The Witness of the Holy Spirit
A Sermon on Acts 5:32
Originally preached June 5, 1960
Scripture
32And we are his witnesses of these things; and so is also the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey him.
Sermon Description
What is the basis of faith? Many see faith as nothing more than a feeling or something that is chosen to believe against all reason. But in this sermon on Acts 5:32, Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones shows that Christian faith is very different from these common misconceptions. The faith that is found in the New Testament, this true faith, is grounded in historical actions of God. It is grounded in the sending of His Son to die upon the cross, and in the sending of the Holy Spirit to empower believers to fulfill the mission of God. These are real events that have changed the course of history and the whole world! Jesus was a man who lived and died, but He was also God and what He has done is the foundation of all faith. His gospel is the only means of salvation and true peace with God. It is this witness of the Holy Spirit that works in time and history to spread the message of Christ through the church to the whole world. The gospel confronts with the vital question: do you believe in Jesus and that He has come and died so that all who believe might be saved?
Sermon Breakdown
- Christianity is based on facts and events, not just teachings. The facts of Jesus's life, death, and resurrection are what save us.
- The Holy Spirit's primary role is to bear witness to Jesus and the truth about him.
- The Holy Spirit does not call attention to himself or to phenomena. He points to Jesus.
- The Holy Spirit bears witness to Jesus's person, the facts of his life, and the message of salvation that comes from those facts.
- The Holy Spirit bears witness through his coming at Pentecost, the signs and miracles he enables, his work in individuals, and revivals.
- We can know if the Holy Spirit is in us by whether Jesus is precious to us and central to our lives.
Sermon Q&A
What is Martyn Lloyd-Jones' Key Message About the Holy Spirit?
According to Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones' sermon on Acts 5:32, the Holy Spirit functions primarily as a witness alongside the apostolic testimony. The sermon emphasizes several important aspects of the Holy Spirit's work.
What is the primary function of the Holy Spirit according to Lloyd-Jones?
The primary function of the Holy Spirit is to be a witness. As Lloyd-Jones states: "The first thing we read is this, that the Holy Ghost is in his function primarily and essentially a witness." This witness doesn't operate in isolation but works together with the apostolic testimony preserved in Scripture: "We are witnesses of these things, and so is also the Holy Ghost."
What does Lloyd-Jones warn against regarding the doctrine of the Holy Spirit?
Lloyd-Jones warns against two extreme tendencies:
- Those who exaggerate the teaching concerning the Holy Spirit and go to excesses
- Those who neglect the doctrine of the Holy Spirit altogether
He states: "There have been two main tendencies with regard to this matter. There have been some who have exaggerated the teaching concerning the Holy Spirit, and they've gone to excesses. And the tragedy is that because they have done that, the effect has been upon the others very often to make them neglect the doctrine of the Holy Spirit altogether."
What does the Holy Spirit witness to, according to the sermon?
The Holy Spirit doesn't witness to Himself or merely to phenomena, but to Jesus Christ:
"The Holy Ghost, my friends, never calls attention to himself alone. Indeed, we can go further. He never calls attention to himself as such."
Lloyd-Jones emphasizes that the Spirit witnesses to: 1. The person of Christ 2. The facts concerning Christ (His life, death, resurrection, and ascension) 3. The message of salvation resulting from those facts
As Lloyd-Jones quotes from John 16:14, "He shall glorify me, for he shall receive of mine, and shall show it unto you."
How does one know if they have received the Holy Spirit?
Lloyd-Jones provides this test: "If the Holy Ghost is in you, well, then Jesus Christ is precious to you. It's what you say about him that matters, not what you say about your experiences and phenomena."
The evidence isn't in unusual experiences, visions, or sensations, but in one's relationship with and view of Christ: "Is the Lord Jesus Christ everything to you? Do you know him as the son of God, as the Lord of glory? Do you know him as your personal savior and redeemer?"
To whom does God give the Holy Spirit?
The sermon concludes with the biblical answer from Acts 5:32: "God hath given the Holy Ghost to them that obey him." Lloyd-Jones explains this means to "Repent. Believe on him. Follow him. Don't stop at intellectual belief. Follow him. Obey him. Put into practice what he taught."
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.