The Spiritual Life
A Sermon on John 3:8
Originally preached March 20, 1966
Scripture
8The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.
Sermon Description
What role does the Spirit play in the life of believers? Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones takes up this question as he preaches from John 3:8 in a sermon titled “The Spiritual Life.” He shows that the Holy Spirit is present all throughout the Christian’s life. This starts with the Holy Spirit bringing about conversion and how He works in the Christian to bring about sanctification and ultimately glorification. The Holy Spirit is also necessary in worship of God. This is what Jesus tells the woman of Samaria when He says that God is looking for those who worship in Spirit and truth. Worship that is devoid of the Holy Spirit is not true worship. The Spirit is also part of reading God’s Word. The only way to truly understand Scripture is to read it with eyes of faith. What does this mean for Christians? One of the most important things is that they must not rely on their own strength but look wholly to Christ and His Spirit. This is one of the most comforting truths in all of God’s word.
Sermon Breakdown
- The key to understanding eternal life and heaven is found in John 3:8. We must be born again of the Spirit.
- Nicodemus persisted in thinking religiously instead of spiritually. Religion should not be the enemy of faith.
- We must have a new mind, heart, and life. We need to be born again.
- We can test if we have been born again by our desire for knowledge of God.
- Our desire for God should be our first desire, like a child desiring its mother.
- We can know God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit in a personal way. The saints testify to this.
- "Communion of the Holy Spirit" in 2 Corinthians 13:14 means fellowship, communication, and partnership with the Spirit.
- We can know we have communion with the Spirit if we realize we are not doing everything ourselves. We recognize another influence.
- We become aware of the Spirit's presence and our dependence on Him. We realize we cannot rely on ourselves.
- We may go through "desertions" where God seems to withdraw Himself, to help us grow in trusting Him.
- The Spirit prompts, leads, and guides us. We see this in the lives of Philip, Paul, and others in Acts.
- The Spirit can give us special power and authority to do tasks He has assigned us, as with Peter in Acts 4.
- Peter was "filled with the Holy Spirit" in Acts 4:8, given wisdom, understanding, power, and authority to speak.
- The Spirit gives life, works in us, leads, guides, prompts, gives power, authority, understanding, and awareness of Himself.
- We must be born again to see and enter the kingdom of God. We abandon ourselves to God and pray for His Spirit.
Sermon Q&A
Questions and Answers from Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones' Sermon on the Holy Spirit
What does Dr. Lloyd-Jones mean by "heaven below and heaven above"?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones references Augustus Toplady's hymn that speaks of a profound experiential Christian life - where believers can experience a foretaste of heaven ("heaven below") while still on earth, before eventually experiencing the fullness of heaven in eternity ("heaven above"). He's describing the deep spiritual life that comes through genuine communion with God through the Holy Spirit, which gives Christians a taste of heavenly joy and fellowship while still in this world.
How does Dr. Lloyd-Jones contrast religious thinking with spiritual thinking?
According to Lloyd-Jones, religious thinking is self-contained, self-reliant, and focused on external practices and routines. It's about a person doing things in their own strength, following rules, and being "in charge" of their religious life. Spiritual thinking, in contrast, comes from being born again and involves an awareness of God's presence, dependence on the Holy Spirit, and a living, personal relationship with God rather than mere adherence to forms and routines. The spiritual person is aware of "another" working in and through them.
What does the "communion of the Holy Spirit" mean according to the sermon?
The communion of the Holy Spirit, according to Lloyd-Jones, refers to fellowship, partnership, and communication with the Holy Spirit. It includes a conscious awareness of the Spirit's presence, being dependent upon Him, experiencing His promptings and leadings, and receiving power from Him. This communion is not merely theoretical but deeply experiential - the believer knows the Spirit is working within them, guiding their decisions, empowering their service, and influencing their spiritual life.
How can Christians test whether they are experiencing the communion of the Holy Spirit?
Christians can test their experience of the Holy Spirit's communion through several indicators: 1) An awareness that they are not doing everything themselves in their spiritual life, 2) A conscious recognition of the Spirit's presence, 3) A sense of dependence on the Spirit, 4) Experience of His promptings and leadings, 5) Awareness of His guidance in decisions, 6) Receiving special power for tasks God has given, and 7) A grieving when this communion is temporarily lost or diminished. The test is fundamentally relational - do you experience the Spirit as a person working in you?
What does Dr. Lloyd-Jones teach about the Spirit's guidance in a believer's life?
Lloyd-Jones teaches that the Spirit's guidance is a practical reality experienced by believers. He cites biblical examples like Philip being directed to the Ethiopian eunuch, Paul being prevented from entering Asia or Bithynia, and the church at Antioch being told to set apart Barnabas and Saul. This guidance isn't merely theoretical but something Christians can be "sensitive" to, as they grow in their communion with the Spirit. The guidance can come as promptings, prohibitions, or clear direction, and believers must learn to recognize and obey these leadings.
How does Lloyd-Jones distinguish between being regenerated by the Spirit and being filled with the Spirit?
Lloyd-Jones makes clear that all Christians have the Holy Spirit within them at regeneration (being born again), but being "filled with the Spirit" is something that can happen repeatedly throughout a Christian's life. He points to Peter who was already regenerated and had received the Spirit at Pentecost, yet in Acts 4 was "filled with the Holy Ghost" for a specific situation requiring boldness and wisdom. This filling gives special power, clarity, and ability for particular tasks God has assigned, and can be experienced many times over.
What is the difference between reading the Bible religiously versus spiritually according to the sermon?
Reading the Bible religiously means focusing on the letter, words, and technical details - treating it like "a form of crossword puzzle" where one might become "expert on the letter and the details." Reading spiritually, however, means realizing "it isn't the letter that matters, but the spirit... it isn't the words, but the message." Lloyd-Jones describes the spiritual reading of Scripture as experiencing the Bible coming alive, where familiar passages suddenly appear new, illuminated, and glorious - "it speaks to you, it ravishes your heart, it puts you on your feet."
What does Dr. Lloyd-Jones say about the relationship between physical conditions and spiritual experience?
Lloyd-Jones acknowledges the "very real and very subtle" interrelationship between the body, mind, and spirit. He recognizes that "because of physical conditions, at times we feel lifeless" in our spiritual experience. He teaches that physical factors can impact our spiritual vitality, making us feel we have to "drag ourselves" through spiritual duties. However, he encourages believers not to simply wait passively for feelings to change but to "go on" with spiritual disciplines while simultaneously asking the Spirit to "breathe" new life into those practices.
How does Dr. Lloyd-Jones describe the experience of spiritual dryness or "desertion"?
Lloyd-Jones describes spiritual dryness or "desertion" as periods when believers continue doing everything right externally (reading Scripture, praying, doing good, avoiding evil) but experience an awareness of "dryness" and don't sense God's presence as they once did. He explains that God sometimes "averts his face" to help believers grow, teaching them to "trust him in the dark" and "rest on his bare word." These periods are temporary but can cause struggle, and the appropriate response is to continue in spiritual disciplines while praying for renewed communion.
According to the sermon, what is the ultimate proof that someone has been born again?
According to Lloyd-Jones, the ultimate proof of being born again is having a living, personal relationship with God characterized by communion with the Holy Spirit. This is demonstrated by: desiring God personally above theology, morality, or experiences; being aware of the Spirit's presence; being dependent on Him; experiencing His promptings and leadings; receiving power from Him; and grieving when communion is disrupted. The born-again person doesn't merely perform religious activities but experiences God as a living reality and partner who works within them and guides them.
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.