel, in central London, from 1939-1968, where he delivered multi-year expositions on books of the bible such as Romans, Ephesians and the Gospel of John. In addition to the MLJ Trust’s collection of 1,600 of these sermons in audio format, most of these great sermon series are available in book form (including a 14 volume collection of the Romans sermons), as are other series such as "Spiritual Depression", "Studies in the Sermon on the Mount" and "Great Biblical Doctrines". He is considered by many evangelical leaders today to be an authority on biblical truth and the sufficiency of Scripture.