The Glory of the Gospel
A Sermon on Acts 20:24
Originally preached Oct. 25, 1964
Scripture
24But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God.
Sermon Description
What is the only hope for the world? What is the only light that can pierce the darkness of sin and evil? In this sermon on Acts 20:24, Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones gives the one answer found in Holy Scripture: the gospel. There is no hope for this world apart from the electing grace of God in Jesus Christ. God sent His only Son into the world to die upon the cross in the place of sinners and the very enemies of God so that all who repent of their sins and believe in Jesus are saved. All who trust in Christ receive the grace of God. The Bible tells us that all salvation is wholly the result of God’s grace that He gives freely. There is nothing anyone can do to save themselves. God has given the ultimate gift of salvation to sinners who by nature hate God and all His ways. What grace! This sermon calls each and every man, woman, and child to repent of their sins and look to Jesus Christ as their only hope and comfort in this world. There is no other hope than Jesus Christ.
Sermon Breakdown
-
The passage being preached from is Acts 20:24. The verse reads "But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God."
-
The sermon examines the meaning and implications of "the gospel of the grace of God." Grace means unmerited favor shown to the undeserving.
-
The fact that there is any good news or hope in the world is solely due to the grace of God. God initiated the plan of redemption, not in response to anything from man.
-
The grace of God is shown in God sending His Son Jesus Christ into the world. Christ endured the humiliation of becoming a man and dying on the cross to atone for our sins. This demonstrates the exceeding riches of God's grace.
-
The way of salvation is by grace through faith, not of works. No one can be justified by the deeds of the law. Salvation is the free gift of God's grace.
-
The grace of God gives pardon, forgiveness, justification, new birth, the Holy Spirit, access to God, and union with Christ.
-
The grace of God reigns and triumphs. Where sin abounds, grace abounds more. Grace guarantees the eternal security of the believer. Nothing can separate us from the love of God in Christ.
-
We must see our need of the gospel of grace. We must see the glory of what God has done in His grace. We must realize that salvation is the free gift of God's grace, not of works.
-
The gospel of grace produces rejoicing and praise, as seen in hymns like "Oh, for a Thousand Tongues to Sing." It has transformed countless lives.
Sermon Q&A
What Did Dr. Lloyd-Jones Mean by the "Gospel of the Grace of God"?
Based on Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones' sermon on Acts 20:24, I've compiled questions and answers about his teaching on "the gospel of the grace of God."
What is the meaning of "the gospel of the grace of God" according to Dr. Lloyd-Jones?
According to Dr. Lloyd-Jones, the gospel of the grace of God means that salvation is entirely God's free gift to undeserving sinners. He explains that grace means "favor shown to the utterly undeserving favor and kindness shown to people who don't deserve it." The gospel is not God's response to our actions but is entirely self-generated from God's character and love, planned "before the foundation of the world." It is God showing favor to those who deserve no favor, offering salvation to people who are under His wrath and judgment.
Why was the Apostle Paul willing to face suffering for the sake of the gospel?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones points out that Paul was willing to face "bonds" and even death because of what the gospel meant to him. Paul says, "None of these things move me. Neither count I my life dear unto myself." The apostle was ready to suffer because: 1) The gospel itself was so glorious and wonderful; 2) He had deep concern for men and women living in sin and misery without knowledge of God's grace; and 3) He was troubled by false teachers who misrepresented the message. The gospel was worth any sacrifice because it was "the gospel of the grace of God."
How does Dr. Lloyd-Jones contrast the gospel of grace with other teachings?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones contrasts the true gospel with what he calls "small" and "contemptible" teachings - those that reduce the gospel to "just a little bit of morality or ethics, some of them just a politics." He argues that such teachings lack glory, majesty, and the power to thrill people. The test of whether something is the true gospel is whether it produces wonder, praise, and amazement like the hymn writers experienced, making people want "a thousand tongues to sing my great redeemer's praise." False gospels produce no such response.
What does Dr. Lloyd-Jones teach about the wrath of God in relation to grace?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones teaches that understanding God's wrath is essential to appreciating His grace. He states: "The world is under the judgment of God. It's under the wrath of God." Because all have sinned and "come short of the glory of God," everyone deserves punishment. The wonder of grace is that though we deserve condemnation, God offers salvation: "That a world that deserved to be damned and eternally destroyed, that God has so loved it that he's done something in grace about it." It is only by understanding our deserved judgment that we can comprehend the marvel of grace.
How is salvation obtained according to the gospel of grace?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones emphasizes that salvation is entirely by faith, not by works. He references Romans 3:28: "Therefore, we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law." He contrasts man's typical response ("you've got to pull yourself together...start doing other things...give yourself to doing good works") with God's way of grace: "By grace are you saved through faith and that not of yourselves. It is the gift of God, not of works, lest any man should boast." Even the faith to believe is God's gift, as "the natural man receiveth not the things of the spirit of God."
What gifts are included in the gospel of grace according to Dr. Lloyd-Jones?
According to Dr. Lloyd-Jones, God's grace provides multiple gifts: - Pardon and forgiveness, complete reconciliation to God - Justification by faith (God puts Christ's righteousness upon us) - A new nature (regeneration/new birth) - The gift of the Holy Spirit - Access to God (ability to approach God as Father) - Being placed "in Christ" with all His "unsearchable riches" - The guarantee of final salvation ("grace triumphant")
He quotes Romans 8, showing that those whom God calls, He also justifies and ultimately glorifies.
How does Dr. Lloyd-Jones describe the triumph and reign of grace?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones describes grace as conquering, mighty, and unfailing. He quotes Romans 5:20-21: "Where sin abounded, grace did much more abound. That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life." He emphasizes that grace guarantees salvation's security: "If your salvation and mine depended even to the smallest extent upon us, we would all lose it...But because it is by grace, it's made sure." Using Romans 8, he shows that God's grace ensures that nothing "shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord."
Why does Dr. Lloyd-Jones believe many people fail to respond to the gospel of grace?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones suggests several reasons people fail to respond to the gospel: 1. They've never seen their need of it, being "so interested in living in this world" that they've "forgotten that you're a mortal soul" 2. They "haven't realized the truth about" themselves and are "living in a fool's paradise" 3. They "haven't realized that the wrath of God is upon" them 4. They "haven't seen the glory of what God has done in his grace" 5. They still think they must "do something" to earn salvation rather than receiving it as a free gift
He emphasizes that what God requires is simply "to see your need of him."
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.