Jesus; the Cornerstone
A Sermon on Acts 4:11
Originally preached July 4, 1965
Scripture
11This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner.
Sermon Description
God’s way of salvation is wholly opposed to humanistic and human-centered philosophy. The ancient Jews and Greeks rejected the gospel as it was taught by the apostles, and modern humanity rejects the gospel as it is proclaimed by the church. In this sermon titled “Jesus, the Cornerstone,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones preaches how this is the devastating condition of the world. All unbelievers laugh and scoff at the ideas of the new birth, the resurrection, and the cross as a way of salvation. But as Acts 4:11 shows, the wisdom of God triumphs in the midst of the so-called wisdom of the world. Jesus Christ is the cornerstone of the new city that is being made. This new city is one that is made up of all who trust and believe in the work of Christ on the cross. This is in opposition to the city of humanity built upon the foundations of sinful and fallen human reason that is wholly corrupted by sinful nature. Christians have nothing to fear from the enemies of God and can rest in the truth of who Christ is and what he has done. The Christian can be assured that Christ will return to judge the living and the dead, and he will establish a new heaven and a new earth. Christ is victorious over all those who oppose His gospel.
Sermon Breakdown
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The sermon examines Acts 4:11 which says "This is the stone which was set at naught of you builders, which is become the head of the corner."
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The sermon looks at the folly and futility of unbelief as depicted in this verse. Unbelief is sheer madness and the most futile thing.
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Unbelievers completely overestimate themselves. They think they can solve problems with their intellect and reason but they are hopeless judges of themselves. This is the sin of pride of intellect.
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Unbelievers are also hopeless judges of "stones" - they reject the cornerstone (Jesus Christ) that can bear the weight of problems. They reject his teaching, miracles, and sacrifice.
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Unbelievers are exposed by common people who believe - like in Acts 4:4 where many believed and the number became 5000. The "wise" of the world are made foolish.
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Unbelief produces nothing but talk. The test of a builder is the building produced. Civilization and man's remedies have produced no real solutions.
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Unbelief fights against God's plan and purpose. God has revealed the cornerstone (Jesus) but unbelievers reject it. They need God's city, not their own.
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Unbelief will face inevitable destruction. Unbelievers are like Canute fighting the ocean or Pharaoh fighting God. They will be defeated. Jesus rose showing God's power.
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God's kingdom cannot fail. Jesus will reign and every knee will bow. Unbelievers will face judgment.
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Unbelief provides no real solutions or peace. Unbelievers have built on sand and need to repent before it's too late.
Sermon Q&A
What Did Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones Say About Unbelief and Its Folly?
What are the key characteristics of unbelief according to Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones?
According to Dr. Lloyd-Jones, unbelief is characterized by pride of intellect, self-deception, and a rejection of God's truth. He says, "This is sheer overestimation of self," and describes unbelievers as "hopeless judges of themselves." Unbelief also involves rejecting Jesus Christ—"the stone which was set at nought of you builders"—and setting up human wisdom and understanding in place of God's truth.
Why does Dr. Lloyd-Jones call unbelief foolish?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones calls unbelief foolish because it leads to self-deception. He states, "A man who deceives himself is a fool," and "The fool hath said in his heart, there is no God." Unbelievers overestimate their abilities to solve human problems and underestimate their need for God. He explains that they "completely overestimate themselves" and "are hopeless judges of themselves," which shows the folly of their position.
What is the futility of unbelief according to the sermon?
The futility of unbelief, according to Lloyd-Jones, is that it produces nothing substantial despite all its promises. He says, "There is nothing in the world that is so futile as unbelief" because it's "all talk, and it's nothing but talk." He challenges unbelievers: "Where's the building?" pointing out that their attempts to build a perfect society through education, politics, and moral teaching have failed to produce lasting results.
How does Dr. Lloyd-Jones connect the builders in Psalm 118 to modern unbelievers?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones connects the "builders" who rejected the cornerstone (Psalm 118:22) to modern unbelievers who reject Christ. He explains that like the religious authorities who rejected Jesus, modern unbelievers think they can build civilization without God. He says, "The builders are fools. They're talkers, they're boasters, they're always bringing plans, but nothing happens," drawing a direct parallel between the ancient builders and modern humanists who reject the gospel.
What does Dr. Lloyd-Jones say is the nature of unbelief?
Lloyd-Jones teaches that unbelief is not primarily intellectual but comes from the heart. He states, "This idea that people don't believe the gospel because they're intellectual is proved by this one incident alone to be rubbish." Rather, unbelief stems from pride, prejudice, and passion. It involves being "grieved" and "annoyed" at the gospel, showing that rejection of God comes from emotional and willful resistance rather than intellectual problems.
What is the inevitable outcome of unbelief according to the sermon?
According to Lloyd-Jones, unbelief faces "certain nemesis" and "inevitable destruction." He warns, "You're fighting against the eternal and the omnipotent God," and cites examples like Noah's flood, Pharaoh's defeat, and Jerusalem's destruction as evidence that God's purposes cannot be thwarted. He concludes that Christ will ultimately triumph: "Every tongue shall confess that Jesus Christ is Lord" and those who reject Him "will go to eternal perdition."
How does Dr. Lloyd-Jones contrast the builders' plans with God's plan?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones contrasts human builders who create plans that "ever come to naught and crumble to the dust" with God's eternal plan that cannot fail. He says, "You've got nothing but His is going on." While human civilization is "shaking and crumbling," God has a "city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God." He urges people to "forget your little plans" and "humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God."
What examples does Dr. Lloyd-Jones use to show the consequences of rejecting God?
Lloyd-Jones uses several biblical examples to show the consequences of rejecting God: people who mocked Noah before the flood, Pharaoh who was drowned in the Red Sea, Nebuchadnezzar who was humbled to eat grass like a beast, and the destruction of Jerusalem. He also points to contemporary evidence: "The work of the builders is as a shambles throughout this universe," showing how modern civilization is failing despite its claims of progress.
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.