Questions and Answers from Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones' Sermon on Christ Crucified

What is the central message of Christianity according to Lloyd-Jones?

According to Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones, the central message of Christianity is "Jesus Christ and him crucified." He emphasizes this repeatedly, stating, "That's the message. That is the message of the christian church. Tonight we preach this person... We preach a person, and we preach a person crucified upon a cross." Lloyd-Jones insists that the cross is not peripheral but pivotal and central to the faith, and any understanding of Christianity that does not have the cross at its center is fundamentally mistaken.

Why do people often misunderstand or reject the message of the cross?

Lloyd-Jones explains that people reject the message of the cross for several reasons: 1. They don't realize their true condition as sinners 2. They think they know what they need (wisdom or signs) rather than salvation 3. The cross offends human pride by declaring all are condemned sinners 4. The cross declares that humans are helpless to save themselves 5. The message contradicts human self-confidence and self-reliance

He states: "The trouble with the Jews and the trouble with the Greeks in the time of the apostle Paul was that they didn't know the truth about themselves as sinners."

What does Lloyd-Jones say about the Jews' and Greeks' response to the gospel?

Lloyd-Jones, referencing 1 Corinthians 1:22-24, explains that "the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom." The Jews wanted miraculous demonstrations of power to prove divine authority, while the Greeks sought philosophical wisdom and intellectual understanding. However, "we preach Christ crucified unto the Jews a stumbling block, and unto the Greeks foolishness." The Jews were offended by a crucified Messiah because it contradicted their expectations, while the Greeks considered it absurd that salvation would come through a criminal's death rather than through philosophical enlightenment.

Why does Lloyd-Jones insist on preaching the cross even though it offends people?

Lloyd-Jones insists on preaching the cross despite its offensive nature because: 1. "It's a fact" - The historical reality that Christ died for sins 2. "It is God's way of salvation" - The only means God has provided for reconciliation 3. "There is no other way of deliverance" - Rejecting the cross means remaining in sin

He states: "Though London laugh and scoff, though men say and out of date, and that I'm a fool, I preach it. Why? It's God's way of salvation. God's wisdom, God's power, God's way, from hell to heaven, from man to himself."

How can one test if their view of the cross is the biblical view?

Lloyd-Jones offers a powerful test to determine if one's understanding of the cross is biblical: "There's a very good way of knowing whether your view of the cross and of the death of the Son of God upon it is the true view or not. Is your view of the cross of Christ an offense to the natural man? If it isn't, it isn't the true view." He explains that sentimental or merely exemplary views of the cross that see it only as a tragedy or demonstration of love don't offend people. The true view of the cross - that it reveals our utter sinfulness and helplessness - has always been offensive to human pride and self-sufficiency.

What does the cross reveal about humanity's condition according to Lloyd-Jones?

According to Lloyd-Jones, the cross reveals two crucial things about humanity's condition: 1. "We are all of us condemned sinners" - The cross demolishes all human distinctions and shows that all have fallen short of God's glory 2. "We are all helpless" - We cannot save ourselves or remedy our condition through moral effort

He explains: "If there was any other way whereby God could forgive us and our sins and reconcile us to himself he would never have allowed [Christ's suffering]. There isn't another way. You and I are as helpless as that."

What is the only appropriate response to the message of the cross?

The only appropriate response to the message of the cross is belief. Lloyd-Jones states: "Do you believe it? That's all that's asked of you, is that you believe it." He explains that salvation comes through believing this message: "If you believe it, you're saved." This involves acknowledging one's sinfulness and helplessness before God, and trusting in Christ's death as the means of reconciliation with God.

How does Lloyd-Jones describe the church's primary mission?

Lloyd-Jones makes it clear that the church's primary mission is to preach Christ crucified, not to solve social or political problems. He states: "It's not my business to try to solve the international problem. I don't know enough. The church can't do it. She's not commissioned to do it." Rather, "The message of the church is this: Jesus Christ and him crucified, a savior for lost souls, a deliverer for men who are going to perdition, God's plan of reconciliation." He argues that when the church attempts to address matters beyond her expertise, "her interferences and her pompous statements do more harm than good."