John — Chapter 8

Will the world ever be free from evil? In this sermon on the light of the world from John 8:9–12, Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones shows that the darkness of the world can only be overcome by Christ, who is the true light of the world. By His death, burial, and resurrection, He overcame the power of sin and the devil. Evil can never be overcome by worldly philosophies or wandering religions that reject the God who created everyone. There is only one way of salvation. Many people find this message offensive and backwards, saying that humanity is ever-evolving and progressing to higher levels of morality and sophistication. Yet Dr. Lloyd-Jones argues that this is in direct contradiction to both Scripture and the history of the world. Scripture says that all are born is sinful rebellion, looking only to themselves for guidance. The gospel brings hope and forgiveness, peace and renewal. It tells not that the world is getting better because people are getting better, but that Christ saves sinners who cannot save themselves.

Over the course of civilization, humankind has diagnosed its problems many different ways. Some generations have determined that poverty is the great motivator of crime. In other generations, ignorance was the culprit. The world has, therefore, gone from one false hope to another. At one time it says “education will be our savior” and at other times “riches will free us from crime.” What these nearsighted solutions cannot comprehend is that humankind’s main problem is an ignorance of God. In this sermon on John 8:12 titled “The Only Light,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones elaborates and says that the main problem is a lack of knowledge of God, regardless of whether one is a prostitute or a philosopher. From here he shows his audience how Jesus the Messiah is the ultimate revelation of God to humankind. It is for this reason, Dr. Lloyd-Jones explains, that Jesus is called the light of the world. He shines true knowledge of God on the world, which cannot know God apart from God’s revelation. Jesus had compassion on the crowds and on the lost. Similarly, the Christian should likewise have this burden for unbelievers: that they are sheep without a shepherd, that without hearing the gospel of Christ they will have no saving-knowledge of God.

In this sermon on John 8:12 titled “Children of the Light,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones addresses one of the problems that haunts the human race, namely a lack of knowledge of self. Throughout time, humankind has had many opinions of what constitutes a human. At times, civilization has regarded humankind as being nothing more than animals that engage in all sorts of passions, hungers, and lusts. At other times, humankind has concerned itself solely with the biological, believing people are slaves to their biology. Contrary to these ideas, Dr. Lloyd-Jones clarifies that every human being is made in the image of God and is a soul of inestimable value that will one day face a judgement of eternal consequence. The outcome of the soul is worth more than the whole world. Jesus said, “What will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul?” Dr. Lloyd-Jones elaborates that the time of decision is not later, but now. Everyone will die and face judgement. Seek God at a time when He may be found. Those who receive Christ are no longer in darkness but are called children of light and have a saving-knowledge of God through Jesus.

In this sermon on John 8:12 titled “The Need of Man Revealed,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones addresses the greatest need of humankind, namely, how anyone can be forgiven. How can humankind be reconciled to God? God is a righteous and just God who will not allow sin to reign forever. He will punish sin. Dr. Lloyd-Jones illustrates that the sole hope for anyone is entirely in Christ alone. Jesus is the Lamb of God. He is a spotless sacrifice, and He offered Himself up to satisfy God’s divine justice. Dr. Lloyd-Jones makes a sharp distinction here: Jesus did not come, primarily, to give an example. Rather He came to sacrifice Himself, to make atonement free to all who would believe. Just as a sacrificial lamb’s purpose is to cover sin, the Lamb of God purposed to save sinners from wrath. Dr. Lloyd-Jones jubilantly portrays the beauty of the gospel and the refrain of Scripture is that without blood there is no remission of sin.

Why does humanity love sin? In this sermon on John 8:12 titled “A Life of Darkness,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones explains the fallen nature that is captivated and controlled by sin. This sinful nature is ever present and resides within every human. It controls everyone’s heart, mind, and will. The modern humanist who attempts to save by education and moral teaching is doomed to fail; not because these are not good things, but because they do not take account for the fundamentally fallen state of the human soul. This sinful principle is why there is so much darkness and suffering in the world, and it explains why the experience of sin is universal and common to all humankind. But God has acted in time and history to bring humanity out of this wretched state by sending His only Son to achieve salvation for all who repent and believe in the gospel of Jesus Christ. Those who receive salvation are not only adopted into the family of God and made right, but they are also given a new nature that is free from sin and depravity. They are free to love God and neighbor because the truth of God has radically transformed and reoriented their every desire and thought.

In this sermon on John 8:12 Dr Martyn Lloyd-Jones continues his series on darkness and light.

John 8:13 titled “Man and His Unbelief,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones addresses the unbelief of the Pharisees when they questioned Jesus. He elaborates that whenever Jesus made big claims, the Pharisees would interrogate Him on small matters of theology and the law. They would hold fast to their understanding of the law and miss seeing the Messiah altogether. Moreover, Dr. Lloyd-Jones shows that these kinds of accounts are included in Scripture to reveal unbelief and shed light on the common sins that plague this world. Dr. Lloyd-Jones says that every generation claims to have the solution to sin and suffering while simultaneously shutting out the possibility of God revealing Himself through His word and through His Son. Finally, Dr. Lloyd-Jones brings his discourse to address his audience: “Do you believe? Do you know that your sin must be dealt with? Do you believe that Christ can make the vilest sinner clean? Do you know your need of Him?” He encourages the listener to waste no more time in unbelief and sin, but to hasten to Christ and live.

Every eye will see Him. Both believers and unbelievers will be brought before the judgement seat of God. In this sermon on John 8:28 titled “The Death of Christ,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones discusses the death of Christ and its implications for humanity. The Jews rejected Jesus and thought that Jesus’s death would be the end of the matter. However, as Dr. Lloyd-Jones points out, their execution of Jesus would neither be the end of Jesus nor the end of their relationship with Him. In fact, His death would lead to His ascension to the right hand of God and the empowerment of His followers through the sending of the Holy Spirit. Moreover, those who wanted to be rid of Jesus would come face to face with their rejected Messiah at judgement day. Dr. Lloyd-Jones also points out that the divine character of Jesus became more clear to many after Jesus’s death. Dr. Lloyd-Jones pleads that the listener would behold Christ now while there is still time, rather than waiting until judgement day when it will be too late. Every person will one day see Him as the true Messiah and divine King. That day will be of infinite joy to His church and of incomprehensible sorrow for the unbelieving world.

There is no higher goal in life than to know God. But how can sinful humans ever hope of having a true relationship with the Creator of all things? In this sermon on John 8:19 titled “Do You Know God?” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones says the answer is found in Jesus alone. Fallen sinners can only come to God through His Son. Only by believing in Him as their Savior and Lord can they be freed from sin and adopted into the family of God as heirs. Knowledge of God is exclusive, for it comes only through knowing Jesus Christ and becoming His disciple. The Bible is clear that God has only made salvation possible through Jesus Christ. He is the only one who has suffered and died for sinners, and He is the only one who has been resurrected for the salvation of sinners. This sermon proclaims the timeless truth that all are in need of a Savior and that God has provided a Savior in His Son. This message is a call to all to believe and repent of their sins. It is a call to come to Jesus so that they might know God.

What is the most important question anyone can ask? Christianity says that it is the question of how all will die. This is not the question of what way will they die, but it is the question of the state of the soul when they die. In this sermon on John 8:21–24 titled “Two Ways of Dying,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones explains how many simply wonder if they will die rich or poor, lonely or surrounded by friends, in war or peace. Yet, while these may be important questions, the most important is whether or not one is right with God. Jesus teaches that all who die in their sins and apart from Him will be condemned. While many may believe that they will continue to exist after they die, this is still wrong if it does not include the Bible’s teaching in the final judgment, resurrection of the dead, and necessity of believing the gospel. What, then, is the right way to die? Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones says that the only way to die in peace is to believe that Jesus is who He says He is, and that He has done what He has said He will. It is to believe that Jesus is the only savior of the world and that He has redeemed all those that believe in Him.