A Christian Looks at the Moon
Scripture
Sermon Description
The only hope for this world is that it is God’s world. In this sermon titled “A Christian Looks at the Moon,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones addresses the claim that Christians forsake thinking and reasoning. It is the Christian alone who thinks and Dr. Lloyd-Jones asks if one’s thoughts are controlled and governed by the teaching of the Bible, or the news and the media? Learn how to think deeply, examine truth, and draw conclusions that are not superficial. The Christian considers things, reasons, and then comes to profound conclusions concerning such. Stand amazed at God’s marvelous creation and understand the uniqueness of humanity. Learn of the problem and tragedy of humanity; in this marvelous universe, humanity is the greatest contradiction. How can people be such a brilliant success, yet the greatest failure? Dr. Lloyd-Jones describes the modern person as a technological success and moral failure. This modern person is governed more by lust and passion than truth and understanding. Come to the only hope that there is for the world today—a spiritual understanding of God’s great plan of redemption and salvation. Recount the one launching that came from heaven to earth by God Himself. The wise person is encapsulated in Christ. Christ alone will present His people holy and faultless before God.
Sermon Breakdown
- The psalmist considers the heavens and the moon and stars.
- He asks what is man that God is mindful of him.
- Man seems insignificant compared to the vastness of the universe.
- However, man is the crowning glory of God's creation.
- Man has been given dominion over the works of God's hands.
- There is a contradiction in man - he is brilliantly successful yet morally a failure.
- Man can achieve technological feats like landing on the moon yet cannot live at peace.
- Man worships personalities and great events but not Jesus Christ, the greatest personality and event.
- The only hope for man is that God is mindful of him and has visited him.
- God sent His Son to redeem man from sin and reconcile him to God.
- Jesus was launched from heaven to earth, lived a sinless life, died on the cross, rose from the dead and ascended to heaven.
- Each person will be launched into eternity by death - are you ready?
- No one can prepare themselves to stand before God but God has provided the way - Jesus Christ.
- We must be encapsulated in Christ, hidden in Him, to be safe for eternity.
- Hymn writers have described being in Christ as being carried on eagle's wings or led all the way.
Sermon Q&A
Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones' Sermon on Psalm 8: Questions and Answers
What is the main theme of Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones' sermon on Psalm 8?
In this sermon, Dr. Lloyd-Jones explores Psalm 8, particularly verses 3-4, to demonstrate that Christians, contrary to popular misconception, are the ones who truly think deeply about the universe and humanity's place in it. He contrasts superficial "non-Christian thinking" with deep "Christian thinking" that considers God's creation, man's uniqueness despite his fallenness, and God's redemptive plan. The sermon uses the achievement of men landing on the moon as a contemporary illustration of these eternal truths.
How does Dr. Lloyd-Jones respond to the claim that Christianity has hindered scientific progress?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones argues this claim is historically inaccurate. He explains that it was not the Bible but the Roman Catholic Church's adherence to Greek philosophy (particularly Aristotle) that opposed scientists like Galileo. He states: "There has never been any real conflict between the teaching of the Bible itself and the discoveries of science." He further cites historians who confirm that the Protestant Reformation actually gave "a greater impetus to scientific research and development" by freeing minds from Greek philosophical constraints.
According to Dr. Lloyd-Jones, what is the non-Christian view of the universe's origin, and why does he reject it?
The non-Christian view, as he describes it, is that the universe is "more or less an accident" resulting from "the interaction of blind forces" - either from an explosion of original gases or through some kind of "continuous creation." Lloyd-Jones rejects this view as irrational, arguing that the precision and order in nature (like the earth's perfect distance from the sun) make it impossible to attribute creation to mere chance. He quotes Sir James Jeans who concluded there must be "a great mind at the back of the universe."
What does Dr. Lloyd-Jones identify as the contradiction in human nature?
Lloyd-Jones identifies a profound contradiction in human nature: on one hand, humans demonstrate brilliant technological success (like landing on the moon), but on the other hand, they exhibit abysmal moral and spiritual failure in everyday life. He questions why humans who can exercise rigorous discipline for scientific achievement cannot apply the same discipline to live decently with each other. He also notes how people worship personalities but ignore Christ, and how they pursue exciting events but disregard the most significant event in history - Christ's death and resurrection.
How does Dr. Lloyd-Jones connect the space program to the gospel message?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones brilliantly uses the space program as an analogy for the gospel. He describes the incarnation as God "launching" His Son from heaven to earth in the "capsule" of the Virgin Mary's womb. Christ's resurrection and ascension represent another "launching" back to heaven. He then warns that death will "launch" each person from time to eternity, asking if they've made preparations for this inevitable journey. Just as astronauts meticulously prepare for space travel, people should prepare for eternity by entering the safety of Christ, whom he calls "the capsule of God."
What does Dr. Lloyd-Jones mean by the phrase "thou art mindful of him and the son of men that thou visited him"?
This phrase from Psalm 8:4 forms the foundation of Lloyd-Jones' message about hope. He explains that despite human rebellion and failure, God remains "mindful" of humanity - He thinks about us, cares for us, and has not abandoned His world. The visitation refers to God's redemptive plan, particularly through sending Christ: "The only hope for the world tonight is... that God is mindful of us." This divine mindfulness culminated in Christ's incarnation, death, and resurrection - God's solution to humanity's fallen condition.
How does Dr. Lloyd-Jones use the concept of "considering" in his sermon?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones emphasizes the importance of deep thinking through the Psalmist's phrase "When I consider thy heavens." He contrasts this thoughtful consideration with superficial reactions. True consideration leads beyond mere amazement at creation to recognizing the Creator, beyond acknowledging human achievement to understanding human nature, beyond seeing contradictions to discovering their cause in sin, and beyond despair to finding hope in God's redemptive plan. For Lloyd-Jones, "considering" involves examining life's deepest questions in light of biblical revelation.
What does Dr. Lloyd-Jones identify as the only hope for mankind?
The only hope for mankind, according to Lloyd-Jones, is that "God is mindful of us" and has visited us in Christ. He states emphatically: "There is only one hope for men at this moment. It's not in politics, it's not in science, it's not in philosophy, it's not in education." The hope lies in God's redemptive plan fulfilled in Christ, who took our sins upon Himself at the cross, enabling forgiveness, new birth, and reconciliation with God. This divine intervention is the only solution to human failure and corruption.
Itinerant Preaching
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.