From the MLJ Archive

John 5:24-26 — In this sermon on John 5:24–26 titled “Hearing and Perceiving,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones proclaims that how one listens to the word of God determines their eternal destiny. In this passage of Scripture, John records Jesus’s promise that those who hear His word and believe have eternal life. As he expounds this text, Dr. Lloyd-Jones focuses on the word and even more on the necessity of how one listens to the word. One’s eternal destiny hinges on whether they truly listen to the truth of God’s word. They must not be a mere spectator who is impressed with the formality of worship and preaching and even the consideration of a philosophy or teaching. Rather, to truly receive and possess eternal life, one must listen with the intent to meditate and understand the significance and implications of the word. This type of listening not only sees the truth but perceives its implications for the soul. The question then becomes, “What must we see and perceive to gain this eternal life?” In his gospel-saturated message, Dr. Lloyd-Jones teaches that all must hear the word that exposes their spiritual condition as dead in trespasses and sins that is under the condemnation of God, awaiting His judgment. However, the beauty of Jesus’s promise is that He was sent to pay the debt of sin, and that in hearing and believing in Him, they pass out of death and into life.

John 5:17-23 — Why is it absolutely essential to believe in Jesus? In this message on John 5:37–39 titled “God Manifest in the Flesh,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones considers the essential question of why one must believe in Jesus for salvation. This seems like an odd question, even one with an obvious answer. Yet the Pharisees, along with many today, zealously believe in God but never mention or acknowledge Jesus Christ. The Pharisees had just witnessed a powerful miracle but they completely overlook it because they did not believe in Jesus. According to them, in performing this miracle, Jesus had broken the Sabbath. He had broken God’s law which the Pharisees were dedicated to protect and confront Jesus about working on the Sabbath. Jesus responds, “My Father is working until now, and I am working.” Jesus responds by making himself equal with God, fully divine, fully a part of the triune God. Believing in Jesus and His identity as God in the flesh is essential to salvation and knowing God. The Pharisees ardently profess belief in God, but respond to Jesus with a further desire to kill Him. It is in the midst of this profound rejection of Jesus that Dr. Lloyd-Jones offers reasons why it is essential to believe in Jesus.

John 5:10 — Unbelievers are blinded to the truth by their own prejudices. Jesus had just performed a supernatural miracle by healing the man by the pool of Bethesda. How would the Pharisees respond? In this sermon on John 5:10 titled “To Know Christ,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones teaches that the Pharisees were blinded to the truth by the prejudices that governed their hearts. Confronted with this powerful miracle, the Pharisees were forced to deal with Jesus. They were confronted by the facts of this miracle and ultimately His divine nature. The Old Testament had prophesied of the Jesus of Nazareth and the facts surrounding Jesus clearly fulfilled those prophecies. Instead of embracing and believing the facts, as well as Jesus Himself, they held onto their prejudices. Blinded by the law, they deny Jesus’s identity because He healed on the Sabbath. He had worked on the Sabbath and caused the man to work by carrying his pallet. Certainly no true messiah would break their law. Their reaction provides a stark contrast, a backdrop for true belief. While the miracle pictured spiritual healing in the gospel and was soon to be embraced by the man, the Pharisees could not believe as they were blinded and enslaved by prejudice. To truly know Christ, the prejudice must be removed.

John 5:6-9 — Throughout Jesus’ earthly ministry, Jesus preached and taught the gospel. He exposed sin and the need for forgiveness that only He could provide through His death, burial, and resurrection. In this sermon “Do You Want to be Healed?” from John 5:6–9, Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones focuses on Jesus illustrating His gospel message through the healing at Bethesda. He begins with the question, “Why did the Lord work miracles and why were they recorded?” The answer is two-fold. The miracles of Jesus were signs that powerfully revealed His identity as God. But second, the miracles were a powerful picture to illustrate the gospel. This healing at Bethesda reveals the nature of sin. The man, crippled and unable to get to the water, demonstrates the hopeless and helpless nature of the sinner and the dark disease of sin. The man had no ability to heal himself or get to the possible remedy. Only Jesus could provide healing both physically and spiritually. Dr. Lloyd-Jones shows that through the picture of this healing, one gains understanding of the gospel and the forgiveness of sin that will make them spiritually whole once again.

John 3:19 — In this sermon on John 3:19 titled “The Light Has Come,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones says that this is the most tragic verse in all of Scripture. This is because though God has provided a way of salvation in His Son Jesus Christ, in sinful blindness people reject Jesus. They stumble over the message of God’s free grace in Christ because they seek to establish their own righteousness apart from God. Why do they oppose the gospel message? The answer is because they do not believe that they are in need. They do not see that they are sinners in need of redemption and God’s mercy. They do not come to grips with the clear facts of their own sin and brokenness; they seek to explain away sin, guilt, and death. The answer to humanity’s hopeless condition is Jesus, who is able to save even the worst sinners. Because they are unable to believe the message of the gospel on their own, it is only God who can grant the gift of belief and repentance. Even though humanity is lost in darkness and alienated from God, God in His power is able to give sight to the blind and restore the hearing of the deafest sinner. This is because God is the author of all salvation and blessing.

John 3:19-21 — What is the source of humanity’s hostility to the gospel? Many are offended at the message of Jesus and claim they have no need to be saved. In this sermon on John 3:19–21 titled “Sin and the Modern Man,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones preached that the rejection of the gospel is because people have an unbelieving nature. Jesus came into the world to save sinners and set them free because humankind is fallen and in sin they stumble over this message and reject it. This message of salvation can become a message of condemnation when people reject it. Humankind is hostile to those who call them to forsake their sins and turn to Christ in order to be saved. They are openly hostile to those who preach that Christ Jesus is the light of the world. Only the message of Christ that sinners reject and despise can save them. This is why God must show the light of Christ by opening the darkened hearts and minds of fallen men and women so that they can see and love Christ for who He is. God did not send His Son into the world to condemn it, but in order to save it through His Son Jesus Christ.

John 3:19 — What is the source of humanity’s objections to Christianity? Many in modern times claim that Christianity has been refuted by modern science and learning. They believe that while it may have been acceptable to believe in things such as miracles, the deity of Christ, and the bodily resurrection in more ignorant times, people are now enlightened. In this sermon on John 3:19 titled “Governed by Darkness,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones shows that the word of God gives a different answer. According to Scripture, people reject Christianity not because of intellectual objections, but because of their sinful nature. Scripture teaches that all are fallen and blinded by sinful desires. What is the answer to this great dilemma? People can only see the world, themselves, and God when God reveals Himself to them in His grace. There is no other way to know God truly. This act of grace is not based on human intellectual capabilities, but on God’s grace. In the gospel Jesus is the answer to humanity’s fallen and sinful state. Only Christ can heal the spiritual blindness and give true life.

John 3:18 — What does it mean to believe in Jesus Christ? In this sermon on John 3:18 titled “The Nature of Belief,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones explains that it is far more than mere intellectual assent. True belief requires trust in God and His promises. It means trusting that Jesus has died for sins and that His called have been set free from the bondage and dominion of evil. This is the most important truth in the world because it affects not only life in this world, but also in the next. Those who know God will live with Him for eternity in the new heavens and the new earth, but those who reject the message of salvation are guilty of the vilest sin as they have rejected the very Son of God and are already condemned. All who reject God are cast out of His presence because they have broken His law and rejected His salvation. Those who do not believe in the gospel have no hope because God has provided no other way of salvation. It is only by believing upon Jesus Christ that they can be saved and made right with God. This is the gospel that must be proclaimed to a fallen world.

John 3:18 — What is the great need of humanity? It is nothing less than salvation from sin. In this sermon on John 3:18 titled “He That Believeth Not,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones explains that the only hope is proclaimed by the accomplished work of Jesus Christ who came into this world by being born under the law in the likeness of sinful flesh in order to redeem those who were slaves of sin. Jesus is God’s appointed means of salvation for all who believe. God did not send Jesus into the world to condemn the world, but in order that sinners would be saved and brought to a knowledge of the truth. Many people misunderstand this, supposing that God is only a cruel judge who takes delight in destroying the wicked for their sins. Others make the opposite mistake and think He is so loving that He will not require any recompense for evil deeds. So, they suppose that there is no need to be saved and no need for a Savior. These are both terrible misunderstandings of the gospel that is given in Holy Scripture. In Scripture is found God who sent His Son to die in the place of sinners so that all who believe would be inheritors of eternal life and all blessings in Christ.

John 3:17 — In this sermon on John 3:17 titled “Man and His Need of Salvation,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones preaches how the Bible not only tells what the gospel is, but it also tells why the gospel is needed. Often times people jump straight to the message of the gospel without looking at why people need the gospel. God’s word is clear on why Jesus had to come and Scripture tells that humankind loves darkness rather than light, and for this reason the whole world already lies under the judgment of God. But the light of the gospel pierces even the darkest cloud because it tells that despite humanity’s sin, rebellion, and evil, God sent His Son into the world. God so loved the world that He came and died in the place of sinners and rose from the dead so that they might have new life. God has overcome the power of sin and the devil so that all who believe in Jesus are not only restored to their original state of righteousness, but they are made even higher. This sermon calls all to believe in Jesus, repent of sins, and trust Him in order to become children of God, pure and holy. This gospel is truly good news.