Questions and Answers from Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones' Sermon on John 1:10-12

What does it mean that Christ "tabernacled" among us according to Lloyd-Jones?

According to Dr. Lloyd-Jones, when the Bible says Christ "dwelt among us," the actual translation is "tabernacled amongst us" or "dwelt in a tent amongst us." This emphasizes that Christ's time on earth was temporary, like living in a tent. The significance is that Jesus actually came into this world as a man and "lived in it exactly as we do. He shared its experiences, all the experiences to which we are subject... He has been through it all." Lloyd-Jones points out that Jesus was always aware of the temporary nature of His earthly existence, frequently referring to "His hour" and "His time," showing He knew He was "only to be here for a while."

How does Dr. Lloyd-Jones describe the permanence of the incarnation?

Lloyd-Jones emphasizes that while Christ's physical dwelling on earth was temporary, the incarnation itself made a permanent change to Christ. He states, "The word became flesh. That's what we are told here. And I do want to call attention to the permanent aspect of this great and wonderful truth." Lloyd-Jones teaches that Christ didn't leave His human nature behind when He ascended to heaven. Rather, "He has taken that manhood right into the eternal glory. Our manhood, our human nature is there in Him at the very right hand of God, in the everlasting and eternal glory at this very moment."

What biblical evidence does Lloyd-Jones use to show Christ maintains His humanity in heaven?

Lloyd-Jones offers several biblical examples demonstrating that Christ still maintains His humanity in heaven: 1. Hebrews 4, where He is called "Jesus, the Son of God" who can be "touched with the feeling of our infirmities" 2. Stephen's vision in Acts where he saw "the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God" 3. Paul's encounter on the Damascus road where the glorified Lord identified Himself saying, "I am Jesus whom thou persecutest" 4. Revelation 1, where John describes seeing "one like unto the Son of Man" who "laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, fear not" 5. Revelation 5, where Christ is identified as "the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the root of David"

How does Christ's ongoing humanity benefit believers according to the sermon?

Dr. Lloyd-Jones explains that Christ's permanent humanity provides believers with tremendous comfort and assurance. Because Christ maintains His human nature, "He remembers it all" and can "sympathize with our ignorance, our weakness, our frailties." Lloyd-Jones quotes a hymn stating, "In every pang that rends the heart, the man of sorrows has a part. He sympathizes with our grief and to the sufferer sends relief." This gives believers confidence to approach God's throne, knowing they have a high priest who understands their struggles from personal experience and is "ever living to make intercession for us."

What does Lloyd-Jones teach about the Christian's earthly existence?

Lloyd-Jones teaches that, like Christ, the Christian's existence on earth is temporary and "tent-like." He says this is "the biblical view of life, that this existence of ours in this world is at its best nothing but a tent-like existence." Christians are "strangers and pilgrims... travelers... sojourners." Rather than finding this depressing, Lloyd-Jones suggests believers should rejoice in it, as the Apostle Paul did in 2 Corinthians 5, looking forward to "a building, a house of God not made with hands, eternal in the heavens." Lloyd-Jones states this perspective is "part of the secret of the Christian's victory over life and over the world and the flesh and the devil."