Recovery of Sight to the Blind
A Sermon on Luke 4:18-19
Originally preached Feb. 12, 1956
Scripture
18The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, …
Sermon Description
In this sermon on Luke 4:18–19 titled “Recovery of Sight to the Blind,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones uncovers the biblical truth regarding the human heart that most do not want to consider. People are wholly corrupt and sinful as a result of the fall. They are blind and unable to see the light of God’s truth because they reject the grace of God and scorn the gospel of Jesus Christ as foolish and offensive. But it gets worse. God has appointed a day when He will come in judgment to condemn all those who will not repent and believe in the gospel. The Bible is clear that no one escapes this final judgment. There are no second chances. But as Dr. Lloyd-Jones proclaims, there is hope. By repenting and believing in the message of salvation given in God’s word, anyone may be made right with God. This powerful work is what the Holy Spirit does inside of people, giving the blind sight and the dead new life. This gospel of grace, repentance, and redemption in Christ Jesus by the work of the Holy Spirit is the only means of salvation that God has given this world.
Sermon Breakdown
- The gospel awakens us to our appalling ignorance of ourselves.
- The gospel reveals our depravity and sinful nature.
- The gospel shows us what man was meant to be - in the image of God.
- The gospel opens our eyes to God and his holy law.
- The gospel shows us the consequences of our sinful position before a holy God.
- The gospel opens our eyes to the coming judgment of the world.
- The gospel opens our eyes to our personal judgment after death.
- The gospel opens our eyes to the immortality of our being - heaven or hell.
- The gospel opens our eyes to the way of deliverance through Jesus Christ.
- The gospel opens our eyes to Christ himself as the only way of salvation.
Sermon Q&A
What Did Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones Say About Spiritual Blindness?
What does Luke 4:18-19 reveal about Jesus Christ's ministry?
According to Dr. Lloyd-Jones, Luke 4:18-19 provides a perfect summary of Christ's entire ministry. In these verses, Jesus quotes from Isaiah 61 and declares that this prophecy is fulfilled in Him. Lloyd-Jones emphasizes that these words reveal that Jesus came specifically to deal with the problem of sin and its consequences. The text outlines Jesus' mission to preach the gospel to the poor, heal the broken-hearted, deliver captives, recover sight to the blind, and set free those who are bruised.
How does Dr. Lloyd-Jones define spiritual blindness as humanity's central problem?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones identifies spiritual blindness as "the central trouble with men" and "our greatest trouble." This blindness manifests as ignorance, lack of understanding, and lack of knowledge about spiritual realities. He points out that the Bible's assessment of every person not in right relationship with God is that they are a "fool." This spiritual blindness prevents people from seeing their true condition and their need for salvation, keeping them ignorant of the things that really matter.
What does the gospel do to those who are spiritually blind according to the sermon?
According to Lloyd-Jones, the gospel awakens people from spiritual slumber. He states, "The gospel of Jesus Christ is an awakening gospel, and my dear friend, if it hasn't awakened you, you've never really heard it." The gospel disturbs, shakes, and alarms us. It brings "hidden things of darkness to light" and leads to conviction of sin. The gospel reveals truth about ourselves that we wouldn't otherwise see, opening our eyes to our true spiritual condition.
What specific truths does the gospel reveal about ourselves according to Lloyd-Jones?
The gospel reveals: 1. Our "appalling ignorance of ourselves" 2. That we are slaves to the devil, the world, and the flesh 3. Our depravity and sinful nature 4. What man was meant to be (in contrast to what we have become) 5. Our helplessness to change ourselves 6. Our accountability before God 7. The eternal consequences of our spiritual state
How does the gospel open our eyes to God according to the sermon?
Lloyd-Jones teaches that the gospel helps us see that God is: 1. The Creator and Sustainer of everything 2. Omnipresent - "God is spirit, which means that he's everywhere" 3. Omniscient - "He sees all. He knows all." 4. Utterly holy - "God is light, and in him is no darkness at all" 5. The Judge before whom we must appear 6. The loving Father who provided salvation through Christ
What does Dr. Lloyd-Jones teach about judgment and eternity?
Lloyd-Jones emphasizes that history is moving toward an inevitable climax and judgment. He states that "as certainly as I am standing in this pulpit at this moment, every one of us will have to appear before God in judgment." He teaches that our eternal destiny is determined in this life, and after death there is no second chance. Using Christ's parable of the rich man and Lazarus, he affirms that there is "a gulf fixed and that there is no passage from hell to heaven." However, he proclaims that through Christ there is "a way of deliverance, a way of escape, a way of salvation."
How does Lloyd-Jones describe the transformative power of the gospel?
Lloyd-Jones describes how Christ not only forgives sins but also gives believers "his own nature" and "his own life." He puts a new principle in believers that grows through "the operation of the Holy Spirit." Ultimately, Christ will present believers "faultless in the presence of God," completely free from sin. Even our bodies will be transformed - "Disease will go. Deformities will go. Decay will go." Believers will receive "a spiritual body" and become "an entirely new and perfect men" to enjoy eternity in God's presence.
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.