A Man of Sorrows
A Sermon on Acts 8:28-36
Originally preached Feb. 18, 1968
Scripture
28Was returning, and sitting in his chariot read Esaias the prophet. 29Then the Spirit said unto Philip, Go near, and join thyself to this chariot. 30And Philip ran thither to him, and heard him read the prophet Esaias, and said, Understandest thou what thou readest? 31 …
Sermon Description
What does the death of Jesus Christ have to do with today? Most people can accept Jesus as a teacher or example, but they don’t understand why He would suffer and die. In this sermon “A Man of Sorrows” on Acts 8:28–36, Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones proclaims how the world is mystified by the man of sorrows prophesied in Isaiah 53. He is a paradox—almighty, yet ordinary; blameless, yet suffering. “Like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent, so he opened not his mouth” (Isaiah 53:7). This same passage confused the Ethiopian eunuch 2,000 years ago, right before the encounter he had with Philip the evangelist that led to his salvation. The answer is revealed in the same passage of Scripture: “All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned — every one — to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all” (Isaiah 53:6). Jesus Christ came into the world to bear the full force of the problem of human sin against a holy God. His entire life, from boyhood to the cross, was characterized by the anguish of facing and dealing with sin and death so that His people could be forgiven.
Sermon Breakdown
- The passage being discussed is Acts 8:26-40 which details Philip's encounter with the Ethiopian eunuch.
- Philip explains the meaning of Isaiah 53 to the eunuch, showing how it points to Jesus.
- There is only one way to become a Christian - by believing the message of the Bible about Jesus.
- People misunderstand the meaning of Jesus's death. It was not just a tragedy or accident, but rather the action of God to provide salvation.
- God could not just forgive sins without the death of Jesus. Jesus had to become human and die to identify with us and be our representative.
- Jesus lived a life of sorrow because of the depth of human sin and evil. His ministry and miracles were difficult and came at a cost to Him.
- Jesus wept at Lazarus's tomb not just out of sympathy for Lazarus's sisters, but because of the evil of death itself.
- Jesus was troubled and wept over the evil of sin and because He knew He had to die to deal with it.
- Jesus's suffering and death on the cross was greater than any other, showing the depths of human sin. His cry of dereliction shows He was forsaken by God as He bore the punishment for sin.
- Jesus died quickly on the cross, his heart breaking under the weight of the world's sin. He endured the suffering of hell so we would not have to.
- We must understand what Jesus's death means for us - it is the only way to be reconciled to God and forgiven of sins. Our eternal future depends on it.
Sermon Q&A
Understanding the Message of the Death of Jesus Christ: Insights from Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones
What is the significance of the Ethiopian eunuch's story in Acts 8?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones explains that the story of the Ethiopian eunuch is significant because it shows us how a person becomes a Christian. This account demonstrates the first African conversion to Christianity, which is historically important, but more crucially, it illustrates the timeless principles of Christian conversion. As Lloyd-Jones states, "You become a Christian in the 20th century exactly in the same way as men did in the first century." The eunuch's honest admission of his need for guidance ("How can I understand unless someone explains it to me?") is the essential starting point for anyone seeking salvation.
Why couldn't God simply forgive sins without Jesus' death on the cross?
According to Dr. Lloyd-Jones, this is the central question many struggle with. He explains that if God could have simply forgiven sins by decree, He would have done so. The fact that He sent His Son to suffer indicates the profound depth of the human problem of sin. Lloyd-Jones states, "There is something about the problem of every one of us by nature that nothing can solve except the coming of the Son of God from heaven and glory into this world." The cross was necessary because God's justice required sin to be punished, and Christ took that punishment upon Himself as our representative.
What does it mean that Jesus identified Himself with humanity?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones explains that Jesus identified with humanity by taking human nature upon Himself - "He adds manhood to his godhead. He is God and man." This identification went beyond simply taking human form. Lloyd-Jones points to Jesus' baptism, where He insisted on being baptized despite having no sin, saying "I can't do my work unless I take my place with these people." Jesus became our representative by standing in our place, bearing our burdens, and ultimately taking the punishment for our sins. This identification was necessary for our salvation.
What explains Jesus' suffering beyond the physical pain of crucifixion?
According to Dr. Lloyd-Jones, Jesus' suffering went far beyond physical torture. His cry "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" reveals a spiritual agony no martyr ever experienced. Lloyd-Jones explains that on the cross, Jesus was "bearing all the sufferings of hell" and "the full outpouring of the vials of God's wrath upon sin in his own person." This explains why Jesus died more quickly than most crucifixion victims - He died of a broken heart under the weight of God's judgment on sin. Lloyd-Jones states, "The pains of hell got hold of him. It is the concentrated wrath of God upon sin."
Why did Jesus weep at Lazarus' tomb if He knew He would raise him?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones challenges the common interpretation that Jesus wept merely out of human sympathy or grief over losing a friend. He points out that Jesus deliberately delayed going to Lazarus and knew He would raise him, making those explanations inadequate. Instead, Lloyd-Jones suggests Jesus wept because He saw the terrible consequences of sin - death itself - and recognized what it would cost Him to defeat it. Jesus wept at "this terrible thing, this death, this thing that comes in and robs men of their friends and sisters of their brother... It is sin. It is evil. It is hell." His tears reflected His understanding of the profound problem of evil He had come to conquer through His own death.
The Book of Acts
Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones
Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones (1899-1981) was a Welsh evangelical minister who preached and taught in the Reformed tradition. His principal ministry was at Westminster Chapel, in central London, from 1939-1968, where he delivered multi-year expositions on books of the bible such as Romans, Ephesians and the Gospel of John. In addition to the MLJ Trust’s collection of 1,600 of these sermons in audio format, most of these great sermon series are available in book form (including a 14 volume collection of the Romans sermons), as are other series such as "Spiritual Depression", "Studies in the Sermon on the Mount" and "Great Biblical Doctrines". He is considered by many evangelical leaders today to be an authority on biblical truth and the sufficiency of Scripture.