All of God
A Sermon on Acts 8:26
Originally preached Jan. 7, 1968
Scripture
26And the angel of the Lord spake unto Philip, saying, Arise, and go toward the south unto the way that goeth down from Jerusalem unto Gaza, which is desert.
Sermon Description
Why are people so opposed to the idea of the supernatural? Why does humanity so quickly reject any belief that says there is something beyond people, matter, and motion? In the sermon “All of God,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones says the answer is because rather than deal with the hard reality of personal sin, humanity chooses to wholly reject the existence of God. Instead of submitting to the one true God, they wrongly believe in a closed universe with no deity that acts outside of time and history to bring about change in the world. The result is that they are left with just humanity, their intellect, and mind. But the word of God tells something quite different from the scientific humanist, for at the very heart of Christianity is the belief that not only does God exist, but He deeply loves this whole world to the point that He sent His only beloved Son to act in history to redeem sinners. Jesus Christ, God’s incarnate Son, was born into the world in a real place, to real human parents. He died a real death so that sinners could be redeemed from their sin and guilt. There is no other hope for the world. God has provided no other way of salvation other than believing in the name of Jesus.
Sermon Breakdown
- The reality of the supernatural realm. The world knows nothing about the supernatural realm and spiritual forces.
- The world thinks only the material world exists and everything operates by blind, inanimate forces. This view leads to hopelessness and calamity.
- The Bible teaches there are good and evil spiritual forces - God, angels and the devil and demons. They are fighting for control of the world.
- God is all-powerful, all-knowing, holy, righteous and in control of everything. He sustains and orders the universe.
- God has a plan to redeem the world from sin and evil. He sends angels and prophets to accomplish his will.
- God's redemption is always by his initiative. He seeks out individuals and calls them to himself.
- God's plan is personal and individual. He diverts his program to save one person.
- God's provision of salvation and new life is free and unexpected. We just have to believe.
- God cares for his children and leads them through life. He gives them hope beyond this world.
- We must cry out to God in our despair and need. Then we will see his angels and experience his salvation.
- Despite modern learning, God's angels and supernatural forces still exist and are active. We must open our eyes to see them.
Sermon Q&A
What Did Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones Teach About the Supernatural Realm?
According to Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones' sermon on Acts 8:26, the supernatural realm is a fundamental biblical concept that modern people often neglect. Here's what he taught about it:
What is the supernatural realm according to Lloyd-Jones?
According to Dr. Lloyd-Jones, the supernatural realm is "the invisible world" that exists beyond our physical senses. He describes it as "beyond our gaze," "eternal," and "illimitable." He taught that "this world is only the visible world. This isn't the real world. This is a visible world. This is a passing world. There's another world, there's another realm."
Why does Lloyd-Jones believe the world is in trouble today?
"Its chief trouble is that it knows nothing about the supernatural realm. I would say that that is the essence of the trouble." Lloyd-Jones argued that modern materialism and humanism have led people to believe "this world in which we are is the only world, the seen world, the visible world, the material world."
How does the supernatural realm interact with our world?
Lloyd-Jones taught that the supernatural realm "is the realm that is actually controlling this present world." He described how God works through angels, as seen in Acts 8:26 where "the angel of the Lord spake unto Philip." These angels are "ministering spirits sent forth to minister for them that shall be heirs of salvation."
What beings exist in the supernatural realm?
According to Lloyd-Jones, the supernatural realm has two sections: 1. "The good section" consisting of "the blessed Holy Trinity, God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit, archangels and angels, Cherubim and Seraphim" 2. "The bad section" containing "the devil and all his emissaries and all his servants"
How does understanding the supernatural realm give hope?
Lloyd-Jones taught that recognizing the supernatural realm is "our only hope this evening." He explained: "If this is a closed universe, if the future is really in the hands of men, what have you got to look forward to?" Instead, he believed that "God, the everlasting and eternal God, is concerned about this world of ours... and he's got a plan for its redemption."
How does God intervene from the supernatural realm?
Lloyd-Jones emphasized that "this redemption is always the result of God's initiative." Using examples from scripture, he showed how God repeatedly intervenes in human affairs, not just collectively but individually: "The God who's made everything and who sustains everything and who owns everything and who controls everything, he knows you and he's interested in you and he's concerned about you."
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.