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Sermon #5409

Characteristics of the Kingdom

A Sermon on John 3:1-7

Originally preached Jan. 20, 1957

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Scripture

John 3:1-7 ESV KJV
Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. This man came to Jesus by night and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is …

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Sermon Description

What changes when someone is saved? In this sermon on John 3:1–7 titled “Characteristics of the Kingdom,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones unfolds the difference between those who know Christ and those who merely know about Him. True salvation is a change from death to life, darkness to light. It is to come out of the kingdom of darkness and to enter the kingdom of God. The kingdom of God cannot even be seen by those who are in sin and have a darkened mind. Only a supernatural act of divine grace applied by the Holy Spirit can possibly overcome the fallen nature of humanity and allow them to see God and Christ Jesus. This new orientation causes people to seek the kingdom of God and to continually battle against sin and unrighteousness. This is the truth of the gospel, that those who repent of their sins and believe in Jesus Christ are made inheritors of all the blessings of God. They are transferred from the kingdom of the devil into the kingdom of God, but those who reject this message of salvation by grace through faith in Christ remain in sin and condemnation.

Sermon Breakdown

  1. The kingdom of God is the most important subject we can consider. It determines our eternal destiny.
  2. We looked at the danger of falsely assuming we are Christians last week. We must make sure we are truly in God's kingdom.
  3. Nicodemus was attracted to Jesus but did not understand why Jesus came or who he was. Many people have a view of Christianity that does not account for Jesus.
  4. The kingdom of God is absolutely different from everything else we have known. It is a separate realm marked off from other realms.
  5. The kingdom of God is God's kingdom, distinct from the kingdom of the world. The Bible discusses these two kingdoms.
  6. In the kingdom of God, God rules and is known. Citizens love God, glory in him, and love his law.
  7. The kingdom of God is characterized by righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit. Citizens have transformed minds and lives.
  8. Entering the kingdom of God requires profound change because of the kingdom's nature and our own sinful nature.
  9. The kingdom of God is God's realm where he is loved, known, and obeyed. We are rebels against the kingdom and its King by nature.
  10. We have a sinful nature opposed to God's kingdom. We live for self, trust self, and have sinful desires. We need new natures.
  11. To enter God's kingdom, we must be born again - born of water (repentance) and the Spirit (a new nature). We must be reconciled to God and transformed.
  12. Repentance means acknowledging our sin, realizing we deserve nothing, and accepting God's salvation in Christ.
  13. Being born of the Spirit means receiving a new nature that loves God and righteousness instead of sin.
  14. We must ask God for repentance and new birth. He will not reject those who come to him.

Sermon Q&A

Understanding Being Born Again: Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones on John 3

What does it mean to be born again according to Dr. Lloyd-Jones?

According to Dr. Lloyd-Jones, being born again means experiencing "the profoundest change that is conceivable." It's not merely making small adjustments to one's life or behavior but rather a complete transformation of one's nature. He explains that it involves "going out of one kingdom right into another kingdom" - from the kingdom of this world into the kingdom of God. This transformation includes both the forgiveness of sins (being "born of water") and receiving a completely new nature (being "born of the Spirit").

Why did Jesus interrupt Nicodemus when he came to speak with Him?

Dr. Lloyd-Jones explains that Jesus interrupted Nicodemus because his "whole approach is wrong." Despite Nicodemus seeking out Jesus and showing interest in Him, Jesus recognized that Nicodemus fundamentally misunderstood why Jesus had come to earth. Nicodemus had never grasped "why it was ever necessary for this person to come, who he is, what he has come to do." Jesus interrupted him to address this foundational misunderstanding immediately, telling him that he must be born again before he could even see the kingdom of God.

What are the characteristics of the Kingdom of God according to the sermon?

According to Dr. Lloyd-Jones, the Kingdom of God has these key characteristics: - It is a realm where "God rules" and "is sovereign" - God is truly known by its citizens, not as an abstraction but as a person - Citizens love God and "glory in God and in his greatness" - Citizens love God's law and "want to honor and to glory God" by keeping it - It is characterized by "righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Ghost" - Its citizens do good to those who hate them and live peaceably with all - Its citizens are humble and "condescend to men of low estate" - There is nothing impure or unclean in this kingdom

Why can't people enter the Kingdom of God in their natural state?

Dr. Lloyd-Jones explains that people can't enter the Kingdom of God in their natural state for two key reasons:

  1. The guilt problem: "We are rebels in the sight of that king" who have "transgressed his laws" and are "guilty in his sight." This past guilt must be dealt with before entering God's kingdom.

  2. The nature problem: Our natural state is "absolutely opposed to everything" in God's kingdom. We are naturally "self-centered" rather than God-centered, we "trust ourselves" instead of God, and our desires and thinking are contrary to the kingdom's character. Lloyd-Jones states, "if you took natural men as he is and put him immediately in heaven, it would be hell to him" because his nature is incompatible with heaven.

What two components are necessary for entering the Kingdom of God?

According to Dr. Lloyd-Jones, two components are necessary for entering the Kingdom of God, based on Jesus' words "except a man be born of water and of the Spirit":

  1. Being "born of water" - This refers to repentance and forgiveness of sins. It means "realizing that we are utterly dependent upon him," confessing our sins, acknowledging our condition before God, and accepting God's way of salvation through Christ's atoning death.

  2. Being "born of the Spirit" - This means receiving "a new nature" that can love what God loves and hate what God hates. Dr. Lloyd-Jones describes it as "becoming a partaker of the divine nature" - receiving a nature like God's own that can enjoy His presence and holiness.

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.