Addressing a Pagan World
Scripture
Sermon Description
In this sermon, Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones looks at Paul's example of how the Christian church ought to address a pagan world. A world sunk in iniquity and on the verge of collapse needs the Christian message. Learn that Paul reasoned with these people. How should this Gospel be listened to? Man ought to tremble in some way under its message! The great theme is righteousness – on the the attributes of God Himself. Learn of this, "essential uprightness" – the opposite of anything perverted or weak. According to biblical teaching, not only is God righteous, but man was originally created to be righteous after God’s image. Learn of the vital relationship between righteousness, temperance, and the judgement to come. Man is a responsible being made in God's image, and God will hold him responsible in the end. No man does good – men love darkness rather than light. The Law damns everyone to Hell, but the Gospel declares faith in Christ can save! God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son to lay the iniquity of sinners on Him. Praise God! Why do people reject this message? Stop resisting the Spirit and fighting against God. Receive this new life and nature, and start living as a new creation.
Sermon Breakdown
- The reading is from Acts 24:1-23 which describes Paul's trial before Felix.
- Felix was the Roman governor of Judea. He was originally a slave but was freed and rose to power. He lived an unjust and lustful life.
- Drusilla was Felix's wife. She was a Jewess who married Felix against Jewish law and tradition.
- Paul was brought before Felix and Drusilla to defend himself against the charges of the Jews. Paul preached to them about righteousness, self-control, and the coming judgment.
- Righteousness means living according to God's moral law. The Ten Commandments summarize how to live righteously.
- Self-control or temperance means disciplining one's desires and impulses. One must control their bodily desires rather than be controlled by them.
- The coming judgment refers to God's final judgment of all people. All will stand before God and be judged for how they lived.
- Paul also preached to them about faith in Christ - that Jesus died for sinners and offers forgiveness and new life.
- Felix trembled at Paul's preaching but did not repent. He was hoping for a bribe and kept calling for Paul.
- People reject the gospel because they suppress the truth in unrighteousness. They go against their conscience and the Holy Spirit.
- The sinful life is degrading and despicable. People live for temporary pleasure rather than eternal joy. They desire the praise of men over God.
- The times call for a response - will you repent and believe or reject the gospel like Felix?
Sermon Q&A
What Are the Key Elements of the Christian Message According to Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones?
According to Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones' sermon on Felix and Paul from Acts 24, the Christian message contains several essential elements:
What were the three main components of Paul's reasoning with Felix and Drusilla?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones explains that Paul reasoned with Felix and Drusilla about three key elements:
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Righteousness - The fundamental attribute of God and His standard for human conduct, defined by the Ten Commandments and explained by Christ in the Sermon on the Mount.
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Temperance (self-control) - The practical application of righteousness in daily living, controlling one's impulses and desires rather than being controlled by them.
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Judgment to come - The reality that all people will ultimately stand before God to give an account of their lives and actions.
How does Dr. Lloyd-Jones distinguish Christianity from modern misconceptions?
Lloyd-Jones states: "The popular idea seems to be that it is a political and social message... But what a travesty that is of what one finds in the New Testament." He emphasizes that Christianity is not primarily:
- A protest movement
- A social justice campaign
- A political philosophy
Instead, it is a message about righteousness, human accountability, and God's redemptive plan through Christ.
What is the central "good news" of Christianity according to the sermon?
Lloyd-Jones explains: "Christianity is a gospel. It's good news. It's not a protest movement. It's not simply against this, that and the other. It's not always negative. It's positive."
The good news is that despite our failure to meet God's standard of righteousness: - "God sent his only son into the world to bear the sins of sinners" - Christ "died on a cross on a hill called Calvary" as our substitute - "God offers us free pardon and forgiveness, just as we are" - "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved immediately"
Why do people reject the Christian message according to Dr. Lloyd-Jones?
Lloyd-Jones identifies several reasons people reject Christianity:
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Not because of superior intelligence (contrary to what many claim): "If you say that what decides whether a man is a Christian or not is his brain power and his intelligence... then you're asking me to believe this, that Felix and Drusilla have greater brains than the apostle Paul—and that is arrant rubbish."
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Going against conscience: Felix trembled because "he knew that what Paul was saying was right. But he didn't like it."
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Resisting the Holy Spirit: "The spirit of God was dealing with him, but he deliberately shook it off."
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Choosing temporary pleasures over eternal joy: People put "temporary pleasure before the joys of eternity, the good opinion of men before the good opinion of God, time before eternity."
The sermon concludes with the urgent question: "Have you repented and believed the gospel? Have you seen yourself in the picture I've held before you?"
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.