What Does Lloyd-Jones Teach About the Primary Function of the Christian Church?

Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones addresses the primary function of the Christian church in his sermon on Acts 3, explaining how the healing of the lame man at the Beautiful Gate reveals essential truths about the church's purpose.

According to Lloyd-Jones, the primary function of the Christian church is to:

1. Point people to Christ, not to perform social services or political actions
2. Offer spiritual transformation rather than merely physical or material help
3. Proclaim the gospel message of forgiveness and new life

As he states in the sermon: "The Christian church is not a political agency. She's not a cultural agency. She's not a social agency. She's none of those things. And when she tries to be, she puts herself in series with what the world can do."

How Does Lloyd-Jones Describe Man's Fundamental Problem According to the Sermon?

Lloyd-Jones identifies man's fundamental problem as moral and spiritual paralysis that stems from original sin. He uses the lame man in Acts 3 as a picture of humanity's condition:

1. We are born spiritually paralyzed - "The world is as it is because every one of us that is born into this world is born paralyzed, lame, from his mother's womb."

2. We cannot function as intended - "Man is not functioning as he was meant to function. He has legs, but he couldn't use them. And there in a parable, you see the whole story of the human race."

3. We have lost interest in our real problem - "Here is a man whose real need was his paralysis. But he's no longer concerned about that... The one thing he's now interested in is that he shall just have enough money to keep himself going."

4. We are hopeless without divine intervention - "The world apart from Christ is hopeless. It is cynical, it is despairing. It has come to the conclusion that nothing radical can really be done."

What Does Lloyd-Jones Say About the Transforming Power of the Gospel?

Lloyd-Jones emphasizes the sudden, immediate, and complete transforming power of the gospel:

1. It is immediate and instantaneous - "In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk. And he took him by the right hand and lifted him up, and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength."

2. It offers complete transformation - "Look at the same men walking and leaping and praising God. See him going home that night, rushing into the house, asking the people to look at him, a complete, entire transformation."

3. It provides what the world cannot - "Silver and gold have I none. But such as I have give I thee in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth. Rise up and walk."

4. It works unexpectedly - "When you were at the very end of your terror, when you felt you couldn't go on any longer... When all was lost, suddenly he appeared."

What Spiritual Gifts Does the Gospel Offer According to Lloyd-Jones?

In his sermon, Lloyd-Jones outlines the specific spiritual gifts that the gospel offers:

1. Forgiveness of sins - "I, in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth announce to you tonight you can be forgiven now. Fully, freely, absolutely."

2. Reconciliation with God - "I offer you a knowledge of God and a friendship with God, a communion with God, a full reconciliation to the God against whom you so grievously sinned."

3. New life - "I say you can start afresh and anew. I say you can be born again. I say you can go out of this place feeling that you're a new man."

4. Moral power - "I offer you immediately in the name of Jesus Christ. Power. Moral, spiritual power."

5. Joy - "Did you see this man walking, leaping? Yes, and praising God? He'd never done it before, but he has every reason for doing it now."

6. Eternal hope - "Death is no longer the end to this man. He sees through it and beyond it. To a glory that is awaiting him."

How Does Lloyd-Jones Contrast What the World Offers Versus What Christ Offers?

Lloyd-Jones makes a stark contrast between what the world can offer and what Christ provides:

1. The world can only "carry" us in our condition - "That is all civilization means...it just carries us daily that we may continue asking alms."

2. The world offers temporary relief, not solutions - "Take education...it just carries him daily that he may continue asking alms. It can make life more comfortable...but it doesn't solve the central problem."

3. The world focuses on material needs - "They're all rarely, in the last analysis, simply concerned about the means of existence."

4. Christ offers transformation - "The gospel of Jesus Christ is the power of God unto salvation. And therefore it can put you right in a moment, in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye."

Lloyd-Jones concludes that while the world's best efforts can only make our condition more bearable, Christ offers complete healing and transformation of our fundamental spiritual problem.