Martyn Lloyd-jones Sermon Podcast

John 19:31-37 — Why do Christians gather for worship on Good Friday? Certain religious and pseudo-Christian religions gather for what might be called, “holy days.” Listen as Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones explains how tradition, not facts or truth, often drive these empty and meaningless gatherings. But why does the church gather for worship on these special occasions? Dr. Lloyd-Jones opens John 19:31-37 to answer that very question. The Christian faith and motives for Christian worship are based on the certainty of facts. While other religions create what appear to be worship-filled gatherings, they are empty and void of fact. They are created in the minds of men. By contrast, the Christian faith is built on the foundation of fact. Furthermore, those facts are certain and peculiar in nature unfolding the fulfillment of prophecy from centuries gone by. What is the fact that drives worship on Good Friday? In this sermon, Lloyd-Jones teaches that the death of Christ and all of the peculiar facts of his death drive this

John 17:17 — What separates people from God and what keeps them from knowing Him on their own? The answer is found in understanding the sin that is within oneself. In this sermon on John 17:17 titled “The Doctrine of Sin,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones explains that believers are sanctified in the truth, and sanctified from the ugliness of sin that keeps one in a wrong relationship to God. Sin is what separates people from God. It is not intellect or a cognitive problem. Disobedience to God places a person in a wrong relationship to Him because sin is centered on self and causes the pagan to be focused on themselves and not God. The sinner is not God-centered. How does he or she know this? The law is that which exposes one’s sin and the holiness of God. Therefore, the sinner must be converted from sin. They must receive a new nature and become a new person, a new creature in Christ. But conversion is only the beginning. Through ongoing sanctification, the believer is not cleansed from sin and made like Christ. The b

John 17:17 — The tool used by God in the sanctification of His people is the truth of His word. In John 17:17, Jesus prays that the Father will sanctify His people with the truth. As Dr. Lloyd-Jones unfolds this text, he asks and answers two important questions: “What does it mean to be sanctified?” and “What is the first truth or doctrine the Christian must consider and study to be sanctified?” In this sermon on John 17:17 titled “Godliness,” Dr. Lloyd-Jones explains that sanctification is the process of becoming more like Christ. The believer is striving to live a holy life and growing in godliness. This godliness that reflects the holiness of God is not just a removal or avoidance of sin in the believer’s life. Godliness that truly demonstrates sanctification is a life that loves God with all of one’s being. If that is the case, then what is the first doctrine or truth to be considered? It is the doctrine of God. The Christian cannot assume the truth about God. The truth or doctrine about God is the starti

John 14:27 — Like being in the eye of a hurricane, Jesus’s disciples were enjoying the peace of being in the presence of Christ. In the midst of this peace, their hearts had become troubled and fearful. As they enjoyed fellowship in the upper room, Jesus announced He was leaving them to return to the Father. This news caused them to become fearful and anxious. In this sermon on John 14:27 titled “My Peace I Give to You,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones explains that Jesus gives a promise of peace. The disciples, along with all believers in the future, can live at peace in the midst of a chaotic and cruel world. In fact, the possession and experience of peace is a central fruit of the Christian faith. When Jesus says, “My peace I give you,” this peace is different. It is not the kind of empty peace the world offers. In this sermon, Dr. Lloyd-Jones offers the true, eternal peace that is found in Christ. Turn to the Lord and experience for yourself the “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world giv

John 12:23 — There are many who want to observe Jesus, but few who will believe in Him. In this sermon on John 12:23 titled “Father, Glorify Your Name,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones explains the difference and shows how the glory of salvation is revealed in the cross of Jesus Christ. The Greeks, just like so many today, only approached Jesus in wanting to observe Him. They came with wrong motives and wrong reasons, and like contemporary culture, but they do not desire to understand His teaching or follow His example. Like a curious child, they look upon His death with inquisitive eyes and investigative hearts. But Jesus can only be known, loved, and experienced by direct interaction with His death. Dr. Lloyd-Jones explains that at the heart of Christianity is the sacrifice of Christ in the sinner’s place. The central mission, purpose, and message of Jesus is found in His dying since there is no hope of salvation unless the seed falls into the ground and the Son of Man is lifted up before all. It is His death on the

John 12:21 — Why do some people never seem to find fulfillment when they come to Jesus? Why do they never find rest, peace, and satisfaction in Him? In this sermon on John 12:21 titled “The Right Approach,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones demonstrates from the account of the Greeks and their discourse with Jesus that many seek Him with the wrong approach. Jesus regularly and willingly granted access to Himself to all types of people. But in the account of the Greeks, Jesus denies their request. This denial falls outside of the boundaries of Jesus’s normal response because the approach and the request of the Greeks illustrates many worldly people who seek Jesus only when everything in their world falls apart. They do not want forgiveness of sin; they want a more serene life in sin. They come for wrong reasons and with wrong motives and when Jesus does not pluck them from the floodwaters of their broken life, they find nothing in Him and leave. In this account from John’s Gospel, Dr. Lloyd-Jones demonstrates how the Gre

John 10:10 — What does the average person think of Christianity? In this sermon on John 10:10 titled “Life Abundant,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones says that a simple survey would reveal that people commonly believe Christianity is nothing more than a set of chains on one’s life. The average person views Christianity as a prison cell in which one is chained to laws and moral restrictions that steal their very life. This is unacceptable to the non-Christian who wants to experience life. This desperation to experience life leads to leaving the tranquility of the countryside for the life which the city offers. They do this not knowing that the city is a thief, it will offer pleasures that rob them of their life, and ultimately destroy the soul. Why does the average person think this way? Dr. Martin Lloyd Jones explains that they have a wrong view of life. Life is eternal. Thus, in John 10, Jesus proclaims that He came as the true shepherd to bring life and bring it abundantly to His sheep. It is a life that will be ete

John 8:19 — There is no higher goal in life than to know God. But how can sinful humans ever hope of having a true relationship with the Creator of all things? In this sermon on John 8:19 titled “Do You Know God?” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones says the answer is found in Jesus alone. Fallen sinners can only come to God through His Son. Only by believing in Him as their Savior and Lord can they be freed from sin and adopted into the family of God as heirs. Knowledge of God is exclusive, for it comes only through knowing Jesus Christ and becoming His disciple. The Bible is clear that God has only made salvation possible through Jesus Christ. He is the only one who has suffered and died for sinners, and He is the only one who has been resurrected for the salvation of sinners. This sermon proclaims the timeless truth that all are in need of a Savior and that God has provided a Savior in His Son. This message is a call to all to believe and repent of their sins. It is a call to come to Jesus so that they might know God.

John 8:28 — Every eye will see Him. Both believers and unbelievers will be brought before the judgement seat of God. In this sermon on John 8:28 titled “The Death of Christ,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones discusses the death of Christ and its implications for humanity. The Jews rejected Jesus and thought that Jesus’s death would be the end of the matter. However, as Dr. Lloyd-Jones points out, their execution of Jesus would neither be the end of Jesus nor the end of their relationship with Him. In fact, His death would lead to His ascension to the right hand of God and the empowerment of His followers through the sending of the Holy Spirit. Moreover, those who wanted to be rid of Jesus would come face to face with their rejected Messiah at judgement day. Dr. Lloyd-Jones also points out that the divine character of Jesus became more clear to many after Jesus’s death. Dr. Lloyd-Jones pleads that the listener would behold Christ now while there is still time, rather than waiting until judgement day when it will be too

John 8:13 — John 8:13 titled “Man and His Unbelief,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones addresses the unbelief of the Pharisees when they questioned Jesus. He elaborates that whenever Jesus made big claims, the Pharisees would interrogate Him on small matters of theology and the law. They would hold fast to their understanding of the law and miss seeing the Messiah altogether. Moreover, Dr. Lloyd-Jones shows that these kinds of accounts are included in Scripture to reveal unbelief and shed light on the common sins that plague this world. Dr. Lloyd-Jones says that every generation claims to have the solution to sin and suffering while simultaneously shutting out the possibility of God revealing Himself through His word and through His Son. Finally, Dr. Lloyd-Jones brings his discourse to address his audience: “Do you believe? Do you know that your sin must be dealt with? Do you believe that Christ can make the vilest sinner clean? Do you know your need of Him?” He encourages the listener to waste no more time in unbelief

John 8:12 — In this sermon on John 8:12 Dr Martyn Lloyd-Jones continues his series on darkness and light.

John 8:12 — Why does humanity love sin? In this sermon on John 8:12 titled “A Life of Darkness,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones explains the fallen nature that is captivated and controlled by sin. This sinful nature is ever present and resides within every human. It controls everyone’s heart, mind, and will. The modern humanist who attempts to save by education and moral teaching is doomed to fail; not because these are not good things, but because they do not take account for the fundamentally fallen state of the human soul. This sinful principle is why there is so much darkness and suffering in the world, and it explains why the experience of sin is universal and common to all humankind. But God has acted in time and history to bring humanity out of this wretched state by sending His only Son to achieve salvation for all who repent and believe in the gospel of Jesus Christ. Those who receive salvation are not only adopted into the family of God and made right, but they are also given a new nature that is free from

John 8:12 — In this sermon on John 8:12 titled “The Need of Man Revealed,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones addresses the greatest need of humankind, namely, how anyone can be forgiven. How can humankind be reconciled to God? God is a righteous and just God who will not allow sin to reign forever. He will punish sin. Dr. Lloyd-Jones illustrates that the sole hope for anyone is entirely in Christ alone. Jesus is the Lamb of God. He is a spotless sacrifice, and He offered Himself up to satisfy God’s divine justice. Dr. Lloyd-Jones makes a sharp distinction here: Jesus did not come, primarily, to give an example. Rather He came to sacrifice Himself, to make atonement free to all who would believe. Just as a sacrificial lamb’s purpose is to cover sin, the Lamb of God purposed to save sinners from wrath. Dr. Lloyd-Jones jubilantly portrays the beauty of the gospel and the refrain of Scripture is that without blood there is no remission of sin.

John 8:12 — In this sermon on John 8:12 titled “Children of the Light,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones addresses one of the problems that haunts the human race, namely a lack of knowledge of self. Throughout time, humankind has had many opinions of what constitutes a human. At times, civilization has regarded humankind as being nothing more than animals that engage in all sorts of passions, hungers, and lusts. At other times, humankind has concerned itself solely with the biological, believing people are slaves to their biology. Contrary to these ideas, Dr. Lloyd-Jones clarifies that every human being is made in the image of God and is a soul of inestimable value that will one day face a judgement of eternal consequence. The outcome of the soul is worth more than the whole world. Jesus said, “What will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul?” Dr. Lloyd-Jones elaborates that the time of decision is not later, but now. Everyone will die and face judgement. Seek God at a time when He may be f

John 8:12 — Over the course of civilization, humankind has diagnosed its problems many different ways. Some generations have determined that poverty is the great motivator of crime. In other generations, ignorance was the culprit. The world has, therefore, gone from one false hope to another. At one time it says “education will be our savior” and at other times “riches will free us from crime.” What these nearsighted solutions cannot comprehend is that humankind’s main problem is an ignorance of God. In this sermon on John 8:12 titled “The Only Light,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones elaborates and says that the main problem is a lack of knowledge of God, regardless of whether one is a prostitute or a philosopher. From here he shows his audience how Jesus the Messiah is the ultimate revelation of God to humankind. It is for this reason, Dr. Lloyd-Jones explains, that Jesus is called the light of the world. He shines true knowledge of God on the world, which cannot know God apart from God’s revelation. Jesus had compas

John 8:12 — Will the world ever be free from evil? In this sermon on the light of the world from John 8:9–12, Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones shows that the darkness of the world can only be overcome by Christ, who is the true light of the world. By His death, burial, and resurrection, He overcame the power of sin and the devil. Evil can never be overcome by worldly philosophies or wandering religions that reject the God who created everyone. There is only one way of salvation. Many people find this message offensive and backwards, saying that humanity is ever-evolving and progressing to higher levels of morality and sophistication. Yet Dr. Lloyd-Jones argues that this is in direct contradiction to both Scripture and the history of the world. Scripture says that all are born is sinful rebellion, looking only to themselves for guidance. The gospel brings hope and forgiveness, peace and renewal. It tells not that the world is getting better because people are getting better, but that Christ saves sinners who cannot save

John 7:37-38 — Who is the gospel for? In this sermon on John 7:37–38 titled “If Anyone Thirsts…,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones examines the perplexing question of who it is that Jesus came to die for and save. He says that the gospel is for all those that thirst for God because they know that they are sinners in need of grace. They know that there is nothing they can do to save themselves and escape the judgement of God. Realizing one’s own sinfulness and fallenness is the first step to coming to Christ for salvation. Dr. Lloyd-Jones says that it is the law that brings sinners out of their stupor of self-righteousness and into the awesome grace of God. This sermon tells all that they are in dire need of the Savior, and that Jesus has risen from the dead in order that they might live. All who repent of their sins and believe in Jesus are made holy and are adopted as children of God. The only path to true happiness is by coming to God through His Son, Jesus Christ. This is the ultimate message of hope and it is the o

John 7:25-36 — What is at the root of people’s unbelief regarding Christianity and the gospel of Jesus Christ? Is it a heart issue or is it something that is more intellectual? In this sermon on John 7:25–36 titled “Controlled by Unbelief,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones preaches to understand what unbelief is and what is at the root of it. Not seeing Christ as Savior, Dr. Lloyd-Jones says, is not merely an indifferent opinion that someone can hold. A person’s eternal destination is hinging on how they answer this, and thus, it is of the utmost importance. Unbelief is the consequence of the fall in Genesis 3. Dr. Lloyd-Jones asks what the deep and radical nature of unbelief is and provides three helpful points to think through in consideration. First, it is deeper than merely intellect and reason— unbelief is an issue of the heart that is not fixed simply by changing someone’s mind alone. Second, it is deeper than superficial differences of opinion, and this is because of the importance and weight it bears. Third, un

John 7:25-30 — People often view the Jews who encountered Christ but did not believe him as fools. They ask, How could they not see he was the son of God? How could they be so stubborn and full of unbelief? However, in Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones’ sermon on John 7:25, he shows us that but for the grace of God, we might have done the same thing. Dr. Lloyd-Jones first explains why the Jews in the passage believed so strongly that Jesus was not the Christ. He describes how the Jews, believed their whole lives that no one would know where the Christ would come from. Because they knew Jesus and where he came from, he could not be the Christ. However, Dr. Lloyd-Jones points out that the place they believed him to be from, Nazareth, was actually wrong, and no one really knew his birth place, Bethlehem. Jesus could have explained this simply to the Jews and refuted their point; however, in sheer stubbornness and “dogmatism” the Jews talked over Jesus and refused to listen to him. Dr. Lloyd-Jones shows us how the passage r

John 7:19-24 — What is at the heart of unbelief? In this sermon on right judgement from John 7:19–24, Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones shows that the Pharisees and other Jewish leaders constantly oppose Jesus. They claim He is a false teacher who breaks the law of God by healing the sick and lame. Jesus’s response to these claims is to point out the Jewish leaders’ utter hypocrisy. They claim to follow the law, but they care more about their traditions than the sick and weak in society. They do not understand that the law is about loving one’s neighbor, not legalism. Jesus is wholly the opposite of all the hypocrisy of false religion, for He tells that true religion is about loving God and neighbor. It is not superficial law keeping. Dr. Lloyd-Jones tells that the answer to all false religion and unbelief is true faith in Jesus. Jesus and His kingdom are not simply about making the world a better place, but it is about eternal salvation and reconciliation with God. This sermon calls all to see Jesus for who He is: the