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Sermon #3257

Called to Preach (2)

A Sermon on Romans 10:14-17

Originally preached March 13, 1964

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Scripture

Romans 10:14-17 ESV KJV
How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, …

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Sermon Description

In the sermon on Romans 10:14–17 titled “Called to Preach (2),” Dr. Lloyd-Jones elaborates on the qualities that make a good preacher. He dives into an equally important discussion: how does a person know if he’s called to preach? Reading from this passage, he answers this question by reiterating the biblical definition of a preacher. He says that a preacher is one of God’s ordained ways to spread the good news, for how can people believe without first hearing? But how does a person know if he’s being called? Dr. Lloyd-Jones says that person may feel a pressure they cannot shake, an inclination toward a certain notion. Second, he says that the person must feel a burden for the souls of men and women. It is not enough for a man to want to speak in front of the congregation. This person must also care deeply about the spirits of those to whom he ministers. Lastly, in accordance with the person’s burden for the souls of men and women, the man must be willing to preach the gospel. He must live for it, Dr. Lloyd-Jones says. He must be willing to preach the facts of the good news: Christ’s redemptive death on the cross and the incredible salvation that comes through faith.

Sermon Breakdown

  1. The sermon examines Romans 10:14-17 verse by verse. The first two verses (14-15) show how the general call of the gospel goes out. The next two verses (16-17) show how the call becomes effective in those who believe.

  2. Verses 14-15 deal with the question of how people will hear the gospel without preachers to proclaim it. Preaching is God's ordained method for spreading the news of salvation.

  3. Preachers must be "sent" or commissioned. They do not appoint themselves. The New Testament shows an orderly process for commissioning preachers.

  4. Preachers feel an internal call to preach and have that call confirmed by the church. The preacher is under the authority of the church.

  5. The preacher relies on the support of the church. Like the Levites in the Old Testament, preachers devote themselves fully to ministry and depend on the church for their livelihood.

  6. The preacher's message is about Jesus Christ. Preaching consists of proclaiming the facts about Christ's birth, life, death, resurrection, and ascension.

  7. The meaning and significance of these facts must also be proclaimed. The preacher explains the meaning of Christ's incarnation, crucifixion, and resurrection.

  8. The preacher's goal is to glorify Christ so that people will come to faith in him and acknowledge him as Savior and Lord.

Sermon Q&A

Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones on Preaching and the Gospel Message

What does Dr. Lloyd-Jones teach about the primacy of preaching?

Dr. Lloyd-Jones emphasizes that preaching is "God's ordained method of making known the news of salvation." While it's not the only method God uses, it is "preeminently the chief one" that has been used by God throughout the centuries. He stresses the importance of preaching as the primary means God has established to spread the gospel message, and this is why understanding the call to preach and the message to be preached is so vital.

How does one know if they are called to preach according to Lloyd-Jones?

According to Dr. Lloyd-Jones, a genuine call to preach involves several key elements:

  1. A persistent pressure upon the spirit that you can't get rid of
  2. A burden for the glory of God and the souls of men
  3. A sense of divine constraint ("woe is unto me if I preach not the gospel")
  4. A willingness to forsake other vocations regardless of the cost
  5. An inability to stay away from preaching ("if you can stay out of the ministry, stay out")

This internal call must then be confirmed by the church, creating a two-sided validation process.

What does the Bible teach about how preachers should be supported?

Dr. Lloyd-Jones points to 1 Corinthians 9:7-14 where Paul states: "Even so hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the gospel should live of the gospel." He teaches that preachers should be financially supported by the church, not earning their living through other means. He explains that this is the biblical pattern where those who are set apart for ministry are dependent upon the church, similar to how the Levites in the Old Testament were supported. While Paul made an exception with the Corinthians, he still received support from other churches, maintaining the principle.

What is the proper message that preachers should proclaim?

The message of the preacher is centered on "Him" - the Lord Jesus Christ. Dr. Lloyd-Jones emphasizes that:

  1. "Christianity is Christ" - there is no Christianity apart from Him
  2. The message must include the facts about Christ - His virgin birth, sinless life, miracles, death, bodily resurrection, and ascension
  3. These historical facts are essential and cannot be dismissed or diminished
  4. The facts must be proclaimed before their meaning can be explained

Lloyd-Jones strongly rejects theological movements that diminish the importance of the historical facts about Jesus, stating that "if you do away with the facts, you've got no message."

How does Dr. Lloyd-Jones explain the relationship between church order and preaching?

Lloyd-Jones explains that the New Testament establishes clear order in the church. Not everyone is called to preach, and those who do must be "sent" - both internally called and externally confirmed by the church. He says, "Nothing is more striking as one reads the New Testament than to notice the way in which church order began to appear almost at once." This order ensures that preaching is done properly and that the preacher speaks with the authority of being commissioned by God and recognized by the church.

What does Lloyd-Jones teach about how prophecy relates to gospel preaching?

Dr. Lloyd-Jones explains that prophecy often has a dual meaning - an immediate, historical fulfillment and a deeper spiritual fulfillment in Christ. Using Isaiah 52:7 as an example, he shows how the immediate meaning related to Israel's deliverance from Babylonian captivity, while the deeper meaning pointed to the gospel message of salvation through Christ. He states, "if you don't find the gospel in the prophets, there's something wrong with your reading of the prophets." Gospel preaching should recognize how the Old Testament prophetic messages find their ultimate fulfillment in Christ.

The Book of Romans

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.