The God of Miracles
A Sermon on Miracles from Acts 7:30-33
Originally preached March 12, 1967
Scripture
30And when forty years were expired, there appeared to him in the wilderness of mount Sina an angel of the Lord in a flame of fire in a bush. 31When Moses saw it, he wondered at the sight: and as he drew near to behold it, …
Sermon Description
What is the purpose of miracles? Can they happen today? In this sermon on miracles from Acts 7:30–33 titled “The God of Miracles,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones explains the power of God to supernaturally work through miracles and providence. He cannot be comprehended by finite creatures apart from the Holy Spirit’s illumination. Modern humanity rejects God, refusing to submit to the One who stands above and beyond all humanity and who reserves the right to do with them and all of creation as He pleases. Humanity wants a god they can understand and grasp, not one who is the ultimate authority, directing and ordaining all things. Sinful people do not want to believe in angels, demons, or miracles because their hunger for imperial evidence views them as non-scientific or irrational. However, these reasons for denial are only excuses to avoid accountability to God’s holy standard. With the message of the gospel comes the strong warning of condemnation that will fall on all who reject God. On that final day all will bow their knees before the throne of God and there will no longer be any objection to God’s law and reign. They will no longer sneer at the word of God and its miracles. All who reject the gospel of God and His only Son will perish without any hope. Only by believing in the gospel can any rebellious sinner be saved.
Sermon Breakdown
- The sermon begins by introducing the passage from Acts 7:30-33 which describes Moses' encounter with God at the burning bush.
- Dr. Lloyd-Jones then provides context for the passage, explaining that Stephen was on trial before the Sanhedrin for preaching about Jesus. In his defense, Stephen recounts Jewish history to show how the Jewish leaders have always rejected God's messengers.
- Dr. Lloyd-Jones says the passage shows the nature of God's salvation - it is a message of deliverance. But the world rejects this message, as do many in the church.
- Dr. Lloyd-Jones then examines Moses' initial reaction to the burning bush. Moses was curious and wanted to investigate the strange sight. But this attitude is wrong. Dr. Lloyd-Jones says we cannot approach God with confidence in our own wisdom and understanding.
- Dr. Lloyd-Jones says the right way to react to God's supernatural intervention is with fear, awe, and reverence. We must recognize God's holiness and our own sinfulness. We must be silent and listen.
- Dr. Lloyd-Jones says no one can become a Christian without learning to tremble before God, see their own insignificance, and become utterly ashamed. We must become like the tax collector who could only cry out "God, have mercy on me, a sinner."
- Dr. Lloyd-Jones says that when we are silent before God, He will reveal the message of deliverance - that He loves us, sent His Son to die for us, and wants to make us His children.
- Dr. Lloyd-Jones concludes by saying this message is miraculous and supernatural. Under its power, we can become new creatures.
Sermon Q&A
What Does Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones Teach About God's Supernatural Revelation in Scripture?
Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones' sermon on Acts 7:30-33 provides profound teaching about divine revelation and our proper response to it. Let me address some key questions about his message:
What is the central message of the burning bush account according to Lloyd-Jones?
According to Dr. Lloyd-Jones, the burning bush account reveals that salvation comes entirely from God through supernatural revelation. He emphasizes: "This is a matter of revelation. It is not of men at all." Moses wasn't searching for God in the wilderness; he was simply doing his job as a shepherd when "suddenly there appeared" this divine manifestation. Lloyd-Jones stresses that "this gospel is all together from the outside. It's all together from God. It's not a supplement to our thinking."
Why does Lloyd-Jones believe the supernatural element of Christianity is essential?
Lloyd-Jones firmly states: "I wouldn't be in the pulpit but for the supernatural. I'd be in a political or a social meeting. It's because it's supernatural I'm here. That's what makes it what it is." He argues that the supernatural nature of Christianity is "the only hope for the world" because "the condition of mankind is such that nothing less than the supernatural is going to make the slightest difference to it." He further explains that if you remove the supernatural elements (angels, miracles, resurrection), "we've got no gospel at all and there is no hope for anybody."
How does Lloyd-Jones contrast the modern approach to God with the biblical approach?
Lloyd-Jones highlights a modern book titled "The God I Want" as representing humanity's wrong approach to God. He criticizes this approach where "I am the important one" and people make statements about what they want or don't want in God. In contrast, the biblical approach is demonstrated by Moses who, when confronted with God's presence, "trembled and durst not behold." Lloyd-Jones explains that when we encounter God, we should not come with "the typical human confidence" to "investigate God," but rather with reverence, humility, and a readiness to listen.
What does Lloyd-Jones identify as the wrong and right responses to divine revelation?
The wrong response is to approach God with: - Self-confidence and pride - A desire to investigate and analyze God - An attitude that says "The God I want" - A presumption to judge God by human standards
The right response is: - Trembling with reverence and awe - Humility ("take off thy shoes from off thy feet") - Recognition of our smallness and God's greatness - Readiness to listen rather than speak - Repentance and acknowledgment of our unworthiness
How does salvation come to us according to Lloyd-Jones' sermon?
Lloyd-Jones teaches that salvation comes as a complete divine gift through supernatural intervention. It's not about moral reformation but regeneration—"We can't be improved. We need the miracle of a rebirth, a new generation, a new nature." He emphasizes that this salvation is entirely God's work: "It isn't moral reformation. It is regeneration and life in the spirit. It offers us a new start, a new beginning." When we respond correctly to God's revelation by repenting and humbly receiving His message, He makes us new creatures with "a new heart... a new mind, new desires, a new understanding, a new power."
This sermon powerfully reminds us that Christianity stands or falls on its supernatural claims and that our salvation depends not on our own efforts, but on God's miraculous intervention in our lives.
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.