In preparing to preach Ephesians 1:7-10 I was excited that we are taking it slow enough not to rush through this great section (Ephesians 1:3-14 will be three sermons). But then I laughed when I went to volume one of Martyn Lloyd-Jones’ sermons through Ephesians and discovered on just the four verses (1:7-10) he had five sermons! So, we are moving slowly and deliberation, but not Lloyd-Jones slow. Of course, it worked marvelously for Lloyd-Jones because of the unique gift that God gave him to preach. Here is a paragraph from the conclusion of the first of those five sermons. Simply majestic on the gospel:
If it is clear to you, you will never again talk about trying to become a Christian, or trying to make yourself a Christian, or that you are a Christian because you are living a good life and not committing certain sins. His death, His blood, alone saves you. It does and will save you. Though you may have sinned yourself almost into hell until this moment, if you believe this message you are forgiven. That is the way of salvation; you are to trust solely, utterly, only, entirely to the fact that Christ is the Lamb of God on whom your sins were laid. He has paid you ransom price. He has delivered from the law and from hell and death and the grave, and has reconciled you to God. You are not your own any longer, ‘you have been brought with a price’. You have been redeemed by ‘the precious blood of Christ’. There is nothing in heaven or earth which is in any way comparable to this, that I can say ‘The Son of God… loved me and gave himself for me’, gave His life a ransom for me. His blood was shed that I might be forgiven.
God’s Ultimate Purpose (p. 158) D.M. Lloyd-Jones
