March 1, 2012
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Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones: Biography & Series Links
Every so often I bundle together weblinks to related posts into a single post (please see my tags "series links"). And today is an opportune time to do that for my posts on Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones for March 1 marks the 31st anniversary of his entrance into the glory everlasting.
The Doctor, as he was known, has had a huge influence on me. That's really an understatement. Last year on this date, in my post Lloyd-Jones 30 years later ~ Thank you, Dr. Lloyd-Jones for preparing the way, I made some attempt to explain some of the impact he's had on my thinking and on my life, as well as to give thanks and praise to God for His servant.
Christians are commanded to be transformed by the renewing of our minds (Romans 12:1-2), and if we're putting garbage into our minds, what do we expect to get out?! Garbage in, garbage out! How can we expect to be transformed in our minds and conformed into the image of Christ? We need to be immersing ourselves not only in the Word of God, but also putting ourselves under good, sound Biblical preaching and teaching, for God has appointed pastors and teachers to edify and equip the saints, so we might be mature and complete, rooted and grounded in the truth and not rocked and tossed about by every wind of doctrine, so we might do the work of ministry (Ephesians 4:7-16). Each and every Christian is responsible to present himself as a worker approved to God who does not need to ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth (II Tim. 2:14ff). There are many, many wolves who have come in among the flock; we need to be ever vigilant and continue to gird up the loins of our minds!
Earlier this week, the Martyn-Lloyd Jones Recording Trust released a new video which provides a sort of mini-biography about the Doctor.
For those of you who aren't familiar with the Doctor (and for those who are), here are some posts I've written about his life:Who is Martyn Lloyd-Jones? | Lloyd-Jones' call to the ministry
How do you feel about the Gospel today? (ML-J)
Are you preparing to face death? Or are you a fool?
"Do not hold me back from the glory!" (the Christian's attitude toward death & life)
at death and in life "there is only one thing that matters" (Lloyd-Jones' last days)
The ultimate joy (2): a joy without end we shall attain (letter 56 on assurance & fighting for joy)
Lloyd-Jones 30 years later ~ Thank you, Dr. Lloyd-Jones for preparing the way
And here are some posts which will give you a little taste of ML-J's preaching and teaching – and hopefully whet your appetite for more . . . not only of ML-J's preaching, but most importantly for knowing and experiencing more of the Lord Jesus Christ!
For your ears: Why I listen to the Doctor . . .
The Essence of Being a Christian, part 1: Martyn Lloyd-Jones
April Fool's Day: Martyn Lloyd-Jones on "The business of preaching"
take to heart ALL the words (more on quiet time)
Thanksgiving to God that salvation is all of grace (the gift you can't buy today or any day)
Christmas Day: why Christians should "Sing the Incarnation"
First Sunday after Christmas...Are you trusting in the Babe alone?
With the New Year Come New Resolutions, but How Can We Become Entirely New?
Martyn Lloyd-Jones: Why the Cross? Part 1-The Exceeding Sinfulness of Sin
Martyn Lloyd-Jones: Why the Cross? Part 2-The Holy Law of God
(3) Kingdom-Obsessed People are not switch-hitters or switch-pitchers
Questions to Examine Ourselves from Martyn Lloyd-Jones
a story of God and mammon: "the Lord's Calf" from Martyn Lloyd-Jones
Excerpt from Lloyd-Jones on "Grieving the Spirit" - How may we grieve the Holy Spirit of God?
Happy Father's Day: "Only the child cries, 'Abba, Father'"
The Present of Pentecost, Part 8: Martyn Lloyd-Jones-"How May We Know That We Have the Spirit?"
Bible Reading: Ephesians 6-The Wiles of the Devil: "Songs of the Lukewarm Church"
Kingdom-Obsessed People don't keep looking in the rear view mirror, #3 (includes an excerpt of ML-J's "Spiritual Depression")
Are you "quite content to be a fool for Christ's sake"? (ML-J)
ML-J on depression in the ministry
update w/ excerpt: Lloyd-Jones' sermons on the role of experience in Christianity
experimental assurance of the Father's love (letter 67 on assurance & fighting for joy)
Lloyd-Jones on how to grow the Church (not)
All things (even bad things) work together for good...
For Your Ears/Election 2008: Don't forget the One on Whose shoulders the government rests
the weapons of our warfare: positive exposition of Scripture (ML-J)
true repentance leads to joy (Letter 37 on assurance & fighting for joy) - ML-J's sermon on Jeremiah
More revival resources: opportunity and eyes to see the ruins, a burden from God
Are you keeping calm & carrying on? Do you react or respond? ~ Isaiah 7:1-9
The flags unfurled ... Christ's eternal banner | Lloyd-Jones ~ a third type of assurance
The Christian should not just believe the truth, and know it..." | the Father's assurance
Have you experienced "joy, joy, joy, tears of joy" like Pascal? | Letter 129 on assurance & joyI also posted these blogs on the characteristics of false and true religion, which are based on ML-J's series of sermons on the book of Acts (this was the last series he preached before his retirement in 1968):
1st Sunday after Epiphany: Characteristics of false religion, # 1-Hypocrisy
2nd Sunday after Epiphany: Characteristics of false religion, # 2-Institutionalism
3rd Sunday after Epiphany: Characteristics of false religion, # 3-Tradition
4th Sunday after Epiphany: Characteristics of false religion, # 4-Self-righteousness
5th Sunday after Epiphany: Characteristics of true religion, # 1-Based entirely on God's revelation
6th Sunday after Epiphany: Characteristics of true religion, # 2, part 1-honesty & sincerity
Characteristics of true religion, # 2, part 2: Not of the letter but of the Spirit
Last Sunday after Epiphany: Characteristics of true religion, # 3: TRUTH
ML-J had an enormous hunger for and knowledge of history and church history. Because of reading and listening to his sermons, I've begun to become better acquainted with church history and the many wonderful hymns and the great cloud of witnesses, some I had little familiarity with and others I'd never heard of, including William Williams, Henry Scougal and W.H. Hewitson. I'd encourage you to peruse through my posts on Christian biography for much of that love of Christian biography has sprung from Lloyd-Jones (as well as John Piper).
ML-J challenged me to examine my life in many, many areas, and he continues to do so (though dead, yet he speaks through the printed & recorded word!). This examination came to me in particular with regard to my understanding of Biblical joy. I remember reading one of Lloyd-Jones' books several years ago (I think it was his part of his series of sermons on John 17, but I've not been able to track down the exact portion), and I became really, really angry as I read it, for in that sermon, the Doctor gave the challenge that all Christians ought to know and experience the joy of the Lord, and though we can be Christians and not have that sense, if we've not gotten to that point, we are a living at a very low level of Christianity and we are a poor witness to the world. Of course, I'd heard and read that before in his sermons, and of course, in the Bible itself, but at that time I bristled at those words, and I tried to make excuses of all sorts. I was just like the Israelites. I was limiting and provoking the Holy One of Israel, and I had that evil heart of unbelief. However, God's mercies pursued me, and the Holy Spirit began to show me that joy was a possibility for me, not because of anything in me, but because I was a child of God and joy is a gift God wants to give to all His children. That's one reason I continue writing about assurance and fighting for joy – for it is my strong desire that all the saints begin to see and embrace the "glorious possibilities" of the Christian life. I know that I can't make you see those possibilities, but what I can do is to put those possibilities before you as I write, and then to pray that the Holy Spirit might open your eyes and hearts to them, as He has begun to do for me. (I'd encourage you to read my 18th letter on assurance and fighting for joy (my testimony of joy).)
Here are a few posts that show how Dr. Lloyd-Jones was used by the Lord to begin to show me what God had already been working in my heart in regard to my grief over the current state of the church and giving me a desire to pray for revival...my deep concern for the churches
Naphtali News: the Ministry of the Word & Prayer (see the second portion on prayer)
postcards from England: "The Burden for Revival" (ML-J)
postcards from England: are we excited over a dead fish and a car wreck?
Can anything good come out of Xanga?
They went everywhere gossiping the word; shouldn't we also? (Acts 8:4)
Jesus is asking you: "What do you want me to do for you?"
Revival resources, etc.
UPDATED (2/12/2013): Thanks to the MLJ Trust (http://www.mljtrust.org/), you can download over 1600 of Dr. Lloyd-Jones' sermons here:
http://www.mljtrust.org/sermons/. You can also "Meet Dr. Lloyd-Jones" by reading more here: http://www.mljtrust.org/meet-mlj/.
Each week the MLJ Trust posts a new audio sermon of Dr. Lloyd-Jones at Living Grace with Martyn Lloyd-Jones. This year they began posting full sermons from his Ephesians series from 1954.Six sermons from the Doctor's series on "Revival," as well as many other sermons are available here at sermonindex.net.
John Piper's biographical message on ML-J: "A Passion for Christ-exalting Power"
God willing, I hope to add to this list periodically, and I'm sure I missed some posts here and there, but I hope and pray these might be of some help to you as you seek to glorify God and enjoy Him forever.
~ Karen
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Comments (3)
I do owe you a thank you for having introduced me to ML-J's works and messages. I thank God most of all for the gift of men like him, for as you so aptly pointed out: " God has appointed pastors and teachers to edify and equip the saints...." We have the Word of God which is living and active, and we have men called and equipped to lead us into our own study of that Word that we may be nourished and grow thereby. Christ is exalted as we honor Him and follow all that He has taught us.
@quest4god@revelife - You're welcome!
Thinking "aloud" here to myself... We do need to be careful not to make men like ML-J idols, or to put down our own ministers, or to usurp the role of pastors in the local church, for, as we know, not everyone is a Martyn Lloyd-Jones. However, as we are exposed to good Biblical teaching like this, it does build us up and we can use that to build up others in the Body (w/ love & humility); and we can better know how to pray for our own pastors (so they might guard the good deposit of the Gospel) and for our churches (that they might be the pillar & ground of truth as God intends them to be).
@naphtali_deer - yes, everyone whom God calls for our upbuilding and edification is His gift to us. I've been encouraging my pastor as well.