Facing the Evidence
A Sermon on Luke 5:17
Originally preached Feb. 27, 1955
Scripture
17And it came to pass on a certain day, as he was teaching, that there were Pharisees and doctors of the law sitting by, which were come out of every town of Galilee, and Judæa, and Jerusalem: and the power of the Lord was present to heal them.
Sermon Description
Who is Jesus? To answer this question, one must look at all the extraordinary miracles and deeds He performed before many witnesses. These all affirm His claim that He is who He said He was: God in the flesh. If the evidence is clear, why did so may in Jesus’s time reject Him, just as many reject Him today? In this sermon on Luke 5:17 titled “Facing the Evidence,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones says that the answer is simple: prejudice. Sin has corrupted every part of a person, including the judgment of facts. People do not have a detached mind that can assess the evidence because they are bound to sin. They cannot have a truly open mind to the claims of Christianity and the Bible. Is there a way out of this predicament? Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones tells that no one can come to know God through their own accord, but by the grace of God, a person’s eyes can be opened so that they see the truth. No one can fight their sin on their own, but by God’s grace, they can be set free. This sermon brings the message of hope and peace in the gospel for all who believe in Jesus. Humankind does not have to suffer for their sin because Jesus has come to take their place.
Sermon Breakdown
- The sermon focuses on Luke 5:17 which describes Jesus teaching with Pharisees and doctors of the law present.
- There are only two possible reactions to Jesus: like the leper who worships him or like the Pharisees who reject him. Our reaction determines our eternal destiny.
- The Pharisees were interested in Jesus but remained detached observers. They saw him as an "object of study" rather than someone to worship. Many today view Jesus this way.
- The Pharisees were prejudiced against Jesus. They had pre-judged him and were close-minded. They were prejudiced in spirit and practice.
- The Pharisees had a "professional attitude" and were disturbed that Jesus didn't follow their rules. They were always trying to find fault with Jesus. Many today are like this.
- The Pharisees measured Jesus by their own standards rather than seeing he was greater. Many today view Jesus as just one of many great teachers.
- The Pharisees failed to face the evidence about Jesus right in front of them. Though they saw his miracles and heard his words, they didn't perceive the truth. Many today ignore the facts about Jesus.
- The Pharisees failed to submit to Jesus. They never fell before him in worship because they didn't see their need for him. If they had, they would have insisted on being near him like the leper and paralytic.
- We may have intellectual issues with Jesus, but we must not let them control us. We must confront Jesus, become like children, and ask him to reveal the truth to us.
- It would be tragic for anyone to face Jesus in eternity but be eternally lost like the Pharisees. We must learn from their mistakes and yield to Jesus.
Sermons on Unbelief
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.