Martyn Lloyd-jones Sermon Podcast

This historical address, delivered by Iain Murray a few months after the death of Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones in 1981, reflects on the life and legacy of this great preacher of the gospel. Mr. Murray, a close friend of Dr. Lloyd-Jones and his official biographer, shares personal memories and insights from the final months of Dr. Lloyd-Jones's life. He emphasizes Dr. Lloyd-Jones' deep faith, his preparation for death, and his lifelong commitment to biblical truth. Mr. Murray recounts how Dr. Lloyd-Jones viewed his declining health as an opportunity to prepare spiritually for eternity, rather than lamenting his inability to preach. He highlights Dr. Lloyd-Jones's continued devotion to Scripture reading, prayer, and theological reflection even as his health failed. The address provides glimpses into Dr. Lloyd-Jones's thoughts on death, the sovereignty of God, and the importance of ministers being well-prepared to feed their congregations spiritually. It also touches on key moments in Dr. Lloyd-Jones' life and ministr

In this sermon on the Protestant Reformation, Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones provides a comprehensive overview of the Protestant Reformation and its ongoing relevance. He traces the development of the Roman Catholic Church over the centuries, highlighting how it deviated from biblical teaching through traditions, papal authority, and doctrines like transubstantiation. Dr. Lloyd-Jones then explains how reformers like Martin Luther and John Calvin rediscovered key biblical truths like justification by faith alone and sola scriptura. He recounts how the Reformation spread to different countries, including England. Dr. Lloyd-Jones emphasizes that the core doctrinal differences between Protestantism and Catholicism remain, despite surface-level changes in the Catholic Church. He urges listeners to value and defend Reformation truths, warning against ecumenical movements that compromise the gospel. Overall, Dr. Lloyd-Jones presents the Reformation as a crucial recovery of biblical Christianity that continues to have vital

In this sermon on postmillennialism and the spiritual view, Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones continues his series on Great Biblical Doctrines by preaching on the other possible interpretations of Revelation and the end times. The postmillennial view, once popular in mainstream evangelical circles, holds that Christ will not return until after the millennium, which its supporters hold as a period during which the earth will experience a long period of immense blessing and knowledge of the Lord. However, as Dr. Lloyd-Jones points out, the difficulty with this view is that Scripture says the earth will go through an absolutely devastating time before the end. If the postmillennial view isn’t correct, what is? In place of this and the other perspectives discussed in this mini-series, Dr. Lloyd-Jones proposes what he calls the “Spiritual View.” He argues that this section in Revelation and the parallel passages in the gospels point to Satan having been bound and cast out at the time of Christ’s death on the cross. What abou

In this sermon on the premillennial view of Revelation, Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones identifies several errors with the premillennial interpretation of eschatology. First, no other passages in the New Testament reference an earthly kingdom with Jesus literally reigning on earth for 1,000 years. Second, this view makes the kingdom earthly, whereas Jesus’s emphasis is on a spiritual kingdom. Third, it postpones the idea of the kingdom to the future, but this is contrary to what Dr. Lloyd-Jones sees in the New Testament. Fourth, it reintroduces the distinction between Jews and Gentiles that Paul so clearly wrote had been abolished. Fifth, Lloyd-Jones says, it proposes that there are three comings of Jesus, whereas Scripture says that there are two. Sixth, this view says that glorified saints and the Lord Jesus in His glory are on earth together with those who haven’t been glorified yet, but this, too, seems contrary to what Scripture teaches. Finally, it is inconceivable that if Christ reigns for 1,000 years that Sata

The spiritual conflict Christians experience is much deeper than merely a battle against people. In this sermon titled “God’s Enemies Destroyed,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones teaches on this spiritual warfare as it is written about in this last book of the New Testament. Who are the antagonists behind the opposition of men and women? Dr. Lloyd-Jones identifies these as the devil, the secular powers and governments of the earth, false religion, and the seductive power of worldliness. Over and over throughout Scripture, Christians are warned against being lured by the pleasures and promises of the world. Dr. Lloyd-Jones says that when all attempts fail, Satan leans heavily on this to cause Christians to fall. However, even though God gives descriptions of these enemies, how marvelous it is that in Revelation He shows the details of the Christian triumphs. The essence of comfort is that Christians ultimately have no need to fear. God promises that these antagonists will be judged and that this judgment is final and em

What do the trumpets in Revelation stand for? Why are they in the book? How can their teaching be applied today? In this sermon on the trumpets, Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones teaches more about these symbols from the book of Revelation. He notes that the trumpets afflict only one-third of their objects. This is contrary to the seals of Revelation, which afflict things as a whole. What do the trumpets represent? They represent what happens to those who persecute God’s people. Many times when people are punished for their sin, it is easy to think that it is all a coincidence, but Dr. Lloyd-Jones reminds the listener that these calamities in Revelation are sent by God Himself. This is important to remember because it is a reminder that God will judge those who have afflicted His people. Just like the plagues of Egypt, the trumpets in Revelation serve as a warning that God sees the trouble of His people and will seek justice for them. Finally, are these trumpets meant to be taken and understood literally? Dr. Lloyd-Jone

Symbolism is a regular part of life. Symbolism and pictures are used in language every day in order to help people better understand what they are trying to say. In this sermon titled “The Suffering and the Safety of the Redeemed,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones helps the listener better understand symbolism and the general themes of Revelation. This type of poetic language is everywhere in the book of Revelation, and it can sometimes be difficult to understand. Many of the symbols in this book are repeated, and Dr. Lloyd-Jones points out that this is a type of parallelism. He sees the book as divided into two main divisions with various subsections. The first division is about the struggle of Christ and the church against unbelievers, while the second is regarding the struggle of Christ and the church against the devil. The battle between God and Satan, says Dr. Lloyd-Jones, is the ultimate battle, and this battle is most clearly represented through Scripture in Revelation. The purpose of this book is to unfold the

How should one read the book of Revelation? Many do not even attempt to read it because it is confusing. In this sermon on the spiritual, historicist view, Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones contends that the book of Revelation is not meant to confuse the reader, but just the opposite. Revelation is meant to unveil what was once hidden. It is intended to make something clear. Before he demonstrates how the book should be read, Dr. Lloyd-Jones addresses what he believes to be the ways people can misread Revelation. Examining various views, it is discovered that there are many problems with many modern approaches to the book. Dr. Lloyd-Jones proceeds to explain that Revelation is intentionally symbolic and that once the symbols are understood, the meaning of the book becomes clear. The book of Revelation is a telling of the story of redemption. The attack of the evil one, the final judgement, the overcoming of God’s people, and the conquering of Christ create the storyline. The story of God’s people is then told seven time

Is the book of Revelation a mere record of what happened in time-past or is it an account of events which will one day take place? In this sermon on the preterist view and futurist views, Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones examines two views of Revelation. First, he briefly examines what is called the “preterist view” which understands Revelation as referring to events that happened in the past. Spending the bulk of his attention on the “futurist view,” he explains that both of these should be rejected. According to the futurist view, the reader is to understand most of Revelation’s application as that which applies to a future generation. According to this view, little of the book’s meaning applies to the lives of the vast majority of Christians who have lived. Dr. Lloyd-Jones first gives the futurist view and then critiques it by showing textual and theological problems. The author of Revelation doesn’t seem to believe that only a portion of the book’s material is about current realities, while other things will only h

The book of Revelation can leave its readers with more questions than answers. The deep symbolism and imagery makes it seem impossible to understand exactly what the author was trying to say. In this sermon on Revelation, Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones takes the listener through a brief overview of the main schools of interpretation. The preterist view, made popular by a Catholic priest, holds that everything prophesied in Revelation has already taken place. The futurist view, also made popular by a Catholic priest, holds an opposite view that the periods written about in Revelation are periods in the life of the church from the end of the first century and extending to the end of time. Thus, it views the events in Revelation as being fulfilled after the book was written. Another view is the historicist view, and this perspective understands Revelation as being fulfilled between the first and second comings of Christ. With all these ideas about how to interpret Revelation, it can be difficult to determine which one i

All people have thought about the end of time and what will happen at that point. What does Scripture teach? In this sermon on the final judgment, Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones explains the final judgment as the final solution to the world’s trials, yet many people run to temporary fixes while ignoring this key doctrine. Some reject the idea of this judgment because they cannot reconcile it with the truth of God being loving. Others, however, reject it because they don’t see the need for it since their fate will already have been determined on earth. However, Scripture is clear that it is the day when the verdict will be announced, not determined. It will be a very public event. What is its purpose? Dr. Lloyd-Jones says that it is ultimately about the glory of God. Many people wonder about who the judge will be, but Dr. Lloyd-Jones demonstrates from Scripture that it will be the Lord Jesus Christ. He will judge not only humans, but also the angels who rejected Him in the beginning. What about verses that refer to ot

The soul will live forever, but what about the body? Is there Scriptural evidence upholding a physical raising of the body? In this sermon titled “The Resurrection of the Body,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones expounds on a difficult topic by surveying the teaching of the Old and New Testament on the subject. As he demonstrates, the New Testament is clearer in its teaching regarding the resurrection. Nonetheless, the doctrine is present in the Old Testament as well. Some modern-day Christians are skeptical regarding the literal physical raising of bodies, but Dr. Lloyd-Jones draws attention to the hope that the writers of Scripture portrayed through their writings regarding the resurrection. While human bodies were sown in sin and weakness, he says, Christians will be raised in glory and power on the last day as they partake in the glories of Jesus. Indeed, the resurrection and redemption of the body is a part of salvation. This marks a distinction between Christianity and other religions; Christianity says the body w

Is the secret rapture of the church a true biblical teaching? In this sermon, Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones focuses on Daniel 9 as a passage frequently used in the discussion of the end-times, yet the language it employs is often mysterious and open to debate over its meaning. At the center of the debates are verses 24–27 which refer to various weeks that the events will fall on. Some interpret these events as still awaiting fulfillment, but Dr. Lloyd-Jones makes his case for why he believes the events to have been fulfilled with the life of Jesus Christ, the destruction of the temple, and defeat of the Jewish people in 70 A.D. Dr. Lloyd-Jones also provides a commentary on a topic that has been steadily gaining traction in evangelical circles: the rapture of Christians. He posits that many people are surprised to learn that this theological idea is not commonly found until after the 1800s. How should Christians approach this topic? Listen to this sermon as Dr. Lloyd-Jones provides an alternative view of Daniel 9, an

When will Jesus return? Daniel 9 is vital to the Christian understanding of events. However, due to its difficult nature, many Christians interpret it incorrectly or stay away from it all-together. Yet, God placed it in His word for a reason. In this sermon titled “The Interpretation of Daniel 9,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones begins with a reminder of the godly people who have disagreed widely on interpretation regarding passages like Daniel 9, encouraging the listener to avoid being overly dogmatic regarding the subject. Regardless of opinion, Daniel 9 is about what God has determined regarding a chosen people. One of the most well-known sections in this chapter refers to “70 weeks,” a timeline regarding when the events at the end of time will happen. Are these literal weeks? If not, what do they represent? Why are they divided up, and will Christians leave in the midst of them? Dr. Lloyd-Jones makes his argument for which period he believes the listeners are living in, as well as identifying the purposes these “w

The world will end one day. It is more than a movie plot; it is God’s plan. But what happens? Will all of Israel be saved? Will Jesus come at any time, or are there signs that will precede His coming? In this sermon on God’s plan for the Jews, Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones begins with a warning against being overly-dogmatic on views of the end times since Scripture itself is so vague about what specifically will happen. Many of the passages and books in the Bible regarding the end times and the second coming of Jesus can be confusing, and Paul’s statement in Romans 11:26 that “all Israel will be saved” falls into such a category. How should Christians approach this verse and God’s plan for the Jews? Dr. Lloyd-Jones takes the listener through three main views regarding this verse and gracefully demonstrates from Scripture which view is the closest aligned to biblical teaching, centering his argument around another of Paul’s verses where he writes that there is a spiritual Israel distinct from those who are Israelites

Predictions of when Christ will return seem to take place every year, but what are the biblical signs of the second coming of the Lord Jesus Christ? Does Scripture even allow the opportunity of discerning precisely when He will return again? In this sermon on the timing of Christ's return, Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones answers these questions and more, contending that it is useless for Christians to debate the exact date and time of His coming since Jesus promised that only God the Father knew. Dr. Lloyd-Jones takes the listener through a helpful history of these questions that begins with the apostles since many have argued that they expected Jesus to return again in their lifetime. In addition to this view of the apostles, Dr. Lloyd-Jones also gives a brief overview of several other alternate stances on this subject. According to Scripture, Dr. Lloyd-Jones teaches, there are two signs that precede the second coming of Christ—the calling of the Gentiles and the gathering in of the fullness of Israel. He skillfully

When will Jesus return and how will anyone recognize the second coming of Christ? In this sermon on the Second Coming, Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones preaches a message on the second coming of Jesus Christ. There is much confusion over what the second coming refers to, and some argue about its timing. Did the second coming happen at Pentecost? Did it happen when the temple was destroyed in AD 70 or will it happen in the future? The coming of Christ is a topic all throughout Scripture—some have said that one in every thirteen verses refer to this, with those referring to His second coming being eight times more frequent than those about His birth. Why is it so important to understand this doctrine? Dr. Lloyd-Jones explains that this doctrine is one of the most important for the church, especially since it was used by Paul and the other early apostles to encourage Christians to persevere in the face of persecution. However, Dr. Lloyd-Jones also issues a warning to those who undertake a study of this subject—to take top

What happens between death and the final resurrection, the so-called “intermediate state”? In this sermon on “The Intermediate State,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones presents and explains several views on the intermediate state. Some propose that souls sleep until Jesus comes again; some argue that the dead reside in Abraham’s bosom or a place of suffering until the final judgment; others argue that only those who have eternal life with God will even exist eternally, a view called conditional mortality. But what does the Bible say? Dr. Lloyd-Jones presents a biblical case for why both believers and unbelievers will live eternally, either with God or apart from Him forever in suffering. Many people are troubled by this thought—how could a loving God cause and allow people to suffer forever? “Surely,” they say, “those who die will have another chance to be saved after they die.” Dr. Lloyd-Jones answers these questions firmly but biblically, reminding the listener that one must not allow one’s own idea of justice and lo

Everyone lives forever. But what happens and how does it happen? For many years, people had lost curiosity about the study of these questions because the world was so comfortable. And then World Wars I and II occurred, shattering people’s confidence and security in the things the world had to offer. Everything was uncertain, and thus, interest in studying these topics was revived. In this sermon titled “Death and Immortality,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones discusses death as a fruitful means of evangelism because it forces people to face questions of eternal importance. Oftentimes, the Lord used the fear of death to prompt people to examine their hearts. Death is not the end of existence, but simply the separation of the body from the soul. Death exists simply because sin entered the world— it is a natural consequence of disobeying God. Even though Christians are saved from eternal death of the soul, Dr. Lloyd-Jones explains why Christians still suffer and die. Even though they experience death, believers can have a