The Great Question
A Sermon on Matthew 16:26
Originally preached Jan. 11, 1959
Scripture
26For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?
Sermon Description
In this sermon on Matthew 18:1–4 titled “The Great Question,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones shows how Jesus taught that souls are of greater importance than anything else on the earth. This sermon shows that without Christ, the condition of the soul is lost and no one can find satisfaction in the temporary things of this world. Everyone on this planet has a soul in one of two conditions: it is either lost or it is found. The condition of one’s soul determines whether or not they will spend eternity alongside God in His goodness, or under the eternal wrath of God. In conclusion of this sermon, Dr. Lloyd-Jones challenges the listener to soberly consider the current condition of their soul.
Sermon Breakdown
- Every person has a soul that is either lost or saved.
- The soul is the immaterial part of a person that links them to God.
- The ultimate way to know if your soul is lost or saved is to examine your thinking. Fleshly thinking indicates a lost soul, spiritual thinking indicates a saved soul.
- The content of lost soul thinking is self and the opinions of others like them. They fail to consider God, their soul, and Christ.
- There is no greater loss than the loss of the soul. The whole world cannot satisfy or compensate for a lost soul.
- If the soul is right with God, nothing else matters. You can lose everything else but still have joy.
- Christ came to earth and died to save souls because He knows their immense value.
- To be saved, you must deny yourself, take up your cross, and follow Christ. You must believe His words and give yourself fully to Him.
Sermon Q&A
Key Questions and Answers from Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones' Sermon on Matthew 16:26
What does Dr. Lloyd-Jones identify as the most important question one can face?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones identifies the question "What is a man profited if he shall gain the whole world and lose his own soul?" (Matthew 16:26) as the most important question one can face. He emphasizes its importance not only because of the subject matter but also because of who asked it—Jesus Christ, whom he describes as "the most important person that has ever been in this world."
According to the sermon, what is the soul?
According to Dr. Lloyd-Jones, the soul is "that which differentiates a man from an animal." It is the immaterial part within every human being that links us to God and makes us capable of fellowship with Him. The soul is what reaches out to the unseen, the invisible, and the eternal. He explains that you cannot find the soul through physical dissection, as it is the spiritual component that God has placed in humans.
What are the two main ways of thinking that Dr. Lloyd-Jones describes?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones describes two main ways of thinking: 1. The natural (or "flesh and blood") way of thinking - characteristic of the world, dependent on human reason alone 2. The spiritual way of thinking - which comes from God as revelation, enabling understanding of spiritual truths that natural thinking cannot grasp
He cites Jesus' words to Peter: "flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father, which is in heaven" as evidence of this distinction.
What are the signs that a person's soul is lost, according to the sermon?
According to Dr. Lloyd-Jones, the signs that a person's soul is lost include: 1. Thinking exclusively with "flesh and blood" (natural human reasoning) 2. Being governed primarily by self-interest and concern about life in this world 3. Being controlled by the opinions of other people 4. Failing to consider the worth of one's own soul 5. Being unconcerned about God and one's relationship with Him 6. Being unconcerned about the truth concerning Jesus Christ
Why does Dr. Lloyd-Jones say there is no greater loss than the loss of the soul?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones argues that there is no greater loss than the loss of the soul because: 1. The wealth of the whole world cannot satisfy the soul 2. All worldly possessions and achievements are temporary, while the soul is eternal 3. If the soul is lost at death, one enters eternity with nothing 4. Conversely, if the soul is saved, it doesn't matter if one loses everything else in this world 5. Eternal separation from God is the ultimate loss
What is the only hope for a lost soul according to the sermon?
The only hope for a lost soul, according to Dr. Lloyd-Jones, is Jesus Christ, who realizes the value of the soul. Christ demonstrated the value He places on human souls by: 1. Coming from heaven to earth (the incarnation) 2. Suffering and dying on the cross as a ransom for souls 3. Giving Himself as the price to redeem lost souls
Dr. Lloyd-Jones concludes that to be saved, one must believe what Christ has said about the soul, deny oneself, take up the cross, and follow Him regardless of what others may think or say.
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.