Jeremiah 17:5-8 — What is truly in the heart of people? What is the mind really like? In this sermon on Jeremiah 17:5–8 titled “A Life in Christ,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones teaches that everyone is born in sin and darkness. This is found all throughout Scripture, beginning with the fall in Genesis and ending in the final judgment in Revelation. So much of the world’s suffering stems from humankind rejecting God and replacing His ways with their own. They scorn the very word of God that offers hope to those blinded by Satan. The wickedness of the human heart can only be overcome by the miracle of regeneration. This transformation turns a wicked enemy of God into a forgiven child of God. It is then that Christians can live as new creatures who seek what is holy, pure, and godly. They no longer walk the broad road of destruction, but now they follow the narrow path with all its hardships and struggle as children of God who faithfully await the return of Christ.

A Life in Christ

Jeremiah 17:5-8 — How can sinful people be blessed by a Holy God? How can sinners come before the throne of God and claim God’s blessings as their own? To the natural person, this is impossible. Sinful people do not believe in a grace that can reconcile God and humanity, so they say one has to work to earn God’s favor. In this sermon on Jeremiah 17:5–8 titled “The Christian Life,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones preaches on the great truth that blessings come by God’s grace. The ways of God and humanity are wholly opposed so that the Christian life stands in stark contrast to the life of the world. The Christian life is a life of favor with God because of God’s grace, while the life of the world is a life of always striving to earn God’s favor through works, but never attaining it. The gospel calls each and every one to repent of their sins and believe in Jesus for salvation. God’s grace is the only hope in this life because all have broken God’s commandment and sinned against Him, but God’s grace is more powerful than sin. The most amazing truth in the world is that God gives grace freely in Jesus Christ, and this is the gospel.

The Christian Life

Jeremiah 17:5-8 — What does it take to change sinful people? This is a question that everyone must ask at one point or another in their life because all live in a world of sin. Why is the world and humankind the way that they are? The Bible not only tells why people are sinners, but it also tells how they can change. In this sermon on Jeremiah 17:5–8 titled “The Nature of Man,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones looks to the prophet Jeremiah to see what God says about sinful people. Humanity is set in its own ways and does not submit to God’s rule. In this state, people are unable to seek God and love Him rightly. How then can they be saved? The answer is found in the person and work of Jesus Christ who came into the world to save sinners. Jesus died in the place of sinners that they might be justified in God’s sight. Jesus moves His people out of the kingdom of darkness and into the kingdom of righteousness. While sinful people are evil and wicked, Jesus alone has the power to give them a new heart that not only loves God but seeks to serve Him.

The Nature of Man

Jeremiah 17:5-8 — Why has humanity strayed away from God? Many men and women go throughout their lives not caring about God, salvation, or eternity. They concern themselves with everything other than God and His ways, yet all were created by God and for God. In this sermon on Jeremiah 17:5–8 titled “God or Man?” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones proclaims that the reason for humanity’s refusal to love and serve God is found in the fact that people are sinners and rebels against God. Adam and Eve listened to the voice of the serpent rather than that of God Himself and fell into sin. However, people are still unwilling to accept that they are sinners; they claim that they do not believe in Christianity because it is intellectually ridiculous. What then is one to make of humanity in sin? How can they be saved? The answer is found in God’s great plan of salvation through Jesus Christ. God saves sinful and rebellious people by sending His only Son to die in their place that they might live as children of God. It is God incarnate in Jesus Christ that overcomes human sin and hatred for all that is good by living and dying as a person. Jesus was then raised from the grave and now reigns and intercedes for all those that trust in His gospel of grace.

God or Man?

Jeremiah 17:5-8 — Why is it that in the modern day, with all the technological achievements, humanity still faces the same problems it did three thousand years ago? It is apparent that humankind is sick with a disease, with every generation promising a utopian future. All are still in a cycle of death, injustice, and social ills. In order to treat this disease, one must have a proper diagnosis of what it is. In this sermon on Isaiah 1:5–6 titled “Thus Saith the Lord,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd Jones reveals through Scripture that the sickness is much worse than one thought. It is one that affects every capacity of every man, woman, and child. As a good doctor would, Dr. Lloyd-Jones does not leave the listener without hope and nor does the Bible. The listener will hear of this disease, but also will also hear of the great news that there is a cure, and it will remedy humanity’s greatest need.

Thus Saith the Lord

Jeremiah 9:23-24 — Man believes he is autonomous; man and the real nature of his need; the error of glorying in wisdom or might; the Gospel; the only explanation of life; the true wisdom of Christ; safe in the hands of God.

The True Wisdom

Jeremiah 2:26-28 — What can cause people to fall into unutterable folly? God calls these people to think and consider. Compare and contrast religions—in what does the Christian trust and how do they prepare for eternity? A person’s religion is their working philosophy; the thing they rest upon and to which they give themselves up. In this sermon on Jeremiah 2:26–28 titled “Fake Religion,” Dr Martyn Lloyd-Jones examines the marks of false religion in regards to three questions. Look at the nature and character of the god(s) being worshipped. Take a look at contemporary history and the gods of this present age. Do not test one’s religion when everything is going well, but look at the day when the sun is not shining and there is in trouble. Can that God save? A false religion will always be found out. Find answers for the problem of guilt and death. Learn about what Christ did and those who opposed Him. Christ came to die so that all can live. Comfort will only come through Him. The Christian might be perplexed, but they do not need to despair. Lean on the promises of God and find abundant life. Absolutely nothing can separate the Christian from God. Realize the folly and turn to Him, and enter into His eternal glory.

Fake Religion

Jeremiah 2:20-22 — What do the people of Israel have to teach? Because all things in holy Scripture are for humanity’s benefit, Christians can learn much about the nature of humanity and themselves by looking at the ancient people of God. In this sermon on Jeremiah 2:20–22 titled “A Degenerate Vine,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones tells that according to the Bible, humanity is polluted by sin.  Every desire and inclination are brought under the twisted subjugation of their sinful nature. In a fallen state, humans are not able to pursue the good and upright. They are not able to live lives of love and justice. Many try to escape their own sin by looking to works of righteousness. They think that if they try hard enough, they can erase their sin and earn God’s favor, but this is a hopeless task. What then is the hope? The answer is found not in what people can do, but in what God has done. God has sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to die upon the cross and to shed His blood so that sinners can be saved. All who believe in Jesus are forgiven of their sins, adopted as children of God, and made truly righteous. There is nothing left for anyone to do but repent of their sin and believe.

A Degenerate Vine

Jeremiah 2:19 — What is the essence of sin? What is it that makes sin so destructive and alienating from God? In this sermon on Jeremiah 2:19 titled “A Fear of the Lord,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones shows that sin is not merely something that people do, but it is a state of the heart and mind. At the center of this state is the complete absence of the fear of the Lord. Just as the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, the absence of this fear is the ground of sin and evil. But humanity does not see sin as the deadly thing that it is. To people, sin is a game and a source of fleeting worldly pleasure. But God tells that all those that sin will suffer for their sin in this life and the next. The truth of the gospel is that God comes to humanity not only in judgment, but also in grace. God has not left anyone without hope—He has sent His only Son into the world to die upon the cross so that sin would be vanquished. All those who repent and believe in Jesus are freed from sin and its curse, and they are made righteous children of God.

A Fear of the Lord

Jeremiah 2:18 — What is the world’s greatest problem? Many would say war; others would say it is poverty. Some say that regardless of what the problem is, it can be solved by education alone. In this sermon on Jeremiah 2:18 titled “Ignorant of the Truth of God,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones goes on to show how all of these answers provide an unbiblical response to this most important question. According to Scripture, all the trouble in the world is only a result of humanity’s sinful and rebellious nature. Though people were created good and holy, they rejected God, and as a result of this fell into sin and condemnation. This fall brought the whole created order into a state of sin and despair. What was once created good by God has now become distorted and corrupted. Humanity now does not know God and does not seek to love or serve Him as they were created to do. If all the world’s problems stem from people not knowing God, what is the answer? God has made a way of salvation in His Son, Jesus Christ. Jesus died for all who believe in order that those who repent of their sins and believe upon His name are forgiven of their sins and made children of God. This is the world’s only hope.

Ignorant of the Truth of God

The MLJ Trust presents original audio recordings of the sermons of Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones (1899-1981). Dr. Lloyd-Jones was a Welsh minister who preached and taught in the Reformed tradition. He is considered by many evangelical leaders today to be an authority on biblical truth and the sufficiency of Scripture. Dr. Lloyd-Jones’ 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.

Jeremiah 2:14-17 — What is humanity’s problem? What is it about people and the world that accounts for all the ills and trials of human life? The question is present all through human history, yet modern humanity has no answer. In this sermon on Jeremiah 2:14–17 titled “Man, A Slave,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones preaches the biblical truth that each person’s problem is that they have fallen from original righteousness and purity into sin and despair. All are slaves to sin and twisted desires. Scripture tells us that no one is evolving toward a better future, but rather are getting worse. What then is the answer to this seemingly hopeless state? The answer is found in God’s infinite grace given in Jesus Christ. While it is true that humanity can do nothing to help themselves, the gospel is the message that God has acted for humanity. God has sent His Son to die upon the cross as the ultimate price for sin and peace. All who believe in Jesus are freed from sin and made children of God, righteous inheritors of the new heavens and earth. There is no other response to the gospel than to repent of all sins and come to Jesus who calls all to enteral life in His death.

Man; a Slave

Jeremiah 2:10-12 — What is the greatest contradiction about humanity? According to Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones in this sermon from Jeremiah 2:10–12 titled “The Condition of the Fallen Man,” it is the fact that people claim to be great rational thinkers, yet they reject God and die in sin. Humanity claims to be enlightened, yet they are slaves to sin. The explanation is that people have rejected God and pursued their own goals in life because they are sinners. A person is not the master of their own fate as they would like to believe, but they are a slave to sin. What then is the answer to humanity’s sinful condition? The answer is grace. People can only escape their sin and the judgment that follows it because God has acted in time and history in the person of Jesus Christ. The gospel breaks into a person’s foolishness and blindness and gives life. God gives glory and honor in and through Jesus Christ because all that repent of their sins and believe are made children of God, righteous and holy. The sermon calls all to forsake their sins and believe in Jesus who has died so that humanity might live forever.

The Condition of Fallen Man

Jeremiah 2:9 — How bad is sin? While many look at sin as something trivial and light, God does not. In this sermon from Jeremiah 2:9, Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones expounds on the great truth of God’s judgement against sin, but also God’s great love for sinners. The great truth of the Gospel is that though man is sinful and abominable before God, God is patient and slow to anger. This is seen in the history of Israel. They continually rebel against Him and spurned His love. Yet He still comes to them and offers grace and forgiveness. Though He has every right to condemn them, He extends grace and mercy. As Dr.Lloyd-Jones proclaims, Jesus Christ gives mercy to all, not only the people of Israel! For God has made a way of salvation for all who believe in Him and repent of their sins. Jesus is God’s ultimate display of mercy towards sinners. Do you know the grace of Jesus Christ? Are you forgiven of all your sins? In this sermon, you will hear the glorious truth of the Gospel of the forgiveness of sins.

I Will Plead With You

Jeremiah 2:8 — What does the prophet Jeremiah say to the church of today? According to Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones in this sermon on Jeremiah 2:8 titled “The Only Authority,” the prophet Jeremiah reminds of the importance of God’s authority in one’s life. Jeremiah decried the corrupt and abusive priesthood of Israel that sacrificed to false gods and did not worship the only true God of Israel as they had been commanded to do. The leaders of Israel had also rejected God and His law. What does this mean for the church of modern times? Just as many in the time of Israel who were supposed to lead the people of God and teach them rightly had gone astray, the church of today has many who claim to be leaders but reject the truth of God’s Scriptures and teach against orthodox Christianity. Whether it is higher criticism of the Bible or attacks on the deity of Christ, many teachers in the church oppose the very teachings of God. The answer to this problem is always the same: the church of Jesus Christ must teach the true message of God’s word despite what the world says. Faithfulness to God requires that Christians believe not what is popular, but what is revealed in God’s word.

The Only Authority

Jeremiah 2:7 — Is Christianity a joyless religion based on strict law keeping? Sadly, many people think that the teachings of Jesus Christ are just this. But in this sermon on Jeremiah 2:7 titled “A Depraved Nature,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones shows that this is wholly opposed to what the Bible actually teaches. In the Scriptures is found a God in whom people are to take joy. The Christian life is a call to follow Jesus and to love one another; it is a call to find peace in the salvation of Christ. This life is not about keeping commandments first and foremost, but it is about trusting in Jesus.  All the sins that the Bible forbids are the sins that alienate people from God and make them slaves. Freedom and joy have the same source: Jesus Christ. Scripture presents a beautiful picture of life in Christ that allows Christians to really enjoy the gifts of God in creation rather than abuse them for fleeting pleasure. The message of this sermon and the Bible is to follow Jesus and find joy in Him. People are not only saved by faith in Jesus, but they also find their rest in this life in Him.

A Depraved Nature

Jeremiah 2:6 — What is the source of suffering and misery in this world? In this sermon on Jeremiah 2:6 titled “A Ruined Mansion,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones addresses this question and more. Humanity is like a ruined mansion, a dark shadow of what it once was. People were made to be a friend of God, but now they live in sin and filth. Humanity has sinned and fallen from the original state of happiness and peace into despair because it has willingly rebelled against God. They are now an enemy of God and subject to the wrath of God. What then is humanity’s hope? It is certainly not in itself. Hundreds of years of human history has only shown that people cannot save themselves. This is why God had to send His own Son into the world to die in the place of sinners. Jesus Christ suffered and died a bloody death on the cross for all. All that trust in Him are saved and made children of God. God’s answer to the plight of humanity is to take their place. This sermon calls all to forsake their sins and flee to Christ. There is no guarantee that anyone will live another hour; for this reason all must come to Christ this day.

A Ruined Mansion

Jeremiah 2:5 — It is common to encounter disbelief, skepticism, and disdain for Christianity from unbelievers. Driven by a fear of this criticism, some Christians retreat from conversations about God and the gospel. In this sermon based on Jeremiah 2:5 titled “Life Without God,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones helps equip his listeners to know how to handle such criticism with grace and confidence. As he analyzes the position of the skeptic, he challenges their unbelief with his own questions regarding their unbelief and dismissal of God. Asking the unbeliever to consider their rejection of God, he focuses particularly on their rejection of the morality found in the Bible. What exactly is the unbeliever’s objection to morality? What rational foundation could there be for holding to such a belief? Biblical morality, he argues, seeks the flourishing of humanity and the world, so the rejection of morality is both foolish and irrational. It leads to worldwide chaos and tension. If the unbeliever were to turn in belief to the God who created them, they would realize the height of their foolishness. Listen as Dr. Lloyd-Jones teaches on countering the foolish unbelief of this world with the light and clarity of the gospel.

Life Without God

Jeremiah 2:13 — Everyone must consider what they are chasing in life and if it will last. In this sermon in Jeremiah 2:13 titled “Fountain of Living Waters,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones states that all seek satisfaction from a worldview that is either like a cistern of stagnant water or a fountain of flowing, living water. What characterizes the cistern “way of living”? First, it is entirely human-made — all authority is subject to change depending on the shifting opinions of humanity. Second, all the effort for happiness is dependent upon oneself. They are expected to find what makes one happy and chase it with all they have. Third, this way of thinking is so limited because it reduces everything to rationality, even beautiful emotions such as love and joy that cannot be measured. This way of approaching life cannot satisfy—there is no hope. But Dr. Lloyd-Jones preaches that Jesus offers a fountain of flowing, living water designed to satisfy the deepest longings of the soul in Himself. In contrast to the cistern, this living water is rooted in God’s unchanging authority, providing a bedrock upon that which one can establish their life. Crucially, this living water has accomplished all the work because no one could not earn it on their own — Jesus’s offer of salvation accomplished through His death and resurrection to atone for the sins of all humanity is offered to the Christian. Take a deep drink from this living water and find eternal life.

Fountain of Living Waters

Isaiah 52:1-3 — The gospel like a trapped city hearing of coming deliverance. In this sermon on Isaiah 52:1–3 titled “Saved By Grace,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones shares that this joy produced by the news of Scripture is a great characteristic of the gospel and the story of the Bible is seen in this passage. First, that people are fools. They have rebelled against God and chosen lesser things over the all-satisfying goodness of who He is. Second, salvation is entirely of God’s grace. To understand this point, and the whole of the gospel, one must understand what is wrong with humanity. Dr. Lloyd-Jones reminds that they have sold their souls to sin and are slaves to it. But praise be to God, this is not the end of the story. Though they have nothing to pay, God can and will redeem them. In this passage, He says that Christians are redeemed without money. First, because they ultimately have nothing to pay. They are broken sinners with nothing to bring before God. Second, redemption is without money because it has already been paid for on the cross of Jesus Christ. All that is required is to repent from one’s sins and disobedience against God and belief in the gospel. This, Dr. Lloyd-Jones says, is what brings deliverance from sin and peace with God for this life and the next.

Saved By Grace

Isaiah 40:25-28 — What separates humanity from God? In this sermon on Isaiah 40:25–28 titled “The Character of God,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones responds that the answer is God’s holiness. Because all of humanity is sinful and fallen, they are alienated from God. Sinners cannot approach God or stand before Him because they are unclean and unholy. How then can anyone come before God? The answer is found not in what humanity can do, but in what God does. For God is both the just and the justifier in the salvation of humanity by sending His Son into the world to die in the place of sinners. Jesus Christ, the second person of the Trinity, was born of a virgin and died in the place of sinners, bearing their sins upon Himself. All who believe in Christ receive the great benefits of salvation and are made right before God. How can anyone stand before a holy God? The answer is that they stand before God by standing in the righteousness of Christ Jesus and are found by God to be in Christ. The great truth of the gospel is that although people are sinful and vile, God makes them clean by sending His Son to die in their place on order that they might have life everlasting.

The Character of God

Blessing it’s a wonderful blessing for me to be able to hear Gods word preached.

A Blessing

Thank you!

Sermons of Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones

Isaiah 22:8-14 — Humanity is alienated from God because of sin. In this sermon on Isaiah 22:8–14 titled “To Be Made Anew,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones paints a picture of the discovery of sight when the veil is lifted from humanity’s eyes. They are awakened to God’s perspective, no longer thoughtless and heedless. The world is not perfect and the truth needs to be seen. People are not in control, not even of themselves. There is a breach in the walls of their lives and they are losing what is precious and vital. Complacency and negligence has done this over time. Christians who look to the example of Israel will see themselves in the frantic, yet futile attempt to fix this disaster. It is also in the busyness of this present century and how it is equally as futile. Never has there been such diligence and organization in every part of life. How can the serious accompany the flippant? The love of pleasure is fatal. Listen and hear how Christians today imitate Israel—forgetting God and forgetting they are His. All that is needed is their Maker.

To Be Made Anew

Isaiah 1:10 — “Repent.” This is a command that many, even those outside of the church, are familiar with. But what actually is repentance? In this sermon on Isaiah 1:10 titled “Repentance and Salvation,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones preaches on what it means to repent and why every single person ever born is in need of repenting. People who trust in Christ for their salvation from sin do so because they see their need. The word “repent,” he says, means literally to stop and think again. With the culture moving along from day to day at a blistering pace, it is imperative that all stop and think soberly about what they believe regarding eternity— they must repent. The second aspect of repentance when someone is coming to faith in Christ is a changing of the mind, realizing they have been wrong regarding their beliefs about Him, and put their complete dependence on Him for forgiveness from their sins. Third, repentance is ceasing to rely on one’s own capacity and wisdom. Finally, repentance is utter submission to God and His word. Repentance is not when one cries over their sin; it’s when they turn from it and change to follow the Lord instead.

What is Repentance?

Psalms 63:1-3 — Adversity is the quickest way to reveal the value of one’s faith. What are Christians like when they find themselves in the wilderness of suffering? In this sermon on Psalms 63:1–3 titled “O God, Thou Are My God,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones examines David’s prayer as he turns to God in the midst of trouble. Dr. Lloyd-Jones demonstrates a core Biblical truth: adversity always drives the true believer to God. In times of suffering, the non-Christian is annoyed and curses God. In contrast, the believer has just the opposite response. He turns to God. Dr. Lloyd-Jones explains that this is because the true believer has discovered God’s lovingkindness to be better than life. Like a love-sick person, the believer is satisfied with nothing this world can give and is utterly miserable without God’s love. But with God, they can face anything. Nothing compares in value to God’s lovingkindness. Listen and find complete satisfaction in this intimate knowledge of God. The psalmist’s response to adversity should also be that of the Christian with lips that should praise Him. Rejoice in God. He will never let His child go.

O God; Thou Art My God

Psalms 1:5-6 — In this sermon of Psalm 1:5–6 titled “The Way of the Ungodly,” Dr Martyn Lloyd-Jones diagnoses the way of the ungodly and then presents the prescription given by God for the ungodly to be remedied. Listen as he lays out the five aspects of God’s future judgment: the fact, the nature, the terms, the thoroughness, and the consequences. It is a dismal future for the ungodly person. They will not stand amidst the congregation of the righteous. Since God’s law sets the standard for humanity, how can anyone meet that standard? There is only one way and only one secret to happiness and blessedness. Only Christ can remove the fear of death and judgment. As the hymn states, “My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus’s blood and righteousness… On Christ the solid Rock I stand; all other ground is sinking sand.” A person can stand on nothing else in this world or on the Day of Judgment but on the rock of Jesus Christ.

The Way of the Ungodly

Ephesians 6:18 — Nothing is more fatal than beginning the Christian life thinking trouble and problems are finished. In this sermon on praying in the Spirit from Ephesians 6:18, Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones explains that the New Testament actually indicates the opposite of this. Rather, Christians should expect attacks as never before. What is the connection between “praying always” and the “armor of God”? Prayer is something Christians do in addition to putting on the armor. The armor provided by God cannot be used except in communion with God. Prayer is essential to the Christian life, for without it the Christian is faint. The apostle Paul speaks of “all prayer,” then “supplication.” First, he means all kinds of prayer in general — private, public, with or without words, orderly prayer, groans, etc. Then he specifies a certain kind of prayer: supplication, which is petition. The secret of true prayer is “in the Spirit.” Vain repetitions, merely uttering words out of habit or custom, is not praying. Praying in the Spirit means being concentrated and submitted to the Spirit, so that He creates, directs, orders, and empowers praying. It means recalling that the only way into the presence of God is in Christ. Praying in the Spirit is having fellowship with God, which ends in true worship.

Praying in the Spirit

Psalms 63:1-3 — How can one know that God loves and cares for His children? In this sermon on Psalm 63:1–3 titled “Seeking Certainty,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones proclaims that Christians can know this by trusting in God’s revelation of Jesus Christ. A Christian that is maturing in their faith is one who rests on what Christ has done for them. This mature faith produces assurance that is not simply a passing emotion that comes and goes, but it is an abiding and true experience knowing they belong to God. That belonging is proven in a life of humble obedience. However, Dr. Lloyd-Jones also warns against those who teach an assurance of bare intellectual assent. They say that to simply claim that one believes in Christ and His gospel is all that is needed of assurance. This is shown to be inadequate from the many scriptural passages that show the deep and loving trust that the saints of God can have in the gospel. This is an intimate and personal knowledge that God loves them and has sent his Son to die a cruel death on the cross so that they could be saved. This is certainly intellectual assent to the gospel, but it is more. It is the product of the Holy Spirit working in their lives so that they trust God and His promises in true faith. This should be an experience that all Christians seek and obtain.

Seeking Certainty

1 Samuel 15:22-23 — The story of Saul in 1 Samuel 15:22–23 is the story of someone who rationalizes and explains away their own sin. Saul was God’s chosen king over Israel, yet he disobeyed God and followed his own desires.  Saul is a picture for how everyone rationalizes sin and their own rebellion; everyone feigns ignorance of their own wrongdoing and sinful desires. The answer is never found in more law-keeping because the Bible is clear that no person can keep the law but instead is called to trust in Jesus Christ as the only way to be saved and overcome sin. “To obey is better than sacrifice” Samuel declares to Saul. Christians are those that are not like Saul in that they truly repent of their sin and seek God’s grace. Christians are those that believe in Jesus Christ and trust Him alone for salvation. The message of the gospel is that humanity does not have to suffer for their sins because Christ died in their place and took sin upon Himself so that all can be saved and made righteous.

Sin and Self-Deceit

Genesis 3:22-24 — What is at the root of all of humanity’s problems? In this sermon on the fall of man from Genesis 3:22–24 titled “Man Ate of the Fruit,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones preaches on the fall and the first transgression of Adam and Eve. He says the reason the first parents sinned is because they refused to acknowledge their own creature-hood and ignorance. They sought to become like God Himself. This is still the fundamental problem of sin and evil: people do not accept that they are God’s creatures and subject to his law. In their pride, people seek to understand and explain the world by their own reason and standards. This is utter folly because apart from God, no one can truly know themselves or the world. True understanding only comes when one accepts that they are not God, but His creatures. All must put their faith in God and in what He has done on the cross in Jesus Christ. Only by repenting and believing in Jesus Christ can one return to true fellowship with God and be freed from the curse of sin. This sermon calls all to ask, “do I believe? Have I forsaken any chance of understanding the world without Christ?” There is no more important question one can ask because it concerns not only their good in this life, but their eternal salvation.

The Fall of Man

Isaiah 40:1-2 — The Christian life is altogether the work of God, not humanity. God’s word is from Him and to those waging warfare against Him. In this sermon on Isaiah 40:1–2 titled “A State of Warfare,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones addresses sin, peace, and the mark of a true Christian that separates them from all others. Humanity is not what it was meant to be—iniquity is a perversion and wrongness that completely misses God’s mark. No one can buy or learn peace. The world searches for peace by their own means, but sin is a hard taskmaster. The greatest folly of humanity is thinking that they can bring real peace within themselves or outside of themselves, while forgetting God. This sermon is unlike many other messages—it is a message of comfort, not a call for anyone to save themselves but to receive a new life and be made into a new creature. The mark of God’s own people is a unique recognition and confession of their own sin. Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones calls all to a standard of biblical ownership, so that they no longer shift the blame for personal sin to God, others, or circumstances.

A State of Warfare

Exodus 20:1-26 — Humans are unable to live in right relationship with one another because they are not in right relationship with God. In this sermon from Exodus 20:1–26 titled “The Message of the Bible Today,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones shows that at every opportunity throughout Scripture, humanity failed to dwell in obedience to God. Adam, Noah, Abraham—they all failed. Even when God gave the Israelites the Ten Commandments, they were unable to live in obedience. Scripture highlights God’s holiness and the depravity of sin in humanity with the sole purpose of turning people’s eyes to Jesus Christ. The greatest need is to live in right relationship with God and this is accomplished because sins were punished in Christ. Dr. Lloyd-Jones asks, “has the law of God brought you to Christ?” When one considers the state of humanity and their inability to live in obedience, Dr. Lloyd-Jones encourages turning to the character of God and the gift of His Son.

The Message of the Bible Today

Numbers 11:4-6 — Why is the Bible relevant to modern humanity? In this sermon from Numbers 11:4–6 titled “The Condition of Man,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones answers this very question by reminding the listener that the moral problems of society are nothing new and are really problems of humanity in general. The many efforts of humanity to fix and diagnose their own problems are all in vain and misplaced. Scripture not only tells what the problem is, but also the answer. Humanity is fundamentally fallen and therefore evil. According to the Bible, people have rebelled against God and rejected His law and rule. The answer is not more moralizing, but it is the gospel. The answer to the deepest moral dilemmas is in the fact that God has sent His own Son to die for sins. God made a way for sinners to be redeemed and reconciled to Him. This new life changes hearts and minds so that men and women now desire what is true and godly. What does this sermon mean for humanity? It is the declaration that sin and depravity can only be overcome by the gospel. This sermon also tells of Jesus Christ who is the only Savior that God granted to the world.

The Condition of Man

Ephesians 6:17 — How do Christians use the “sword of the Spirit”? In this sermon on Ephesians 6:17 titled “The Sword of the Spirit,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones explains that the sword of the Spirit differs from the other pieces in three ways: it does not protect any part of the body, it is a defensive weapon, and it is also an offensive weapon. The devil can terrorize people into hopelessness but the sword is the antidote. It is possible to resist the devil and cause him to flee. The Spirit is not the sword but provides the sword­—the biblical Scriptures—and enables the Christian to use it correctly. A general attack upon the truth is a strategy of the enemy to shake God’s people from the truth. This is done in many ways, including philosophy (humanity can encompass truth and find God out of their own ability and intellect) and knowledge (any knowledge that humanity has, but science in particular). The more one understands Scripture, the better they can identify the errors lobbed at them. If one doubts the truth and authority of the Bible, it is like having a broken sword in hand and they are already defeated by the enemy. Knowing Scripture in a detailed manner and being soaked in the whole of it is necessary to effectively reply to someone who calls truth into question.

The Sword of The Spirit

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