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The Nature of Sealing

Ephesians 1:13

The timing of the sealing of the Holy Spirit is a contested topic. It is a topic that raises many other questions. One could be tempted to ignore the subject or teach it in such a way as to minimize the difficulties with the doctrine. In this sermon on Ephesians 1:13 titled “The Nature of Sealing,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones thoughtfully engages this topic and the difficult questions head on. One cannot ignore the teaching of Holy Scripture but instead must carefully examine the Bible and conform their lives according to it. By looking at the teaching of the New Testament on the work of the Holy Spirit and invoking great theologians and pastors of the church, Dr. Lloyd-Jones says one must emphasize the experimental aspect of the sealing of Holy Spirit that occurs after belief in the gospel. He challenges the people of God to consider whether they have experienced the sealing of the Spirit. Is there an unmistakable experience that has occurred, resulting in a great assurance, joy in Christ, or love for God deep within their hearts? Dr. Lloyd-Jones cautions distinguishing between the sealing of the Spirit and particular gifts of the Holy Spirit that may or may not come as He dispenses gifts as He sees fit.

The Hope of His Calling

Ephesians 1:18

Christians can often feel distant from God. What is their response when coldness towards spiritual matters creeps into their heart? Does their assurance waver? How can they have a steady anchor for their Christian life? Rather than wait for another experience, the prayer of the apostle Paul for Christians is that they may know the hope of their calling. This is not a general hopefulness, but hope in God. More specifically, hope in God’s calling of them. This will have a profound effect on the assurance says Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones. In this sermon on Ephesians 1:18 titled “The Hope of His Calling,” Dr. Lloyd-Jones expounds this great prayer of Paul and carefully navigates between the general call of God in the gospel for all and the effectual call of the Holy Spirit for believers. To find assurance, one must look to the covenant-keeping God and Scripture. The Christian must look to the God in whom there is no variation or change, to the Father who will keep His children by His grace until the very end. Dr. Lloyd-Jones challenges Christians to consider these wonderful truths of Scripture and pray this for themselves.

Spiritism

Ephesians 6:10-13

Christianity is often rejected by people in western society who posit themselves as too sophisticated for the backwards beliefs of the Christian faith. Yet, there is undoubtedly a rise in contemporary culture in occult activity like astrology, black magic, divination, and spiritism. In the West there is a reversion back to a pre-Reformation, and even pre-Christian, bondage to demonic powers. How is one to think about these phenomena? Why should Christians even attempt to deal with this unusual topic at all? In this sermon on Ephesians 6:10–13 titled “Spiritism,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones looks across Scripture to help the listener understand the general activity, as well as the particular operations of evil and malevolent spiritual forces in the world. This sermon on demonology helpfully classifies the outworking of occult activity in its ancient and modern forms. Dr. Lloyd-Jones’s interest in the topic, however, is not merely an attempt to satisfy an intellectual curiosity. Christians must know about these things in order to understand their Bibles, reach the nations that are influenced by demonic powers, and equip the church with the ability to test the spirits rather than continue in ignorance.

Activities and Life

Ephesians 4:14-16

It is a grave error to think that Christian unity is primarily concerned with denominations and social gatherings. In this sermon on Ephesians 4:14–16 titled “Activities and Life,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones proclaims that this misses the main point of Christian unity found in the Bible. Because the unity of faith is concerned with those who have been saved and adopted into the family of God, each and every believer is a part of the body with Christ Jesus as the head. When the church fails to understand this and thinks of itself as an institution or other social organization, it loses sight of its mission and calling as God’s people. Or, as Dr. Lloyd-Jones continues, when unity is thought of as everybody belonging to one church or denomination, correct doctrine and biblical faithfulness is inevitably minimized so that the church can have the appearance of being something that God never intended it to be. This is the great danger of many ecumenical movements that do not care about the truth as long as they can get many Christians to say that they are a part of the same church. The biblical answer lies in the correct understanding of the church as unified in the body of Christ, because it has been redeemed by His blood and sanctified by His Spirit.

Heard. Believed. Trusted

Ephesians 1:11-14

Does the sovereignty of God minimize the responsibility of humanity? Reformed theology is often caricaturized by insisting it promotes a world where people lack true humanity. God’s work in salvation is said to be in contradiction to human responsibility of proclaiming the gospel and the sinner believing the gospel. But that is not Reformed theology, says Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones. A fundamental truth is lacking in this common objection. While it is absolutely God’s work, He uses means to accomplish His work. In this sermon on Ephesians 1:11–14 titled “Heard. Believed. Trusted,” Dr. Lloyd-Jones reminds the listener of these means that are always constant as God is working. If these means are not present, then a person cannot become a Christian. They are necessary for the sinner to move from being under the wrath of God to being in Christ. Listen as Dr. Lloyd-Jones carefully works through God’s Word and teaches on this extremely important subject. Whether the listener is a faithful Christian who desires to better understand the relationship between evangelism and the work of God or a skeptic of Reformed theology, Dr. Lloyd-Jones will assist in explaining this important truth of Scripture.

Two Mysteries - Jew; Gentile

Ephesians 3:2-7

True unity can exist within the church. Since Christians are fellow heirs, members of the same body, and partakers of the promise, harmony can be found between Jew and Gentile. In this sermon on Ephesians 3:2–7 titled “Two Mysteries – Jew, Gentile,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones discusses the general mystery of Christ that is the glorious story of the gospel and the particular mystery of the Gentiles now being fellow heirs, members of the same body, and partakers of the promise just as the Jews. Dr. Lloyd-Jones stresses here the importance that there now is no difference as to membership in the family of God between Jews and Gentiles. There is no longer a need for a Gentile to become a Jewish proselyte since they are now members of the same body. This is important because this mystery had not always been known to the people of God. Paul, here in this text, is pointing out that this mystery has now been revealed and Jew and Gentile are members of the same body. Amidst this glorious message of salvation Dr. Lloyd-Jones also takes time to address a particular fallacy that is believed by some regarding this text and the biblical evidence against it.

Spiritism and the Christian

Ephesians 6:10-13

Do not tinker with demons! In this sermon on Ephesians 6:10–13 titled “Spiritism and the Christian,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones addresses the topic of spiritualism and the use of mediums. He says that while the Bible never denies the existence of spirits and other powers, it nevertheless condemns the use of these spirits to commune with the dead and divine the future. He uses the example of Saul and the witch of Endor as an example of the pagan spiritism that God’s word unequivocally condemns. It is only out of a spirit of unbelief that people are tempted to turn away from God and try to consult the dead. This reliance on unholy demonic powers is a fundamental denial of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit and His loving providence over the entire world. It is only when people reject God that they turn to pagan idolatry. Furthermore, some have argued that the Bible, particularly the ministry of Jesus, is compatible with spiritualism. Dr. Lloyd-Jones states that to do so is to reject the clear teachings of the gospel that it is the Holy Spirit and the power of God that empowers the ministry of Jesus, not so-called spirits and medians. Only the true power of God can preserve and lead to all truth and righteousness.

Riches of His Inheritance

Ephesians 1:18

There are common objections to Christianity. Christianity is only for the weak. It is of no consequence today because it does not care about what is happening in the “real” world. Christianity is a waste of time because it is caught-up in other-worldly matters. These objections are as common today as they were in Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones’s day. In this sermon on inheritance from Ephesians 1:18 titled “Riches of His Inheritance,” Dr. Lloyd-Jones meets the objections head on and points to the reality that the Bible does call Christians to fix their minds on the world to come. What is important is that this is a good thing for this world. Looking to the list of faithful men and women of Scripture and of history, Dr. Lloyd-Jones argues that the ones who did the most for this world had their eyes set on the world to come. The greatest benefactors of this world are those men and women of God who were concerned about the inheritance of the saints. If humanity forgets the next world, everything goes wrong for this world. To be uninterested in the glory to be revealed in heaven is to be unlike the Lord Jesus Christ himself. The Christian must be fixed on the glory to come when they will be with God.

The Only Authority

Ephesians 6:14

Modern teaching says that what a person believes matters little if they live a good life. In this sermon on Ephesians 6:14 titled “The Only Authority,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones shares that this attitude is the exact opposite of the exhortation from the apostle Paul to “put on” truth. Dr. Lloyd-Jones boldly proclaims that putting on truth will put the Christian at odds with the world. Doctrine will divide while the world will fight to put unity above truth. Paul said that the Christian must hold on to truth, for without it they are already spiritually defeated. The great question today is the question of authority. Modern authority is human reason based upon modern knowledge but that is inadequate. Human minds are too finite to be trusted as ultimate authority. Authority cannot be based upon feelings either because they are so variable and unreliable. It also cannot be the pragmatic test of what makes one feel better or live better. That is entirely subjective. Authority cannot be reason or feeling. The Christian must preach the gospel faithfully to warn people and to bring them to the knowledge of truth as it is in Christ Jesus.

The Wiles of the Devil

Ephesians 4:14

The writers of the New Testament often warn the early church of the threat of false teachers and prophets. In this sermon on Ephesians 4:14 titled “The Wiles of the Devil,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones explains how these people use lies and false teachings to benefit themselves and gain control over others in the church. These false teachers have been present throughout the history of the church, and are very much active and prominent in modern days. They are crafty in their deceit and, as Dr. Lloyd-Jones warns, they often target younger believers in the faith to try to convince them of their errors and to join their movement. Because of how deceitful false teachers are, Paul often warns the church to flee from their deceit and to be built up in the true faith of Christ Jesus. Dr. Lloyd-Jones says that to truly counter false teaching, the church must emphasize both the truth of God’s word as well as the various false teachings that corrupt and twist the Bible. Preachers and ministers should not be afraid to follow the examples of the apostles to attack false teaching and expose the danger that it is to the church.

Parts of the Whole

Ephesians 2:20-22

If an employee of a company decides that they are not going to consider the good of the company when making decisions, the employee is not going to last long. In humanity’s natural state, this selfish attitude will invade all of life. How can the church be different? In this sermon on Ephesians 2:20–22 titled “Parts of the Whole,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones examines the startling reality of unity and diversity in the church because of the work of the Holy Spirit. The church is composed of many different stones and Dr. Lloyd-Jones asserts that it is the job of each stone to think of itself in relation to the rest of the building. He argues that many people are not grounded enough in their identity as a member of the church and tend to be too subjective. Also, many become selfish and claim aspects of the church (such as ministries, churches, and denominations) as their own, rather than focusing on serving for the glory of Christ. Each stone has a specific part to play in the wall, not with meaningless activity, but serving in whatever way God calls them to serve. Also, Dr. Lloyd-Jones notes that a dangerous mistake is when people start “doing without being.”

Putting on the New Man

Ephesians 4:25

What does it mean to “put on the new man”? What is the role of truth in the life of a believer? In this sermon on Ephesians 4:25, Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones expounds on these points and more. Dr Lloyd-Jones emphasizes that the truth must always be applied — learning is useless if one does nothing with it. The Christian faith and teaching affect every area of life in every detail. Ultimately, the Christian walk should not be separate from the other aspects of life; they are to be interwoven. God gives his commandments to be followed, and as a good Father, he gives reasons why. First, Jesus’ sacrifice is reason enough to follow all his commands. Second, as Dr. Lloyd-Jones says, the Christian system of belief is for all people, even those the world and pagan religions regard as poor and unimportant. Third, Dr. Lloyd-Jones brings attention to the far reach that Christianity has into the lives of its followers. Going further than merely being a part of every aspect of someone’s life, Christianity addresses foundational issues rather than just outward behavior.

The Husband's Duties

Ephesians 5:25-33

What is the duty of a Christian husband? The duty of the husband in the Christian marriage is to build up his wife in the love of Christ. In this sermon on the command “husbands, love your wives” from Ephesians 5:25–33, Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones confronts the fact that many Christians never think through the nature of a Christian marriage. Instead they simply adopt whatever is popular in culture at the time. The apostle Paul gives a conception of marriage that is understood in the beautiful metaphor of Christ and His church. From this is seen that the husband’s duties in the marriage is one of great significance and importance. As the head of his wife, the husband is to imitate Christ in His love of the church. There is a high calling, for this is a great privilege and responsibility for the husband. The husband is to live with his wife as his other half, not simply another relationship in his life. This is completely unique to the marriage relationship and demands the highest priority and care. It is the husband’s responsibility to put his wife above all others and to lead her in love and a spirit of gentleness. He is to help her love God and Christ Jesus more by having loving care and leadership in the marriage.

Worry and Anxiety

Ephesians 6:10-13

What brings a Christian to a place of worry and anxiety? How does one fight the discouragement that is brought about when one becomes anxious for the future? In this sermon on worry and anxiety from Ephesians 6:10–13, Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones begins to tackle these questions and addresses the way that the devil incapacitates believers through worry. Drawing from the story of Martha in the New Testament, Dr. Lloyd-Jones reminds listeners that the devil desires to overwhelm Christians with good responsibilities, effectively preventing followers of Christ from meditating on the spiritual. Yet the Christian should not be out of control in this way. Drawing from several common worries, such as wellness and the future, Dr. Lloyd-Jones addresses the fact that good things were never meant to be at the center of one’s life. The way in which to fight the enemy when one is tempted to grow anxious is to declare the truth: that God has never failed His people and the Christian’s future rests secure in His hands. Dr. Lloyd-Jones concludes by offering this relief of stress to the Christian: leave the future in the hands of a loving God, and allow Him to lead through His will.

Discouragement

Ephesians 6:10-13

The devil uses multiple tactics in order to discourage God’s people from being useful for kingdom work. In this sermon on Ephesians 6:10–13 titled “Discouragement,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones discusses how discouragement cripples the life of the Christian and how God has equipped His people to fight against this attack in His word. Dr. Lloyd-Jones addresses the difference between self-evaluation and introspection, which is looking to oneself for their worth and value. Dr. Lloyd-Jones combats this by stating that what makes a person a Christian is not anything that they will find within, but simply through the blood of the Savior. Christian assurance can never come from oneself; this will only breed discouragement. The Christian must instead combat their own doubts and discouragement with thankfulness over what Christ has already accomplished. This is a truth that should demand action from the Christian, saturating every aspect of their life and ministry. Listen as Dr. Lloyd-Jones presents the hope that can be found in the midst of a discouraging world and the friend the Christian has in Jesus; a friend who is no stranger to the hurdles Christian’s face.

Revival

Ephesians 4:4-6

Many Christians today are praying for revival. What is it and what is the role of the Holy Spirit in it? Is revival something that is predictable? In this sermon from Ephesians 4:4–6 titled “Revival,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones tackles these questions and more. “The one supreme need of the church,” Dr. Lloyd-Jones says, “is revival.” It is its only hope. He defines revival as the repetition (to some degree) of what happened at Pentecost, where the Holy Spirit fell on a number of people at the same time. According to Dr. Lloyd-Jones, revival serves two purposes: it raises the church to a new level of experience and it brings those outside the church to repentance. Many Christians are wary of deep emotions in their Christian walk, and thus are somewhat afraid of revival. But is this biblical? In addition to walking through biblical support for revival, Dr. Lloyd-Jones reminds that “the history of the church is a history of revivals.” What does the history of revivals teach? Ultimately, it shows that they are a work of God, not of humanity, and that it is the responsibility of Christians to pray earnestly for them. Listen as Dr. Lloyd-Jones answers common questions related to revival and its place in the life of the church.

The Indwelling Christ

Ephesians 3:17

All Christians should seek to know and love God more. In this sermon on Ephesians 3:17 titled “The Indwelling Christ,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones says that part of this pursuit is what he refers to as the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. This indwelling should be thought of differently from the sealing of the Holy Spirit that all believers experience when they are saved and regenerated. This experience of the indwelling of Christ is one that comes when Christians seek to cultivate deep and abiding love for Christ and his word. It is not a one-time experience or action, but it should continue throughout the life of all believers. This relationship can be thought of as a mystical union whereby Christ and the believer are united in a special and mysterious way. This is an objective experience that is not simply emotional, but it is born out of a real knowledge of who Christ is and what He has done in His death. Dr. Lloyd-Jones cautions that this great truth should not promote feelings of spiritual superiority in believers, but it should strengthen all believers in their pursuit of Christ in this life. This is not a special experience reserved for the spiritual elite, but it is something that all Christians can experience by the power of the Holy Spirit.

The Drama of Redemption

Ephesians 4:9-10

In this sermon on Ephesians 4:9–10 titled “The Drama of Redemption,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones addresses this difficult passage with the reference to Christ descending below. After mentioning various interpretations of this passage (Christ descending to hell after His death or going to Sheol), Dr. Lloyd-Jones comes to the conclusion that this speaks of Christ’s descent as His coming down to Earth as a man. He did this in order to die on the cross so that all who believed might be saved and come to a true and saving knowledge of God. But to die as a man He had to come down from heaven, be born as a baby, and live as a true human being. Christ did not simply appear to be a man, but the Son of God hid His glory by taking on a true human nature and dying a cruel death upon a cross. It is this sacrificial death that stands at the very heart of true Christianity. If Christ did not die as a man, then there is no salvation for anyone, and all are still in sin. But God’s word tells that Christ truly died so that all may have everlasting life with Him.

The Church and the World

Ephesians 4:13

What is the church’s role in the world? In an environment that is becoming increasingly secularized, how should the body of believers see itself when thinking about how to share Christ with the world? In this sermon on Ephesians 4:13 titled “The Church and the World,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones teaches on this vitally important subject. Scripture communicates eternal truth; it is relevant for every point of one’s life—right down to the small details. A big failure of the church today, he says, is that it does not speak with authority on issues Scripture addresses. Instead of taking commands from the Bible, many believers derive them from their own philosophizing— in this way, they fail to proclaim the message of Scripture and instead preach the standards of the world. But what is God’s plan for the world? This plan is the only message for the world in the New Testament— that everyone is in need of a savior and must turn to Jesus for forgiveness of their sins. God is coming back again, and the task for believers is to grow in Christlikeness until He comes. Christians are to show the world what it means to grow in the Lord as they await His coming for His bride, the church.

Speaking the Truth in Love

Ephesians 4:15

In this sermon on Ephesians 4:15 titled “Speaking the Truth in Love,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones speaks of one of the most misunderstood and misapplied statements in all of Scripture: to always speak the truth in love. Many use this verse to argue against criticizing the views of others on the basis that it is unloving. They say that to criticize other Christians is to disrupt the unity of the church and God’s people. But this grossly misses the point of both what it means to speak in love and what it means to live in unity with other Christians. As Dr. Lloyd-Jones points out, the apostles and Jesus never hesitated to criticize false teachers and refute their teachings. In fact, many of the New Testament epistles were written just for this reason, to correct false teachings that had infiltrated the church. Not only this, but the whole history of the church has seen many creeds and confessions drafted in order to lay out clear doctrine and by this, protect the unity of the church. Because God has revealed the truth about Him and His Son in the Bible, the church must proclaim the truth and refute all that contradicts God’s word.