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Sermon #5596

The Mystery of the Gospel 2

A Sermon on Ephesians 6:18-20

Originally preached Nov. 8, 1964

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Scripture

Ephesians 6:18-20 ESV KJV
praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints, and also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel, for …

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Sermon Description

Some people believe that the world is advancing toward perfection. In this sermon on Ephesians 6:18–20 titled “The Mystery of the Gospel (2),” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones explains that this doesn’t fit the observable patterns of reality. The Bible’s storyline of creation, the fall of humankind, and the consequences are the only reasonable explanation for the human condition. People are baffled that if God is all powerful and good, why does He allow pain and suffering? The answer goes back to the first sin at the fall and the Bible goes further. God, in His eternal wisdom, has permitted it. God decided to allow freedom of will to the devil and to people in their initial perfection, giving freedom of the possibility of the broken world as it is known. Though He permits evil, God puts a limit to it. The world thinks God’s way of dealing with this broken world would of necessity be one of gradual improvement and reformation. But the Bible tells that this is not the case. God has chosen to redeem through the cross of His Son Jesus Christ. At His second coming, the current world reality will be obliterated.

Sermon Breakdown

  1. The gospel alone has an explanation for the world's ills. World history proves the Bible's case.
  2. The cause of the world's troubles is sin and evil, not merely human nature. There are unseen malignant spiritual forces - the devil and his angels. They govern the world.
  3. God permits evil but also controls it. He limits how far evil can go. He uses civil governments and common grace to restrain evil.
  4. God's ways perplex natural man. Man expects gradual improvement but the Bible says evil will wax worse. God's timetable is not man's. He acts in the fullness of time.
  5. God's plan is to call out a people for Himself in every age through faith in Christ. He will complete His plan and judge evil.
  6. Christ will return suddenly and unexpectedly. With God a thousand years is as a day. We cannot understand God's timetable.
  7. At Christ's return, God will make a new heaven and earth. All evil will be destroyed. Paradise will be restored. Sorrow will be no more.
  8. Our problem is not understanding world suffering but rather escaping eternal judgment through faith in Christ.

Sermon Q&A

What is the Mystery of the Gospel According to Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones?

Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones explains that the "mystery of the gospel" refers to truth that is beyond natural human understanding but has been revealed by God to believers. Here are the key aspects of this mystery:

What does "mystery" mean in the New Testament context?

According to Lloyd-Jones, "mystery" in the New Testament doesn't mean something vague or nebulous. Rather, it refers to "truth which is beyond the natural understanding of men... something that is essentially in and of itself a complete mystery, but which in the gospel, God has graciously chosen to reveal and to make plain to us."

Why is the gospel a mystery to many people?

The gospel is a mystery because:

  1. "It's God's wisdom, not man's wisdom, God's mind, God's plan with respect to the world."
  2. "Man as he is by nature, his mind, is dulled and his understanding is dimmed."
  3. It doesn't match what people expect - "The wise and prudent don't understand it... yet it can help the most ignorant people."

What is the mystery of iniquity that the gospel addresses?

The first part of the gospel mystery explains the origin of the world's problems:

  1. Before man's creation, there was a "precosmic fall" where Satan and other angelic beings rebelled against God
  2. Satan tempted humans who fell into sin and rebellion
  3. The world is now influenced by "principalities and powers, rulers of the darkness of this world"
  4. All suffering, war, disease, and death are consequences of this rebellion
  5. These consequences are partly God's punishment for human sin

What is the mystery of God's attitude toward the world's problems?

Lloyd-Jones explains that God:

  1. Permitted evil through giving free will to both angels and humans
  2. Controls and limits evil through "common grace" (governments, civilization)
  3. Will not force human will but allows humans to experience the consequences of their choices
  4. Has a redemptive plan that appears mysterious to human understanding

What is God's mysterious plan for dealing with the world's problems?

The gospel reveals that God's plan is not: - Gradual improvement of the world - Immediate intervention to stop all suffering

Rather, God's plan involves:

  1. "Calling out a people for himself" from humanity
  2. Redeeming them through Christ's death on the cross
  3. Forming them into the Church
  4. Working according to His own timetable ("in the fullness of time")
  5. Ultimately sending Christ to return, judge the world, and establish "a new heavens and a new earth wherein dwelleth righteousness"

Lloyd-Jones concludes that the urgent problem for each person is not fully understanding all world problems, but preparing for judgment day by accepting God's "gracious offer of his gospel, which offers pardon, forgiveness, reconciliation, entry into a new life."

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.