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Sermon #5497

Death is not the End

A Sermon on Acts 17:1-4

Originally preached April 18, 1954

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Scripture

Acts 17:1-4 ESV KJV
Now when they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a synagogue of the Jews. And Paul went in, as was his custom, and on three Sabbath days he reasoned with them from the Scriptures, explaining and proving that it was necessary for the …

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Sermon Description

How has God overcome death? All people know that eventually they will die, either from disease or some other way. Death is a universal human experience. God’s word teaches that death is not a part of the original creation, but exists only because of sin. In this sermon on Acts 17:1-4 titled “Death is Not the End,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones preaches on the great truth of God’s conquest over sin and death, and the life that all who trust in God will have. God has overcome sin and death by dying upon the cross to remove the power of sin and its curse, death. All who repent of their sins and believe in Jesus Christ will be forgiven of all unrighteousness. In the last day, when every human who has ever lived will be resurrected, those who are in Christ will not suffer any judgement, but they will be made perfect by the grace of God. The sermon points all true believers to the great hope of the future life with Christ in the new heaven and the new earth. But to those that do not trust in Jesus now, this sermon calls them to repent of their sins and flee to Jesus, the friend of sinners. Christ is the only salvation from death and sin.

Sermon Breakdown

  1. The apostle Paul preached the fact of the resurrection - the historicity of Jesus' resurrection.
  2. The apostle Paul preached why the resurrection was necessary. It was necessary to fulfill Old Testament prophecies. Jesus himself predicted his resurrection. The resurrection proves Jesus' deity and godhead. The resurrection proves Jesus satisfied God's law and demands. The resurrection proves Jesus conquered all enemies of man: sin, the devil, the law, and death.
  3. The meaning and message of the resurrection is that Jesus is the only savior and king. He is the king of kings and lord of lords. He is the judge of all the earth. Our eternal fate depends on our relationship to Jesus.
  4. Nothing matters except your relationship to Jesus. He alone can satisfy and save. We should praise God for the work of Jesus on the cross and resurrection.

Sermon Q&A

What Does Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones Teach About the Resurrection of Jesus?

What is the significance of the resurrection according to Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones?

According to Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones, the resurrection is of paramount importance for several reasons:

  1. It verifies Jesus is the Christ and the Son of God
  2. It proves that His sacrifice for our sins was completely sufficient
  3. It demonstrates that He conquered all enemies - sin, death, the devil, and the law
  4. It serves as the ultimate authentication of Jesus' claims and message
  5. It establishes Him as the King of kings and Lord of lords
  6. It proclaims the reality of future judgment

As Lloyd-Jones states: "The ultimate proof of his godhead is the resurrection... He is the first who has risen from the dead... It's unique. It stands alone. It's as unique as his birth."

How did Paul present the resurrection in his preaching according to Lloyd-Jones?

Dr. Lloyd-Jones explains that Paul's approach to preaching the resurrection had multiple components:

  1. He presented the historical facts - "These are facts. These things have happened. This isn't a fairy tale."
  2. He reasoned from the Scriptures - "Opening and alleging that Christ must needs have suffered and risen again"
  3. He demonstrated why it was necessary - showing it fulfilled prophecy and Jesus' own predictions
  4. He proclaimed it as the proof of Jesus' deity - "Declared to be the Son of God with power...by the resurrection from the dead"
  5. He showed it as evidence that Christ's sacrifice was sufficient - "Raised again for our justification"

Lloyd-Jones emphasizes that Paul didn't merely assert claims but developed a logical case for the resurrection.

Why was the resurrection necessary according to Lloyd-Jones?

Dr. Lloyd-Jones outlines several reasons why the resurrection was absolutely necessary:

  1. "It was necessary because it was the fulfillment of the prophecies of the Old Testament"
  2. "He said himself he was going to do so" - Jesus predicted His resurrection multiple times
  3. It was essential to prove His divine nature - "The resurrection established it and proved it"
  4. It demonstrated that His sacrifice for sin was sufficient - "The absolute, final proof of the fact that his sacrifice was enough"
  5. It proved "that he had conquered every single enemy that is set against us"
  6. Without it, "there'd never have been a christian church"

As Lloyd-Jones states: "His rising again from the dead was the absolute, final proof of the fact that his sacrifice was enough and sufficient, and that he had satisfied every demand of God's law."

How does the resurrection affect our relationship with death according to Lloyd-Jones?

According to Dr. Lloyd-Jones, the resurrection completely transforms the Christian's relationship with death:

  1. "Death has lost its terror for the Christian"
  2. For believers, death becomes "positive gain, going to be with him, entering into the glory"
  3. It means "to be with Christ, which is far better"
  4. Christ has conquered death as "the last enemy"
  5. "The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. But Christ has dealt with all this."

Lloyd-Jones concludes: "Death means this to be with Christ, which is far better... Thanks be unto God, which giveth us the victory, even over death already."

What is the practical application of the resurrection according to Lloyd-Jones?

Dr. Lloyd-Jones offers several practical applications:

  1. Jesus is the only Savior - "There is none other name under heaven given amongst men whereby we must be saved"
  2. Jesus is the King and Lord of all - "All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth"
  3. Jesus is the Judge - "He hath appointed a day in which he will judge the world in righteousness"
  4. Our eternal destiny depends on our relationship to Him - "What will decide your eternal fate and mine is our relationship to Jesus Christ"
  5. Nothing matters more than our relationship with Christ - "Can't you see that nothing matters, therefore, except your relationship to him?"

As Lloyd-Jones concludes: "You're either a believer in Christ and safe in him, or else you're lost and without hope, in time or in eternity."

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.