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Sermon #5700

The Gospel and the Modern World

A Sermon on 2 Peter 3:1-18

Originally preached Oct. 4, 1959

Scripture

2 Peter 3:1-18 ESV KJV
This is now the second letter that I am writing to you, beloved. In both of them I am stirring up your sincere mind by way of reminder, that you should remember the predictions of the holy prophets and the commandment of the Lord and Savior through your apostles, knowing …

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Sermon Description

As the modern world jeers at the church’s declining numbers in the West, it also mocks the pronouncement that the future still belongs to God. Christians today might assume such feelings of alienation are a modern phenomenon. In this sermon on 2 Peter 3:1–18 titled “The Gospel and the Modern Man,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones attests that there is nothing new about the modern world mocking God’s plan. People may think this is only part of the modern world, but it is as old as the fall of humankind. Scoffers have always made grand pronouncements about the Christian message as foolish, wishful thinking. Why should Christians think the future belongs to God? Is the modern world correct? Is there any encouragement for the nervous Christian? Dr. Lloyd-Jones seeks to answer these pressing questions. While taking his beginning point from 2 Peter 3, Dr. Lloyd-Jones surveys the Bible as he argues that the future of every individual, of every nation, in the entire world, is in the hands of God. Interacting with philosophical concepts like God’s permissive will, Satan, the presence of evil in the world, as well as history and prophesy, Dr. Lloyd-Jones maintains that God is still exercising His lordship over the world. The coming Day of the Lord will be like a thief in the night, but for those who hold fast to God’s salvation it will be bright.

Sermon Breakdown

  1. The central message of the Bible is that God is in control of the future. This is the message of 2 Peter 3 which the sermon focuses on.
  2. People today are being addressed by many voices about the future but the message of the gospel is unique. It is not appealing for support or votes but declaring God's message.
  3. The preacher is not there to flatter or please people but to warn them of God's coming judgment.
  4. The future of individuals, nations and the world is in God's hands according to the Bible.
  5. Many scoff at this message today given the state of the world but we must consider the Bible's teaching.
  6. The history of the past confirms this message. God has always seemed defeated but then acts to fulfill His plans. Examples are the flood, Tower of Babel, Exodus, Jesus' death and resurrection.
  7. The present world conditions also confirm the message. Romans 1 shows how God gives sinful people over to their sin to show them their need for Him. The modern world is like this.
  8. God's character shows He must reign. He is Creator, Lord of the universe and history. Prophecy proves He controls history.
  9. Jesus' first coming shows God will fulfill His plans. Jesus will return to judge the world and usher in a new perfect world.
  10. We don't know when Jesus will return but we know He will. The world will be destroyed by fire as foretold in 2 Peter 3.
  11. This message calls us to respond. We must believe in Jesus to be saved from judgment and enter God's kingdom.

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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.