From the MLJ Archive

Is the secret rapture of the church a true biblical teaching? In this sermon, Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones focuses on Daniel 9 as a passage frequently used in the discussion of the end-times, yet the language it employs is often mysterious and open to debate over its meaning. At the center of the debates are verses 24–27 which refer to various weeks that the events will fall on. Some interpret these events as still awaiting fulfillment, but Dr. Lloyd-Jones makes his case for why he believes the events to have been fulfilled with the life of Jesus Christ, the destruction of the temple, and defeat of the Jewish people in 70 A.D. Dr. Lloyd-Jones also provides a commentary on a topic that has been steadily gaining traction in evangelical circles: the rapture of Christians. He posits that many people are surprised to learn that this theological idea is not commonly found until after the 1800s. How should Christians approach this topic? Listen to this sermon as Dr. Lloyd-Jones provides an alternative view of Daniel 9, and a biblical foundation for understanding the idea of an end-times rapture of the global church.

When will Jesus return? Daniel 9 is vital to the Christian understanding of events. However, due to its difficult nature, many Christians interpret it incorrectly or stay away from it all-together. Yet, God placed it in His word for a reason. In this sermon titled “The Interpretation of Daniel 9,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones begins with a reminder of the godly people who have disagreed widely on interpretation regarding passages like Daniel 9, encouraging the listener to avoid being overly dogmatic regarding the subject. Regardless of opinion, Daniel 9 is about what God has determined regarding a chosen people. One of the most well-known sections in this chapter refers to “70 weeks,” a timeline regarding when the events at the end of time will happen. Are these literal weeks? If not, what do they represent? Why are they divided up, and will Christians leave in the midst of them? Dr. Lloyd-Jones makes his argument for which period he believes the listeners are living in, as well as identifying the purposes these “weeks” serve.

The world will end one day. It is more than a movie plot; it is God’s plan. But what happens? Will all of Israel be saved? Will Jesus come at any time, or are there signs that will precede His coming? In this sermon on God’s plan for the Jews, Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones begins with a warning against being overly-dogmatic on views of the end times since Scripture itself is so vague about what specifically will happen. Many of the passages and books in the Bible regarding the end times and the second coming of Jesus can be confusing, and Paul’s statement in Romans 11:26 that “all Israel will be saved” falls into such a category. How should Christians approach this verse and God’s plan for the Jews? Dr. Lloyd-Jones takes the listener through three main views regarding this verse and gracefully demonstrates from Scripture which view is the closest aligned to biblical teaching, centering his argument around another of Paul’s verses where he writes that there is a spiritual Israel distinct from those who are Israelites by blood. In other words, God’s promises here are referring to His spiritual Israel, those who are God’s people and thus Israelites by heart. Dr. Lloyd-Jones tackles this subject and more in this helpful sermon regarding the Jews and the promises made to them.

Predictions of when Christ will return seem to take place every year, but what are the biblical signs of the second coming of the Lord Jesus Christ? Does Scripture even allow the opportunity of discerning precisely when He will return again? In this sermon on the timing of Christ's return, Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones answers these questions and more, contending that it is useless for Christians to debate the exact date and time of His coming since Jesus promised that only God the Father knew. Dr. Lloyd-Jones takes the listener through a helpful history of these questions that begins with the apostles since many have argued that they expected Jesus to return again in their lifetime. In addition to this view of the apostles, Dr. Lloyd-Jones also gives a brief overview of several other alternate stances on this subject. According to Scripture, Dr. Lloyd-Jones teaches, there are two signs that precede the second coming of Christ—the calling of the Gentiles and the gathering in of the fullness of Israel. He skillfully explains from a biblical standpoint what these mean, providing the listener with clarity that is often missing when studying this topic. This is a helpful sermon for anyone currently confused about how to interpret the biblical prophecies regarding the Lord’s second coming.

When will Jesus return and how will anyone recognize the second coming of Christ? In this sermon on the Second Coming, Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones preaches a message on the second coming of Jesus Christ. There is much confusion over what the second coming refers to, and some argue about its timing. Did the second coming happen at Pentecost? Did it happen when the temple was destroyed in AD 70 or will it happen in the future? The coming of Christ is a topic all throughout Scripture—some have said that one in every thirteen verses refer to this, with those referring to His second coming being eight times more frequent than those about His birth. Why is it so important to understand this doctrine? Dr. Lloyd-Jones explains that this doctrine is one of the most important for the church, especially since it was used by Paul and the other early apostles to encourage Christians to persevere in the face of persecution. However, Dr. Lloyd-Jones also issues a warning to those who undertake a study of this subject—to take topics in Scripture that are unclear and make them requirements to be a Christian is to abuse the word of God. Listen as Dr. Lloyd-Jones teaches on the second coming of Christ and addresses issues that arise when studying this topic.

What happens between death and the final resurrection, the so-called “intermediate state”? In this sermon on “The Intermediate State,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones presents and explains several views on the intermediate state. Some propose that souls sleep until Jesus comes again; some argue that the dead reside in Abraham’s bosom or a place of suffering until the final judgment; others argue that only those who have eternal life with God will even exist eternally, a view called conditional mortality. But what does the Bible say? Dr. Lloyd-Jones presents a biblical case for why both believers and unbelievers will live eternally, either with God or apart from Him forever in suffering. Many people are troubled by this thought—how could a loving God cause and allow people to suffer forever? “Surely,” they say, “those who die will have another chance to be saved after they die.” Dr. Lloyd-Jones answers these questions firmly but biblically, reminding the listener that one must not allow one’s own idea of justice and love to influence how they look at and interpret Scripture. One’s eternal destiny is decided by their choice to repent or rebel in this life.

Everyone lives forever. But what happens and how does it happen? For many years, people had lost curiosity about the study of these questions because the world was so comfortable. And then World Wars I and II occurred, shattering people’s confidence and security in the things the world had to offer. Everything was uncertain, and thus, interest in studying these topics was revived. In this sermon titled “Death and Immortality,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones discusses death as a fruitful means of evangelism because it forces people to face questions of eternal importance. Oftentimes, the Lord used the fear of death to prompt people to examine their hearts. Death is not the end of existence, but simply the separation of the body from the soul. Death exists simply because sin entered the world— it is a natural consequence of disobeying God. Even though Christians are saved from eternal death of the soul, Dr. Lloyd-Jones explains why Christians still suffer and die. Even though they experience death, believers can have a vastly different outlook on it because they have been saved from eternal death through faith in Jesus Christ.

Jesus Christ is the leader of the church. In this sermon on the government of the church, Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones delves into the practical aspects of why and how Christ created and leads His church. Dr. Lloyd-Jones explains that a church exists to preach the word, for the upbuilding of the saints and the strengthening of faith, for evangelism, for administration of the sacraments, and for the exercise of discipline. This last characteristic is key and most often overlooked by Christians. The global church suffers due to not exercising discipline. Church discipline is commanded for those who call themselves Christians and yet live or teach contrary to Scripture. The apostle Paul repeated this command, warning that a church entangled in the ways and thoughts of the world will not be a channel through which the Holy Spirit works. Dr. Lloyd-Jones surveys various views on church governance, including the Presbyterian and Catholic views. Choosing a biblical church is an incredibly important part of being a Christian, and this sermon by Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones helps educate believers on certain traits to look for in biblical churches.

Why is the church so important and is it really necessary for the Christian’s personal walk with Christ? Many Christians throughout history have minimized the church and it continues today. Is the kingdom of God the same thing as the church? According to Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones in this sermon titled “The Doctrine of the Church,” most problems flow from not taking the church seriously. The answers start by learning how “church” is used in Scripture. Dr. Lloyd-Jones explains that the church is a visible expression of the kingdom of God, yet it is not the kingdom in all its fullness. All Christians are part of the worldwide church. Dr. Lloyd-Jones shares that it is impossible to be a Christian and not be part of the global church. In the Scriptures, church almost always refers to a local body of believers, and it means “called out ones.” But not everything that calls itself a church is truly a redeemed congregation. It is these individual bodies and individual Christians all over the world that make up the global church. Christians have been called out of the world into the global church and kingdom of God, and this has massive consequences for the Christian life. Listen as Dr. Lloyd-Jones helps the listener understand how to live as an important part of the church and why this is important.

What are spiritual gifts and how does a Christian determine their spiritual gift? In this sermon on spiritual gifts, Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones takes the listener through this topic as he preaches on Scripture’s teachings regarding spiritual gifts. These are extraordinary powers that separate Christians from one another and enable them to serve effectively in different ways across the church. Spiritual gifts are not a blessing that some Christians receive— they are promised to all believers. One myth is that the ability of one’s gift is related to its possessor’s spiritual maturity. Dr. Lloyd-Jones takes great pains to dispel this myth and to show that not only do the gifts differ widely from each other, but that they are not determined by the level of one’s spirituality. Theologians for centuries have argued over which gifts were only for the early church, which gifts exist in the church across its existence, and even if any spiritual gifts are still in existence today. Dr. Lloyd-Jones provides a helpful commentary and discussion on these questions, showing the difference between natural gifts and supernatural gifts. What about the unforgivable sin of blaspheming the Holy Spirit? Listen carefully as he unwraps this and more in this sermon on the Holy Spirit and His spiritual gifts to the church.