The Unbeliever
A Sermon on John 7:6
Scripture
6Then Jesus said unto them, My time is not yet come: but your time is alway ready.
Sermon Description
“My time has not yet come.” This simple phrase uttered by Jesus describes the vast chasm that exists between the unbeliever and the follower of Christ. In this sermon on John 7:6 titled “The Unbeliever,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones explains the depth of Jesus’s words. The context for this statement comes as Jesus’s brothers are preparing to go to Jerusalem to celebrate the Feast of Booths. Jesus announces that he will not be going up to the feast and His brothers react to Jesus’s announcement with the typical unbelieving mindset. They thought that if Jesus in fact had a message that would change the world, the feast is the perfect opportunity to reveal Himself. However, this is worldly thinking. Jesus exposes their earthly ambitions by telling them that “for you any time will do.” A worldly message delivered to worldly fallen sinners is always available. But Jesus, His message, and His mission are under a divine timetable. The Triune God of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit is on a divine mission to reconcile sinners through the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus, and nothing will stand in the way of that mission or its perfect timing. Therefore, in this message, Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones challenges all to turn from worldly thinking and belief, and receive Christ for the forgiveness of sin.
Sermon Breakdown
- Jesus claims to be unique from all of mankind. He makes a distinction between "my time" and "your time".
- Jesus has come into the world to carry out a plan determined by God before the foundation of the world. Everything he says and does is according to this plan.
- The plan Jesus has come to fulfill is completely different from what the world expects or understands. It is not a social or political scheme but rather the incarnation, redemption, and regeneration.
- The world does not understand or like Jesus' message. The world hates it. Christianity does not combine with the things of the world.
- Jesus carried out God's plan in spite of the world's unbelief, misunderstanding, and sin. He did it for the sake of unbelievers.
- God's way of salvation does not depend on our understanding but rather on His grace, love, and glory. We need the Holy Spirit to understand it.
- The natural man cannot understand the things of the Spirit. We need to be born again.
- Jesus' time refers to God's perfect plan of redemption and salvation. Our time refers to the world's way of thinking which is always ready to be received.
- Jesus did not join in the processions and ways of the world. He did not march with atheists, skeptics or blasphemers.
- Jesus went to the cross alone. All his disciples forsook him but he continued in obedience to fulfill God's plan.
- God demonstrated His love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. He died even for His enemies.
- We should glory in God's plan of redemption and the cross of Christ. We should be thankful for Jesus' obedience in fulfilling God's plan for our salvation.
The Book of John
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.