MLJ Trust Logo Image
Sermon #4093

Preparing for the Guest

A Sermon on Ephesians 3:19

Originally preached March 24, 1957

Scripture

Ephesians 3:19 ESV KJV
and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. (ESV)

Sermon Description

A Christian will hear the voice of God and understand His mind by reading His Word. In this sermon on Ephesians 3:19 titled “Preparing for a Guest,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones proclaims that this requires both prayer and study to come to a deeper knowledge of God and His word. This should be part of a continual pursuit of God that marks the whole life of a Christian. But Christians must always avoid the temptation to fall into ritualistic practices of reading Scripture and praying as dead acts. Dr. Lloyd-Jones exhorts the listener to cultivate deep and abiding affections for God. This is not as a way to gain favor with God, but instead born out of a heart of thankfulness and love for all that He is and all that He has done in Christ. Ultimately no one is able to seek and worship Him rightfully without the saving work of Christ Jesus being applied by the saving power of the Holy Spirit. Even in the believer’s pursuit of God, they only do so because of what God has already done for them by the grace of His gospel. This should encourage believers to respond with nothing but gratitude and affection toward God for the great salvation and new heart that He has given in Christ Jesus.

Sermon Breakdown

  1. Seek the person of Christ, not just blessings
  2. Read the Bible actively and expectantly, looking for Christ in it
  3. Pray with preparation, meditation, and expectancy
  4. Give thanks and praise, expressing feeble love for Christ
  5. Please Christ by keeping His commandments and avoiding displeasing Him
  6. Be importunate and wholehearted in seeking Christ
  7. Be responsive to Christ's approaches, however faint

The Book of Ephesians

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.