February 1959

In this sermon in a series on Matthew 24:14 titled “The Kingdom of God,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones teaches on what the gospel is, not just what it is not. What is the way of escape that is offered to followers of Jesus and what is the kingdom of God found so often in the gospels? First, the gospel is good news. This good news is about God’s action, not humanity’s, and it is directly related to the kingdom of God. This is the realm in which God rules and reigns in the hearts of people. This kingdom is related to the good news of the gospel because it is a demonstration that God has not given up on humankind, thus becoming a beacon of hope for a lost world. Dr. Lloyd-Jones concludes with addressing God’s relationship to history. First, He is in control of all things. Second, God has acted, and is still acting, throughout history. From the very first pages of Scripture, God’s hand in the movement of history is clear: from the fall of humanity, to His promise to Abraham of a coming ruler, to the cross of Christ. All can trust His control over history because He has faithfully acted in history, keeping His promises, and staying faithful to His character.

Just as children grow up to become adults, so too new believers will grow up in Christ. As Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones describes in the sermon from Romans 6:19 titled “The Infirmity of the Flesh,” Paul uses an illustration. It is rare for Paul to tell a story or use an analogy, but he chose to do so by relating that Christians are now slaves to righteousness instead of slaves to sin. In Romans 6:19, he clarifies by saying, “I speak after the manner of men.” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones points out that this specific verse is Paul explaining why he uses an illustration to make his subject matter simple and clear. Dr. Lloyd-Jones remarks that this should be the only use of illustrations for any teacher or preacher of the Bible. Paul also notes that he only used the illustration so that others would not misunderstand what he was saying. He wants to emphasize that righteousness combines both slavery and freedom: slavery to righteousness but a freedom from the reign of sin. Paul chose to use an illustration because some of his listeners are still children in a sense of Christianity. Dr. Lloyd-Jones goes on to warn that believers should never stay children of the word of God only drinking milk, but instead should constantly be growing and maturing to take in the meat of the gospel.

Opponents of Christianity will say that the gospel is too narrow and that Christians must conform their worldview. How should Christians respond to this charge and the subsequent challenge? In this sermon on Matthew 24:6 titled “The Christian Message and the World,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones preaches through these issues, showing the incompatibilities of the competing worldviews. The world tends to think of people together in groupings. Yet, as Dr. Lloyd-Jones duly notes, Jesus addressed the individual and not the whole. He preached the gospel to all but He was clear in stating that individuals must make decisions themselves about whether or not to accept His offer of forgiveness since they alone will be held responsible for their eternal state. Another area the world falls short in is that it puts care and worry of the body ahead of the soul. Scripture clearly emphasizes that it is useless to gain anything in this life if the soul is lost in the end. Christianity gives its followers hope because they know that this world is not the end due to the offer of salvation made available through Jesus’s death on the cross. The world tries to rob Him of His glory, but He has already won the war.

What does it mean to be a “slave to righteousness”? Paul explains in Romans 6:18 that Christians are no longer slaves to sin and sin has power no longer. Instead, Christians are now slaves to righteousness. In this sermon on Romans 6:18 titled “Servants of Righteousness,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones details several truths that can be drawn from this one verse. He is clear to point out that he is not saying that there is no sin left in the Christian or that they are free from sinful nature or temptations. There is no choice in this matter of sanctification because it starts the moment that the Christian believes. Once they believe, the soul yearns with jealous envy for righteousness because they are drawn to the realm of God instead of the realm of sin. Dr. Lloyd-Jones also warns that many people can have qualities of a Christian but not hold the same doctrines. He mentions that the Pharisees were people like this, creating their own righteousness instead of submitting to God’s righteousness. This practice is ignorant. One does not understand what morality is and needs to lean on the Lord for wisdom. Christians can rejoice that the Lord who began a good work in them will be faithful to complete this work.

Some make the charge that the gospel failed because the world is not a better place. In this sermon from Matthew 24:3–14 titled “The Destruction of the World,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones walks through these questions and how to analyze them from a biblical perspective. First, Scripture never claims that its purpose is to reform the world and make it better. Dr. Lloyd-Jones states that this is a teaching derived from an evolutionary worldview in which everything gradually improves over time. Second, in stark contrast to this evolutionary teaching, Scripture actually claims the opposite—that things will continue to get worse until Jesus returns. Dr. Lloyd-Jones reminds that this is another reason Scripture can be trusted. Unlike false worldviews, the Bible can explain and account for the present realities in the world. Third, Scripture explains why things are the way they are—the lust of the flesh. If one is seeking to change the world, make it a better place, and long to see right prevail over wrong, Dr. Lloyd-Jones has one question: “what is your attitude towards God?” In order for anything to change, people must individually address the state of their own sinful hearts, ask forgiveness for sins, and believe in Jesus Christ—only then can true, lasting change take place.

What is the meaning of life? If history is compared with today, it seems that humanity has been going in circles. Wars continue to occur, evil people are in charge of the nations, crime abounds, and it seems that hope is hard to come by. Many put their hope in modern humanity and the achievements they have accomplished in the technological revolution. Bigger strides in medicine and technology have been made in the past hundred years than in all of human history. In this sermon on Matthew 24:1–2 titled “The Living Temple,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones examines how Jesus shows His disciples that nothing on this earth will last. Jesus correctly prophesied the destruction of the Jewish temple (an architectural feat in itself) to show that the only lasting hope that anyone can have is in Jesus Himself. Dr. Lloyd-Jones reminds that although humanity has had technological innovations, the basic problems still plague humanity. Listeners will learn of the hope that Jesus promises to be, that sins can be forgiven through faith in Him, and people can be granted a life that outlasts this very earth.