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Sermon #5480

Head of a New Humanity

A Sermon on Acts 2:24

Originally preached April 18, 1965

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Scripture

Acts 2:24 ESV KJV
God raised him up, loosing the pangs of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by it. (ESV)

Sermon Description

The Christian faith is one that is based on real historical facts. Just as the Old Testament tells of actual people, places, and events, the New Testament does as well. However, as Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones demonstrates in this sermon on Acts 2:24 titled “Head of a New Humanity,” there are some who claim that the hallmark of true religion ignores historical events, and is built on one’s feelings and emotions. They claim that the historical existence of Jesus is not important because they feel in their hearts that He lived and rose from the dead. This may sound pious and spiritual, but is it biblical? Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones answers this question with a resounding no. He says that the Bible teaches not only the historical events of the life of Jesus and His resurrection, but the New Testament authors, particularly Paul, view the physical, bodily resurrection as central and necessary to salvation. The Bible says that if Christ did not rise from the dead in a physical body then there is no salvation and there is no Christianity. The church must fight against all heresies that claim the physical resurrection is not important. The hope of all Christians is that one day they will be resurrected just as Christ was.

Sermon Breakdown

  1. The sermon text is Acts 2:24 - "Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that he should be holden of it."

  2. Peter is preaching the first Christian sermon on the Day of Pentecost.

  3. Peter asserts that Jesus rose from the dead and had to rise from the dead. It was impossible for death to hold him.

  4. There are two aspects to this message: the fact of the resurrection and why the resurrection had to happen.

  5. The fact of the resurrection is disputed today but it is the foundation of Christianity. Without it, there is nothing to preach and no church.

  6. Some today say the resurrection accounts are not facts but are meant to inspire. But the New Testament presents the resurrection as a fact.

  7. Jesus had to rise from the dead because of who he is - the Son of God and the Holy One. As the Son of God, death could not master him.

  8. Jesus had to rise to fulfill Old Testament prophecies about the Messiah. If he did not rise, God's word would have failed.

  9. Jesus had to rise to fulfill his own prophecies about rising on the third day. If he did not rise, he would be found a liar.

  10. Jesus had to rise or else the devil would have triumphed over him. Jesus came to destroy the works of the devil, including death.

  11. If Jesus did not rise, his redeeming work would have been incomplete. We need more than forgiveness - we need righteousness, new life, access to God, help in temptation, hope for our bodies, and assurance of future glory. All of these come through Jesus' resurrection.

  12. The resurrection proves Jesus will one day return, judge his enemies, and establish his kingdom. Death has been conquered, so all other enemies will be too.

Sermon Q&A

What Key Theological Points Does Martyn Lloyd-Jones Make About the Resurrection?

Based on Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones' sermon on Acts 2:24, here are key theological insights about the resurrection:

What makes the resurrection the foundational fact of Christianity?

According to Lloyd-Jones, the resurrection is the cornerstone of the Christian faith because without it, "there would never have been a Christian church at all." He emphasizes that Christianity isn't based on ideas or philosophies but on the historical fact that Jesus physically rose from the dead. The apostles' preaching centered on "Jesus and the resurrection," making it the crucial fact upon which all Christian belief stands.

Why does Lloyd-Jones argue it was "impossible" for death to hold Jesus?

Lloyd-Jones provides several reasons why death couldn't hold Jesus:

  1. Because of who Jesus is - "He is the eternal Son of God... He is the holy one of God. He is life itself, and life is stronger than death."

  2. Because the Old Testament prophecies declared it - If Jesus hadn't risen, "the prophecies would have been falsified, and God would have been found to be a liar."

  3. Because Jesus himself predicted it - "Every time our Lord referred to his death, he always added a reference to the resurrection."

  4. Because it would have meant the devil's triumph - "If Christ had not risen from the dead in the body, the devil would have defeated him."

  5. Because his redemptive work would have been incomplete - Our salvation requires not just forgiveness but resurrection power.

How does Lloyd-Jones refute modern skepticism about the resurrection?

Lloyd-Jones confronts the trend of dismissing the factual nature of the resurrection, referencing a Guardian article suggesting the resurrection accounts "are not about effect. They are effect." He calls this view "a lie" and "a travesty of the facts," emphasizing that both Hebrew and Christian faith were always grounded in historical facts, not merely ideas. He states the stark choice: "You either believe the New Testament or else you indulge in your own theories and vaporizings."

What practical benefits come from Christ's resurrection according to Lloyd-Jones?

Lloyd-Jones outlines several practical benefits:

  1. Justification - "He was delivered for our offenses and raised again for our justification"
  2. New nature - "We need a new life... regeneration would have been impossible" without the resurrection
  3. Heavenly representation - "I have a great high priest who has presented his own blood and ever liveth to make intercession for me"
  4. Help in temptation - "In that he suffered being tempted, he is also able to succor them that are tempted"
  5. Bodily resurrection - "He shall change this, our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body"
  6. Assurance of final victory - "O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?"

Through the resurrection, Lloyd-Jones concludes, believers can be "ever confident because of this great and glorious fact of his literal, physical resurrection in the body from the grave."

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.