Institutionalised Religion
A Sermon on Acts 7:1-2
Originally preached Oct. 9, 1966
Scripture
1Then said the high priest, Are these things so? 2And he said, Men, brethren, and fathers, hearken; The God of glory appeared unto our father Abraham, when he was in Mesopotamia, before he dwelt in Charran,
Sermon Description
Rejecting Christ is nothing new but why are so many people quick to turn against God today? In this sermon on Acts 7:1–2 titled “Institutional Religion,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones points out that many people who reject the gospel are just like the Jewish leaders who did so in the time of the apostles. They believe that just because they perform good deeds, they do not need a savior or salvation. Or they think that because of their heritage and association with institutionalized religion that they are in good standing with God. There are many people who go to church every Lord’s Day and who give their money and time to the church, and yet are not saved. Listen as Dr. Lloyd-Jones exposes the dangers of institutionalized religion. These are people who perform religious actions not out of a heart of love, but out of tradition and human means. This is the great threat to the church in all times because these people do not believe that they are in need of salvation and redemption. They are deceived by their own vain actions and traditions. The answer to this is the true and powerful gospel of Christ that alone can save people from their blind slavery to false religion.
Sermon Breakdown
- The sermon begins with Stephen addressing the Sanhedrin council. He says "Men, brethren, and fathers, hearken". This means to listen carefully and thoughtfully.
- The gospel is an argument and a reasoned case. It is not based on emotions or feelings. It requires intellectual engagement and concentration.
- The message of the gospel is unlike anything in the world. It cuts across prejudices and preconceived ideas. We must be willing to consider something different from what we are accustomed to.
- The gospel convicts us of our sin and hopelessness. It tells us we cannot save ourselves through our own morality or good works.
- We must be willing to listen to the gospel with an open mind. We must seek to understand what Christianity really is, not just rely on traditions.
- The gospel is the message that God sent his Son, Jesus Christ, into the world to save us because we were lost in sin. We must realize we need Jesus and his sacrifice on the cross.
- The first step to believing the gospel is to listen to it. We must control our prejudices and passions, read the Bible, and ask God to open our mind and heart to the truth.
Sermon Q&A
What Are the Common Barriers to Accepting the Gospel According to Lloyd-Jones?
Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones examines Stephen's sermon in Acts 7 to identify the key barriers that prevent people from accepting the Christian message. Here are the main obstacles:
What was the primary reason the Sanhedrin rejected the gospel?
According to Lloyd-Jones, the primary reason was their prejudice and self-satisfaction. "The first answer is, you see, that they were quite satisfied that they were all right as they were. There was nothing wrong with them. They were living a good life. They were religious people." They resented the gospel precisely because it suggested they needed something more than what they already had.
How did the Jews misunderstand their own religious heritage?
Lloyd-Jones identifies three critical misunderstandings:
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They misunderstood their relationship to Abraham: "They were relying upon the fact that they were lineal descendants, physical descendants from Abraham... they'd never understood the spiritual character of themselves as a nation."
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They misunderstood temple worship: "They had developed this mechanical notion of worshipping. As long as you went to your temple regularly, as long as you took your offerings as they were prescribed, all was well."
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They misunderstood Moses and the law: "They'd reduced the law of God to a mere system of morality and ethics... The whole purpose of the law is to lead a man to worship God... The law was given that we might see the exceeding sinfulness of sin."
How are these barriers similar to modern resistance to Christianity?
Lloyd-Jones explains that people today operate with the same misconceptions: "What makes us Christian? Born in Great Britain, a Christian country, we must be Christians because we are born in this country." Many believe Christianity is about "Birth, nationality, background, upbringing, heredity, regular worship, morality, good conduct and behavior. Doing good to other people."
The fundamental problem remains the same: "The greatest hindrance to becoming Christian is that we think that we are Christian."
What does Stephen's approach teach us about evangelism?
Lloyd-Jones emphasizes that Stephen's sermon demonstrates that true evangelism is not emotionalism but reasoned argument. "The gospel is a statement of a reasoned case... This is Christianity, you know. This is a matter of reason. This is a matter of a reasoned case."
His opening word "Hearken" teaches us that effective evangelism requires: - Patient listening - Setting aside prejudices - Being prepared to hear something unique and different from worldly wisdom - Being ready to be personally convicted by the message
As Lloyd-Jones concludes: "The first appeal of the gospel is this. Hearken. Listen. Control your prejudices and your passion."
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.