In the Midst of Life
A Sermon on Luke 13:1-9
Originally preached March 6, 1960
Scripture
1There were present at that season some that told him of the Galilæans, whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. 2And Jesus answering said unto them, Suppose ye that these Galilæans were sinners above all the Galilæans, because they suffered such things? 3I tell you, Nay: …
Sermon Description
Why do people reject the claims of Christianity? Modern people claim that they are enlightened. They believe in their own reasoning and find Christianity to be irrational and utterly unbelievable. In this sermon on Luke 13:1–9 titled “In the Midst of Life,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones shows that humankind rejects Jesus for one reason: prejudice. Humanity is in sin and a slave to evil desires and, therefore, he is the least free thinking. Humanity claims that evil disproves God, but Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones argues that this is not a belief born out of the evidence but is a result of prejudice. The only answer to humanity’s sinful state is the gospel. Only the grace of God can open their eyes to see that they are under the judgment of God and living in death. Only the gospel prepares people for death because it frees them from sin and the judgment of God that justly comes to all. This sermon brings the most important message that anyone can hear. It tells humankind that no matter how bad their sin is, God can save them. There is no one beyond the grace of God and the loving grace of Jesus Christ.
Sermon Breakdown
- There are wrong ways to react to calamities like earthquakes. Some don't think about it at all and just shrug it off.
- Some use it to confirm their prejudices, like blaming atomic bombs.
- Some question why God allows such things to happen and use it to deny His existence.
- The right way to react is to examine ourselves. Why are we still alive? Life is uncertain.
- We should ask what our state would be if we perished suddenly like them. We would face God's judgment.
- God looks for fruit in our lives - are we living for Him or for ourselves and the world? Without fruit, we will be cut off.
- We are given more time to repent - to face ourselves and God, realize we have no claim on Him, and confess our sin.
- Repentance means acknowledging our sin without excuse, that we deserve destruction. It's being sorry for dishonoring God.
- The gospel is God's digging and dunging - His giving us a chance through Christ's work. We simply believe and surrender to Him.
- If we don't repent and believe, nothing remains but eternal destruction. But in Christ we have heaven.
- We should respond now and not say "if only" when the final end comes and it's too late.
Sermon Q&A
Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones' Sermon on Luke 13:1-9: Understanding Tragedy and Repentance
What is the main message Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones draws from the passage in Luke 13:1-9?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones emphasizes that the main message is about repentance rather than speculation about why tragedies happen. He states: "What our Lord tells us here is this... There is a wrong way of looking at these things. There is a right way of looking at these things. There is a message to be garnered and gathered from these things that can prove salvation to us." The central point is Christ's warning: "Except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish," which Jesus repeats twice in the passage.
How does sin affect the human mind according to Dr. Lloyd-Jones?
According to Lloyd-Jones, sin has three devastating effects on the human mind: 1. It produces "a kind of general paralysis of the mind" - making intelligent people unable to comprehend spiritual truths 2. It introduces prejudices - causing people to view everything through biased perspectives 3. It creates "a genius for missing the real point" - making people focus on peripheral issues while missing the central message
He states: "Of all its catastrophic effects upon us, there is none which is so terrible and devastating as what sin has done to our minds and to our thinking."
What does Dr. Lloyd-Jones say is the wrong way to respond to calamities and tragedies?
The wrong ways to respond to tragedies include: 1. Not thinking about them at all - "Don't be morbid. Don't dwell on things like that." 2. Using them to confirm existing prejudices - like blaming atomic bombs or using them as arguments against God 3. Asking theoretical questions like "Why does God allow these things?" without personal application 4. Assuming those who suffered were worse sinners than others
Lloyd-Jones says all these responses "miss the real point, as they invariably do."
What does Dr. Lloyd-Jones teach is the right way to respond to tragedies like earthquakes?
The right response to tragedies according to Dr. Lloyd-Jones is to: 1. Turn the focus on oneself: "Not those people. Myself." 2. Ask personal questions: "Why am I still alive?" and "What would my position be if that happened to me?" 3. Recognize life's uncertainty: "I'm living in a world in which that sort of thing can happen... This makes me think that the whole of life is uncertain." 4. Consider one's readiness to face God: "What would God have found when he examined you and looked for the fruit?"
How does Dr. Lloyd-Jones interpret the parable of the fig tree?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones interprets the parable as showing: 1. God is the owner who rightfully expects fruit from our lives 2. The "fruit" God seeks is our soul, spiritual qualities, and righteous living 3. Christ is the "dresser of the vineyard" who pleads for more time 4. The "digging and dunging" represents Christ's ministry, preaching, and sacrificial work 5. God's patience gives us opportunity to repent, but there will be a final judgment 6. Those who remain fruitless will ultimately be "cut down" - facing eternal separation from God
What is repentance according to Dr. Lloyd-Jones' sermon?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones describes repentance as: 1. Facing yourself, your soul, and your destiny 2. Realizing you've borne no spiritual fruit 3. Getting on your knees and acknowledging this to God completely 4. Confessing without reservation: "God, I see that I've got no claim upon your mercy and upon your love at all" 5. Stopping all self-excuses and criticism of God 6. Expressing genuine sorrow for sin, especially for having unworthy thoughts about God 7. Taking advantage of Christ's work - "the digging and dunging" - by believing the gospel and surrendering your life to Him
Why does Dr. Lloyd-Jones believe we are still alive and given more time?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones teaches that we are spared and given more time solely because of God's love, patience, and mercy. Using the parable's imagery, he explains: "The master said... 'cut it down.' And he answering said, 'Lord, let it alone this year also, till I shall dig about it and dung it.'"
He states: "Why are you and I here tonight? It is only of the mercy of the Lord that we are not consumed... Why? Well, that we may have another opportunity... to repent." Christ intercedes for us, giving us opportunity to respond to the gospel before final judgment.
How does Dr. Lloyd-Jones connect the passage to current events of his time?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones references an earthquake in North Africa (Morocco, 1960) that had recently occurred, using it as a contemporary illustration of the sudden tragedies Jesus spoke about. He challenges his listeners: "What's your reaction to the earthquake in North Africa? What have you said about it? What have you thought about it? Well, by whatever you've thought and by whatever you've said, you've been proclaiming exactly where you are, whether you're a Christian or whether you're not a Christian."
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.