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Sermon #5304

Healed From Sin

A Sermon on Jeremiah 17:14-15

Originally preached July 10, 1955

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Scripture

Jeremiah 17:14-15 ESV KJV
Heal me, O LORD, and I shall be healed; save me, and I shall be saved, for you are my praise. Behold, they say to me, “Where is the word of the LORD? Let it come!” (ESV)

Sermon Description

How does one know that they are a Christian? In this sermon on Jeremiah 17:14–15 titled “Healed From Sin,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones addresses the topic of assurance and provides tests of faith for believers to examine themselves. He elaborates that a Christian understands themselves to be not, primarily, a good person but instead a forgiven person. Moreover, the Christian knows that they do not merely do wrong things, but that the root of the issue is that they are diseased to the core and need more than moral reform in order to be free. In fact, what everyone needs is not behavioral change, but heart surgery. Additionally, they knows that they cannot do this surgery themselves; they need God to do the work in their heart. The Christian confesses that they are a sinner in need of a Savior. Therefore if one is a believer, then their only hope and boast are in God. The one who can fix the heart is the only one who is worthy of worship.

Sermon Breakdown

  1. The prophet Jeremiah is addressing the people of Israel with a sense of urgency. The situation has become critical and disaster is imminent unless they repent.
  2. Jeremiah has exhausted every method to plead with and reason with the people. In verses 14 and 15, he sums up the situation. His position is expressed in verse 14 - "Heal me, O Lord, and I shall be healed. Save me and I shall be saved, for thou art my praise." The people's attitude is expressed in verse 15 - "Where is the word of the Lord? Let it come now."
  3. Verses 14 and 15 represent the position of a believer and an unbeliever. Jeremiah shows the contrast between his position of being in touch with God and the rebellious people who reject God.
  4. Jeremiah was thinking primarily of the immediate calamity facing the people. But the story of Israel is a picture of God's dealing with mankind. The deliverance from Egypt illustrates Christian salvation.
  5. Verses 14 and 15 represent a believer who realizes his need for healing and an unbeliever who rejects God. This is the most vital question facing us - what is our relationship with God? Our response to the gospel shows whether we are Christians or not.
  6. The first mark of a Christian is realizing you need healing and salvation. There is no health in us. We are aware of our sin and need deliverance from sin.
  7. Any resentment of the doctrine of sin shows you are not a Christian. The Christian admits sin as a sickness and disease. We are not righteous but evil.
  8. The Christian realizes he cannot heal himself. All human methods fail. He has tried reforming himself but failed. He is helpless without God.
  9. The Christian believes only God can heal him. He accepts God's salvation in Jesus Christ. The cross shows our failure and need for reconciliation to God which only Christ accomplished.
  10. We need new life which only Christ gives. We become new creations with life and power through the Holy Spirit.
  11. God supplies all our needs. He never leaves us. He completes the work He began.
  12. The final test of a Christian is whether God alone is your praise. The Christian gives all glory to God, not himself.

Old Testament

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.