Sermons of Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones

Political debates, class warfare, as well as ethnic and religious conflict, seem to dominate the media’s attention. What could an ancient text like Paul’s letter to the Ephesians say to such matters, especially for the people of God? Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones walks through an ancient conflict of Jew and Gentile which mirrors all conflicts, both past and present. While unregenerate people will certainly reject Paul’s diagnosis of divisions and strife between nations, classes, and the sexes, the Christian church cannot. In adhering to the apostolic message, the church will not only be in a position to accurately diagnosis the problem, but by the grace of God, it will see the gospel transform prideful and selfish hearts. This is the key to true reconciliation and unity between all people, Jew or Gentile. Listen as Lloyd-Jones diagnoses the cause of divisions that continue to haunt the human race, and consider the vanity with which the world seeks to remove strife and conflict without considering the condition of the human heart. He speaks to how the gospel alone is the cure to the chaos surrounding our world.

It is through salvation that Christians instantly join the eternal family of Christ. In this sermon on Ephesians 2:10 titled “His Workmanship,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones shows how redeemed men and women now live new lives that are marked by the work of Christ in their hearts. This continual work in the life of believers is what is commonly called sanctification. Dr. Lloyd-Jones proclaims that part of salvation is that all who are truly regenerated are continually formed and fashioned in holiness so that they imitate Christ. God uses many means to conform Christians to the image of Christ, but one of the main ones is the chastisements of God. When believers fall into sin, God brings rebuke and correction into their life as a good father would. This is both a great comfort and reassurance of salvation, for all whom are truly saved are sons and daughters of God and treated as such. Those who claim that one can be saved yet not be sanctified grossly misunderstand the Scriptures’ teaching. From start to finish, all of salvation is under the control of God. For this reason, God works so that those whom He saved will be brought to fulfillment through sanctification and glorification.

God uses the salvation of guilty and rebellious sinners as a means to bring glory and honor to His name. In this sermon on Ephesians 2:7 titled “The Exceeding Riches of His Grace,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones brings this convicting truth as he speaks of God’s Son Jesus Christ who died a cruel and torturous death as a criminal upon a cross. He did not do this so that the world would be a more comfortable place to live or so that people would become more moral. He did this to redeem a people to the praise of God the Father. The sin He died to overcome was far more than a simple social phenomenon; it was rebellion against God the Creator. And this world He came to set free from sin was not simply a world that had problems, but it was ruled by the devil, the god of this world. All of creation looked forward to this great act of redemption. From the creation of the world to God allowing the fall, it all finds its meaning in Jesus Christ and His vicarious death on the cross. Because this salvation is of God and wholly by grace, those who receive it can never fall away. For all who God saves, He will bring to perfection on the last day when He returns.

Salvation is the result of God’s grace alone. In this sermon on Ephesians 2:8–10 titled “ By Grace Through Faith,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones preaches that no one is saved by anything they do or any merits they earn, but it is wholly the result of grace. For in their sin, no one is able to do anything pleasing to God nor able to even believe the good news of the gospel without the work of the Holy Spirit giving them a new heart. This is contrary to what many have believed and taught throughout the centuries. Some say that grace is good but not sufficient to save, whereas some have gone as far as saying that by the works of the law alone people can be saved and made right with God. But the apostle Paul clearly denies any such teaching in his insistence on the power of God’s grace alone. For through grace God gives people the gift of faith. It is faith that is the instrumental cause of justification and by it believers are united to Christ and receive the benefits of His life, death, and resurrection. Listen as Dr. Lloyd-Jones explains this great doctrine of justification by faith alone that is the very heart of Christianity and without it there is no true gospel.

There is true hope in Christ. One of the most comforting and practical teachings of Scripture is that all who are united to Christ in faith have been seated with Him in the heavens. But what does it mean to be seated in the heavenly places? In this sermon on Ephesians 2:4–7 titled “In the Heavenly Places,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones brings this great news of hope with the reminder that the Christian has been delivered from this present evil world and its coming judgement because of the death and resurrection of Christ Jesus. For this reason, Christians should seek to set their minds not on earthly and carnal things, but in that which is heavenly and good. Christians should put their hope with Christ who has died in their place and ascended to heaven where He rules. This does not mean that the Christian has no obligation to do good while on this earth, but it simply means that they should be as pilgrims who are always looking toward the inheritance with Christ Jesus in heaven. This affects how Christians are to conduct themselves, for they should seek what is good, pure, and holy, fleeing from all worldliness and immorality. They should not be like the unbeliever who in their worldliness cares for nothing but what is present in the here and now. The Christian should always seek the heavenly inheritance that they have in Christ by believing in His gospel.