For Me to Live is Christ (2)
A Sermon on John 1:16
Originally preached May 31, 1964
Scripture
16And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace.
Sermon Description
In this sermon on John 1:16 titled “ For Me to Live is Christ (2),” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones encourages Christians that death is not to be feared. It is, however, reasonable for the unbeliever to fear death as their soul is not secure within Christ. The fear of death has dominated humanity for all of history. Christians, however, have been given eternal hope. One of the wonderful delights of Christ and the fullness of His grace is eternal life. In Christ, the Christian no longer has to fear death as death will simply bring them to their home with God. However, Christians tend to neglect a proper understanding of death. Too many Christians, Dr. Lloyd-Jones exhorts, are too focused on this temporary life. To address this issue, he calls the hearer’s attention to John 1:14, which literally translates to mean God "tabernacled" among His people. Christians at large have neglected to understand that the hope must be based in Christ and the life He gives. A true understanding of death, Dr. Lloyd-Jones preaches, should give the Christian certainty over it. The Christian can have joy since their hope is secure in Christ’s fullness imparted to them.
Sermon Breakdown
- The words to focus on are John 1:16 and Philippians 1:21.
- John 1:16 says that out of Jesus' fullness we have all received grace upon grace. This means that Jesus provides everything we need, including facing death.
- Philippians 1:21 says that for Paul, to live is Christ and to die is gain. This shows Paul's view that death means being with Jesus, which is far better.
- Only faith in Christ can truly conquer the fear of death. No other religion or philosophy provides an answer about death.
- The sting of death is sin, but Jesus removed the sting of death by dying for our sins (1 Cor 15:55-57). His resurrection proves he satisfied God's demands.
- We should view our earthly life as a "tent" - temporary and transient (2 Cor 5:1-5). We should long for our eternal home in heaven.
- Life in this world is difficult and causes us to groan. We see the effects of sin and walk by faith, not by sight. We are absent from the Lord (2 Cor 5:6-7).
- For Christians, death means dismantling our earthly tent and being with Christ (Phil 1:23). It means seeing Jesus face to face (1 Cor 13:12).
- Death means leaving behind the effects of sin - no more sorrow, pain, or tears (Rev 21:4). We will have perfect knowledge of God (1 Cor 13:12).
- We should examine ourselves to see if we view death as gain like Paul and other saints (Phil 3:14). Do we long to be with Christ (Phil 1:23)?
- Receiving from Jesus' fullness means facing death with confidence, seeing it as gaining Christ (Phil 1:21). This has been the experience of saints through history.
Sermon Q&A
Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones on Death as Gain: Questions and Answers
What does "of His fullness have all we received, and grace for grace" mean according to Dr. Lloyd-Jones?
According to Dr. Lloyd-Jones, this phrase from John 1:16 is a complete and perfect summary of what it means to be a Christian. It's not merely an intellectual assent to truth but "a vital, living, experimental receiving of the fullness of the Son of God." It means receiving everything that Christ offers - His life, death, resurrection, ascension, and high priesthood in heaven. The fullness of Christ addresses every need of the believer, even providing victory over death itself.
How does Dr. Lloyd-Jones contrast the Christian's view of death with the world's view?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones points out that while the world fears death and tries to avoid thinking about it, the Christian can face death confidently as "gain." The Christian faith is unique in giving victory over death, whereas all other religions and philosophies cannot. The world sees death as the end of everything solid and real, while Christians see it as leaving behind a temporary "tent-like existence" to enter something more permanent and far better - being with Christ. While the world is dominated by the fear of death, Christians can be "more than conquerors" over this last enemy.
What does Paul mean when he says "to die is gain" according to the sermon?
According to Dr. Lloyd-Jones, Paul means that death for the Christian is a positive advancement, not a loss. He explains that Paul wasn't speaking from a negative or morbid perspective of wanting to escape life's difficulties, but from a positive desire to be with Christ, "which is far better." Death represents gain because it means: (1) being freed from sin and its effects, (2) leaving behind a temporary "tent-like existence" for an eternal "building of God," (3) no longer walking by faith but by sight, (4) seeing Christ face to face, and (5) having perfect knowledge rather than partial knowledge.
How has Christ removed the "sting of death" according to Dr. Lloyd-Jones?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones explains that "the sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law." People fear death because they have an innate sense that judgment awaits them due to their guilt before God. Christ has removed this sting by bearing the punishment of sin and answering every demand of the law through His death on the cross. As the sermon states: "He has taken the sting out of death. The sting of death entered into him... He was doing something legal, and God was doing something legal." Christ's resurrection proves that He satisfied all the demands of the law, being "delivered for our offenses, raised again for our justification."
What metaphor does Dr. Lloyd-Jones use to describe the Christian's life in this world?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones repeatedly uses the metaphor of living in a tent to describe the Christian's life in this world. He points out that Paul and Peter both described bodily existence as a "tabernacle" or tent-like existence. This metaphor emphasizes that life on earth is temporary, transient, and a pilgrimage. The Christian is journeying through this world, pitching their "moving tent" each day on a march toward home. Death is simply the final "dismantling of the tent" before entering the "building of God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens." This perspective helps Christians avoid too much attachment to this world.
How did early Christians impact the ancient world according to Dr. Lloyd-Jones?
According to Dr. Lloyd-Jones, early Christians "conquered the ancient world largely by the way in which they died." When pagans saw Christians rejoicing in the face of death, thanking God for being counted worthy to suffer, and dying with triumph that showed they had conquered death, it profoundly shook the ancient world. Lloyd-Jones suggests that this same witness can impact our modern world, since despite all our advances in medicine, technology, and comfort, we still face death - an area where secular perspectives have nothing meaningful to offer.
What are the key elements of heaven that make death "gain" according to the sermon?
According to the sermon, the key elements that make heaven "gain" include: (1) being with Christ - "to be with Christ, which is far better," (2) seeing Him face to face "as He is," (3) leaving behind all the relics of sin and bodily infirmities, (4) experiencing no more sorrow, tears, or partings, (5) having full knowledge - "then shall I know even as also I am known," (6) hearing Christ's welcome, and (7) receiving the crown of reward. Dr. Lloyd-Jones emphasizes that the Christian's primary desire for heaven should be Christ Himself, quoting Ralph Erskine: "Others desire Christ only for heaven, but the believer desires heaven chiefly for Christ."
How does Dr. Lloyd-Jones suggest Christians should examine themselves regarding their attitude toward death?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones urges Christians to examine whether they have evidence of having "received of this fullness" by considering their attitude toward death. He suggests true Christians should have "absolute certainty," "unshakable confidence," and even a desire to be with Christ rather than merely resignation or hope that they'll have strength when death comes. He emphasizes that Christians should not avoid contemplating death, as many do, but should understand it biblically as gain. He points out that our view of death reveals much about our view of life and our grasp of Christian theology, saying: "why do we avoid the thought of death as Christian people? It's because we are not working out our theology."
The Book of John
Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones
Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones (1899-1981) was a Welsh evangelical minister who preached and taught in the Reformed tradition. His principal ministry was at Westminster Chapel, in central London, from 1939-1968, where he delivered multi-year expositions on books of the bible such as Romans, Ephesians and the Gospel of John. In addition to the MLJ Trust’s collection of 1,600 of these sermons in audio format, most of these great sermon series are available in book form (including a 14 volume collection of the Romans sermons), as are other series such as "Spiritual Depression", "Studies in the Sermon on the Mount" and "Great Biblical Doctrines". He is considered by many evangelical leaders today to be an authority on biblical truth and the sufficiency of Scripture.