Lessons From Church History

Sermons of Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones

Martyn Lloyd-Jones

Christianity, Religion & Spirituality

4.8 • 602 Ratings

🗓️ 8 April 2026

⏱️ 56 minutes

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Summary

Do the practices of the early church have anything to say to the contemporary church? How can one explain the obvious difference between what is read in the pages of Scripture regarding the church and the present manifestation of so many contemporary church models? As those invested in the authority and sufficiency of God’s word, evangelicals must be willing to set aside prejudices and look at Scripture with fresh eyes and seek to conform to the picture and pattern found in the New Testament. This is the conviction of Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones. In this sermon on Romans 12:6–8 titled “Lessons from Church History,” he elaborates on the glimpses of early church life and asks pressing questions about the development of church governance over the past two centuries. Dr. Lloyd-Jones provides an overview and explanation on the accumulation of power by the bishops throughout church history. He also tackles the reactions to centralized power by radical free church groups after the Reformation. The key in all these matters, says Dr. Lloyd-Jones, is to get back to the Scriptures in all matters of preaching, governance, gifts, pastors, and church life. Listen as Dr. Lloyd-Jones reminds evangelicals that they cannot afford to ignore the doctrine and nature of the church.

Transcript

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0:00.0	I would like to call your attention once more to the words that are to be found in the
0:04.1	Epistle to the Romans in chapter 12, verses 6, 7 and 8.
0:10.5	Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy,
0:16.6	let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith, or ministry, let us wait on our ministering,
0:23.2	or he that teacheth on teaching, or he that exhorteth on exaltation,
0:28.2	he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity, he that ruleth with diligence,
0:33.5	he that showeth mercy with cheerfulness.
0:35.7	Now, having considered those injunctions separately and individually, we began last Friday
0:42.3	night a consideration of the teaching of all that taken as a whole.
0:48.3	What I mean is this.
0:50.3	Here, in addition to considering the detailed injunctions that the Apostle gives to the
0:57.0	members of the Church at Rome, we incidentally are looking at a picture or a description
1:04.0	of the life of the early church. And now that is the thing that we are interested in at the present time, because I think
1:14.3	everybody will be prepared to agree that the church, as we know her, in any local manifestation
1:21.4	at the present time, does not seem to conform, speaking generally to the picture that we are given here.
1:30.3	Now that is an important thing in and of itself.
1:33.3	If we say that we believe the Scriptures to be the Word of God
1:38.3	and that they are our soul and infallible guide in all matters of faith and conduct. Well, then we should believe
1:46.1	that the Church should always conform to the picture and the pattern which we have of her
1:52.0	in the New Testament. And therefore, any variation in that or any departure from that
1:57.9	is something that should be of concern to us.
2:08.1	But at the present time, as I'm indicating, there are very special reasons why we should pay great attention to this.
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