Who Is This God?
A Sermon on 1 Peter 2:9
Originally preached April 22, 1962
Scripture
9But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:
Sermon Description
What is the greatest problem in the world? In this sermon on 1 Peter 2:9 titled “Who Is This God?” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones preaches that it is not how to stop war, or end famine, but it is how a holy God can forgive sinners. This is the great enigma of human existence, for all are born in sin and in a fallen state wholly opposed to God and His righteous law. God must punish sin because he is holy and just. How can this be resolved? Dr. Lloyd-Jones brings forth the great hope because God sent his only Son, Jesus Christ, to die a sinner’s death so that the law might be fulfilled. Sinners can be saved because of what God has done in Christ Jesus by repenting of their sins and believing in Christ. All who believe are given a new nature that seeks God and desires holiness. Christ is the head of a new humanity that is being perfected and brought to completion as the Holy Spirit enlightens their minds and grants them eyes of faith to see God’s truth. This is the result of God pouring out His love and grace on undeserving sinners, making them new creatures in Christ Jesus.
Sermon Breakdown
- The sermon text comes from 1 Peter 2:9 which describes Christians as a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, and a peculiar people.
- The sermon was delivered on Easter Sunday to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Without the resurrection, there would be no Christian church or faith.
- The resurrection demonstrates the power and glory of God. It is one of the "wonderful works of God."
- The meaning and significance of the resurrection is that it displays the character and attributes of God. It shows his grace, mercy, kindness, wisdom, love, and power.
- God's grace is shown in that he sent Jesus to save sinful and rebellious humanity even though we deserve punishment. Grace is God's favor to the undeserving.
- God's mercy, pity, and kindness are shown in that he saw our misery in sin and had compassion on us. He felt sorry for us and sent Jesus to save us.
- God's wisdom is shown in devising a way to forgive sins while remaining just. Sending Jesus to live a sinless life, defeat the devil, and die for our sins was the only solution.
- God's love is shown in sacrificing his own Son to save us from our sins and reconcile us to himself.
- God's power is shown in raising Jesus from the dead, defeating death itself. This gives us hope that God can raise us from death as well.
- God calls us out of darkness into light, regenerating us and making us new creations in Christ. This demonstrates his power to change and transform lives.
- Christians show forth God's praises by what he has done in them, is doing in them, and will continue to do in them. We grow in Christ and are kept by God's power.
- If we are not praising God for all he has done, we do not truly know him and are not truly Christians. We must turn to him in faith to be saved.
Sermon Q&A
What Did Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones Teach About the Resurrection and Christian Identity?
What does Dr. Lloyd-Jones identify as the primary function of a Christian according to 1 Peter 2:9?
According to Dr. Lloyd-Jones' sermon on 1 Peter 2:9, the primary function of a Christian is to "show forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light." He emphasizes that this is not only the business of preachers but "the primary business and function of every individual Christian believer." Christians are meant to proclaim and broadcast the praises, excellencies, virtues, and triumphs of God rather than drawing attention to themselves.
How does Dr. Lloyd-Jones explain what makes Christianity different from other religions?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones explains that Christianity is fundamentally different from other religions because it starts with God, not men. He states: "Christianity doesn't start with men. It always starts with God. Christianity is not an account of what men have done. It's what God has done." He emphasizes that Christianity is "the revelation of the character of God, not of any men." Unlike moral teachings or other religions that focus on human effort, Christianity centers on God's actions and His attributes displayed through what He has done for humanity.
What does Dr. Lloyd-Jones identify as the greatest problem in the universe?
According to Dr. Lloyd-Jones, "the greatest single problem in the whole universe is this: How can God forgive a sinful and a rebellious man?" He explains that this is not a simple matter because God is not only love but also just, holy, and righteous. The challenge is how God can "forgive men and still remain God" - how He can "remain just and righteous and holy and yet forgive me, a rebel and a sinner." He calls this the greatest problem that has ever existed in the universe.
How does the resurrection demonstrate God's power according to the sermon?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones teaches that the resurrection demonstrates God's omnipotence - His all-powerful nature. He quotes Ephesians 1, where Paul describes "the exceeding greatness of his power" shown when God "raised him from the dead and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places." Lloyd-Jones states that this power displayed in the resurrection is "greater power than the power in the creation" and "the greatest power God has ever shown." Through the resurrection, God conquered death, hell, and the devil, which Lloyd-Jones calls "the mightiest forces in the universe, next to God himself."
What does Dr. Lloyd-Jones mean when he says a Christian is "God's workmanship"?
When Dr. Lloyd-Jones says a Christian is "God's workmanship," he means that no one makes themselves a Christian - it is entirely God's doing. Quoting Ephesians 2, he emphasizes "we are his workmanship created in Christ Jesus." He argues that many people mistakenly think being Christian is about being good, moral, or holding certain views, but this gives the praise to humans. Instead, "A Christian is a man who can only be explained in terms of what God has done to him." Lloyd-Jones describes how a Christian becomes "an enigma and a problem" to non-Christians because the only adequate explanation for their transformation is God's work in them.
What does Dr. Lloyd-Jones teach about how people are changed according to the sermon?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones teaches that changing people is "next to the problem of forgiving men, the greatest problem." He dismisses education and other human efforts as insufficient to truly change human nature. Instead, he explains that God changes people through:
1) Conviction - "It is only God who can convict a man of his sin" through the Holy Spirit 2) Quickening - "It needs the power of God to quicken, to put life into us" 3) Regeneration - "They become newborn babes. They have new life. A new creation comes into being." 4) Sanctification - "God doesn't merely bring to birth and stop. He goes on giving food, sustenance, leading to growth."
He emphasizes that this change displays "the excellences, the praises, the triumphs of God."
What attributes of God does Dr. Lloyd-Jones highlight as being revealed through Christ's work?
In his sermon, Dr. Lloyd-Jones highlights several attributes of God that are revealed through Christ's work:
1) Grace - "favor shown to somebody who's utterly undeserving of it" 2) Mercy, pity, and kindness - God's compassion upon our misery 3) Wisdom - shown in God's solution to the problem of forgiveness 4) Love - demonstrated at the cross where "God is punishing his own son with the punishment that you and I deserve" 5) Power - revealed supremely in the resurrection when God "burst asunder the bands of death"
These attributes reveal God's "excellencies," "virtues," and "eminent qualities" that Christians are called to show forth.
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.