A Knowledge of God
A Sermon on Matthew 11:28
Originally preached Sept. 30, 1956
Scripture
28¶ Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
Sermon Description
What is one of the main reasons people give for rejecting the claims of Christ? In this sermon on Matthew 11:28 titled “A Knowledge of God,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones explains that many claim that it is narrow and dogmatic to claim to have all the answers to life, particularly Christians who believe that the Bible is God’s word and that Jesus is the only Savior. The reason for not believing in Christianity is not ultimately born out of intellectual objections to Christianity, but it is a result of spiritual blindness. Because all are in sin and depravity, they are unable to judge the merits of Christianity in a rational and objective way. All those that oppose Christianity do so because of their sinful nature and spiritual blindness. This problem of sin cannot be overcome through clever argumentation and evidences, but ultimately only through the power of the gospel. There are no truly modern objections to Christianity, but only old ones in new forms. Christians should be encouraged that it is not their own intellect and rhetoric that convince unbelievers of the truth of Christianity, because it is ultimately God alone who, by His grace, changes the hearts and minds of men and women in order that they might believe in the gospel.
Sermon Breakdown
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The sermon examines the phrase "To travel hopefully is a better thing than to arrive" which expresses a common modern objection to the certainty and definiteness of the Christian faith.
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This phrase is intellectually inconsistent. If arriving is disappointing, why travel at all? Hope requires an expectation of a good end. You can't be hopeful and hopeless at the same time.
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This attitude is inconsistent in practice. No one lives this way in ordinary life. Farmers sow in hope of reaping. Students study in hope of learning and graduating. Lovers court in hope of marriage.
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This view reveals a pessimistic despair about life. It suggests life's journeys always end in disappointment. It expresses a "vanity of vanities, all is vanity" view of life.
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This phrase admits that man cannot find satisfaction through his own efforts or in the world. He will never "arrive" at a satisfying end through his own journeying and searching.
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The real trouble with this view is ignorance of what Christ offers. The Bible shows why man cannot find satisfaction in himself or the world - he is estranged from God. But Christ reconciles us to God and offers real rest and satisfaction.
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Christ offers intellectual satisfaction. He explains our condition and the human problem. He illuminates all of life and history. The gospel is endlessly fascinating.
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Christ offers satisfaction for the heart. He is an object of love that never disappoints. He offers fellowship with the eternal God who cares for us.
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Those who come to Christ find the end far better than the journey. They find life, joy, and satisfaction in Christ. They would rather die than lose him.
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Christ's invitation remains open. Come to him, trust in him, and find rest. The world cannot satisfy but Christ can.
Sermons on Knowledge
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.