Sermons of Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones

Becoming a Christian means becoming part of a family. The Christian family is not a natural family but a supernatural one. When one is born again, they see that the same is true for other Christians. The apostle Paul teaches Christians that they are to love brothers and sisters in the faith as though they were brothers and sisters in blood. In this sermon on Romans 12:9–11 titled “Sermon on Love, Part 2,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones warns that this love is not phony love. It is not based upon positive circumstances and not the same as merely “liking” each member of the body of Ch...

In this sermon on Romans 12:9–21 titled “Sermon on Love, Part 1,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones teaches that the believer must always proceed from doctrine to application and the two great principles must characterize and govern the Christian life. The apostle Paul is concerned with the practicalities of the Christian life, both in how the Christian acts and reacts. The listener will see their absolute need for the salvation of Christ and respond in presenting themselves as a sacrifice. Love is the fulfilling of the law and it sums up the whole of the law — these two must never be contrasted. “We should be animate...

Human traditions are often blinded to the clear teaching of Scripture. Traditionalism is a danger Christians must avoid because it is a prejudice they are all subject to. Perhaps no area of the Christian life is more prone to traditionalism than worship. Whether as an individual or entire denomination, one can easily read their prejudices back into Scripture. In this sermon on Romans 12:6–8 titled “Worship, the Old and the New,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones calls Bible-believing Christians to examine their traditions. He asks them to consider the general impression of the New Testament as they read about the early church engaging in wor...

Liturgical forms of worship in free churches were on the rise during the ministry of Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones. This tendency hasn’t slowed and continues to this day as evangelicals have a renewed interest in read prayers, prayer books, responsive readings, and vestments. In this sermon on Romans 12:6–8 titled “Worship, Ancient and Modern,” Dr. Lloyd-Jones asks pressing questions of this movement. When one reads the descriptions of early church life, do they see themselves? Do they find these liturgical elements in Scripture and in what sense is the New Testament teaching binding on worship forms? While the liturgical practice of a prayer...

Do the practices of the early church have anything to say to the contemporary church? How can one explain the obvious difference between what is read in the pages of Scripture regarding the church and the present manifestation of so many contemporary church models? As those invested in the authority and sufficiency of God’s word, evangelicals must be willing to set aside prejudices and look at Scripture with fresh eyes and seek to conform to the picture and pattern found in the New Testament. This is the conviction of Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones. In this sermon on Romans 12:6–8 titled “Lessons from C...

Why does God give different spiritual gifts to each Christian? In this sermon on Romans 12:6–8 titled “Lessons From the Early Church,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones tells that God equips His church in order to strengthen and build it up to accomplish the task of preaching the gospel and disciplining all nations in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. It is seen in the early church that many of the early believers had different roles and purposes in bringing about the kingdom of God – some as apostles, some as prophets, and others as evangelists. The prophets and the apostles form the...

How does God ensure that the church is equipped for its mission? In this passage of Scripture, the apostle Paul tells that it is by the Holy Spirit giving gifts to those in the church. Some are given the gift of teaching and others the gift of giving. In this sermon on Romans 12:7–8 titled “Spiritual Gifts (4),” the important thing is that every Christian only seek to use the gifts God has actually given them, not what they want. He says that there is great danger in Christians trying to do things for which they have not been gifted. Those who do not...

The gift of prophecy is one of the most unusual spiritual gifts given by the Holy Spirit. It has been dismissed, over-emphasized, and abused throughout church history. In a sermon on Romans 12:6 titled “Spiritual Gifts (3),” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones illustrates both the dismissal and abuse of this teaching in the church. He does not just give a history lesson on the misuse of the gift of prophecy; he expounds the biblical teaching on it. Walking carefully through each interpretation, he explains various understandings of the apostle Paul’s teaching on prophecy and faith. In the end, Dr. Lloyd-Jones sides with the teachi...

Perhaps no topic in evangelical circles stirs more controversy than the nature and function of spiritual gifts. There can sometimes be a great divide between ‘cessationists’ and ‘continuationists’ on the “unusual” gifts. In this sermon on Romans 12:6 titled “Spiritual Gifts (2),” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones speaks with clarity and boldness on the topic. In arguing for the continuation of all the gifts – including the unusual gifts – he answers specific objections posed by ‘cessationists’. One unique feature of this sermon is Dr. Lloyd-Jones’s reminder to all camps of the sovereignty of the Holy Spirit in both the dispensing of gifts and withholding of gifts. The Spirit alone...

In this sermon on Romans 12:6 titled “Spiritual Gifts (1),” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones encourages a look at the nature of spiritual gifts. God decides which gift to provide to each Christian but they all work in and through the very same Spirit. He reminds that there is a “diversity of operations, but the same God that worketh all in all.” Why and how are Christians to “covet” and “desire” the best gifts? How ought they seek these gifts? The listener is encouraged to learn to love the spiritual gifts and to be filled with love. Dr. Lloyd-Jones emphasizes and explains the doctrine of the body, lov...

What guides and keeps a church unified? How can the church encourage unity among its members? In this sermon on Romans 12:5-6 titled “Character of Unity,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones explains there are two elements to preserving the unity of a church. There is a spiritual unity that can only be brought about the Spirit of God and there is a necessary fundamental agreement of doctrine. While agreeing in the area of doctrine, it is also important to remember that the church body was created for a specific purpose. It ought to function in a living and active way together as many...

The modern ecumenical movement has made a profound impact on the contemporary Christian understanding of unity. But what overlap, if any, does this movement have with biblical unity? In this sermon on Romans 12:4–5 titled “One Body,” Dr. Lloyd-Jones reminds that an essential point for evangelical Christians to remember is the inevitability of the unity of the church. Because the church is a spiritual society called the body of Christ, there will necessarily be true unity. Striving to maintain visible unity is a necessity because evangelical Christians believe what the Bible says. Still, says Dr. Lloyd-Jones, the character of the church’s unity...

In this sermon on Romans 12:3–5 titled “The Body of Christ,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones teaches the principle that everything is of grace. This principle ought to cause one to think soberly, not more highly. Consider the nature and parts of the human body and see this applied towards one’s position in the Christian church. A body has an organic unity that is vital. No one can put themselves into the body of Christ; only the Lord can add to the church. There is great variety and unity in the body. There is a different function for each member and this must not...

Spiritual gifts have been a matter of controversy in the church since the beginning of Christianity. How quickly the body of Christ forgets the sovereignty of the Holy Spirit in the distribution of the gifts. From this error arises all manner of sin and abuse of gifts given by God. In sermon on Romans 12:3–5 titled “Gifts in the Church,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones addresses two particular follies the church falls into when it forgets the sovereignty of the Spirit and the diversity of the gifts. On the one hand, he says, the Christian thinks more highly of themselves than they ought. Follow...

In this sermon on Roman 12:3 titled “All By Grace,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones teaches that grace is God’s undeserved favor. The distinctiveness of Christianity is that it is grace that begins the Christian life and it is grace that carries the Christian through life. This is true of general grace that makes one a Christian, but also grace that gives spiritual gifts. Dr. Lloyd-Jones says it is this view of God’s grace that helps balance the apostle Paul’s statement about his authority while maintaining a counter-cultural view of humility. Paul can easily appeal to himself as an example to follow...

The Christian will certainly fail to understand Christianity if they reduce it to morality, escape from hell, or even simply the forgiveness of sins. In this sermon on Romans 12:1–2 titled “Renewal of the Mind (3),” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones reminds that Christianity is concerned with those things, but the Scriptures teach that the Christian life is so much more. The doctrine of regeneration, he says, tells that God enables the mind to know and appreciate the will of God. It is surely unnatural for fallen humanity to delight in the law of the Lord. It is contrary to the sinful nature to confes...

The purpose of the incarnation, the cross, and the resurrection is not to merely have individuals escape hell. The Christian will miss the glory of the person and work of Christ if they reduce salvation to fire insurance. In this sermon on Romans 12:1–2 titled “Renewal of the Mind (2),” regeneration, or new birth, is being transferred out of the kingdom of darkness, and transferred into the kingdom of God’s beloved Son. This is what it means to be a Christian – God creates a new humanity. The Christian has new thoughts, new attitudes, and a new outlook on life. In short, their mind...

Tackling individual sin in the Christian life is typically how evangelicals think of growth or sanctification. They often believe that by approaching sin in piecemeal manner that they will have overall victory in their lives. The trouble, of course, is once they gain victory over an individual sin there is always another temptation lurking. As a result, the Christian falls right back into besetting sin. Rather than dealing with individual sin in this manner, the apostle Paul calls to something more profound. The doctrine of sanctification is much more comprehensive than this. In this sermon on Romans 12:1–2 titled “Renewal of the...

Avoiding the world is not an option for Christians. Some still try it anyway by setting up rules and regulations because fear of conforming to the world drives their choices. A great distance is then placed between the Christian and the world. History has shown the various extremes which men and women will go and all of it is contrary to the gospel. In this sermon on Romans 12:1–2 titled “The World (2),” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones is concerned that Christians who seek to live a life of holiness may fall into this sort of trap of legalism or Pharisaism. All of it is gov...

When the church becomes like the world, the gospel message is eclipsed. Today it seems the church is often bending to the desires and the thoughts of the world. Who determines morality? What is right? Some church leaders argue that the message must change or else become irrelevant. In this sermon on Romans 12:1–2 titled “The World (1),” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones argues that this very thinking is conforming to the world. The world, according to the Bible, thinks of, organizes itself, and lives life apart from God. Fallen humanity is corrupt in their very thinking. They do not know God. They do not un...