The Mind of Man
A Sermon on Numbers 11:4-6
Scripture
4¶ And the mixt multitude that was among them fell a lusting: and the children of Israel also wept again, and said, Who shall give us flesh to eat? 5We remember the fish, which we did eat in Egypt freely; the cucumbers, and the melons, and the leeks, …
Sermon Description
How has sin affected humanity and their reasoning? Many scorn the ideas of God, Jesus, and the need for salvation and say that no rational person can possibly be a Christian. In this sermon on Numbers 11:4–6 titled “The Mind of Man,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones shows that Scripture has a very different idea of what it means to be reasonable. After the people of Israel are set free from bondage in Egypt, they quickly begin complaining that they do not have the food and comfort that they had while they were slaves. This is wholly irrational, but it serves to show that humans are fallen, and sin has affected minds and hearts. It is rational to believe that God has sent Jesus into the world and died, but people are blinded to this truth until God graciously opens the eyes to see Him and believe Him. Humanity’s essential problem is that they are fallen and blinded by sin and immorality. Fallen people are slaves to sin until Jesus Christ overcomes the sinful heart and makes them new.
Sermon Breakdown
- Sin has made man's mind empty.
- Sin has made man's mind uncritical. Man has lost the ability to critically analyze ideas and thoughts.
- Sin has made man's mind prejudiced and dishonest. Man suppresses unpleasant facts and only considers evidence that supports his preexisting views.
- Sin has debased man's mind and judgment. Man is more concerned with pleasure and enjoyment than principles and higher truths.
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.