The Christian Gospel
A Sermon on 1 Peter 1:10-12
Originally preached Oct. 18, 1959
Scripture
10Of which salvation the prophets have enquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you: 11Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory …
Sermon Description
What changes when someone is saved? Is Christianity just a political movement that lobbies for a better world, or imposes a strict code of conduct? In this sermon on 1 Peter 1:10–12 titled “The Christian Gospel,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones speaks about how there are many who may hold these views, but they are mistaken. Christianity is not about morality or politics, but it is about hope in Christ and salvation in the gospel found in God’s word. God has chosen to reveal Himself to sinful people through the prophets, apostles, and Scripture. The whole message of salvation is contained in this truth and given to God’s people so that they may proclaim it to the world. This gospel is the message that Jesus Christ is the only way to salvation, for He alone has died so that all would be saved. This gift of salvation is given through faith as a result of God’s grace. No one can ever work to obtain it. All are born blind in sin until the grace of God opens their eyes to see the glory of Jesus Christ.
Sermon Breakdown
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The sermon begins by introducing 1 Peter 1:10-12 which describes salvation and grace. These themes are central to the Bible and Christianity.
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The sermon outlines some common misconceptions about what Christianity is, including that it is just a moral code or believing in God. Christianity is about salvation and grace.
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Salvation and grace were planned by God before the foundation of the world. They are eternal plans, not human ones.
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God's plans for salvation and grace were prophesied in the Old Testament, though the prophets did not fully understand them. The Spirit revealed to the prophets that salvation would come through the sufferings and glory of Christ.
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God's plans were fulfilled in history through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. The gospel is the report of these historical events. Christianity is based on events, not just teachings.
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The incarnation of Christ, where God became man, is a unique and stunning event. Christ lived a perfect life, died on the cross for our sins, and was raised from the dead, conquering death.
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After Christ's resurrection and ascension, the Holy Spirit was sent to empower the church to spread the gospel. The Holy Spirit's coming was also prophesied and part of God's plan of salvation.
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Christ will return again in glory to judge the world, destroy evil, and usher in the eternal kingdom. This is the ultimate hope of the gospel.
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The gospel is so profound that even the angels long to understand it fully. They are amazed at God's wisdom in devising the plan of salvation and Christ's incarnation and sacrifice.
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If the gospel does not amaze and move us, we must be spiritually blind. We must look into the gospel, understand and believe it, and rejoice in Christ to have our spiritual eyes opened.
Sermon Q&A
What Did Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones Teach About the True Nature of Christianity?
Based on Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones' sermon transcript on 1 Peter 1:10-12, I'll generate questions and answers that capture his key teachings about Christianity.
What is the fundamental mistake people make when approaching Christianity according to Lloyd-Jones?
According to Lloyd-Jones, many people approach Christianity with wrong preliminary ideas about what it is. He states: "More and more do I come to see that the difficulty so many people encounter with regard to this Christian faith, the reason why they're not Christian, is generally in the realm of the preliminary approach." He emphasizes that if you "start on the wrong road, you can't arrive at the right destination" and that "beginnings matter" in understanding Christianity correctly.
What false notions do people have about Christianity according to the sermon?
Lloyd-Jones identifies several false notions people have about Christianity: 1. Christianity is merely "general views and ideas with respect to life" or "an attitude" 2. Christianity is just "a code of ethics" or morals that teaches people how to behave 3. Christianity is simply "believing in God and occasionally giving expression to that by going to a place of worship" 4. Christianity is having "some sort of an experience" or being "aware of some other power" 5. Christianity is merely experiencing a change in one's life without understanding the true gospel
What does Lloyd-Jones say is the true essence of Christianity?
Lloyd-Jones emphatically states that Christianity is fundamentally about salvation and grace: "This is what Christianity is. It's about salvation. It's about grace, the grace of God." He further explains: "Christianity, my dear friend, is not a philosophy. It isn't but a teaching. It includes that. But it's not merely that... It is the report, it is the record of what God has done in time and in history, in events of history, for us and for our salvation."
How does Lloyd-Jones distinguish Christianity from other religions?
Lloyd-Jones makes a crucial distinction: "That is where it differs essentially from everything that is called religion. All the others are the teachings. Your Confucianism, your Buddhism, your Hinduism, your Mohammedanism, and all your cults. They're but teachings. This is not primarily a teaching. This is a report. This is a factual account of something that has literally taken place." Christianity, in his view, is fundamentally about historical events, not merely teachings.
What role does prophecy play in the Christian faith according to Lloyd-Jones?
Lloyd-Jones explains that prophecy demonstrates the divine nature of Christianity, as the Old Testament prophets foretold Christ's coming centuries before it happened: "Before time he planned the Salvation. Then he began to make preliminary announcements about its coming into operation. That's where your prophets come in. What's your Old Testament? It's nothing but one great prophecy." He points to this as evidence of divine revelation: "There's only one explanation. It was revealed unto them by the spirit of God."
Who is at the center of true Christianity according to Lloyd-Jones?
Lloyd-Jones asserts that Jesus Christ is at the absolute center of Christianity: "Christianity, by definition, is that which depends entirely, utterly, solely, exclusively upon Christ." He emphasizes that merely believing in God doesn't make one a Christian, since Jews and Muslims do that. Rather, Christianity is entirely focused on the person and work of Christ.
What historical events form the foundation of Christianity according to the sermon?
Lloyd-Jones identifies several key historical events that form Christianity's foundation: 1. The incarnation - "The second person in the blessed Holy Trinity came down on earth to dwell" 2. Christ's sufferings and crucifixion - "The sufferings of Christ... This son of God who died in helplessness on a cross" 3. The resurrection - "There was a third morning after they'd buried him... He'd vanished... by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead" 4. The ascension - "As they stood there with him on the hill and saw him ascending up into heaven" 5. The sending of the Holy Spirit - "The Holy Ghost was sent down from heaven" 6. The future return of Christ - "He's going to come back into this world not as a babe of Bethlehem this time but as king of kings and lord of lords"
Why does Lloyd-Jones say we should "gird up the loins of our mind" regarding Christianity?
Lloyd-Jones argues that Christianity requires our full intellectual engagement because of its profound depth and importance. He explains: "Whatever else Christianity is, it is obviously something which calls upon a man to exercise all his powers, and especially the greatest of all, which is his mind." The phrase "Wherefore, gird up the loins of your mind" indicates that Christianity is "something big, something which demands his entire concentration" because it's "so vast, it's so big" that it requires all of our mental attention.
What evidence does Lloyd-Jones provide for the extraordinary nature of Christianity?
Lloyd-Jones points to the angels' interest in Christianity as evidence of its extraordinary nature: "Which things the angels desire to look into." He explains that even angels, who witnessed creation and all God's works, find the gospel of salvation more amazing than anything else: "The angels in heaven are nudging one another. They say, look at this. Have you ever seen anything like this? This is beyond everything." This heavenly interest demonstrates that Christianity is "the acme... the ultimate, even of God."
What does Lloyd-Jones say is the only explanation for indifference to the gospel?
Lloyd-Jones concludes that if someone remains unmoved by these truths about salvation, there is only one explanation: "If this thing which astonishes the angels and which they're so anxious to look into means nothing to you, there is only one explanation of it, and that is that you are suffering from a total blindness." He quotes Paul's words that "if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost in whom the God of this world hath blinded the minds of them that believe not."
Sermons on the Gospel
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.