This Untoward Generation
A Sermon on Acts 2:40-41
Originally preached June 9, 1957
Scripture
40And with many other words did he testify and exhort, saying, Save yourselves from this untoward generation.
41¶ Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.
Sermon Description
Sinful people cannot save themselves but they will try. In this sermon on Acts 2:40–41 titled “This Untoward Generation,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones explains how the world seeks to solve its problems by worldly means, turning to politicians and statesmen in times of need. But the Christian faith is a very different message than the world. It does not seek to reform the world by enacting legislation and electing politicians, but it brings a message of deliverance from sin and the promise of the new life in Christ. It says that the world’s problems are all symptomatic of its sin and alienation from God. The gospel says that no one can save themselves. It says that all are born in sin and have a corrupted nature. Because of the world’s sin, God has appointed a time in which He will judge the earth and all the inhabitants for the sin and rebellion against their Creator. This, says Dr. Lloyd-Jones, is the greatest problem facing humankind. Although war and poverty are terrible things, they are only products of the greatest problem. This is why the message of the gospel of Jesus Christ is so different from the world’s ways. It alone has the power to save people from their sins and unrighteousness; it alone can make them right with a God. It alone brings eternal life for all who believe.
Sermon Breakdown
- The real business of the Christian church is to proclaim the message of redemption and salvation through Jesus Christ.
- Christianity is about the message of redemption and the power of the Holy Spirit to transform lives.
- The early church did not focus on social or political issues but on calling individuals to repentance and faith in Christ.
- People need to be saved from "this untoward generation" - meaning this crooked, perverse, and wayward generation that is under God's judgment.
- People's minds and morals have become warped and twisted due to sin. They fail to appreciate Christ but delight in ugliness and perversion.
- The world is doomed to face God's judgment because of sin. Though the world is doomed, individuals can still be saved through faith in Christ.
- Peter preached with power and authority because he was filled with the Holy Spirit. His message was empowered by the Spirit to bring conviction of sin.
- Peter's message focused on:
- The need to be saved from this untoward generation
- The reason why - because this generation has a warped mind and crooked morals and is under God's judgment
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How to be saved - through repentance and faith in Jesus Christ
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Those who believed Peter's message were baptized and filled with joy, praising God. They found salvation, forgiveness, and new life in Christ.
Sermon Q&A
What Does the Sermon on Acts 2:40-41 Teach Us About Salvation?
What was the main message of Peter's sermon on the Day of Pentecost according to Dr. Lloyd-Jones?
According to Dr. Lloyd-Jones, Peter's main message was a call to salvation from a corrupt world. Peter preached, "Save yourselves from this untoward generation." This wasn't a message about social reform or improving the world system, but rather an urgent call for individuals to be rescued from the sinful world around them. The sermon focused on showing people their sinful condition, pointing them to Christ's redemptive work, and urging them to repent and believe for the forgiveness of sins.
How does Dr. Lloyd-Jones describe the transformation that occurred in the 3,000 who were converted?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones describes a dramatic transformation in the 3,000 converts. Before hearing Peter's message, they were filled with curiosity, criticism, doubt, and even mockery. Afterward, they "gladly received his word" and were characterized by "gladness and singleness of heart." They began praising God, eating together with joy, and demonstrated remarkable courage in the face of potential persecution. This transformation from skepticism to joyful faith exemplifies what genuine Christianity does in a person's life.
What does Dr. Lloyd-Jones say is wrong with the modern church's approach to the world?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones criticizes the modern church for focusing too much on social reform rather than individual salvation. He states: "The task of the Christian Church tonight is not to put the world right." He challenges the notion that Christianity's primary purpose is to improve society, stop wars, or engage in political activism. Instead, he argues that the biblical message is that the world is "sinful and doomed," and Christians should be concerned with saving individuals from it rather than trying to reform the whole system.
What does the term "untoward generation" mean according to the sermon?
According to Dr. Lloyd-Jones, "untoward generation" (from Acts 2:40) can be understood as: 1. "Warped" - having a distorted, twisted mind that cannot properly appreciate spiritual truth 2. "Crooked" - morally corrupt and delighting in sin 3. "Perverse" - going contrary to what is right 4. "Arrogant" - defying God despite His clear laws and judgments
This describes both the generation that crucified Christ and the modern world that continues to reject Him and His teachings.
How can a person be saved according to Dr. Lloyd-Jones' interpretation of Peter's sermon?
According to Dr. Lloyd-Jones' interpretation of Peter's sermon, salvation comes through:
- Repentance - realizing one's sinfulness before God, hating it, and desiring to turn from it
- Faith - "gladly receiving" the message about Jesus Christ who died for our sins
- Baptism - being baptized as an outward sign of inward faith
- Receiving the Holy Spirit - experiencing the transforming power of God
Dr. Lloyd-Jones emphasizes that salvation isn't about human effort or moral improvement, but about receiving Christ's finished work through faith: "You needn't wait a second. You've got nothing to do. God justifies the ungodly. God justifies sinners. Christ died for sinners. That's the message."
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.