Two Lines of History
A Sermon on Acts 5:29-32
Originally preached March 27, 1966
Scripture
29¶ Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men. 30The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom ye slew and hanged on a tree. 31Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and …
Sermon Description
According to Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones in this sermon on Acts 5:29-32 titled “Two Lines of History,” history can be divided into two categories: the history of humanity and history of God. In the history of humanity, world peace and cooperation are the ultimate goal. This is to be brought about through human means such as education, government, and moral teaching, and these means seek to bring the world to perfection. The other history is that of God and at the center of His story is the crucified and risen Savior, Jesus Christ. He establishes the kingdom of God by His blood and kingship. He will reign over all history as God’s only begotten Son, the prince of peace. In Christ the futility of all the so-called kingdoms of the world is seen, for they are established on nothing but the vain wisdom of the world. This is in contrast to the kingdom of God that is established by the blood of Christ. All must repent of their sins and believe upon the only Son of God who died upon the cross so that sinners could have life.
Sermon Breakdown
- God has ordained government and given men the ability to govern, but men have abused this power and claimed it as their own.
- There are two types of history: man's history and God's history. Man's history is the history man makes for himself, but it always ends in failure and decline. God's history is what God is accomplishing through Christ.
- Man's attempts at government and order always fail because man has a sinful nature. No amount of laws or regulations can change man's heart. Only the gospel can do that.
- Jesus did not come to reform the world or teach it how to reform itself. He came to establish his kingdom, which starts with individual salvation and reconciliation to God.
- Jesus gives believers a new birth and new nature, separating them from the world to be part of his kingdom. His kingdom will continue to grow until he returns.
- Jesus is now seated at the right hand of God, waiting for his enemies to be defeated. He will return, destroy evil, and establish his perfect kingdom over all creation.
- We have a choice between the kingdoms of this world and the kingdom of God. We should vote and be good citizens, but we must give our lives to God's kingdom above all else.
- The real problems of the world cannot be solved by politics or government. They can only be solved by Jesus, who came to save us from sin and reconcile us to God.
Sermon Q&A
What Did Martyn Lloyd-Jones Mean by Christ Being a Prince and Savior?
Based on Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones' sermon on Acts 5:29-32, I'll answer some key questions about his understanding of Christ as both Prince and Savior.
What does it mean that Christ is "a Prince and a Savior" according to Lloyd-Jones?
According to Lloyd-Jones, Christ being "a Prince and a Savior" means He has a dual role in God's plan. As Savior, He delivers individuals from sin and reconciles them to God through His death on the cross. As Prince, He is the rightful ruler and governor of the entire universe who will ultimately establish perfect order and righteousness. Lloyd-Jones emphasizes: "Christ is not only the savior. He is a prince, a governor, a ruler," showing that Christianity isn't merely about personal salvation but also about Christ's lordship over all creation.
Why does Lloyd-Jones criticize those who see Christianity as merely personal?
Lloyd-Jones criticizes both non-Christians and some Christians who reduce the gospel to merely personal salvation because this view severely limits the scope and power of Christianity. He states: "If you are going to confine it to that, well, you're not only encouraging the other people to go wrong in their thinking, you are putting a very sad and grievous limit upon the glory of this great gospel." He emphasizes that while personal salvation is where the gospel starts, it doesn't end there—it's "a gospel for the universe" that will ultimately "deliver the whole universe from all the ravages and the consequences of sin."
How does Lloyd-Jones contrast human government with Christ's rule?
Lloyd-Jones presents human government and Christ's rule as two competing approaches to governing mankind:
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Human government: Despite being ordained by God for good, it has been "abused by men." It attempts to produce civilization and order but always ends in "rise, decline, fall" because it cannot change human nature. "The trouble isn't that we need better laws. We need better natures."
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Christ's rule: Unlike human systems that try to reform externally, Christ transforms people from within by giving them "a new birth, a new nature, a new heart, a new mind, a new outlook." He "writes [His laws] in our minds, within us, and in our hearts," which is why "He alone can govern us."
What does Lloyd-Jones say about the Bible's view of history?
Lloyd-Jones describes two parallel histories running through the Bible and human experience:
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Man's history: The visible history of human governments, politics, wars, and civilization-building that most people exclusively focus on.
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God's history: The often-overlooked divine plan working through seemingly insignificant events and people to establish Christ's kingdom.
He illustrates this with Christ's birth: while the Roman world was preoccupied with Caesar's census (man's history), God was working His greater purpose through a baby born in a stable (God's history)—"the thing that's turned the world upside down."
What is the ultimate future of Christ's kingdom according to Lloyd-Jones?
Lloyd-Jones teaches that Christ's kingdom will ultimately triumph over all earthly powers. Christ is currently seated at God's right hand "waiting until his enemies shall be made his footstool." He will return, destroy every enemy, and establish His "glorious kingdom of righteousness and peace, of holiness and of joy."
Lloyd-Jones quotes prophetic visions of this kingdom: "a day coming when we shall see peace like a river and righteousness like the waves of the sea" and when "the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea." This kingdom "cannot be shaken" unlike the temporary kingdoms of earth.
How does Lloyd-Jones apply this teaching to his listeners in the context of an election?
Speaking before a British general election, Lloyd-Jones urges his listeners to fulfill their civic duty ("it's our business, every one of us, to register a vote as honestly and as intelligently as we can"), but reminds them that politics cannot solve humanity's deepest problems.
He concludes by asking the crucial question: "Which kingdom do you belong to? Do you belong to the kingdoms of this world only? Or do you belong to the kingdom of our God and of his Christ?" He urges them to render to "Caesar the things that are Caesar's" but also to "render unto God the things that are God's" by submitting to Christ as both Savior and Prince.
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.