Productivity

"The man who knows the love of Christ in his heart can do more in one hour than the busy type of man can do in a century."

-Lloyd-Jones (quoted in Love or Die, p. 35)

God Can Never Show Greater Love

"I say with reverence that even God can never show his love in a greater manner than he did on the Cross on Calvary's hill when he delivered up his own Son for us all."

-Lloyd-Jones (quoted in Lloyd-Jones: Messenger of Grace, p. 209)

Lloyd-Jones' Sermon Notes

Chapter 4 of Lloyd-Jones: Messenger of Grace is about how Lloyd-Jones prepared sermons and the outlines he used in preaching (this chapter actually contains examples of his sermon outlines). Murray makes 3 points:

1. Preparation can be done at any time and in any place. Murray gives examples of Lloyd-Jones preparing outlines at random times. "A man sent to preach is a man whose mind is constantly turning to this one thing."

2. A clear skeleton is easily memorized and Dr. Lloyd-Jones had his outline clearly in his mind. Murray gives an example of one time when Lloyd-Jones lost his sermon notes as he was about to preach. He was able to preach because his outlines was firmly in his mind.

3. A logical outline has a great deal to do with simplicity in preaching.

Revival Comes When...

Lloyd-Jones said, "Revival comes when God's people are met together and the word is being expounded and unfolded."

The gathered church positioning itself under the authority of God's Word.

Evangelistic Preaching of the OT

The most recent 9 Marks interview is with Don Whitney. It is a great interview if you have a chance to listen. In it, Dr. Whitney praies Iain Murray and particularly mentions Lloyd-Jones: Messenger of Grace (although I think he gets the title wrong the first time he mentions it) as helpful for pastors to read.

Chapter 3 of Lloyd-Jones: Messenger of Grace is basically about the importance of the Old Testament. Lloyd-Jones would preach an evangelistic message on Sunday evenings and would often use OT texts.

Iain Murray identifies what Lloyd-Jones saw as the chief emphases of the OT:
1. Scripture reveals sin in its true nature.
2. Scripture reveals the absolute futility of life without God.
3. Above all else, the Old Testament is a book about God.

The Legacy of Lloyd-Jones

In chapter 1 of his book, Lloyd-Jones: Messenger of Grace, Iain Murray lays out 6 legacies of Martyn Lloyd-Jones' life and ministry:

1. An Example of What a Christian Minister Ought to Be

2. The Truth that Christianity is God-Centered Religion

3. The Local Church is Always the Primary Means of Evangelism

4. True Preaching of the Word has Life-Changing Power

5. The Key to the Times is the State of the Church

6. The Growth of the Church Depends on the Presence and Power of the Holy Spirit

"Unction" in Preaching

Chapter 2 of Lloyd-Jones: Messenger of Grace is fantastic and convicting. I would encourage all preachers to read this chapter. Here is a brief outline:

Unction and the Pew (what the Spirit does in the hearers):

1. Preaching under the anointing of the Holy Spirit is preaching which brings with it a consciousness of God.

2. Where there is power in preaching there is little wandering of attention in the pew.

3. Where there is unction in preaching children also may listen and benefit.

4. Powerful preaching is preaching which results in a change in those who listen.

Unction and the Preaching

1. As anointed preaching is the work of the Holy Spirit, the preacher knows this is a gift that is not under human control.

2. The more a preacher knows of unction, the less he will think of himself and his own work.

Preparation for Preaching

1. Sermons will be formed from truth which the Holy Spirit can honor (Bible-saturated).

2. The life of the preacher will be part of the sermon.

3. There will be dependence on the Holy Spirit for his present aid.

4. There should be an awareness that Christianity is both a body of truth and doctrine, and a life to be experienced.

5. Chief attention will be given to Christ himself.

A few quotes:

"Any man who has had some glimpse of what it is to preach will inevitably feel he has never preached. But he will go on trying."

"Distrust in oneself must mark the preacher...A self-confident preacher ought to be a contradiction in terms."

"To expect the Holy Spirit to give his aid to what are merely our ideas is to desecrate the pulpit."

Agree or Disagree?

"The more the Church has accommodated her message to suit the palate of the people the greater has been the decline in attendance at places of worship."

-Lloyd-Jones, Messenger of Grace, p. 13.

Finally Off My Wish List

In 2005, I put the 2 volume Martyn Lloyd-Jones biography on my Amazon wishlist. Finally, in 2009 they are on my shelves!

Can't wait to be challenged by the life and ministry of Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones later this year.

Volume 1: The First Forty Years

Volume 2: The Fight of Faith