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Sermon #4078

The Wisdom of God

A Sermon on Ephesians 3:10

Originally preached Nov. 18, 1956

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Scripture

Ephesians 3:10 ESV KJV
so that through the church the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places. (ESV)

Sermon Description

What is the greatest manifestation of the wisdom of God? In this sermon on the manifold wisdom of God from Ephesians 3:10 titled “The Wisdom of God,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones points to the church. The church, that is Christianity and the salvation that it proclaims, is the greatest manifestation of God’s wisdom ever witnessed. Even the angels in Heaven see it and are amazed. It is this manifestation of God’s wisdom that Dr. Lloyd-Jones discusses first in a series of three propositions from this text. His second proposition is that the church is the median through which the variegated wisdom of God shines like light through a prism into its many beautiful colors. From these two propositions, Dr. Lloyd-Jones dives deeper and gives two conclusions to be considered. First, consider that the church was a part of God’s plan for His creation from the very beginning, not an afterthought as some believe. Second, consider that the church is not temporary as some have suggested, but is the final expression of God’s people on earth. Dr. Lloyd-Jones’s third and final proposition from this text is the consideration of how God has shown His wisdom throughout history. Dr. Lloyd-Jones encourages believers to meditate on and consider God’s wisdom through the ages, in the Bible and in all of history, and most importantly, to consider the greatest manifestation of His wisdom, salvation through Christ.

Sermon Breakdown

  1. Christianity and its salvation is the supreme manifestation of the wisdom of God. The wisdom of God refers to God's ability to arrange his purposes and plans to achieve the desired results.

  2. The principalities and powers in the heavenly places have seen God's wisdom in creation, history, and the nation of Israel. But through the church, they see the manifold or multi-faceted wisdom of God.

  3. The church is the medium through which God's manifold wisdom is made known. The church is like a prism that splits the light of God's wisdom into many colors.

  4. It is wrong to view the church as an afterthought or temporary. The church is the highest manifestation of God's wisdom.

  5. God shows his manifold wisdom in the church through the way he solved the problem of sin. Forgiving sin while upholding his justice and righteousness was the greatest problem God faced. The angels could not see a solution.

  6. God sent his Son to take on humanity and live a perfect life, then die as a substitute for sinners. This upheld God's justice and opened the way for forgiveness. The angels watched in amazement.

  7. The events of the cross seemed like the triumph of evil, but were actually God putting evil to open shame and accomplishing his purposes.

  8. God's wisdom is seen in reconciling Jews and Gentiles into one body, the church. He humbled both, then made them new creations in Christ.

  9. God's wisdom is seen in how he deals with each person uniquely, and in the timing of events in salvation history. He allowed time for the law and philosophy to prove insufficient before sending Christ.

  10. We should reflect God's wisdom, allowing his light to shine through us in our own way. We should meditate on these truths and dedicate ourselves to God. Then the angels will see God's wisdom in us.

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.