Do You Know God?
A Sermon on John 8:19
Originally preached July 10, 1960
Scripture
19Then said they unto him, Where is thy Father? Jesus answered, Ye neither know me, nor my Father: if ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also.
Sermon Description
There is no higher goal in life than to know God. But how can sinful humans ever hope of having a true relationship with the Creator of all things? In this sermon on John 8:19 titled “Do You Know God?” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones says the answer is found in Jesus alone. Fallen sinners can only come to God through His Son. Only by believing in Him as their Savior and Lord can they be freed from sin and adopted into the family of God as heirs. Knowledge of God is exclusive, for it comes only through knowing Jesus Christ and becoming His disciple. The Bible is clear that God has only made salvation possible through Jesus Christ. He is the only one who has suffered and died for sinners, and He is the only one who has been resurrected for the salvation of sinners. This sermon proclaims the timeless truth that all are in need of a Savior and that God has provided a Savior in His Son. This message is a call to all to believe and repent of their sins. It is a call to come to Jesus so that they might know God.
Sermon Breakdown
- The most important thing in life is to know God. Not just know about Him but truly know Him through fellowship and relationship.
- God is our maker and creator. We were made in His image and for His glory. We can only understand ourselves and the world through knowing God.
- We seek happiness, peace and purpose. These can only be found through knowing God, the source of every good gift.
- Our lives and times are in God's hands. We cannot escape Him or avoid Him. We must stand before Him in judgment. This is reason to seek to know Him.
- The Pharisees opposed Jesus because of His exclusive claims. He claimed to be the only way to God which offended them.
- Jesus' claims are true because of who He is - the Son of God. No other religious figure can compare.
- Jesus' claims are true because of what He alone has done - revealed God, reconciled us to God and given us new life.
- Jesus reveals God fully. The prophets only gave partial revelation. Jesus is the fullness of God in bodily form.
- Jesus alone could reconcile us to God by taking our sins upon Himself. No animal sacrifice could ever be enough. Only Jesus, the sinless sacrifice could atone for sin.
- Jesus alone gives new life through the new birth. No one else can impart eternal life or the divine nature.
- Jesus is a sympathetic high priest who intercedes for us. He endured all we endure and more, so He understands fully.
- Jesus will present us faultless before God, able to stand in His presence. No one else can do this.
- We must come to Jesus alone for salvation and knowing God. No one else will suffice. He alone is the all-sufficient Savior.
The Book of John
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.