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Sermon #5668

The Mediator of the New Covenant

A Sermon on Hebrews 12:18-24

Originally preached April 16, 1965

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Scripture

Hebrews 12:18-24 ESV KJV
For you have not come to what may be touched, a blazing fire and darkness and gloom and a tempest and the sound of a trumpet and a voice whose words made the hearers beg that no further messages be spoken to them. For they could not endure the order …

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Sermon Description

Why are Christians miserable? Where might the believer turn when cast down with guilt? In this sermon on Hebrews 12:18–24 titled “The Mediator of the New Covenant,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones examines this question by pointing to the testimony of Jesus’s blood. The Christians in the book of Hebrews were dejected and disappointed. They have come to this great salvation, yet have been met with suffering and loss. Dr. Lloyd-Jones explains that it was for this reason that this letter to the Hebrews was written. The writer knew that their fight was not merely against flesh and blood, but spiritual in nature. The devil uses these moments to attack God’s people. Satan is the accuser and he speaks against the Christian. In this suffering, it seems God may be against His people. Should they expect their sin-guilt to remain? To what does the Christian plead when attacked by Satan? As the devil accuses, how can the Christian answer? Listen as Dr. Lloyd-Jones lifts up the blood of Christ, declaring that the throne of judgement has become a throne of grace. The saints in Hebrews overcame the devil through the testimony of the blood of Christ. The Christian today must point to the blood of Christ that silences the devil. As a result, nothing is able to separate the Christian from the love of God.

Sermon Breakdown

  1. The author of Hebrews is addressing Christians who have become unhappy and discouraged in their faith.
  2. The author argues that they have lost sight of the glory and sufficiency of Christ's salvation.
  3. The author contrasts the old covenant of law with the new covenant of grace through Jesus.
  4. The author says we have come not to Mount Sinai of law but to Mount Zion of grace.
  5. The blood of Jesus speaks better things than the blood of Abel which cried out for vengeance.
  6. The blood of Jesus proclaims God's love, Christ's love, and our free justification.
  7. The new covenant is one of mercy, grace, and free forgiveness through faith in Christ.
  8. The new covenant means we can know God, have access to Him, and find grace to help in time of need.
  9. The new covenant means we have come to the heavenly Jerusalem and countless angels.
  10. The blood of Jesus answers the accusations of conscience, the law, and the devil.
  11. Nothing can separate us from God's love in Christ displayed by His shed blood.
  12. We must listen to the speaking of Jesus's blood to have joy, confidence, and victory.

Sermon Q&A

What is the significance of the blood of Jesus compared to the blood of Abel according to Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones?

According to Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones, the blood of Jesus "speaketh better things than that of Abel" in significant ways:

  1. The blood of Abel speaks of guilt, vengeance, and punishment - it cries out from the ground for justice against Cain's sin.

  2. In contrast, the blood of Jesus speaks of:

  3. God's love for sinners ("God so loved the world")
  4. The Son's willingness to sacrifice himself ("No man taketh my life from me")
  5. Free forgiveness and justification by faith
  6. Reconciliation with God rather than banishment
  7. A new covenant of grace rather than law

As Lloyd-Jones states: "I will be merciful to their unrighteousness and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more."

How does Dr. Lloyd-Jones describe the nature of Christ's blood?

Dr. Lloyd-Jones emphasizes several aspects of Christ's blood that make it unique:

  1. It is not the blood of bulls or goats as in the Old Testament sacrifices
  2. It is human blood, but also divine - "the blood of the Son of God"
  3. It is "precious blood" - the blood of the God-man
  4. It was shed voluntarily ("He went willingly as a lamb to the slaughter")
  5. It was shed "according to the predetermined counsel and foreknowledge of God"
  6. It serves as the seal of the New Covenant
  7. It is blood that has "entered into heaven" and speaks from there

As Lloyd-Jones expresses it: "This is no ordinary blood... This is the blood of the Son of God."

Why does Dr. Lloyd-Jones say Christians should listen to the speaking of Christ's blood?

According to Dr. Lloyd-Jones, Christians should listen to the speaking of Christ's blood for two main reasons:

  1. It is the only way of salvation: "This is the only way whereby a man can ever become a Christian, and that is that he trusts to the blood of Christ. There is no other foundation."

  2. It is essential for being a happy, confident Christian: "You must be clear about this to be a Christian at all, yes, but you must also be clear about this if you want to be a happy Christian."

Lloyd-Jones explains that the Hebrew Christians were dejected and unhappy because "they hadn't listened properly to the speaking of this blood." When believers truly hear what Christ's blood speaks, they gain: - Assurance of forgiveness - Confidence in prayer - Freedom from an accusing conscience - Victory over the devil's accusations - Boldness to enter God's presence

What does Dr. Lloyd-Jones say the blood of Christ speaks to an accusing conscience?

Dr. Lloyd-Jones explains that Christ's blood speaks powerfully to silence an accusing conscience:

  1. It provides complete cleansing: "If you believe this message... you will have your heart sprinkled from an evil conscience."

  2. It offers the only sufficient sacrifice: "My guilty conscience needs no sacrifice beside."

  3. It removes the need for personal worthiness: "Let not conscience make you linger, nor of fitness fondly dream. All the fitness he requireth is to feel your need of him."

  4. It provides a permanent answer to guilt: "Sinners plunge beneath this blood, lose all their guilty stains."

Lloyd-Jones emphasizes that while "it was not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats could cleanse the conscience," the blood of Christ has power to completely cleanse and give the believer freedom from condemnation and guilt.

How does the blood of Christ help believers overcome the devil's accusations according to Lloyd-Jones?

Dr. Lloyd-Jones explains that the blood of Christ is the decisive answer to Satan's accusations:

  1. It provides the means of victory: "They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony."

  2. It silences the accuser: Believers can point to the blood when accused, and "the devil is silenced. By what? By the blood of Christ. He can't answer. It is the answer to everything."

  3. It demonstrates Christ's triumph: At the cross, Christ was "spoiling principalities and powers, making an open shower of them, putting them to an open shame, triumphing over them by it."

  4. It provides security in God's love: Because of the blood, "neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers... shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord."

Lloyd-Jones quotes John Newton to illustrate this truth: "Be thou my shield and hiding place that sheltered near thy side, I can my fierce accuser face and tell him thou hast died."

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.