The Supernatural Power of God
A Sermon on Acts 7:17-20
Originally preached Jan. 22, 1967
Scripture
17But when the time of the promise drew nigh, which God had sworn to Abraham, the people grew and multiplied in Egypt, 18Till another king arose, which knew not Joseph. 19The same dealt subtilly with our kindred, and evil entreated our fathers, so that they cast out …
Sermon Description
The Christian message is God’s intervention in human history. Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones proclaims that through it, God can be seen working in and amongst humanity to bring about the salvation of the world through His Son, Jesus Christ. One cannot reject the supernatural and miraculous aspect of Christianity without rejecting the heart of the Christian faith because at the heart of the Christian religion stands Jesus Christ. He was true man and true God, born of a virgin. He lived a life that was filled with many miracles, supernatural interventions and acts of divine providence. He died a death of atonement upon the cross. He was buried and rose from the dead. As Dr. Lloyd-Jones describes in this sermon titled “The Supernatural Power of God,” modern humanity rejects the supernatural nature and work of Christ, saying it is unscientific and primitive to claim that God acts in a way that breaks the laws of nature. Yet, it is God who invented the laws of nature and nature itself. He lives outside the boundaries He made for humanity. This message is not one of further explanation of the natural law, but of a confrontation with a supernatural call to repent and believe in Jesus Christ.
Sermon Breakdown
- The sermon begins with an introduction providing context about Stephen's speech before the Sanhedrin and how he is recapitulating Jewish history to prove his point.
- The main point Stephen is making is that the Jews have always rebelled against God's messengers, just like they are now rebelling against Jesus.
- Dr. Lloyd-Jones says the sermon will focus on the story of Moses to show the characteristics of the Christian gospel.
- The first characteristic of the gospel is the powerful and omnipotent character of God's ways. The Bible is full of examples of God's supernatural intervention and action.
- The second characteristic is that God acts in a miraculous and supernatural manner. This is shown through the multiplication of the Israelites in Egypt, the hardening of Pharaoh's heart, and the birth of Moses.
- The third characteristic is that God acts with purpose and according to his timing. The Israelites multiplied as the time approached for God to fulfill his promise to Abraham. Moses was born at the exact right time.
- The supernatural element of the gospel is objectionable to humanists and those who deny the miraculous. But this has always been the case, even in biblical times. The gospel must be supernatural by definition.
- The virgin birth of Jesus is a miracle and shows that "with God nothing shall be impossible." Jesus' life, ministry, death and resurrection were also supernatural.
- The day of Pentecost shows the supernatural power of the Holy Spirit enabling the apostles. The miracles done by Peter and John also demonstrate God's power.
- The deaths of Ananias and Sapphira show God's power to both give life and cause death. The book of Acts is full of miracles showing God's control over all things.
- The only hope for mankind is that God has acted supernaturally in Jesus Christ. God can do what man cannot do for himself. This is regeneration, not reformation.
- We must submit to God's work in us and allow him to make us new. This is the essence of the gospel message.
Sermon Q&A
How Does God Work in Salvation According to Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones?
Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones' sermon on Acts 7:17-20 addresses how God works in salvation. Here are some key questions and answers derived from his teaching:
What is the main argument in Stephen's defense before the Sanhedrin?
Stephen's defense before the Sanhedrin revolves around one key point: the Jews who glory in their history have failed to understand its true meaning. He shows how throughout Israel's history, the people rejected the messengers God sent, just as they now rejected Jesus. Each story Stephen tells demonstrates that God has always acted in the same way, showing that Jesus is the fulfillment of what their ancestors had been looking forward to throughout the centuries.
Why does Dr. Lloyd-Jones critique humanism in this sermon?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones critiques humanism because it places man at the center and dismisses the supernatural. Humanism believes that man can save himself through knowledge and instruction. This view directly contradicts the gospel message, which emphasizes that salvation comes only through God's supernatural intervention. Lloyd-Jones insists that humanistic thinking fails because it doesn't understand the depth of mankind's problem - sin cannot be overcome by human effort alone.
What does Lloyd-Jones identify as the most essential characteristic of the Christian gospel?
According to Lloyd-Jones, the supernatural and miraculous nature of God's work is the most essential characteristic of the Christian gospel. He states: "If you take out the supernatural and the miraculous out of this message, you have nothing left." He emphasizes that a gospel must, by definition, be supernatural and miraculous, for without God's divine intervention, there is no hope for humanity.
How does the story of Moses' birth illustrate God's supernatural power?
In Moses' birth narrative, Lloyd-Jones identifies several supernatural elements: 1. God multiplied the Israelites "in proportion as" the time of deliverance drew near 2. God turned Pharaoh's heart against the Israelites 3. Moses was born at precisely the right moment in history 4. Moses was made "exceeding fair" by God specifically so Pharaoh's daughter would be attracted to him 5. Pharaoh's daughter arrived at the right time to find Moses
All these elements show God's sovereign control over history, timing, hearts, and circumstances.
How does Christ's story demonstrate the supernatural nature of salvation?
Lloyd-Jones points to several supernatural elements in Christ's story: 1. His virgin birth - a miracle that defies natural explanation 2. His miraculous ministry - healing the sick, raising the dead, commanding nature 3. His resurrection - conquering death itself 4. Pentecost - the supernatural empowering of the apostles 5. The transformation of believers - from fearful to bold witnesses
These supernatural aspects prove that Christianity isn't merely a moral philosophy but a divine intervention into human history.
What is regeneration according to Lloyd-Jones?
Lloyd-Jones describes regeneration not as reformation or improvement but as a supernatural new birth. He quotes 2 Corinthians 4:6 and Ephesians 2:1, explaining that God "can create you anew, he can give you a rebirth, he can give you a new heart, a new beginning." Like Christ told Nicodemus, this new birth is mysterious like the wind - you see its effects but cannot fully explain it. It's God "remoulding you, fashioning you anew, giving you a new life, a new nature, a new heart, a new everything."
Why does Lloyd-Jones claim that some churches are abandoning the true gospel?
Lloyd-Jones laments that some churches are trying to make the gospel acceptable to modern, humanistic thinking by removing its supernatural elements. He calls this "truly tragic" for two reasons: First, such a watered-down message doesn't appeal to humanists anyway, who recognize it's just their own teaching dressed in religious language. Second, and more importantly, removing the supernatural from the gospel destroys its essence, leaving "nothing that men can't provide for himself."
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.