The Gospel of God
A Sermon on Acts 5:20-29
Originally preached Feb. 20, 1966
Scripture
20Go, stand and speak in the temple to the people all the words of this life. 21And when they heard that, they entered into the temple early in the morning, and taught. But the high priest came, and they that were with him, and called the council …
Sermon Description
What is the message of the church and what gives the church any meaning in the modern world? This question arises because many say that Christianity and its message are irrelevant to modern humanity in this new age of science and enlightenment. In this sermon on Acts 5:20–29 titled “The Gospel of God,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones says that the church is just as important as it has always been, for the church has one message: the gospel of Jesus Christ. It is a timeless message that is for all people, in all places, and in all times. It is the one message that brings salvation from sins and true peace with God. The church is called to faithfully proclaim this message as it has received it from God Himself. It is not to change it by adding or taking away. God’s gospel calls all to flee from sin and find refuge in His Son, Jesus Christ. This sermon challenges each and every one to look at the gospel as God’s plan of salvation through Jesus Christ, for Jesus alone saves.
Sermon Breakdown
- The church succeeded because it had a message from God.
- The message is unchanging because it comes from God. God does not change.
- The message is clearly defined. It is not vague or uncertain. It is contained in words.
- The message can be differentiated from false teachings. We know what the true message is.
- The message is comprehensive. It contains all the words of life, not just selected parts.
- No part of the message can be subtracted or added to. We must accept all of it.
- The message starts with creation and ends with final restoration. It explains man's need for salvation.
- The message was given in its completeness to the first apostles. There have been no additions since.
- The message is found in the person and work of Jesus Christ. He is the embodiment of the message.
The Book of Acts
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.