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Sermon #5803

Southern Cross Mission Diamond Jubilee Service - June 6th 1967

A Sermon on Hebrews 2:1-4

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Scripture

Hebrews 2:1-4 ESV KJV
Therefore we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away from it. For since the message declared by angels proved to be reliable, and every transgression or disobedience received a just retribution, how shall we escape if we neglect such a great salvation? It …

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Sermon Description

Why do we praise God? Why do we worship him and gather together so often? In Dr Martyn Lloyd-Jones’ sermon on Hebrews 2:1-4, he explains why we worship God in such a way. To answer such questions, Dr. Lloyd-Jones first explains what Christianity is. Many people think that Christianity is simply an activist movement for World Peace and philanthropy; however, that simply is not the case. Dr. Lloyd-Jones states that although good deeds are often associated with Christianity, the purpose of the Christianity is to spread the gospel of salvation. It is the mission of the Christian to spread God’s great salvation to the ends of the earth. Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones states that the reason the masses have not been converted is because we have failed to show them the greatest thing in the world, the gospel of salvation. But many ask the question, how will we get people to listen and value this Gospel as it truly should be? The only way to do this, is to show them their need for salvation. If an unbeliever has no need for salvation, then why should he care for it. To present the gospel of salvation in all its due glory and power, the unbeliever must be made aware of his sin. It is necessary to tell the unbeliever that he is sinful and deserves eternal banishment from the presence of God. Only once this is made clear can the gospel of salvation be presented. Only then will the unbeliever see the true love of God for sending his one and only son to die on our behalf. As Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones states, “ The gospels true greatness can be seen only when we realize that the omnipotent God became a simple human for our sakes.”

Sermon Breakdown

  1. The author expresses his privilege at being asked to speak and notes that he always receives more than he gives at such occasions.
  2. He is happy to be speaking under the chairmanship of Mr. Henman again.
  3. He aims to provide a close to what has been happening and an introduction to what will happen in the future.
  4. The passage for the sermon is Hebrews 2:1-4 which exhorts us to give earnest heed to the Gospel.
  5. The Gospel is great in its authorship - it comes from the Trinity.
  6. The Gospel saves us from a great calamity - the punishment for sin.
  7. The Gospel saves us for great blessings - forgiveness, reconciliation, adoption, help in temptation, comfort in death, and an eternal inheritance.
  8. The drama of the Gospel is seen in how Jesus left heaven, became a man, died, rose, and ascended - this is a great salvation.
  9. We should not be ashamed of this great salvation but glory in it.
  10. We should be a daily witness to this great salvation.
  11. We should thank God for this great salvation.

Sermon Q&A

How Does Lloyd-Jones Describe the Greatness of Salvation in His Diamond Jubilee Sermon?

In Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones' Diamond Jubilee sermon, he elaborates on the concept of "so great salvation" found in Hebrews 2:1-4. His exposition offers profound insights into why Christians should recognize and appreciate the magnitude of their salvation.

What are the three main reasons Lloyd-Jones gives for calling our salvation "so great"?

According to Lloyd-Jones, our salvation is "so great" for three primary reasons:

  1. "It is great in its authorship" - The salvation message originated from the Trinity: spoken by the Lord Jesus Christ, confirmed by those who heard Him, and testified to by God the Father with signs, wonders, and gifts of the Holy Spirit.

  2. "It saves us from a very great calamity" - Salvation delivers us from God's judgment against sin, from eternal punishment, and from "the most appalling calamity that is imaginable."

  3. "What it saves you for or that to which it saves you" - The positive benefits of salvation include forgiveness of sins, reconciliation to God, adoption into God's family, help in temptation, victory over death, and inheritance of "the world to come."

How does Lloyd-Jones compare worldly values with the value of salvation?

Lloyd-Jones uses several comparisons to illustrate this contrast:

"The wealth of the universe can't purchase forgiveness of sin. The wealth of the universe can't purchase peace of conscience. The wealth of the universe can't enable a man to put his head on the pillow at night knowing that all is well between him and God."

He also notes how people get excited about receiving worldly honors: "People get excited about getting honors from the country or from the queen...But you see those good people when they leave the palace and are standing on the pavement outside, they've had a great honor. Yes, but they're still the same people." By contrast, God "doesn't merely forgive us and leave us where we were. He puts new life into us, a new nature. He adopts us into the family."

What dramatic illustration does Lloyd-Jones use to describe the gospel?

Lloyd-Jones presents the gospel as the greatest drama ever conceived, far surpassing any theatrical production that captivates worldly audiences:

"This drama of salvation. How has it been made possible for us? How is it possible that my sins can be forgiven and that I am an heir of that glory? Here's the answer. Who, being the brightness of his glory and the express image of his person, the everlasting son of God... was made a little lower than the angels himself."

He describes Christ's journey "from the highest courts of him to the cross of deepest woe. Yes, to death, to burial, to grave. And then the rising, the ascension, the return. And he seated at the right hand of God in the glory everlasting. That's the drama of redemption."

How does Lloyd-Jones address the church's public image problem?

Lloyd-Jones suggests that non-Christians avoid church because Christians have failed to convey the greatness of their salvation:

"The masses of the people are outside the christian church in this country today for one main reason. It is this that you and I who are inside have failed to give them the impression that we've got the greatest thing in the world."

He explains that people outside the church say: "you miserable christians. They say you're missing so much. They think they've got much more than we have with their liberty and their freedom and all the rest of it. And they regard us as miserable people."

His solution is that Christians should recognize and communicate the incomparable greatness of salvation: "If you and I only caught a glimpse of the greatness of this so great salvation, it would show in everything we are and do, and people would become interested in it and want to know more about it."

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.