This post contains a sermon by Martyn Lloyd-Jones on the most foundational aspect of the believer’s life, the conversion experience. Lloyd-Jones looks closely at the apostle Paul’s conversion and identifies aspects of it that are common to the conversion experience in general.
That is, hearing this sermon will help you better understand what happened to you; or it will help you see that you have not been converted….
I have been listening to a lot of Martyn Lloyd-Jones’ sermons lately and have started to blog several because I see these sermons as having so much useful information for Christians.
For example, after listening through MLJ’s 23-part series on Spiritual Depression a couple of times, I wanted to blog several of those sermons. Then, because I subscribe to MLJTrust and receive notices of sermons every day, I listened to a sermon from Ephesians 6:10ff and began to listen to that series (he preached 67 sermons about the text of Ephesians 6:10-18), about standing firm and putting on the armor of God.
After I had decided to post some of those sermons from Ephesians before the others from the Spiritual Depression series, I listened to the sermon of this post, which is on a very foundational aspect of salvation, the personal encounter initiated by God in the salvation of the believer.
I changed my mind again, and decided to start posting his sermons on this foundational aspect of salvation, especially after I noticed that two more sermons were released that fit with foundations of salvation: effectual calling and the significance of Pentecost.
After posting on these, I hope to post some of his sermons on standing in the Lord and the armor of God; followed by a few from the series on Spiritual Depression.
I strongly recommend that readers subscribe to MLJTrust, as these sermons are more edifying than any of the other biblical preachers I have previously blogged. [Video-page and playlist-page links to MLJTrust are below video.]
I am not speaking against Spurgeon, Calvin, Sproul, MacArthur…, listen to them and add MLJ to your list of preachers worthy of hearing. Hearing all of them will enable you to arrive at a better understanding of scripture.
The church is currently filled with preachers who seemingly called themselves to the ministry. They do not teach scripture but the doctrines of men: LGBTQ; Marxism; prosperity; speaking blessings into existence; self-help…. Such preaching will take you to hell. Read the New Testament once and you clearly perceive the danger in hearing such preachers as J D Greear; Matt Chandler; Steven Furtick; Joel Osteen; Benny Hinn; Rick Warren….
With the above in mind, please look over the Sermon Breakdown, provided by MLJTrust with the sermon (located under the sermon). After that, sample the sermon and hear how MLJ explained the conversion of the apostle Paul explaining that all conversions have parallels with Paul’s conversion.
Narrative description of sermon from MLJTrust; their sermon highlights are below the video:
A Sermon by Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones on Acts 9:4 https://www.mljtrust.org/sermons/face…
“Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?” With this question, the notorious persecutor Saul had a face to face encounter with Jesus. Listen as Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones recounts this divine confrontation that transformed an enemy of the cross into a child of God. When culture screams for autonomy from God, the grace of God rips away the mask of cultural Christianity. Now, as one who is forgiven and at peace with our Savior, the Christian learns to be silent, to listen and to submit to Christ’s will. No one is saved as a family or a nation, but only an individual can be spared from the wrath of God by the conviction of sin and the forgiveness of the Savior.
SERMON BREAKDOWN
- The intervention of God is essential for conversion. God deals with and addresses individuals in a personal way.
- There is an awareness that something is happening to you and you are being manipulated or surrounded in a new way.
- It becomes a personal concern and you become the object rather than the subject. You listen rather than speak.
- There is a realization that what matters is what God thinks of you rather than what you think of God. You become aware of God’s judgment rather than expressing your own.
- There is a conviction of sin. You realize God knows you personally and knows all the details of your life. You see the enormity of your sin against God.
- There is a trembling in terror at your condition and future destiny. You become concerned for your soul.
- There is a recognition of Christ as Lord and a submission to Him. You surrender to Him in helplessness and ask what He wants you to do.
- The preacher’s role is to utter your name and make you aware of the facts and your position before God.
- Your name will be called by God either now or at the final judgment. You must respond to God’s call.
The above sermon is from the Playlist, Face to Face with Christ: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLvVtziP2bL63ktg9F3kwK01JKMDJcgIXq
MLJTrust video-page link: https://www.youtube.com/@MLJTrust/videos
MLJTrust Playlist-page link: https://www.youtube.com/@MLJTrust/playlists