What is Man? Part 2
A Sermon on Psalms 8:3-4
Scripture
3When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained;
4What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him?
Sermon Description
Do Christians think? In this sermon on “What is Man?” from Psalms 8:3–4, Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones asserts the wonder of creation and the fact that only the Christian can really perceive. Psalm 8:3-4 shows how the believer thinks differently from the unbeliever. The Christian mind is guided by the Bible, rather than by the media and news. The Christian should marvel and wonder at creation, not just live life from one news highlight to the next. Is Christianity really against the advance of science? Look at the persecution of Galileo and the Protestant Reformation that pushed science forward. There is a difference between accidental happening and intentional creation. Why are order and laws of creation in place? Learn the difference between a thinker and a superficial reactor. Dr. Lloyd-Jones addresses the problem, the contradiction, the uniqueness, and the tragedy of humanity. People are worshippers and the only hope for humanity and the world is that this is God’s world. God visited and redeemed this world. The listener will discover the series of “launchings” of the Son of God. There is great urgency to be encapsulated in Christ before one is launched into the presence of a Holy God.
Sermon Breakdown
- The psalmist considers the heavens and is amazed by God's creation.
- The non-Christian views creation as an accident, but the Christian sees evidence of God's design.
- The non-Christian says Christians oppose science, but Christianity actually spurred scientific progress. The church opposed Galileo due to Aristotle's teachings, not the Bible.
- The non-Christian and Christian see the same heavens, but come to different conclusions. The Christian considers creation and worships God.
- The non-Christian thinks superficially, reacting to media. The Christian thinks profoundly, guided by Scripture.
- The non-Christian views man as the accidental product of evolution. The Christian sees man as created in God's image, crowned with glory and honor, having dominion over creation.
- Man is a mass of contradictions. He achieved brilliance in space travel but fails in moral matters. He worships personalities and events but rejects Christ.
- The psalmist asks what's wrong with man. The answer is man's sin and fall in Adam. Man needs God's redemption.
- The only hope for man and the world is that God still cares for man and has visited him in Christ. Christ came to seek and save the lost.
- The gospel can be viewed as a series of "launchings": Christ's incarnation, death, resurrection, ascension, and second coming.
- We too will be "launched" in death. We must prepare to meet God by entering into Christ, the only capsule to heaven. No second chance will be given.
- We can never make ourselves fit for heaven, but Christ has done it all. We need only enter into Him.
Sermon Q&A
What Does Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones Teach About Looking at the Heavens in Psalm 8?
What is the main difference between how a Christian and non-Christian think according to Lloyd-Jones?
According to Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones, the fundamental difference is that non-Christians think in a superficial manner, reacting to things momentarily before forgetting and moving on to the next thing. Their thinking is largely controlled by media. Christians, however, "consider" rather than merely look - they think deeply, ask profound questions, and their thinking is determined by Scripture rather than popular media. As Lloyd-Jones puts it: "The Christian is a new man. He's born again... We have the mind of Christ... The Christian is not merely a man whose sins are forgiven. He's a man who's born again. All things have become new. And one of the most important things is he's got a new mind and he thinks in a different way."
What are the four main conclusions Lloyd-Jones draws from considering the heavens in Psalm 8?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones identifies four main conclusions when properly considering the heavens as described in Psalm 8:
- The marvel and wonder of creation - seeing the precise design and order in the universe points to a Creator rather than mere accident or chance.
- The uniqueness and greatness of man - humans are not accidents but creatures made in God's image, just "a little lower than the angels."
- The problem and tragedy of man - despite his brilliance, man is a mass of contradictions who "can conquer the force of gravity, but he can't control himself."
- The only hope for man - that God is mindful of us and has visited us in Christ to save us.
How does Lloyd-Jones use the astronauts and moon landing to illustrate his message?
Lloyd-Jones brilliantly uses the 1969 moon landing as a contemporary illustration of his message. He notes how the same newspaper that celebrated mankind's brilliant achievement (landing on the moon) also reported a moral failure (the Chappaquiddick incident with Senator Kennedy). This juxtaposition reveals man's contradictory nature - capable of tremendous discipline for space travel yet unable to maintain moral discipline.
He also uses the concept of "launchings" to explain the gospel in modern terms: 1. God "launched" Jesus from heaven to earth through the virgin's womb 2. Jesus was "launched" from the grave through resurrection 3. Jesus will be "launched" again at his second coming 4. Each of us will eventually be "launched" through death to meet God
What does Lloyd-Jones say is the only hope for mankind?
According to Lloyd-Jones, the only hope for mankind is that God is still mindful of us and has visited us. He states: "The only hope for this world and for any individual in it tonight is that God is concerned and tremendously concerned. He's mindful of it... More than that, that he's visited it." This divine intervention came through Jesus Christ, who "came to seek and to save that which is lost" by giving "himself his life, his soul, a ransom for many." Lloyd-Jones emphasizes that no political solution, scientific advancement, or educational program can solve mankind's fundamental problem - only Christ can save us from our fallen condition.
How does Lloyd-Jones challenge his audience regarding preparation for death?
Lloyd-Jones challenges his audience about their preparation for death using the space program analogy. He points out that astronauts prepare meticulously for every possible contingency in space, yet many people make no preparation for their inevitable "launching" through death. He notes two crucial differences between space launches and death:
- Unlike space launches with known dates, we never know when death will come
- Unlike space missions where failed attempts allow for corrections, we get no second chance after death
He asks, "Have you made any preparation for your launching?" and urges listeners to "enter into Christ" as the only safe "capsule" that can carry them through death to eternal life.
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.