A Public Declaration
A Sermon on Galatians 6:14
Originally preached Dec. 1, 1963
Scripture
14But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world.
Sermon Description
Scripture testifies that the cross and blood of Christ speak. In this sermon on Galatians 6:14 titled “A Public Declaration,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones explains that the first thing they say is that the souls of people are very precious. This is seen by the fact that God sent His Son to die on behalf of sinful people who couldn’t save themselves. Second, the cross says that the most important thing to people is their relationship with God. How one responds to Jesus’s death on the cross will affect how they spend eternity, either with God or apart from Him. Thus, it is of the utmost importance. Third, the essence of sin is the breaking of a relationship with God. Fourth and finally, the cross and blood say that all need to submit to it so that they can be saved. This, according to Dr. Lloyd-Jones, is the exposition of the cross. In this, it declares that it alone is the way of dealing with one’s sin, and it invites those who don’t know Christ to come and find forgiveness from their sins and be reconciled to God.
Sermon Breakdown
- Men's souls and relationship with God are of utmost importance according to the cross.
- Sin is rebellion against God and breaks our relationship with Him.
- Sin must be punished because God is holy and righteous.
- The cross shows how serious sin is and how holy God is.
- The cross is the only way for God to remain just while forgiving sin.
- The cross publicly displays God's punishment of sin.
- The cross declares that God has solved the problem of sin.
- The cross invites sinners to come to Christ.
- The invitation of the cross is for the weary, worn, and sad.
- The cross offers sympathy, acceptance, rest, pardon, peace, cleansing, joy, a new nature, strength, and eternal hope.
- The cross provides a free gift of forgiveness and reconciliation.
- Our unworthiness does not disqualify us from coming to Christ.
- The saints, apostles, martyrs, and prophets show that Christ will bless all who come to Him.
- We must trust in the promise of the cross and come to Christ for cleansing.
Sermon Q&A
What Does Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones Say About the Cross of Christ?
What was the central theme of Dr. Lloyd-Jones' sermon on Galatians 6:14?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones emphasized that the cross of Christ was central to the Apostle Paul's life and should be central to every Christian's life. He stated that when Paul says "God forbid that I should glory save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ," he meant that the cross was everything to him - "the center of his thinking," "the thing that had changed his life," and "the thing that made him the man he was." Lloyd-Jones insisted that this centrality of the cross should be "everything to everybody who claims to be a Christian," making it the true test of authentic Christianity.
How does Dr. Lloyd-Jones describe the cross as speaking to believers?
Lloyd-Jones explains that the cross is not just an event to observe but something that actively speaks to us. Citing Hebrews 12, he notes that believers "have come to the blood of sprinkling, which speaketh better things than that of Abel." The cross preaches, declares, and makes announcements to humanity. It speaks through exposition (explaining truth), proclamation (declaring God's solution to sin), and invitation (calling sinners to come to Christ). This "speaking" aspect of the cross reveals God's character, explains sin's seriousness, and offers hope to the desperate.
What does the cross reveal about sin according to Lloyd-Jones?
According to Lloyd-Jones, the cross reveals that the essence of sin is rebellion against God and a broken relationship with Him. He explains that sin is not merely wrong actions but fundamentally "men defying God," "breaking God's holy law," and "trampling upon God's sanctities." The cross demonstrates sin's seriousness by showing that God could not simply forgive by saying "I forgive" - the Son of God had to die to address the problem of sin. Lloyd-Jones calls sin "the greatest problem that even Almighty God has ever had to deal with," noting that while creation required only God's word, forgiveness required Christ's sacrifice.
To whom does the cross specifically speak, according to Dr. Lloyd-Jones?
Lloyd-Jones teaches that the cross speaks uniquely to those whom nothing else speaks to. While philosophy speaks only to the intellectually capable, morality speaks only to the already moral, and religion speaks only to its devotees, the cross speaks to "the failures, the people who know they've gone wrong, the people who are filled with a sense of shame." It speaks to those who are "weary and tired and forlorn in the struggle," those who feel guilty, unclean, and fearful. The invitation of the cross is not for the self-righteous or self-satisfied but for those who recognize their utter helplessness and need.
What invitation does the cross offer to sinners according to Dr. Lloyd-Jones?
Lloyd-Jones explains that the cross offers a gracious invitation to sinners that includes sympathy, acceptance, rest, pardon, peace with God, and cleansing. It offers "a new nature," "a new start in life," and "new power and strength to resist everything that's got you down." The cross announces "a free gift of pardon and forgiveness, reconciliation and restoration," offering "new life in Christ and an eternal hope." Lloyd-Jones emphasizes that this invitation is extended regardless of one's past, assuring his listeners that "some of the greatest saints the church has ever known were once vile, foul sinners" who heard and believed this invitation.
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.