Sermons of Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones

In this sermon on Ephesians 3:18–19 titled “Knowing the Love of Christ,” Dr. Lloyd-Jones states that there are two wrong ways to think about love. One is to see love as purely intellectual and mental. The other is to see love as nothing more than emotional feelings. He says that the biblical view of love, as found in the New Testament, is a much richer expression than either of these false views. Love causes one to seek to understand it and apprehend it. It prompts the hearts of those who have been touched by it to respond in joy and love. This particularly is the case with the love seen in the gospel of Jesus Christ. The love of God in Christ transforms and renews all who believe in the gospel. Testament to this experience is found in the lives of saints and faithful believers all throughout the history of the church. There are many uneducated, ordinary Christians who came to know the love of God and the gospel in a deep and personal way. These were not great theologians and preachers but everyday Christians. This should prompt people of faith to abandon all views of spiritual superiority and see that this great knowledge and experience of love is available to all of God’s children.

The biblical view of God’s love is not simply sentimental, but it shows His love as deep and abiding. In this sermon on Ephesians 3:18–19 titled “Breadth, Length, Depth, Height,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones explains how this love was proven when God sent His Son to die on the cross for sinners. It is this love that is a part of His eternal nature as God. Christians should always look to the love of God in all places of life, for it is the greatest comfort and hope that they have in this life. When one looks at His love, they see their Father who cares for them, who redeemed them through his Son, and made them holy by His sacrifice. This knowledge of Christ’s love is far more than intellectual apprehension, because it is an experience of His abiding love for believers. This experience, says Dr. Lloyd-Jones, is not something that only the greatest Christians can experience, nor is it reserved to preachers and pastors. All believers should experience the depth and breadth of God’s love for them in Christ Jesus. This great truth is an anchor for all in times of suffering and depression, and it is this truth in which all Christians can put their hope and trust.

How can one know the love of God? In this sermon on Ephesians 3:18–19 titled “Able to Comprehend,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones preaches how the apostle Paul speaks of the knowledge of God’s love not simply as intellectual comprehension, nor as a result of abstract thought. But there is a real experience of God’s love and presence in the life of believers that creates this intimate and personal love of God and Christ Jesus. This is true of all biblical truth. For the word of God is a living and active source of teaching, rebuke, and reproof in the life of all God’s children. This is why the love of God that comes from knowing Him is not reserved for the scholars and thinkers of the church. True knowledge and worship of God is never a matter of the intellect alone, but it requires every human faculty. For ultimately this love is only received by grace through the working of God’s Holy Spirit in the lives of fallen men and women. For this reason, no one has any grounds for boasting in themselves. To do so would be to deny that it is entirely of God’s grace. This is both a humbling and an encouraging teaching because it shows how great God’s love is. It tells of what He has done in renewing hearts so that His people can receive this love.

What is foundational to a Christian’s life? Of all the traits that believers are aiming for, what is one of the most important, key characteristics that is supposed to define a follower of Jesus? In this sermon on Ephesians 3:17 titled “Grounded in Love,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones states that the answer is love and explains why this is the case. Paul wrote that Christians are to be rooted and grounded in love, and this love must be foundational to a Christian’s life. The higher a building is, the deeper and stronger its foundation must be, and the same is true with one’s life. Building this foundation takes time and as Dr. Lloyd-Jones reminds, there are no shortcuts in the spiritual life. One of the ways to grow in this area is in how one relates to God. If the Christian only thinks of God in intellectual ways, they will never experience the fullness of the riches of knowing Him, and it is this that He intended to naturally flow out into other relationships. How important is love to a believer’s life? A distinctive that sets Christians apart from nonbelievers is that they are called to love their enemies, and thus, love plays a vital role in the witness to unbelievers. It also has an impact on how one handles the circumstances of life because if they are rooted in Christ’s love, they are resting in His sovereignty and plan for the world.

How can one have an abundant life in Christ? What is the secret to living life to its fullest? In this sermon from Ephesians 3:17 titled “Rooted in Love,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones takes the listener through a section of Paul’s letter to the Ephesians to answer these questions. In this section, Paul is praying that Christians will know and seek Christ Himself, not solely the blessings that He offers. The Christian’s primary ambition in life, Dr. Lloyd-Jones says, should not be to aim merely at a good life since all religions have a version of this. Rather, the Christian should have a holiness that flows out of their relationship with Him, and this happens when He dwells in the heart. What occurs when the Christian allows this to take place? As Paul prayed for his readers, they become rooted and grounded in love. The language he uses reminds the readers of a tree and just like the roots of a tree, their love is to grow deeper and stronger every day. “Knowledge,” Paul says, “puffs up, but love builds up.” One’s knowledge of God must drive them to an increased love of God since God is love (1 John 4:8). Listen as Dr. Lloyd-Jones encourages Christians to grow in love and reminds the listener of why this is so important for the Christian life.