The Power of Sin
A Sermon on Acts 7:20-29
Originally preached Feb. 26, 1967
Scripture
20In which time Moses was born, and was exceeding fair, and nourished up in his father’s house three months: 21And when he was cast out, Pharaoh’s daughter took him up, and nourished him for her own son. 22And Moses was learned in all the wisdom of the …
Sermon Description
There is only one way to be reconciled to God and avoid the eternal punishment of hell. Only those who repent of sin and believe in Jesus Christ will be saved. Those who reject the gospel receive condemnation. Who would refuse salvation? In this sermon titled “The Power of Sin,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones shows in Acts 7:20–29 what compels people to reject the only way of salvation that God has given to this broken world. It is a sinful nature and mind that leads people to reject God in this blind prejudice. Sin has corrupted every aspect of humanity. They are not able to rationally judge the truth of Christianity and the gospel and instead are controlled by blind prejudice and hate. This is why it is only by a divine calling to salvation that anyone believes and is saved. This is what is seen in the story of Moses. Moses was called by God to leave Egypt, but he encountered opposition from his own people. This hostility is not because of any reasonable objection to Moses but it is this blind and prejudiced unbelief being worked out in the life of sinful people who do not know God. This is why it is so vital that the church is always faithful to the message that has been entrusted to them by God.
Sermon Breakdown
- Stephen is on trial before the Sanhedrin for preaching about Jesus as the Messiah. The Sanhedrin accuses Stephen of blasphemy against Moses and God.
- Stephen reviews the history of the Jewish people to show that the Sanhedrin has misunderstood their own history and prophecies about the Messiah.
- Stephen talks about Abraham, Joseph, and Moses to show how they prefigured Jesus as the Messiah. The Sanhedrin rejects Jesus as the Messiah just as their ancestors rejected God's messengers.
- God confronted Moses with a choice between the pleasures of Egypt or suffering with God's people. Moses chose to suffer with God's people.
- The Israelites failed to understand that God would deliver them through Moses. They rejected Moses as their deliverer.
- Sin affects our minds and prevents us from thinking correctly. Prejudice is more powerful than reason.
- Sin also affects our hearts and spirits. It perverts us at our very core.
- Natural man hates God and is at enmity with Him. Man resents God's interference in his life.
- Man especially resents God's way of salvation. Man wants to contribute to his own salvation. He rejects salvation by grace through faith in Christ alone.
- Man takes sides with his oppressors like the devil against his deliverer Jesus Christ.
- The Israelites treated Moses vilely even though he sacrificed greatly to deliver them. They spat upon him and threatened him.
- Jesus sacrificed infinitely more to save us, yet man rejects and crucifies Him. Man is guilty of the same sin as the Israelites.
- We must see that Jesus is the Son of God, that He died for our sins, and that He alone can save us. We must submit to Him as our all-sufficient Savior.
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.