Declared with Power
A Sermon on Romans 1:1-4
Originally preached April 22, 1962
Scripture
1Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God, 2(Which he had promised afore by his prophets in the holy scriptures,) 3Concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, which was made of the seed of David according to the …
Sermon Description
As the West continues to turn its back on Christianity, Christians wonder what their response should be. What is the church’s answer to the powerful forces of unbelief? In this Easter sermon on Romans 1:1–4 titled “Declared with Power,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones reminds Christians of the Son of God in power. How did the Son of God attain such power? If the incarnation is characterized by Christ’s humiliation, the resurrection of the Son of God is characterized by His power. But Dr. Lloyd-Jones warns that there is no power if one denies the literal bodily resurrection. As liberal Christianity reduces the resurrection to a “spiritual” resurrection by asserting His followers experienced Christ in a dream, vision or trance, Dr. Lloyd-Jones corrects such skepticism by pointing to the apostolic preaching in the early church. The apostles preached the fact of the resurrection. The resurrection, according to Paul, was an event where the Son of God was openly appointed in power. Without the fact of the resurrection, the story of Jesus Christ does not make sense. Without the fact of the resurrection, Christ’s death on the cross does not make sense. Listen as Dr. Lloyd-Jones proclaims God’s good news of salvation and warns of the Son of God who will come again in power.
Sermon Breakdown
- Paul introduces himself as a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the Gospel of God.
- The Gospel of God is the good news of salvation and deliverance provided by God. It is not a message of good cheer or vague optimism.
- The essence of the Christian message is what God has done through Jesus Christ. Christianity is Christ - his person and work.
- The resurrection of Jesus Christ is essential to the Gospel. Without it, there is no Christian message.
- The resurrection proves who Jesus is - the Son of God. It was a public proclamation of this fact.
- The resurrection explains Jesus' life, death, and present position. He came in weakness but was raised in power.
- Jesus is now seated at the right hand of God, ever living to intercede for us, and with all power and authority.
- Jesus will return as judge of all the earth. The resurrection assures us of this.
- We must trust in Jesus to be blessed and escape judgment. We must "kiss the Son."
Sermon Q&A
Martyn Lloyd-Jones on the Resurrection: Questions and Answers
What is the central message of Dr. Lloyd-Jones's Easter sermon?
According to Dr. Lloyd-Jones, the central message is not merely that Jesus is still alive or continues to exert influence, but the literal historical fact that "he who was literally crucified and died upon that cross, and whose body was taken down and placed in a grave, and that a stone was rolled over the mouth of that grave and sealed and guarded by soldiers, that that same Jesus literally rose out of that grave in that same body, which was now changed and became his resurrection and his glorified body." This historical fact is essential to the entire Christian message.
How does Dr. Lloyd-Jones describe the Gospel of God?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones emphasizes that the Gospel of God is not primarily "an exhortation to us to do anything" but "an announcement and a proclamation of what God has done." It is not merely a philosophical, moral, or ethical system, but good news about what God has accomplished through His Son, Jesus Christ. The Gospel is entirely about Christ—the person and what He has done—making Christianity distinct from other religions and philosophies.
What does the resurrection prove about Jesus according to the sermon?
The resurrection proves who Jesus is—the Son of God. As Lloyd-Jones explains, "the resurrection of Jesus Christ is a public event in which the proclamation is made that he is the son of God with power." It validates Jesus's claims about Himself and serves as the divine declaration or proclamation that Jesus of Nazareth is truly God's only begotten and eternal Son.
What is the difference between resurrection and reanimation according to Dr. Lloyd-Jones?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones clarifies that cases like Jairus's daughter or the son of the widow of Nain were not resurrections but reanimations or resuscitations. These individuals "were restored to life for a while, just as they were before, and died again." True resurrection involves a transformation of the body—"resurrection involves a change in this body." Jesus's resurrected body was the same body but changed, allowing Him to appear in rooms with closed doors and sometimes not be immediately recognized.
Why was the incarnation necessary according to Dr. Lloyd-Jones?
Lloyd-Jones explains that the Son of God "became of the seed of David according to the flesh" (took on human nature) specifically "in order that he might die." As he states, "He cannot die as God. He becomes man in order that he may bear the punishment of the guilt of sin, which is death." The incarnation was necessary for our salvation because only as man could Jesus identify with our sins and "bear the punishment of the guilt of sin."
How does Dr. Lloyd-Jones describe Jesus's current state and position?
The sermon describes Jesus as now being "son of God with power" in contrast to His earlier state of humiliation. He is "in the realm of the spirit, back where he was at the beginning, in the glory everlasting with the father as of old." He is "seated at the right hand of God," where He is "ever living to make intercession for us" and serving as "our advocate with the Father." Lloyd-Jones emphasizes that Jesus now possesses "all power" in heaven and earth.
What is the relevance of the resurrection for believers today?
For believers today, the resurrection means Jesus is their "representative" and "savior" with "all power" to help them. Dr. Lloyd-Jones references Paul's words, "I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me," emphasizing that Christ can sustain believers through any circumstance. Additionally, despite Christianity seemingly "dwindling," the resurrection proves Christ has "conquered all his enemies" and "must reign until he hath put all enemies under his feet."
What warning does Dr. Lloyd-Jones give concerning judgment?
Lloyd-Jones warns that Jesus will be "manifested as the judge of all men." Even those who reject Christ now "will have to see him again" because "He's the judge of all the earth." Quoting Paul's message at Athens, he states that God "hath appointed a day in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained," and the resurrection is the assurance God has given of this coming judgment.
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.