A State of Unbelief
A Sermon on Luke 4:22
Originally preached March 11, 1956
Scripture
22And all bare him witness, and wondered at the gracious words which proceeded out of his mouth. And they said, Is not this Joseph’s son?
Sermon Description
What does the rejection of Jesus by His own people teach about humanity? In this sermon on Luke 4:22 titled “A State of Unbelief,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones states that while one might be tempted to overlook the story of Jesus’s fellow Jews rejecting Him as ancient history, there is more than meets the eye. He says that the Jewish people’s rejection of Jesus is not borne out of rational arguments or reason, but it is a result of unbelief. They stumbled over Jesus’s message because sin had such a grip on their hearts that they were not able to understand the message of God’s grace. Pride and sin blind all from seeing the truth of the gospel until God in His grace breaks into their world. Sin is a state, not only an action. All are in this state of sin until God opens their eyes so that they can believe. At the heart of this story is the message that humanity is in sin and that God is a Savior. It is ultimately a message of hope for all who believe because it is the only means of being forgiven and made new in God. This sermon calls all to believe in Jesus
Sermon Breakdown
- The people were initially attracted to Jesus and his message. They were attracted by his person, words, and authority.
- However, their attraction and interest were not enough. Faith and commitment to Jesus were required, but lacking.
- The people ultimately rejected Jesus, demonstrating the tragedy of unbelief. Unbelief blinded them to Jesus and the blessings he offered.
- The nature of unbelief:
- It is a powerful condition that grips and controls people.
- It is based on prejudice, not reason or knowledge. People refuse to face facts and evidence.
- It involves pride. People care too much about what others think and their own reputations.
- The tragedy of unbelief is that it blinds people to Jesus, his glory, and the blessings he offers. It leads to hatred of Jesus and rejection of God's gracious offers.
- People must believe in Jesus, give themselves to him, and open their hearts to him to avoid the tragedy of unbelief.
Sermon Q&A
Questions and Answers from Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones' Sermon on Unbelief
What specific Bible passage does Dr. Lloyd-Jones focus on in this sermon?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones focuses on Luke 4:22, 28, and 29, which describes Jesus' reception in the synagogue at Nazareth. The passage shows how the people initially responded positively to Jesus' words but then quickly turned against Him, becoming filled with wrath and attempting to throw Him off a cliff.
How does Dr. Lloyd-Jones describe the initial reaction of the people in Nazareth to Jesus?
According to Lloyd-Jones, the people in Nazareth were initially attracted to Jesus - both to His person and His message. He notes that "the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were fastened on him," indicating they were riveted by His presence. They also "bore him witness and wondered at the gracious words which proceeded out of his mouth," showing they were impressed by His teaching and delivery.
What are the three main things Dr. Lloyd-Jones says we are told about unbelief in this passage?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones identifies three main aspects of unbelief revealed in this passage: 1. The nature/character of unbelief - it is a power that grips and controls people 2. The tragedy of unbelief - it blinds people to Christ's glory and causes them to reject God's gracious offers 3. The causes or explanation of unbelief - rooted in prejudice and pride
According to Dr. Lloyd-Jones, why is unbelief not primarily an intellectual issue?
Lloyd-Jones argues that unbelief is not primarily an intellectual issue because many of history's greatest intellects have been Christians. He states: "If unbelief is a matter of intellect, well, then it would of necessity be the case that no man of intellect has ever been a Christian." He mentions intellectual giants like Paul, Augustine, Luther, Calvin, Knox, the Puritans, Whitfield, Wesley, and others who all embraced Christianity. He also points out that the same person with the same intellect can reject Christianity at one point and later embrace it.
What does Dr. Lloyd-Jones identify as the real causes of unbelief?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones identifies two main causes of unbelief: 1. Prejudice - which causes people to reject the evidence before their eyes 2. Pride - particularly intellectual pride and concern about what others will think
How does Dr. Lloyd-Jones describe the power of unbelief?
Lloyd-Jones describes unbelief as a state or condition that grips, controls, and manipulates people. He says it is a power that can quickly change people's attitudes, leading to wrath and violence. He attributes this power to the devil, "the prince of the power of the air," who blinds the minds of unbelievers and can manipulate them "as if they were but children."
What is the tragedy of unbelief according to this sermon?
The tragedy of unbelief, according to Lloyd-Jones, is twofold: 1. It blinds people to Christ and His glory 2. It causes people to reject God's gracious offers of salvation, leading them to "reject their own happiness, their own eternal bliss, and thereby bring upon themselves wretchedness, unhappiness, misery and failure in this world and eternal perdition."
What caused the people of Nazareth to turn from admiration to hatred of Jesus?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones explains that despite their initial attraction to Jesus, the people of Nazareth turned against Him because of prejudice. When they said, "Is not this Joseph's son?" they were expressing their preconceived notion that the Messiah couldn't possibly be someone they knew, someone ordinary from their town. This prejudice prevented them from accepting the evidence before their eyes.
How does Lloyd-Jones relate this historical account to the contemporary person?
Lloyd-Jones emphasizes that this historical account is still the "contemporary problem." He states that the world "in its present confusion and muddle and tragedy is still rejecting him and still doing it in exactly the same way." He argues that modern unbelief operates by the same principles of prejudice and pride, and that people today are still manipulated by the same power of unbelief.
What final appeal does Dr. Lloyd-Jones make to his listeners?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones concludes with a passionate appeal for his listeners to examine themselves and turn to Christ. He urges them to look at the people in the synagogue of Nazareth, learn from their mistake, and instead "fly to him, praise him, acknowledge him, give yourself to him." He warns them not to be blinded by "the hellish, devilish power of unbelief" and encourages them to say "be gone unbelief" and embrace Christ.
Sermons on Unbelief
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.