Sermon on the Mount (Martyn Lloyd-Jones): General Introduction

Why study the Sermon on the Mount? The church is superficial. An outstanding characteristic of the Church is superficiality. Evangelistic efforts tends toward boisterousness, which is shocking. Her conception of holiness and approach to sanctification is shallow.

Why is the church shallow? Poor/wrong way of studying the Bible. A main cause is our attitude toward the Bible. We fail to take it seriously as our sole authority. We fail to study the Bible in the right manner.

What is a Christian? (Phil 3:8-11)

Phil 3:8-11; Key Verse: 3:8

"I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord..."

Based on Paul's testimony in Phil 3:8-11, I pondered the question, "What is a Christian?" But this past week was a very tough week. A former Bible student was arrested and charged with criminal sexual assault. Ever since I heard the news last Sun evening, I have been distressed and distraught all week, conflicted with many thoughts and emotions. I tried to work on my sermon, but was simply distracted and depressed. The text in Philippians is bright and glorious. Paul was declaring joyfully, "Jesus is worth more to me than anything else in the world." The reality I was experiencing is dark and gloomy. A friend I have known for 5 years is charged with rape and robbery. How do I resolve such conflicts within my own heart? I am not able to. But I do know as a Christian that God is good, and that all things work out for good to those who love God and who have been called by God (Rom 8:28). I pray for him that through this sad, painful and unfortunate event, he may come to find his Joy, his Treasure and his Pleasure in Jesus. I pray that he may come to confess from his heart as Paul did in the text today. Briefly, Paul shows us his core and his center in Phil 3:7-11. He teaches us what it means to be a Christian.

Of Joy and Dogs (Phil 3:1-7)

Philippians 3:1-7; Key Verse: 3:1

"...rejoice in the Lord! It is no trouble for me to write the same things to you again..."

This January I had intended to only preach 1 sermon on Philippians to pray for 2012 to be a year of sanctification. (This is my 13th sermon on Philippians.) That sermon on sanctification (Phil 2:12-13) was change is possible. I stressed that the primacy of sanctification is God working in us (Php 2:13). Yet no Christian will ever grow, mature and be joyful and fruitful without "working" "with fear and trembling" (Phip 2:12). Paul said "I worked harder than all of them" (1 Cor 15:10), not to make lazy people feel guilty but to show the beauty of the grace of Jesus working in him. If a Christian is not growing or is unhappy, it is because they are not "working" but "chilling." I am not legalistic about chilling, because there is the biblical teaching of "rest." But Jesus said, “My Father is always at his work to this very day, and I too am working” (Jn 5:17). If the Father and the Son are always working, what should we Christians be doing?