What Did Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones Teach About Being Offended by Christ?

What does it mean to be "offended" in Christ according to Dr. Lloyd-Jones?

According to Dr. Lloyd-Jones, being "offended" in Christ means to be scandalized by Him. He explains: "It means to be scandalized. And that means, of course, to be astonished, in a bad sense, scandalized, regarded as something offensive." This is when people stumble over Jesus, taking umbrage at Him, being troubled by aspects of who He is or what He does. The sermon focuses on how this was a widespread reaction to Jesus during His earthly ministry and continues to be a common response today.

Why was John the Baptist troubled about Jesus according to the sermon?

Dr. Lloyd-Jones explains that John the Baptist was troubled about Jesus for several reasons:

1. John had developed wrong expectations about the Messiah, expecting Him to be a political deliverer who would overthrow Roman rule, but Jesus was instead preaching to common people in Galilee
2. John was suffering in prison for six months and wondered why Jesus, if He truly was the Messiah, hadn't used His power to free him
3. John was influenced by his own disciples who were jealous of Jesus' growing popularity
4. John hadn't properly understood the Old Testament prophecies about the Messiah's true nature and mission

What are the main reasons people are offended by Jesus according to Dr. Lloyd-Jones?

Dr. Lloyd-Jones identifies several reasons people are offended by Christ:

1. His person: People were scandalized by His humble origins, being born in poverty and working as a carpenter
2. What He didn't do: People expected Him to fulfill certain roles (like political liberation) which He didn't
3. What He did do: His associations with sinners, His gentleness, and His sternness all offended different people
4. His teaching: The pharisees were infuriated by His searching preaching that exposed their hearts
5. His death: Even the disciples were scandalized by His apparent weakness and death
6. People create their own picture of Jesus rather than accepting Him as He presents Himself in Scripture
7. People fail to recognize their own greatest spiritual need

What does Dr. Lloyd-Jones say is the cause of people being offended by Christ?

Dr. Lloyd-Jones identifies sin as the fundamental cause of people being offended by Christ. He explains: "The natural man instinctively is offended by me. Oh, blessed is the man who isn't offended in that way. And there, you see, we are given the key to the whole thing. The cause of the trouble is this condition of the natural men. What is that? Well, that is sin." Sin blinds people to Christ's beauty and truth, just as some people can see no beauty in Beethoven. This sinful condition causes people to expect the wrong things from Him, fail to understand Scripture properly, and not recognize their own spiritual need.

How did Jesus respond to John the Baptist's doubts?

Jesus responded to John's doubts by pointing him back to the evidence of His works and the fulfillment of Scripture:

1. He told John's messengers: "Go and show John again those things which ye do hear and see"
2. He listed His miraculous works: "The blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached to them"
3. He was essentially telling John to compare what He was doing with what the Old Testament prophets had actually predicted the Messiah would do
4. He reminded John that these works were precisely what Isaiah and other prophets had foretold, not the political deliverance John was expecting

What is the solution for those who are offended by Christ according to the sermon?

Dr. Lloyd-Jones offers several solutions for those who are offended by Christ:

1. Go directly to Jesus with your questions and doubts as John did
2. Return to Scripture and see Jesus as He truly is, not as you want Him to be
3. Accept all of Christ, not just the parts that appeal to you
4. Recognize your true spiritual condition as a sinner in need of salvation
5. Come to Him as a pauper, not as a judge
6. Ask Him honestly to reveal Himself to you: "If you honestly want to know him and to be sure, ask him. He'll give you the spirit who will enlighten you."
7. Receive salvation as a free gift by faith, not by works

Why does Dr. Lloyd-Jones emphasize personal salvation over social or political concerns?

Dr. Lloyd-Jones defends his emphasis on personal salvation over political or social concerns because:

1. The state of people's souls is of eternal significance while nations and political systems are temporary
2. Jesus Himself prioritized spiritual salvation over political revolution
3. The greatest hope for the world is the gospel preached to the poor
4. Christ came primarily to save souls from sin, not to reform social systems
5. Political deliverance might be important, but spiritual deliverance is more important because it addresses eternal destiny
6. Christ's death was purposeful - He came specifically to die to save individuals from sin

What beatitude does Jesus give in the sermon text and why is it significant?

Jesus gives this beatitude: "Blessed is he whosoever shall not be offended in me." Dr. Lloyd-Jones points out that this is a very unusual beatitude because it's negative in structure. This is significant because:

1. It implies that the natural human response is to be offended by Christ
2. It suggests that those who aren't offended are exceptions to the norm
3. It indicates that avoiding being scandalized by Christ is actually a blessing
4. It reveals that acceptance of Christ requires overcoming our natural sinful tendencies
5. It shows that seeing Christ clearly and truly is itself a divine gift

What final questions does Dr. Lloyd-Jones leave his listeners with?

Dr. Lloyd-Jones leaves his listeners with searching questions about their relationship with Christ:

1. "Are you scandalized by the Lord Jesus Christ, or do you like him and take him as he is?"
2. Do you rejoice in both His greatness and His weakness, His divinity and His humanity?
3. Do you accept His teaching about sin, judgment, and human helplessness?
4. Do you rejoice in His death and resurrection?
5. Do you accept His way of salvation as a free gift received by faith?
6. Are you coming to Him as a pauper, helpless and in need?
7. Have you realized your true condition as a sinner under God's wrath?

The sermon concludes with an invitation to come honestly to Christ, asking Him to reveal Himself in His true glory and fullness.