Authentic Christianity Volume 5

What a master-preacher Dr Lloyd-Jones was! You can still hear his eloquence and feel his passion for souls as you read these pages many years after his death. The language pours out as it did from his pulpit. Once again I was fascinated as he moved slowly through just a part of Stephen’s speech in his own defence. Eighteen sermons were preached on this portion of Acts 7 and all are fresh. He took nine months preaching through just this chapter. He can always find something essential and of the highest relevance in his text.

These sermons are evangelistic. There is of course teaching and feeding for the Christian but the emphasis is on challenging the unbeliever to consider the folly of his life, repent of his sins and believe in Jesus. Surely the emphasis of this master preacher is one that the preachers of today would do well to note. Though thousands came to hear him and though he had the ability to fascinate Christians with his knowledge, he shows a particular love and delight in being an evangelist. What is more important? Sinners need to be saved from hell. ‘Let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins’ (James 5:20).

Sometimes in our evangelistic preaching we feel we must present the whole Gospel in one sermon. Lloyd-Jones rather is concerned to present and emphasise one point and make sure that his hearers would take this away with them. Surely he has something to teach us here. He makes use of current events to catch the interest of his hearers, be it the Cold War or student protests. He demonstrates over and over again the relevance of the Scriptures to the age in which we live. There is nothing new under the sun.

In his preaching there is a great emphasis on the holiness of God and the need to fear him. One example will suffice: ‘Modern men and women who are not Christians are not interested in religion. Why? “God is love”, they say and that is all they know. That is the universal solution. No need for theology. No need for any of this at all. Do what you like. God is love, so all is well. That is the popular theory. But when you listen to this blessed Person, he teaches you to pray, “Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name” (Matt.6:9). And when he prays himself, even though, as we have seen, he is the Son of God, he does not say, “Dear Father”, he says, “Holy Father”. This is his teaching. It is he alone who can tell us something of the truth about God’.

Like all the Doctor’s sermons this book is well worth purchasing and reading.

From the British Church Newspaper, 9 June 2006

Authentic Christianity Vol 5 (ISBN 085151 9229) retails for £15.75 (UK and ROW) and can be purchased from the Banner of Truth book catalogue