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Sermon #1022

Leading of the Spirit

A Sermon on John 1:12-13

Originally preached May 26, 1963

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Scripture

John 1:12-13 ESV KJV
But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God. (ESV)

Sermon Description

In this sermon on John 1:12-13 titled “Leading with the Spirit,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones explains one of the finest tests of faith known in the Scriptures: is the Christian led by the Holy Spirit? If one is led by the Spirit, they are unmistakably a child of God. Dr. Lloyd-Jones teaches how knowledge of the Trinity affects one’s knowledge of assurance. He explains that the Spirit came to glorify the Son. Therefore, if led by the Spirit of God, His leading will always be toward Christ, the Messiah. If the Christian is being led to believe, follow, submit, and glory in Christ, they are undoubtedly led by the Spirit of God. From regenerating hearts to inspiring Scripture, the Spirit’s work always points toward Christ. Dr. Lloyd-Jones elaborates on doctrines including the Trinity, the inspiration of Scripture, and the spiritual gifts. Those weary in heart who question their salvation can listen along as Dr. Lloyd-Jones brings hope to the heart of Christians and clarity of the doctrine of assurance.

Sermon Breakdown

  1. The Holy Spirit glorifies Jesus Christ, not himself.
  2. The Holy Spirit does not lead us to glory in experiences, but to glory in Jesus Christ.
  3. The Holy Spirit points to Jesus Christ in all he does. Examples:
    • On Pentecost, Peter preached about Jesus Christ, not tongues or the Spirit.
    • In Acts 3, Peter preached about Jesus Christ, not his healing gift.
    • The Gospels glorify Jesus Christ. The Spirit inspired them.
    • The Epistles glorify Jesus Christ. The Spirit inspired them.
    • Revelation glorifies Jesus Christ. The Spirit inspired it.
  4. We can know we are led by the Spirit if we glory in Jesus Christ, especially in His death.
  5. Revivals and great hymns glorify Jesus Christ, especially His death.
  6. The Spirit leads us to know Christ died for us personally, not just doctrinally.
  7. The Spirit leads us to be crucified to the world and the world to us through the cross.
  8. We will glory in the cross of Christ, not in gifts, tongues, experiences or anything else.
  9. We should examine ourselves to see if these things are true in us.

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.