Peace in the Holy Spirit

A Sermon on Romans 14:17

Share Share on Twitter Share on Facebook

Play Sermon

Download Sermon Add to Queue Add to Playlist

Scripture

Romans 14:17 ESV KJV

For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. (ESV)

Sermon Description

Evangelicals rightly value truth. Sometimes, however, their reputation for truth is understood as the desire to merely be right. The former leads to freedom, assurance, and grace. The latter leads to a morbid cynicism. Among the problems in the church of Rome was the concern about whether they were right about eating and drinking. In this sermon on the Holy Spirit from Roman 14:17 titled “Peace in the Holy Spirit,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones suggests they were constantly worried about being right on an issue, which led to fearful, anxious, and censorious conditions. The church was a place that contradicted what the kingdom of God is about: peace. The church today is likewise preoccupied with the matter of being right. The result is constantly looking for some defect in one another – being “spiritual detectives” towards each other instead of the family of God. But where is peace in all this? Have Christians forgotten that the purpose of salvation itself is to have peace with God? This gospel of peace spreads, says Dr. Lloyd-Jones, to having peace with ourselves and one another. The kingdom of God is about peace. Listen as Dr. Lloyd-Jones points to the Prince of Peace in order that Christians may have peace.

Sermon Breakdown

The sermon begins by introducing the verse being discussed, Romans 14:17. Dr. Lloyd-Jones establishes that the verse is lifting up the discussion about indifferent things and putting them in the context of the whole Christian life.
Dr. Lloyd-Jones argues that interpreting the verse as merely referring to ethical characteristics like uprightness, peaceableness and joyfulness is inadequate. The verse is ridiculing the behavior of the Roman church members who were exaggerating the importance of indifferent things.
Dr. Lloyd-Jones says the Roman church members had forgotten the real nature of the kingdom of God and the life in the kingdom. They were slipping back into a carnal way of thinking.
Dr. Lloyd-Jones says the Roman church members were self-centered, concerned about their own opinions and reputations. This leads to division, strife and sects.
Dr. Lloyd-Jones says the Roman church members seemed to have forgotten they were children of God and members of his household. They had forgotten the purpose of the kingdom of God is to bring peace.
Dr. Lloyd-Jones says sin resulted in a lack of peace between God and man, and between men. The purpose of salvation is to produce peace through reconciliation.
Dr. Lloyd-Jones says the Roman church members were denying the purpose of the kingdom of God by producing unrest and division over indifferent matters. The kingdom of God brings down walls of partition and abolishes enmity.
Dr. Lloyd-Jones says the effect of understanding the gospel is realizing we are all sinners saved by grace, with the same salvation and savior. We should not judge one another over trivial matters.
Dr. Lloyd-Jones says we must let the peace of God rule in our hearts. We must realize we belong to one body and have one relationship to God. We must seek to glorify God, not our own opinions.
Dr. Lloyd-Jones says we must be peacemakers, like our heavenly Father. We must put on love, forbearance, forgiveness and let the peace of God rule in our hearts. We must do all in the name of Jesus Christ.
Dr. Lloyd-Jones concludes by saying we must realize Jesus Christ is the Prince of Peace. We must not give the impression to the world that Christians are divided over indifferent matters. The kingdom of God is righteousness and peace.

The Book of Romans

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.