Paul; a Servant of Jesus Christ
A Sermon on Romans 1:1
Originally preached Oct. 21, 1955
Scripture
1Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God,
Sermon Description
Salvation cannot be divided; it is an all or nothing equation. No one can receive the gift of salvation without submitting their life to Christ any more than they can both skydive from an airplane and resist the laws of gravity. In the sermon “Paul: A Servant of Jesus Christ” on Romans 1:1, Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones powerfully shows how the apostle Paul submitted to the Lordship of Christ and was redeemed by our Master's love. Anyone claiming to be saved yet rejects Jesus’s authority over their life has no basis for assurance of salvation. The Christian’s assurance is built on God keeping His promise to fully and forever forgive their sin. Listen as Dr. Lloyd-Jones explains how Paul’s confidence in ministry flowed from this transforming truth.
Sermon Breakdown
- The apostle Paul introduces himself to the Romans as "Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God."
- Paul describes himself first as "a servant of Jesus Christ." This means:
- He is a Christian, bought and owned by Christ.
- He is devoted to Christ, captivated by him. Christ is his all.
- He is writing as Christ's representative, not on his own authority.
- Paul calls himself "called to be an apostle." This means:
- He holds an official title and office. Not all disciples were apostles.
- Apostles were specially chosen and sent by Christ.
- Apostles had authority from Christ to teach, work miracles, establish churches, etc.
- Paul was called to be an apostle in the same way as the 12 apostles. His authority is equal to theirs.
- The signs of an apostle were:
- Having seen the risen Christ. Paul saw Christ on the road to Damascus.
- Being specially called by Christ to the office. Paul was called by Christ.
- Being given authority and a commission by Christ. Paul had authority to teach, work miracles, establish churches, etc.
- The ability to impart spiritual gifts. Paul could give the Holy Spirit and spiritual gifts.
- The apostles claimed to speak with authority from God. Their words were the word of God. The early church recognized this authority.
- Paul describes himself as a "called apostle" to emphasize that he was not self-appointed or appointed by men, but appointed by the call of Christ. Christ called him as dramatically as he called the 12 apostles.
Sermon Q&A
What Does It Mean to Be a Servant of Jesus Christ According to Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones?
Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones provides an in-depth explanation of what it means to be a "servant of Jesus Christ" as the Apostle Paul describes himself in Romans 1:1. Here are key insights from his sermon:
What did Paul mean by describing himself as a "servant of Jesus Christ"?
According to Dr. Lloyd-Jones, Paul meant several important things:
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He was identifying himself as a Christian: "Every Christian is a bond slave of Jesus Christ. Take the way in which the apostle puts that in writing to the Corinthians in his first epistle in the 6th chapter, and in verses 19 and 20, he there reminds them that their bodies are the temples of the Holy Ghost, and goes on to say, 'and ye are not your own. Ye are bought with a price.'"
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He was expressing his devotion to Christ: "The love of Christ constraineth me... He's helpless. He's like a man in a vice, and the vice is being screwed up... He can't help himself. 'Woe is unto me if I preach not the gospel.' He must."
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He was writing with authority: "He was not writing on his own account, but that in a very literal sense, he really was writing as the servant of the Lord Jesus Christ."
What are the characteristics of a true apostle according to Dr. Lloyd-Jones?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones explains that an apostle is "one chosen and sent with a special commission as the fully authorized representative of the sender" with these qualifications:
- Must have seen the risen Lord personally
- Must have been specially called by Christ himself
- Given authority to work miracles
- Power to impart spiritual gifts to others
- Authority to teach and establish doctrine
- Authority to organize churches and ordain leaders
How does Dr. Lloyd-Jones describe Paul's apostolic calling?
"This is one of the most amazing things in history... This is the crowning act and the supreme masterpiece of our blessed Lord that he chose thus as an apostle, one who had been his chief enemy. He chooses here a man who had not been with him in the days of his flesh... who wasn't with them when he came into the upper room after his resurrection... He was an outsider then and for years after that, and a blasphemer and a persecutor and trying to exterminate Christianity. And yet he's an apostle, as much an apostle as they are."
How does Dr. Lloyd-Jones suggest we apply this teaching to our own lives?
"Is Jesus Christ in the forefront of our minds and of our hearts and of our conversation? I mean, even I'm talking to Christian people, to believers. When we talk to one another, are we always talking about some experience we've had or some blessing we've had, or are we talking about the Lord Jesus Christ? I have no hesitation in asserting this. The more one grows in grace, less and less does one talk about oneself and one's experiences, and more and more does one talk about him."
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.