The Kingdom that Cannot be Removed
A Sermon on Daniel 2:44
Originally preached Dec. 23, 1956
Scripture
44And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever.
Sermon Description
Why is the birth of Christ important? In this sermon on Daniel 2:44 titled “The Kingdom that Cannot be Removed,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones explains why the birth of a baby in the little town of Bethlehem changes the whole course of human history. While this may sound like a grand claim, it is no exaggeration. For the baby that was born to Mary was none other than the long-awaited Messiah that was to bring the kingdom of God. While people put their hope in what looks good, God is quite different. He sent His Son to be born in a lowly place. He was not born amongst kings and the powerful. It is this Jesus who has died not only to forgive sins, but also that He might inherit the whole earth and rule all the kingdoms of the world. Dr. Lloyd-Jones explains how Jesus conquered through suffering on the cross. Only in Jesus is there salvation and true peace with God.
Sermon Breakdown
- The sermon examines two verses from Daniel 2:44 and Luke 2:1 which show that the message of Christmas, the coming of the Son of God, is found throughout the Bible.
- The prophecy of Daniel 2:44 was given at a time when the people of Israel were in captivity and despair. But God gave them a message of hope through the dream of King Nebuchadnezzar which Daniel interpreted.
- God chose to give this message of hope through the pagan King Nebuchadnezzar to humble him and show His power. This is God's method throughout the Bible.
- The prophecy gives the exact time when the Son of God would come - during the Roman Empire. The details of the prophecy show God's control of history.
- The kingdom God would set up would be different from earthly kingdoms. It would not come from any earthly kingdom but would be spiritual and unseen.
- The kingdom is portrayed as a stone, showing its lowliness and insignificance in contrast to the gold, silver and iron of earthly kingdoms. This shows the humility of Jesus's birth and life.
- The stone was cut out without hands, showing that the kingdom would come through God's action and power, not man's. This is seen in Jesus's birth and the spread of the early church.
- The kingdom would overcome all other kingdoms. Within 3 centuries Christianity became the official religion of Rome. The kingdom will fully overcome all other kingdoms when Jesus returns.
- The kingdom can never be destroyed or given to another people. Jesus will reign forever as the eternal, invincible King.
- We must make sure we are part of this eternal kingdom by being born again through God's power, not through human will or action. Then we will be secure through all that happens in the world.
Old Testament
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.