How Does Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones Explain the Concept of Suffering for Christ?

What does Dr. Lloyd-Jones explain about Paul's digression in Ephesians 3?

According to Dr. Lloyd-Jones, Paul begins Ephesians 3 with "For this cause I, Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ," but then abruptly stops and goes on a digression from verse 2 through verse 13 before returning to his original thought in verse 14. This digression occurs because Paul is concerned that his imprisonment might become a stumbling block to the Ephesians' faith. Paul interrupts his main argument to explain why his suffering should not discourage them but rather be seen as something glorious.

Why does Paul refer to himself as "the prisoner of Jesus Christ" rather than Rome's prisoner?

Paul refers to himself as "the prisoner of Jesus Christ" rather than Rome's prisoner because he sees his imprisonment not as a result of Roman law or the emperor's decision, but as a direct consequence of his relationship with Christ. Dr. Lloyd-Jones explains that Paul was imprisoned because of his conversion and commission from Christ. If Paul had remained Saul of Tarsus, he would never have been imprisoned. His captivity was the result of his faithfulness to Christ's call, not because of any wrongdoing.

What does Lloyd-Jones identify as the specific reason for Paul's imprisonment?

Dr. Lloyd-Jones identifies that Paul was specifically imprisoned because he insisted on preaching that the gospel was for Gentiles as well as Jews. As he states: "For this cause the thing is referred to, the thing that really put Paul into prison was that he went around preaching that the gospel of Jesus Christ was as much for the Gentiles as for the Jews. And that was the thing of all things that infuriated the Jews." Paul would not have been arrested if he had withheld this particular aspect of the gospel message.

How does Dr. Lloyd-Jones suggest Christians should view suffering for Christ?

Dr. Lloyd-Jones teaches that Christians should view suffering for Christ not as something to merely endure stoically, but as something to rejoice in. He points out that Paul doesn't complain about his imprisonment or resign himself to it with "stoical fortitude." Instead, Paul has "a note of exaltation here. There's a note of triumph." Lloyd-Jones emphasizes that suffering for Christ should be seen as "the supreme honor," as evidence of true discipleship, and as participating in "the fellowship of his sufferings."

How can suffering for Christ benefit others according to the sermon?

According to Dr. Lloyd-Jones, Paul's suffering benefited the Ephesians in several ways: 1. It reassured them about the truth of the gospel - Paul was so certain of his message that he was willing to suffer for it 2. It reminded them of Christ's and Paul's love for them - "The Son of God died for you, and I consider it a great privilege to be in prison for you" 3. It provided them with an example of how to face trials 4. It strengthened their faith by showing that the Christian life is so glorious that it's "much more precious to him than his personal liberty"

What criticism of modern preaching does Dr. Lloyd-Jones make in this sermon?

Dr. Lloyd-Jones criticizes modern preaching for becoming too concerned with literary style and scholarly presentation rather than focusing on pastoral concerns. He states: "I often think that what accounts very largely for the present state of the Christian church is that those of us who are privileged to preach have rather forgotten the apostolic method and the apostolic pattern." He suggests that around "the second quarter of the last century," preaching began to focus more on "literary style and literary form" rather than on conveying truth and life to people as Paul did.