The Unsearchable Riches of Christ
A Sermon on 2 Peter 1:1
Scripture
1Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ, to them that have obtained like precious faith with us through the righteousness of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ:
Sermon Description
It is not uncommon for the Christian to struggle in their walk with Christ, to be overcome with anxiety, or frustrated with continued temptations. While they are promised that God will gradually grow them into the image of His sinless Son, many become frustrated to find that they still struggle with many of the things they wrestled with before becoming followers of Jesus. In this sermon from 2 Peter 1:1, Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones says that many of the problems in the Christian life can be traced to forgetfulness about the truths of the faith. For those who are constantly anxious or discouraged because they still wrestle with many temptations, Dr Lloyd-Jones encourages actively calling to mind the core tenets and promises of Christianity, such as that God has equipped His people with everything they need to live in a way that pleases Him. The character of faith is precious because God Himself has given it, it cost Him His Son, and it is rare. While many people do not have the blessing of knowing Jesus as their Savior, Christians are in the same company as the heroes of the faith who have gone before them. Dr. Lloyd-Jones encourages the listener to rest in the unsearchable riches of Christ.
Sermon Breakdown
- The apostle Peter is writing to encourage Christians who are unhappy and disturbed.
- Their condition is partly due to their own negligence in not applying themselves to Christian teaching.
- Their main trouble is due to false teachers who were denying the person of Christ and his atoning death.
- Peter says he has nothing new to tell them, just to remind them of what they already know.
- Their trouble is forgetfulness of the truth. We need no new gospel, just to remember the old one.
- Peter describes their faith as "precious faith." He wants them to realize how precious it is.
- Faith is precious because of how we obtained it - as a gift, not by our own efforts. It is given by God's grace.
- Faith is precious because of who gave it - the righteous God and our Savior Jesus Christ. It cost the blood of Christ.
- Faith is precious because it is rare. Few find the narrow way. True faith is scarce.
- Faith is precious because of the company we belong to - the apostles, prophets, martyrs, etc.
- Faith is precious because of what it does for us - it gives us access to God's treasure house of blessings.
- Faith gives forgiveness, escape from corruption, partaking of the divine nature, assurance of salvation, and an abundant entrance into heaven.
- We should not be ashamed or apologetic, but glory in the precious faith God has given us.
Sermon Q&A
What is the "Precious Faith" that Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones speaks about?
Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones describes "precious faith" as something of immeasurable value that Christians possess. In his sermon, he explains that this faith is "beyond price, beyond computation, something that you can't assess." The apostle Peter frequently used the word "precious" in his epistles, and Lloyd-Jones points out that it was Peter's "favorite word." This faith is precious because it's a divine gift that cannot be earned, it comes from God Himself, it cost the blood of Christ, it's rare in the world, and it connects believers to a glorious company of saints throughout history.
Why does Dr. Lloyd-Jones say that many Christians are unhappy and disturbed?
According to Dr. Lloyd-Jones, many Christians are unhappy and disturbed because they have "forgotten what they already knew." He quotes Peter who diagnosed their condition as forgetfulness of the truth they once knew. Specifically, they've forgotten the precious character of their faith. Additionally, they were disturbed by false teachings that cast doubt on Christ's person and work, and they were neglecting to add to their faith the qualities needed for spiritual growth. Lloyd-Jones emphasizes: "All our troubles are due to the fact that we've forgotten what we once knew and believed."
How does a person obtain this "precious faith" according to the sermon?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones explains that faith is obtained, not earned. He points to Peter's specific choice of the word "obtained" which originally referred to something received by casting lots - indicating something that comes to a person rather than something they achieve. Lloyd-Jones states: "No man makes himself a Christian. You don't buy faith by your works or by your activities or by anything else. You can't buy it. You can't purchase it. It's always without money and without price." It comes "through the righteousness of God and our Savior Jesus Christ" as a free gift from God.
What makes faith so rare and valuable according to Dr. Lloyd-Jones?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones explains that faith is valuable partly because of its rarity. He quotes Jesus who said, "straight is the gate and narrow is the way that leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it." This rarity makes faith precious, just as rare items in the physical world become more valuable. Lloyd-Jones encourages Christians not to be discouraged by their small numbers but to recognize the value of being part of this select company. He states: "Aren't you proud of the fact that you're one of this select band at a time like this? How rare is true faith."
What company do believers belong to through their faith?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones emphasizes that believers belong to an extraordinary company through their faith. He states: "You belong to Abel. You belong to Noah. You belong to Abraham and the mighty patriarchs. You belong to Samuel. You belong to Elijah. You belong to David and the mighty list of prophets... You belong to these apostles... You belong to those great martyrs and confessors of the first centuries. You belong, my dear friends, to the Protestant reformers Luther, Calvin, Knox and the rest of them." This company includes all those throughout history who have received the same "like precious faith."
What is the ultimate benefit of faith according to Dr. Lloyd-Jones?
According to Dr. Lloyd-Jones, perhaps the most wonderful benefit of faith is that "it enables you to die gloriously." He quotes Peter's promise of "an abundant entry" into God's kingdom. Lloyd-Jones elaborates: "You don't merely shuffle out of life. You don't merely die like a dog. No, the gates of heaven will be flung wide open. An abundant entry... the trumpets will be sounding and the angels will be singing." Faith gives believers confidence in death because it assures them of their place in God's eternal kingdom.
What does Dr. Lloyd-Jones compare faith to and what does it provide access to?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones compares faith to "some kind of a golden key that God gives us that enables us to unlock the door that leads into God's eternal treasure house." He explains that this treasure house contains "all the treasures and the wealth of his wisdom and his knowledge and everything else. And it is endless. It is illimitable, it's all there." However, we can only access these treasures through faith, which is the key that "opens the door and gives you admission" to God's treasures, including forgiveness, reconciliation with God, access to prayer, and the assurance that all things work together for good.
How does Dr. Lloyd-Jones address those who say we need a new message for today's world?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones strongly refutes those who claim we need "a new message in this postwar world, this atomic age, this scientific age." He calls this idea "a travesty of the whole of Christian teaching," insisting: "My dear friends, we need nothing new. All our troubles are due to the fact that we've forgotten what we once knew and believed." Rather than creating a new gospel, he urges believers to remember "the great and glorious verities of this our grand Christian faith" which have already been "once and forever delivered to the saints."
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.