A Holy God
A Sermon on John 1:17
Originally preached Oct. 28, 1962
Scripture
17For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.
Sermon Description
Why must the Christian be confronted with the law of God? According to Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones in this sermon on John 1:17 titled “A Holy God,” it is so that they are confronted with God’s nature and character. God is holy and just. It is by being confronted with their own sin that they see how deep their need is for Him. The world needs to hear the message that God is holy, and His law is just and perfect. In the law, Christians see that holiness begins with love of God, not neighbor. For only by loving God rightly can they ever truly love their neighbor as God requires. The great error of sinful people is that they do not start with God, but with themselves. The gospel, however, starts with God as holy and loving. It starts with God sending His Son into the world to save sinners. This sermon asks the question: “do we start with God or do we see all of life from our own perspective?” This weighty question calls all to examine themselves and to look out to the holy God who has revealed Himself and given the gospel.
Sermon Breakdown
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The sermon begins by stating that the passage being discussed is John 1:17 which says "For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ."
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The sermon then says that the purpose of the sermon is to help the congregation appreciate the blessings available to Christians. The gospel of John was written to clarify Jesus's identity and the blessings of belief in him.
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The sermon states that understanding Jesus's identity and the blessings of belief in him are extremely important, especially in troubled times. The sermon says people feel lost, frustrated and empty without this understanding.
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The sermon says people fail to realize these blessings due to confusion over Jesus's identity and not recognizing the darkness within themselves. The sermon will now focus on needing to understand the law to understand grace.
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The sermon states that dismissing the law prevents one from appreciating grace. One needs to be delivered from the law's condemnation to receive grace. Not understanding the law is a major reason Christians fail to receive the gospel's blessings.
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The sermon says understanding the law is vital for individuals, the church, the nation, and international relations. The world's problems stem from not understanding the law.
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The sermon says the law shows God's nature and the truth about ourselves. God gave the law so we could see ourselves in his light and know the truth about ourselves.
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The sermon says the Ten Commandments were given in two tables: one concerning God, the other concerning human relationships. Jesus affirmed this order of God first, then others. The world's problems come from reversing this order.
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The sermon says starting with human relationships presupposes you love yourself properly. But you can't love yourself or others until you know the truth about yourself, which comes from God. Starting with self leads to selfishness, envy, and war.
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The sermon says the world fails to recognize we are governed more by desires than reason. Crime shows sin is not limited to the ignorant. The world needs to know it must be helped in God's way, not its own.
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The sermon says God gave the law to show he is the only God, almighty, spirit, holy, and demanding worship. God is jealous and will not tolerate other gods. He is just and judges sin.
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The sermon says God judges now through events like war, and will ultimately judge the world through Jesus. The test is one's relationship to God. There is mercy only for those who love and obey God.
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The sermon says God delivered Israel from Egypt as part of his plan to redeem the world through them. Despite enemies, God will achieve his purpose for his people. Do we know, love and live for this God? We must plead for others to do the same before it's too late.
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The sermon ends with a prayer and hymn.
Sermon Q&A
Common Questions About Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones' Sermon on Law and Grace
What is the main text that Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones focuses on in this sermon?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones focuses on John 1:17, "For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ." He uses this verse to explore the relationship between law and grace, and why understanding God's law is essential to appreciating His grace.
Why does Dr. Lloyd-Jones say understanding the law of God is urgently important?
According to Lloyd-Jones, understanding God's law is vital not just for individual Christian experience, but for the life of the Christian church, the moral problems of the nation, and even international relations. He calls it "the most practical question, the most urgent question that is facing the world" because all our major problems stem from a failure to properly understand God's law and our relationship to it.
What are the two tables of the Ten Commandments and why is their order significant?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones explains that the Ten Commandments were given in two tables: the first deals with our relationship with God, and the second with human relationships. The order is crucial - God first, fellow men second. Lloyd-Jones argues that the world's problems stem from reversing this order or ignoring the first table altogether. We cannot properly love our neighbors until we first understand our relationship with God.
Why does Dr. Lloyd-Jones say we cannot love our neighbor as ourselves until we're right about ourselves?
Lloyd-Jones explains that the command to "love your neighbor as yourself" presupposes that we love ourselves truly. But we cannot properly love ourselves unless we know the truth about ourselves - what we really are, what we really need, and the ultimate cause of our troubles. This self-knowledge can only come when we stand face to face with God and see ourselves in His light.
How does Dr. Lloyd-Jones describe God's character based on the Ten Commandments?
From the Ten Commandments, Lloyd-Jones describes God as: - The only true God (no other exists) - Almighty and illimitable in power (creator and sustainer) - Spirit (cannot be represented by images) - Holy (eternally pure and clean) - Jealous (demanding total allegiance) - Just and righteous (punishing iniquity) - Merciful (to those who love Him) - Purposeful (with a plan for His people)
Why must Moses (the law) always come before Jesus Christ (grace)?
Lloyd-Jones explains that we can never truly appreciate grace until the law has done its work upon us. The law reveals God's character, shows us the truth about ourselves, and makes us aware of our darkness and sin. This awareness of our need is essential before we can properly value the light and grace that has come through Jesus Christ.
What does Dr. Lloyd-Jones identify as man's central problem?
According to Lloyd-Jones, man's central problem is that "he doesn't know the truth about himself." We are blinded by darkness both around and within us, governed more by our desires than by reason, and prone to self-justification. We cannot see our true condition until we stand in the presence of God and allow His law to reveal the truth about ourselves.
How does Dr. Lloyd-Jones explain the world's troubles in relation to God's judgment?
Lloyd-Jones suggests that the world's troubles - wars, tensions, immorality - are part of God's judgment on human sin: "It is a part of God's wrath upon the sin of men." He explains that God sometimes abandons people to their own devices and allows them to reap the consequences of their folly and apostasy by withholding His "restraining grace." This is part of God's righteous judgment in the present, though the final judgment is still to come.
The Book of John
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.