Saved By Grace
A Sermon on Isaiah 52:1-3
Originally preached Oct. 3, 1965
Scripture
1Awake, awake; put on thy strength, O Zion; put on thy beautiful garments, O Jerusalem, the holy city: for henceforth there shall no more come into thee the uncircumcised and the unclean. 2Shake thyself from the dust; arise, and sit down, O Jerusalem: loose thyself from the bands …
Sermon Description
The gospel like a trapped city hearing of coming deliverance. In this sermon on Isaiah 52:1–3 titled “Saved By Grace,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones shares that this joy produced by the news of Scripture is a great characteristic of the gospel and the story of the Bible is seen in this passage. First, that people are fools. They have rebelled against God and chosen lesser things over the all-satisfying goodness of who He is. Second, salvation is entirely of God’s grace. To understand this point, and the whole of the gospel, one must understand what is wrong with humanity. Dr. Lloyd-Jones reminds that they have sold their souls to sin and are slaves to it. But praise be to God, this is not the end of the story. Though they have nothing to pay, God can and will redeem them. In this passage, He says that Christians are redeemed without money. First, because they ultimately have nothing to pay. They are broken sinners with nothing to bring before God. Second, redemption is without money because it has already been paid for on the cross of Jesus Christ. All that is required is to repent from one’s sins and disobedience against God and belief in the gospel. This, Dr. Lloyd-Jones says, is what brings deliverance from sin and peace with God for this life and the next.
Sermon Breakdown
- The passage under consideration is Isaiah 52:1-3. The prophet Isaiah presents the gospel message in a pictorial manner.
- The gospel is the message of the entire Bible. It records God's way of salvation.
- There is a great need to understand the true gospel message today as there are many false gospels being preached.
- The glory and wonder of the true gospel is missing from false gospels. They reduce the gospel to something small and human.
- The gospel comes as a proclamation of good news to those in need of deliverance. It is a message from God, not man.
- Man is a fool who has sold himself and his soul for nothing. He is now a slave as a result.
- Man sold himself by rejecting God and the life he was meant to live. He wanted freedom but became a slave.
- The world offers man nothing for his mind, heart or spirit. It has no insight, lasting pleasure or consolation.
- Man cannot save himself or contribute to his salvation. He is penniless and bankrupt. Salvation is the free gift of God.
- Salvation was paid for by Christ giving himself on the cross. He paid the price and ransomed us.
- The gospel offers peace with God, beautiful garments of righteousness, freedom from slavery to sin, good things and solid joy.
- Despite present appearances, God reigns and will judge the world and set up his eternal kingdom. Believers will reign with him.
- The gospel, though rejected by man, is a source of amazement for those who believe.
Sermon Q&A
Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones Sermon on Isaiah 52:1-3: Questions and Answers
What is the main message of Isaiah 52:3 according to Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones?
According to Dr. Lloyd-Jones, Isaiah 52:3 ("For thus saith the Lord, ye have sold yourselves for naught, and ye shall be redeemed without money") contains the essence of the gospel message. This verse demonstrates two fundamental truths: first, that man is a fool who has sold himself into sin and slavery for nothing of value, and second, that salvation comes entirely from God's free grace without any human contribution. Lloyd-Jones describes this as one of the "great, grand and typical statements of the gospel" that shows God's way of salvation for humanity's fallen condition.
How does Dr. Lloyd-Jones describe man's foolishness in this sermon?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones describes man's foolishness in several ways. First, man sold his soul, his birthright, and his original righteousness for nothing of value. Second, in doing so, man made himself a slave to sin, the devil, and the world. Third, man thinks he's gaining freedom by rejecting God, but actually enters deeper bondage. Fourth, man can't save himself yet often rejects the only way of salvation offered to him. Lloyd-Jones states: "The trouble with man is not merely that he has certain defects...The trouble with man is that he has sold himself, he has sold his own soul."
What does the phrase "ye shall be redeemed without money" mean according to the sermon?
According to Dr. Lloyd-Jones, this phrase means salvation is entirely of God's free grace, requiring no payment from humans. He offers two reasons why redemption must be "without money": First, man has nothing to pay with—he's spiritually bankrupt after selling himself for nothing. Second, the price has already been paid by Jesus Christ through His death on the cross. Lloyd-Jones quotes 1 Peter 1:18-19: "You have been redeemed not with gold or silver or such things, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot."
How does Dr. Lloyd-Jones contrast true gospel with false gospels?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones contrasts the true gospel with false gospels by noting that false gospels "rob the true gospel of all its glory, its wonder and its amazement." He criticizes those who reduce the gospel to merely "an appeal to men and women to live a better life" or to "perpetual protest against this, that and the other." The true gospel, by contrast, comes as a surprising proclamation from God that brings deliverance to those who cannot help themselves. The true gospel produces amazement, astonishment, and joy, while false gospels lack this transformative power.
What benefits of salvation does Dr. Lloyd-Jones highlight in this sermon?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones highlights several benefits of salvation: 1. Peace with God and in one's conscience 2. Beautiful garments of righteousness that cover our spiritual rags 3. Freedom from the slavery of sin and the devil 4. The "good things" of God including spiritual understanding and knowledge 5. Solid, lasting joy rather than temporary worldly pleasures 6. Security in knowing that "thy God reigneth" despite the world's chaos 7. Assurance of eternal life and participation in Christ's kingdom
How does Dr. Lloyd-Jones describe the condition of mankind without God?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones describes mankind without God as slaves in captivity. He explains that people are "slaves of the world, the flesh, and the devil," unable to free themselves. He describes them as spiritually bankrupt, wearing moral and spiritual "rags," living in misery despite their claims of happiness, and having nothing of lasting value. He says the world without God offers "nothing to give the mind, nothing to give the heart, nothing to give the spirit," leaving people with "no insight, no lasting pleasure...no consolation" and ultimately "without any hope whatsoever."
What analogy does Dr. Lloyd-Jones use to describe how the gospel message comes to people?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones uses the analogy of a messenger bringing good news to a beleaguered city. He describes a city surrounded by enemies, unable to save itself, with its inhabitants watching the mountains hoping for deliverance. Suddenly, a messenger appears on the mountaintop bringing news of salvation. This pictures how the gospel comes unexpectedly as good news to those who cannot save themselves. He quotes Isaiah 52:7: "How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace, that bringeth good tidings of good, that publisheth salvation."
Old Testament
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.