Pride and Prejudice
A Sermon on John 7:15
Originally preached May 24, 1959
Scripture
15And the Jews marvelled, saying, How knoweth this man letters, having never learned?
Sermon Description
Modern people like to think they are different from those of the past. Do technological and scientific advancements mean they can dispense with the past, especially the Christian past? Many in leading universities and intellectual centers around the world think Christianity is no longer relevant and say that science teaches differently now. The problem with this outlook, says Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones, comes down to pride and prejudice, and this is nothing new. The Pharisees and scribes held this same kind of intellectual hubris against the Lord Jesus Christ. In this sermon on John 7:15 titled “Pride and Prejudice,” when Jesus began to teach, they quickly dismissed Him because He did not belong to their schools. Due to their pride, they were unwilling to face the “facts” of His message. What is the result of this intellectualism? How does the example of the scribes and Pharisees help modern people understand the human condition? How might they miss the vital questions of life because of spiritual blindness? Do the philosophers of today truly have the answers to life’s most important questions? Listen as Dr. Lloyd-Jones diagnoses the problem: pride and prejudice.
Sermon Breakdown
- The Jews marveled at Jesus' teaching but reacted against him due to prejudice and pride.
- Their prejudice blinded them and caused them to behave illogically. They focused on personalities over truth and never faced vital questions about Jesus.
- They should have asked how Jesus obtained his knowledge and authority without formal training. But they dismissed him instead.
- People today also dismiss Jesus without examining him or Christianity. They should consider Jesus, his works, his teachings, and the spread of Christianity.
- Jesus taught about God the Father, the spiritual nature of God's law, man's sinfulness, salvation through Jesus alone, new life in Jesus, Jesus' keeping power, Jesus' second coming, and judgment for unbelief.
- People should consider what happens after death, their moral problems, and Jesus' power to transform lives. They should humble themselves and examine Jesus, unlike the prejudiced Jews.
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.