Exercise
A Sermon on Ephesians 6:10-13
Originally preached Nov. 12, 1961
Scripture
10Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. 11Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against …
Sermon Description
In this sermon on Ephesians 6:10–13 titled “Exercise,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones explains the importance of Christians exercising their faith so that they can grow. Christ is the source of strength for a believer. Christians are told to run to Christ for their spiritual food and drink, and yet there must be something more— they must use spiritual food and drink for spiritual development. Christians must exercise their faith so that they can gain the strength needed to stand strong. Dr. Lloyd-Jones gives three practical ways to implement this exercise. First, the Christian must develop a certainty regarding the things of their faith. Second, Christians must exercise their faith by laying hold of the doctrines of Christianity and learn the Bible well so that they can communicate the hope of Christianity to a lost world. Third, they can look to the past and examine the lives of faithful Christians who have walked before in the midst of incredibly trying times. This, says Dr. Lloyd-Jones, serves to encourage, inspire, and strengthen one’s faith. Through Christ, believers can stand strong in the midst of difficult times and this exercise of their faith will only serve to deepen their steadfastness.
Sermon Breakdown
- The sermon is based on Ephesians 6:10-13 which deals with spiritual warfare and how to withstand evil.
- The world is currently in an "evil day" with many troubles and problems. The only explanation for this is the work of the devil and spiritual forces of evil.
- The purpose of the church is not to change circumstances but to enable people to stand strong despite circumstances. The church equips people with the truth of God's word.
- To stand strong, we must be "strong in the Lord and in the power of His might." We must rely on God's strength, not our own.
- To access God's strength, we must feed on His word, pray, take the sacraments, and exercise our faith. We must actively build ourselves up.
- We must hold firmly to the promises and hope we have in Christ. We must look to the world to come, not the present world.
- We must progress from the basics of the faith to deeper doctrines. We must exercise our senses by studying God's word.
- We must meet together regularly as the church and not forsake assembling together. We must encourage one another.
- We can look to heroes of the faith from the past as encouragement. Despite living in evil days, they triumphed through faith in God.
- Ultimately, we must look to Jesus as our example. He endured the cross for the joy set before Him. By looking to Him, we can run the race with endurance.
Sermon Q&A
Questions and Answers from Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones' Sermon on Ephesians 6:10-13
What does Dr. Lloyd-Jones say is the true purpose of the Christian church?
According to Dr. Lloyd-Jones, the true purpose of the Christian church is not to administer general comfort, make pronouncements on current affairs, or utter pious platitudes. Rather, the church's purpose is "to point people to this truth." He explains that "the church, according to this apostle in writing to Timothy, is the pillar and ground of the truth." The church's business is "not to attempt to change circumstances, but it is to enable men and women to triumph in spite of circumstances." Its mission is to help people "withstand in the evil day" through the strength and power of the Lord.
How does Dr. Lloyd-Jones explain the concept of "being strong in the Lord"?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones explains that being strong in the Lord means that while God supplies the strength, we must actively use it. He states, "I can do all things through Christ, which strengtheneth me. I do them, but through Christ, which strengthens me." He emphasizes that we don't passively "do nothing and hand it all over to the Lord" but rather we actively "do all we can, and he enables us to do it." This strength from the Lord is necessary because no human strength is sufficient to face life's battles.
What spiritual exercises does Dr. Lloyd-Jones recommend for Christians?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones recommends several spiritual exercises for Christians: 1. Holding firmly to the promises of God - "We've got to lay hold on these things. We've got to be absolutely certain of them." 2. Studying and understanding the doctrines of faith - "We've got to exercise our senses with regard to these things" and "spend our time in understanding and in studying these truths." 3. Regular church attendance - "Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together as the manner of some is." 4. Fellowship with other Christians - "We help one another. We can talk to one another, discuss these things together." 5. Looking to biblical examples - Studying the heroes of faith in Hebrews 11. 6. Looking unto Jesus - "That's the way to exercise. That's the way to run the race that is set before us."
What does Dr. Lloyd-Jones say about the state of the world and Christians' relationship to it?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones describes the world as an "evil world" and notes that we are living in a "particularly and unusually evil day in the history of that world." He emphasizes that Christianity offers no hope in this world itself: "The first thing we have to learn is that this world has no hope for us, none at all." He states that "it's a doomed world. It's a sinful world, but there's another world, the hope that is set before you." Christians are to be people who are "looking forward" to that hope rather than focusing on this present world, and they are called not to change the world but to "withstand in the evil day" while in it.
How does Dr. Lloyd-Jones use the example of biblical heroes in his sermon?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones uses the examples of biblical heroes, particularly from Hebrews 11, to provide encouragement and practical examples for Christians. He points out that these heroes "lived in a world exactly like the world in which you and I are living" with similar trials and tribulations, but they triumphed through faith. He emphasizes that "their story is written in order that we might be helped and in order that we might be strengthened." He recommends reading about these heroes as "a very good tonic" when feeling overwhelmed, noting that they did what they did through God's enabling power, not through any special qualities they possessed. He concludes that we should "follow them, follow in their train" and be "imitators" of their faith.
What is Dr. Lloyd-Jones' view on Christians' responsibility to teach others?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones strongly emphasizes Christians' responsibility to teach others. He rebukes his audience by quoting Hebrews, saying "you ought by now to be able to teach other people. But instead of being able to teach other people, you're whimpering and crying yourselves." He states that "the business of Christianity" is to help neighbors who are "alarmed and terrified" by world events. He challenges his congregation: "Are you able to teach men and women about the state of the world today? Are you able to tell them how to stand?" He insists that every Christian is meant to be a teacher, not just a few leaders: "We don't sit back in crowds and just let one or two do everything. We are all meant to be teachers, every one of us." The failure to teach others stems from failing to exercise our spiritual senses and understand the truths of Scripture.
The Book of Ephesians
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.