The Light of God
A Sermon on Luke 1:76-79
Originally preached Nov. 29, 1953
Scripture
76And thou, child, shalt be called the prophet of the Highest: for thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways; 77To give knowledge of salvation unto his people by the remission of their sins, 78Through the tender mercy of our God; whereby …
Sermon Description
If one begins the Christmas season by acknowledging that the world is in darkness without Christ, and admitting that there is fear of death, illness, pain, and, war, then they can truly praise the coming of the Son of God. In this sermon on Luke 1:76–79 titled “The Light of God,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones focuses on the father of John the Baptist, Zacharias, who understood the condition of the world and the significance of his son’s ministry in preparing the way for the Messiah. John the Baptist’s ministry brought a word concerning the world’s real need, says Dr. Lloyd-Jones. John’s message of salvation to the Jews was one that challenged the leading conceptions of how and from what God was delivering His people. Humanity’s sin and rebellion against God is the problem. Christmas, says Dr. Lloyd-Jones, is not about a principle but a person who brings peace—peace with God, peace with self, and peace with others. Listen as Dr. Lloyd-Jones explains why Jesus Christ is the light of God in a dark and restless world.
Sermon Breakdown
- The world is in a state of darkness and hopelessness. Mankind cannot find purpose or meaning.
- The world is in danger of being attacked by enemies like sickness, old age, and death. There is no peace or security.
- The world's condition is due to sin and being estranged from God. The solution is not political or social but spiritual.
- John the Baptist's ministry was to preach repentance and point people to Christ. He gave knowledge of the real problem (sin) and the real solution (Christ).
- Christ is the "dayspring from on high" who brings light to those in darkness. He shows the way to God and salvation.
- Christ provides forgiveness of sins through God's mercy. He reconciles us to God and gives knowledge of God.
- The results of Christ's work are peace with God, peace within, and peace with others. There is hope and joy.
- The message of Christmas is that Christ came to bring light and life to those in darkness and death.
Sermon Q&A
What Were the Key Teachings of Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones About John the Baptist's Ministry?
Based on Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones' sermon on Luke 1:76-79, here are answers to important questions about John the Baptist's ministry and its significance.
What was the primary role of John the Baptist according to Zacharias' prophecy?
According to Lloyd-Jones' interpretation of Zacharias' prophecy, John the Baptist's primary role was to be "the great forerunner of the Lord Jesus Christ." He was "the one who was to go before him to prepare the way for him," similar to how runners would prepare the way for a great king. As Lloyd-Jones explained: "John was the one... like a voice crying in the wilderness. Prepare, ye the way of the Lord. Make straight his paths." His purpose was to be "the preparer, the forerunner, the announcer, the proclaimer of the great one who is to come."
How did Dr. Lloyd-Jones describe the state of the world without Christ?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones described the world without Christ as being in darkness and under the shadow of death. He used the analogy from Zacharias' prophecy of people on a journey who are lost in darkness:
"He's picturing a number of people going on a journey... The sun has set. Night has descended upon them. The whole place is covered with a thick darkness... They sit down in utter hopelessness and despair. They don't know where the city is. They've lost their road."
Lloyd-Jones emphasized: "Ultimately, I say, without Christ the world is hopeless. There is no light at all. We simply keep on going round and round in circles."
What was John the Baptist's message about salvation according to the sermon?
According to Lloyd-Jones' interpretation of Zacharias' prophecy, John the Baptist's message about salvation had two key components:
-
To give knowledge of salvation through the remission of sins: "The first part of the ministry of John the Baptist was to give a knowledge to the world of its real need." This involved helping people understand that their problems weren't primarily political or social, but spiritual.
-
To point people to Christ: "The next thing he's got to do is to point them to Christ... John was very true to his ministry... He was simply the herald of the one who was to follow. He always is a fingerpost pointing to Christ."
Lloyd-Jones emphasized: "He preached the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins. That was his one message."
What did Dr. Lloyd-Jones say is the root cause of all human problems?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones emphatically stated that the root cause of all human problems is sin and our broken relationship with God:
"All our troubles arise from one thing only, and that is that we are sinners against God. We are not in the right relationship to God. Our troubles are not due to our circumstances and conditions. Our troubles are due to ourselves."
He expanded on this point: "All the olds, whether they're common, whether they're international or national, or in different social groups, even in the family unit or in the individual, all of them stem out of this one thing, a wrong relationship to God."
How does Christ solve humanity's problem according to the sermon?
According to Lloyd-Jones, Christ solves humanity's problems by bringing light into darkness and offering salvation through forgiveness of sins. He explained:
"The light that Christ gives... is just this... I care not, my friend, how dark your life has been... The world may have dismissed you and dubbed you as refuse of society. I'm here to tell you that in Jesus Christ there is eternal hope for you. That through him and his atoning death and his mighty resurrection, your sins have been dealt with and God is ready to forgive you."
Christ's solution results in threefold peace: "Peace with God... peace within yourself, and even peace with other people."
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.