A New Humanity
A Sermon on Matthew 24:14
Scripture
14And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.
Sermon Description
In this sermon on Matthew 24:14 titled “A New Humanity,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones addresses history from the Lord’s view and the prophesies already fulfilled. While these are prophesies of doom, He also offers good news of a new kingdom. This leads to questions on how one can enter into God’s kingdom and why Christ came into the world. Listeners learn that it is not merely Christ’s accurate prophecy and teaching, but rather His works that make all the difference. Christ paved the way into God’s kingdom by His own living in obedience, conquering Satan, dying for humanity’s punishment, and rising in victory. He opened the kingdom of heaven to all believers. A Christian is not defined as someone who is learned and exceptionally able. No one can do or learn enough to enter into God’s kingdom; Christ had to come and make a new humanity. As the representative and last Adam, Christ has done all the things people should have done. Hear about humanity’s ultimate problem and the guilt of sin. The real work was done upon the cross, freeing those who believe in Him. God’s pronouncement of the judgement of sin is death.
Sermon Breakdown
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The sermon text is Matthew 24:14 which says "And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come."
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The setting of the verse is Jesus prophesying the destruction of the temple and Jerusalem which happened in AD 70. But Jesus also speaks of the end times.
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The "gospel of the kingdom" refers to the good news that God is forming a new kingdom - the kingdom of God. People can enter this kingdom and be saved from the coming judgment.
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The key question is how can one enter the kingdom of God? The answer is through Jesus Christ.
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Some say one enters the kingdom through following Jesus' teachings and example. But Jesus' teachings condemn us and we cannot follow his example. We need something else.
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The Bible teaches that one enters the kingdom not through teachings or example but through what Jesus has done. Jesus opened the kingdom through his incarnation, life, death, resurrection, and ascension.
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Jesus had to become a man to start a new humanity and stand as our representative before God. As Adam represented humanity and fell, Jesus represents those who believe in him.
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As our representative, Jesus obeyed the law, defeated Satan, and died for our sins. He did what we could not do so we could be reconciled to God.
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The good news of the kingdom is that Jesus has done everything needed for us to enter the kingdom. We simply need to believe in him and trust in what he has done.
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The kingdom is open to those who recognize their sin, weakness, and need for a savior. It is not open to the self-righteous who think they can earn their way in.
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We must come to Jesus empty-handed, relying fully on his finished work. We do not need to improve or reform ourselves first. Jesus has done it all.
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Have you heard and believed this good news? If so, you are in the kingdom. If not, you remain under judgment. Believe the gospel and be saved!
Other Sermons
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.