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Sermon #5508

Believe God

A Sermon on Romans 4:18-25

Originally preached Jan. 29, 1961

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Scripture

Romans 4:18-25 ESV KJV
In hope he believed against hope, that he should become the father of many nations, as he had been told, “So shall your offspring be.” He did not weaken in faith when he considered his own body, which was as good as dead (since he was about a hundred years …

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Sermon Description

What does it mean to believe in God? This question is at the heart of the Bible’s teaching on salvation and redemption; it is vital that everyone come to a clear understanding if what it means. In this sermon on Romans 4:18–25 titled “Believe God,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones looks at the apostle Paul’s example of Abraham. Abraham trusted in the promise of God that He would bring a savior from his seed who would redeem the whole world and break the power of sin and the devil. Though Abraham and Sarah were old and had no child, this did not stop them from trusting in God that He was able to bring about what was promised. This salvation comes when Jesus Christ is born of a virgin under the law and dies a death of propitiation for all who believe. Now all who are saved are those that believe in the promises of God made complete in Christ Jesus, and these are the same promises that Abraham believed in those thousands of years ago that have now been fulfilled in Christ. Trusting in God is the opposite of relying on one’s own works and good deeds. Only by looking to the finished work of Christ can anyone be freed from sin and made a child of God.

Sermon Breakdown

  1. The world is uncertain and life has become terribly uncertain. We must be realistic and ask important questions about life and eternity.
  2. Meeting in church is not escapism but facing reality. The questions that matter are: What is the meaning of life? What happens after death? How can we be saved?
  3. Nothing we do can save us or put us right with God. Our best and worst works are useless. Religion and morality are useless. We deserve hell.
  4. If we could save ourselves, why did Jesus have to die? His death shows there was no other way. We have completely failed.
  5. We must stop relying on ourselves in any way for salvation. We will be judged by God's standard, not our own.
  6. The story of Abraham shows how to be justified before God. It was not by works but by believing God. Abraham is the pattern for all the faithful.
  7. God called Abraham and promised to bless him and make him the father of many nations. Abraham believed though it seemed impossible.
  8. Abraham believed simply because God promised, even though he did not understand how it could happen. He knew God could not lie.
  9. We must believe what God says about Jesus, though it seems too good to be true. God says Jesus is His Son who died for our sins and was raised to life.
  10. God says He has laid our sins on Jesus and punished them in Him. He offers forgiveness, new life, adoption, and eternal glory. We must believe.
  11. Abraham believed in spite of circumstances. We must believe in spite of our age, past sin, present feelings, or anything else. We don't need to understand, just believe.
  12. Do not think you must start living a good life or doing good works to be saved. You must believe now, just as you are.
  13. Believing means trusting in what God has done in Jesus, not in yourself. It means turning from sin, committing your life to God, and following Christ no matter what.
  14. Come to God just as you are, confess your sin, thank Him for Jesus, and believe you are forgiven and righteous through faith in Christ. Find safety in Him.

The Book of Romans

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.