Fake Religion
A Sermon on Jeremiah 2:26-28
Originally preached Dec. 18, 1960
Scripture
26As the thief is ashamed when he is found, so is the house of Israel ashamed; they, their kings, their princes, and their priests, and their prophets, 27Saying to a stock, Thou art my father; and to a stone, Thou hast brought me forth: for they have turned …
Sermon Description
What can cause people to fall into unutterable folly? God calls these people to think and consider. Compare and contrast religions—in what does the Christian trust and how do they prepare for eternity? A person’s religion is their working philosophy; the thing they rest upon and to which they give themselves up. In this sermon on Jeremiah 2:26–28 titled “Fake Religion,” Dr Martyn Lloyd-Jones examines the marks of false religion in regards to three questions. Look at the nature and character of the god(s) being worshipped. Take a look at contemporary history and the gods of this present age. Do not test one’s religion when everything is going well, but look at the day when the sun is not shining and there is in trouble. Can that God save? A false religion will always be found out. Find answers for the problem of guilt and death. Learn about what Christ did and those who opposed Him. Christ came to die so that all can live. Comfort will only come through Him. The Christian might be perplexed, but they do not need to despair. Lean on the promises of God and find abundant life. Absolutely nothing can separate the Christian from God. Realize the folly and turn to Him, and enter into His eternal glory.
Sermon Breakdown
- The sermon begins by stating that the prophet Jeremiah is delivering a message to the children of Israel. The message is that their troubles are due to turning away from God and worshipping idols.
- God has been explaining this message to them in detail, showing them the consequences of their sin and warning them to repent. Jeremiah is giving them a final warning.
- The sermon will examine false religion and true religion based on three tests: the nature of the God worshipped, the ability of the religion to help in times of trouble, and the state it leaves you in at the end.
- The false religion worships gods that are man-made, like wood and stone idols. Men call them "father" and say they "brought us forth," but they have no life or power. This is debased and foolish.
- False religion fails the test of helping in times of trouble. When calamity comes, the idols cannot help. The people turn back to God, who they had forsaken, in desperation. This shows the utter fraud of false religion.
- False religion leaves people ashamed, like a thief who is caught. Their folly is revealed, and they have to turn to the God they scorned. This is the ultimate degradation.
- The true religion worships the one true God, the almighty, eternal creator. He revealed himself in Jesus Christ, who is the mighty God in human form.
- The true God can help in times of trouble. Jesus overcame temptation and defeated the devil. He forgives sins and comforts in times of grief. He conquered death and gives eternal life. He is all-sufficient.
- The true religion leaves people not ashamed but confident in God's love and salvation. God will complete the work he began and keep them safe forever.
- The sermon appeals to the listeners to turn from false religion to faith in the true God and his Son, Jesus Christ. Though we deserve condemnation for our folly, God still offers salvation to all who come to him.
Sermon Q&A
What Did Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones Teach About False Religion vs. True Religion?
What are the main characteristics of false religion according to Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones?
According to Dr. Lloyd-Jones, false religion is characterized by worshipping gods of our own creation - whether literal idols as in Israel's case or modern equivalents like materialism, pleasure, philosophies, or even ourselves. False religion is exposed when crisis comes because it cannot help us in our real need. As he explains: "When you need it, it's got nothing to give you. In the moment of your agony, it forsakes you." False religion ultimately leaves its adherents "ashamed" and "confounded" - just as a thief is ashamed when caught. In life's critical moments, false gods prove worthless, leaving people to desperately turn back to the God they had rejected.
What three tests does Lloyd-Jones suggest for evaluating any religion?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones presents three specific tests to evaluate any religion: 1) The nature or character of the God who is worshipped - is it merely an object, idea, or the true living God? 2) The capacity and power of that god to help you in life's crises and troubles - can it actually help with temptation, illness, grief, aging, guilt, and death? 3) The state or condition in which your religion leaves you at the end - does it leave you ashamed and confounded, or confident and secure?
How does Lloyd-Jones describe the true God compared to false gods?
Lloyd-Jones describes the true God as the living, eternal, almighty Creator who has revealed Himself in Jesus Christ. Unlike stocks and stones, He is a personal being - "I am that I am." Lloyd-Jones emphasizes Christ's glory and divinity, calling Him "the brightness of God's glory and the express image of his person," who "in himself contains the fullness of the Godhead bodily." Unlike false gods which are mere human creations, the true God is transcendent yet condescended to become incarnate for our salvation.
Why can't false religion help us in times of crisis according to Lloyd-Jones?
False religion fails in crises because it has no real power or existence beyond what humans have created. As Lloyd-Jones states: "How could it have helped you? It's only a stock. It's only a stone. It's only you, yourself and your thoughts and your brilliant philosophies. They can't meet death. They can't meet judgment. They can't help you when your heart is broken. It's a fraud." When facing temptation, illness, grief, aging, guilt, and death, these human-made gods prove utterly inadequate because they possess no power beyond human capability.
How does true religion help believers face death according to Lloyd-Jones?
According to Lloyd-Jones, true religion helps believers face death with confidence because Christ has conquered death itself: "He is the death of death. He is hell's destruction. He's conquered death. He's gone through it. He emerged the other side. He's vanquished it." The believer can say with Paul, "O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?" Lloyd-Jones quotes the hymn: "When I tread the verge of Jordan, bid my anxious fears subside. Death of deaths and hell's destruction land me safe on Canaan's side." Christ has removed death's sting and guides believers safely through it.
Old Testament
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.