The Message of Salvation
A Sermon on Salvation fom John 3:14-15
Originally preached Feb. 10, 1957
Scripture
14¶ And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: 15That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.
Sermon Description
In this sermon on the message of salvation from John 3:14–15, Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones preaches on Christ’s late-night conversation with Nicodemus. Within that conversation, Jesus refers to a symbol of the coming salvation within the Old Testament. Dr. Lloyd-Jones breaks down this powerful example of biblical foreshadowing. When the people of Israel committed a sin against God, He sent venomous snakes among them in the wilderness. When the people cried out to Him, He told Moses to raise up a bronze serpent on a pole, so that whoever should look to the serpent would be saved from the venom. This, Dr. Lloyd-Jones says, is a clear parallel to Christ’s redeeming death on the cross. For like the venom of the snakes, the only remedy for sin is to look upward at Jesus crucified, because the judgement of God is coming. And although it is difficult to talk about the wrath of God, Dr. Lloyd-Jones says that he cannot soften the truth of the Bible. God is holy, and who can judge His actions? People only have a finite understanding. But through His great love, God offered a way back to Him through His Son, providing those who believe with everlasting life.
Sermon Breakdown
- Jesus came to save us, not just teach or do miracles. Salvation is the primary purpose.
- We are under the wrath of God because of our sin, just like the Israelites with the fiery serpents.
- The world rejects the idea of the wrath of God, but it is clearly taught in Scripture.
- We cannot save ourselves or appease God's wrath through our own efforts. We are helpless.
- Jesus compares himself to the bronze serpent - by looking to him in faith, we can be saved from perishing.
- Jesus' death on the cross is the means of salvation, though it seems foolish and impossible to human thinking.
- We simply need to look to Jesus in faith to be saved, though we may not fully understand how it works.
- If we believe in Jesus, we will not perish but have eternal life. This is the good news of the gospel.
Sermon Q&A
Martyn Lloyd-Jones on John 3:14-15: Questions and Answers
What is the main topic of Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones' sermon on John 3:14-15?
Based on the sermon transcript, Dr. Lloyd-Jones is focusing on the concept of salvation as depicted in Jesus' conversation with Nicodemus. He specifically examines Jesus' comparison of Himself to the bronze serpent that Moses lifted up in the wilderness, explaining how this illustrates Christ's role as Savior and the way of salvation through faith in Him.
How does Dr. Lloyd-Jones explain the parallel between the bronze serpent and Jesus Christ?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones explains that just as the Israelites who were bitten by fiery serpents could be healed by looking at the bronze serpent on a pole, so too can sinners under God's wrath be saved by looking to Christ who was "lifted up" on the cross. The parallel shows that: 1) People are in a helpless, dying condition, 2) God provides a seemingly simple remedy, 3) The remedy requires only faith/looking, and 4) Salvation comes immediately to those who believe.
According to Lloyd-Jones, what does Jesus mean by being "lifted up"?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones explains that when Jesus speaks of being "lifted up," He is specifically referring to His crucifixion. He states: "Our Lord is here referring to crucifixion. A man being nailed to a Pole to a tree and then the pole raised up. Crucifixion. That's what he's talking about. When he talks about being lifted up." Lloyd-Jones notes that this same language appears elsewhere in John's Gospel (8:28, 12:32) where it clearly refers to Jesus' death.
What does Dr. Lloyd-Jones identify as humanity's fundamental problem?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones identifies that humanity's fundamental problem is being under the wrath of God because of sin. He states that "mankind is in the same situation as the Children of Israel in the wilderness" - we are under God's judgment, spiritually dead, and completely helpless to save ourselves. He emphasizes that we are "perishing" and facing "everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord" unless we are saved through Christ.
Why does Dr. Lloyd-Jones say that the doctrine of God's wrath is so often rejected?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones explains that the world has a greater objection to the doctrine of God's wrath than perhaps any other aspect of biblical truth. He outlines several objections people raise: some say it's unthinkable that a loving God could have wrath, others claim it's merely a pagan or primitive Old Testament concept not found in the New Testament, and still others believe they can define God according to their own understanding. He argues that human pride and limited understanding lead people to reject this doctrine.
What does Lloyd-Jones say about humanity's ability to save itself?
Lloyd-Jones is emphatic that humans are "absolutely helpless" to save themselves. Just as the Israelites bitten by serpents could do nothing to heal themselves, people cannot create spiritual life within themselves, erase their sins, or appease God's wrath through their own efforts. He states: "You can live a good life. You can do a lot of good. You can fast and sweat and pray, but don't waste your time." Salvation must come from outside ourselves.
How does Dr. Lloyd-Jones describe true biblical salvation?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones describes salvation as coming through faith in Christ crucified. It involves recognizing our helplessness under God's wrath, looking to Christ who died to bear the punishment for our sins, and simply believing in Him. This results in being pardoned, reconciled to God, becoming a child of God, and receiving eternal life instead of perishing. He emphasizes that salvation is not about understanding all theological concepts perfectly, but about trusting in what Christ has done.
What did Nicodemus struggle to understand according to Lloyd-Jones?
According to Lloyd-Jones, Nicodemus struggled to understand both the need for spiritual rebirth and the concept of a suffering Messiah. Nicodemus, as a "master of Israel," was approaching Jesus with his natural reasoning abilities, expecting Jesus to be primarily a teacher and miracle worker. He was shocked by Jesus' teaching about being born again and especially by the notion that the Messiah would be "lifted up" (crucified) rather than being a triumphant military leader.
How does Dr. Lloyd-Jones contrast the world's view of Jesus with Jesus' own description of His mission?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones points out that the world, like Nicodemus, often sees Jesus primarily as a teacher, ethical exemplar, or miracle worker. However, Jesus Himself emphasized that He came not merely to teach or to work miracles, but to save. Lloyd-Jones states: "Christianity is not just a morality tinged with emotion. Christianity is not just a code of ethics. It's not just a political or a social point of view." Rather, it's about salvation through Christ's death on the cross.
What practical application does Dr. Lloyd-Jones draw from this passage?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones concludes with a call to simply "look and live" - to turn to Christ in faith and receive salvation. He urges listeners not to get caught up in trying to fully understand all theological complexities but to respond like the Israelites who simply looked at the bronze serpent and were healed. He states: "If you believe that the son of God came from heaven to earth to taste death for you... I tell you in the name of God, you shall not perish. You are saved." The practical application is to believe and receive eternal life rather than perish.
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.