Bruised by Sin
A Sermon on Luke 4:18-19
Originally preached Feb. 19, 1956
Scripture
18The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, …
Sermon Description
What does it mean that a person is bruised by sin? In this sermon on Luke 4:18–19 titled “Bruised By Sin,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones preaches on Jesus’s teaching that people are slaves and victims to sin. They are so blinded by their own deceitful hearts that they are unable to see the need for salvation and grace. They believe that they do not need a savior. All of humanity’s faculties, the mind, will, and intellect are subject to sin. This is why Jesus proclaims that He has come to save the captives. Jesus is the deliverer of sinners who are captive to their own evil desires. People are even victims of their own evil, according to Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones, for a person in sin is like those that are diseased and sick. They are wholly unable to heal themselves. But Jesus as the great healer can free all from all this suffering and pain. He alone can save sinners. What does this message mean for humankind? It means that all can have hope despite their sin and depravity because Jesus has come and died for sinners. All who believe are set free from their sin and made righteous before God.
Sermon Breakdown
- The passage being discussed is Luke 4:18-19 which summarizes the gospel.
- Jesus read this passage in the synagogue at Nazareth and said "This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears."
- The passage shows how Jesus came to deal with sin and its effects.
- Sin manifests itself in many ways, so multiple pictures are needed to understand it fully. The Bible provides many pictures of sin.
- Two main ways we become "bruised" by sin:
- Sin itself bruises and crushes us. It "knocks us about" and leaves us battered.
- God punishes sin, and in punishing sin He bruises us. There is no peace for the wicked.
- Sin bruises us physically, mentally, and spiritually. It leads to suffering, pain, remorse, problems, and exhaustion.
- Sin paralyzes our best faculties. It bruises our mind, heart, and will, leaving us helpless. Our minds are darkened, hearts hardened, and wills paralyzed.
- Jesus came to set at liberty those bruised by sin. He came to heal our wounds, draw out the bruises, and restore us.
- Jesus bore the punishment for our sins. He was bruised for our iniquities. We will never again be bruised by God for our sins.
- The Holy Spirit draws out the bruises in us, restoring our life, power, and vigor. We are new creatures.
- We must resist the devil to avoid being bruised again. We have the whole armor of God to withstand him.
- We must realize we are bruised and come to Jesus for rest and healing. He will relieve our pain, heal our bruises, and lead us to victory.
Sermon Q&A
Common Questions About Bruising From Sin in Lloyd-Jones' Sermon
What does Lloyd-Jones mean by "bruised by sin"?
According to Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones, being "bruised by sin" refers to the damaging, paralyzing effect sin has on people. He explains, "Sin itself causes us to be bruised and battered," making us victims who are "knocked about" by sin. This bruising leads to physical, mental, and spiritual paralysis, rendering us helpless and unable to function properly in our relationship with God. Lloyd-Jones notes that sin "damages all our best and noblest faculties and finally paralyzes us."
How does sin affect our mental faculties according to Lloyd-Jones?
Lloyd-Jones teaches that sin bruises our minds to the point where we "can't think straightly, can't think truly." He uses the analogy of being "punch drunk" - like a boxer whose brain doesn't function properly after repeated blows. He states, "Our minds, our brains are not functioning," and explains this is "the whole essence of the problem of the modern world." The mind becomes so battered that it's "incapable of receiving the truth" and cannot properly understand spiritual matters.
How does Christ set at liberty those who are bruised?
Christ sets the bruised at liberty by first bearing their punishment. Lloyd-Jones explains, "He was bruised for our iniquities... God smote him. God struck him. God bruised him. That's what was happening on Calvary." Through this substitution, believers will "never again be bruised of God for my sins." Additionally, the Holy Spirit "draws out the bruises" and infuses "new life and new power." Christ provides the armor needed to withstand future attacks from "the world and the flesh and the devil," resulting in being "bruised less and less as year passes year."
What happens to our will as a result of sin's bruising?
Lloyd-Jones teaches that "man's will as the result of the fall and as the result of sin has been so bruised that it's absolutely paralyzed." He states that man "cannot will himself into salvation" and is "incapable of exerting himself in the matter of his salvation, or of rousing himself out of his sin, or of raising himself to God." This paralysis of the will means we are essentially "dead in trespasses and sins" and completely dependent on Christ's intervention.
Why does God bruise those who are sinful?
Lloyd-Jones explains that God's bruising is punishment for sin. He states, "The Almighty God has decreed that no man shall sin with impunity. Sin is punished. Sin always will be punished. God's very nature insists upon it." Quoting Isaiah, he demonstrates that God's striking is a response to continued rebellion: "Why should he be stricken more? Ye will revolt more and more." This bruising from God is a manifestation of His justice and righteousness, as "He wouldn't be God if he did not do so."
How does sin affect our emotional capacity?
Lloyd-Jones teaches that sin bruises our hearts until we become "incapable of appreciating and responding to even the love of God." He uses Charles Darwin as an example of someone whose heart became so bruised that he "could no longer appreciate poetry... music... [or] a glorious bit of scenery." As people continue in sin, "they become coarser and coarser, less delicate and sensitive... less capable of appreciating that which is good and beautiful." This bruising of the heart explains why many cannot respond emotionally to the gospel.
What is the first step in healing from sin's bruising effects?
The essential first step in healing, according to Lloyd-Jones, is reconciliation with God through Christ's sacrifice. He states, "The very first move... is that an end of the bruising should be brought to pass" through Christ bearing our punishment. "He has satisfied God and his demands, and God's law and its demands." This reconciliation means "never again shall I be struck and smitten of God for my sins," which creates the foundation for all subsequent healing and restoration.
Other Sermons
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.