A Life in Christ
A Sermon on Isaiah 40:11
Originally preached June 13, 1954
Scripture
11He shall feed his flock like a shepherd: he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young.
Sermon Description
Who is the promised Messiah spoken of in the Old Testament? In this sermon on Isaiah 40:11 titled “A Life in Christ,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones shows that it is Jesus Christ. He is the faithful Shepherd who loves His sheep and lays down His life for them so that they might have eternal life in Him. For by knowing Christ, all can be saved and brought to a true knowledge of God. This message of the incarnation, death, and resurrection of Jesus are the center of all of Scripture. The prophets and the law looked forward to His coming, and the New Testament is inaugurates the new covenant when the wages of sin were paid by the blood of Jesus Christ. Those who repent of their sins and believe in His name are His true sheep. They will hear His voice and seek after Him. They live as new creations who are continually being drawn closer to Christ Jesus by the work of the Holy Spirit. Not only are Christians eternally saved, but they are also cared for constantly by their Creator. This is the great hope in life’s darkest and most trying times. Jesus Christ is the faithful Shepherd.
Sermon Breakdown
- To be a Christian means to be in a special relationship with Jesus Christ.
- Christians belong to Christ. They are his sheep.
- This relationship is made possible by Christ giving his life for us. He bought us and purchased us.
- On our side, Christians recognize Christ's voice and follow him. They know the truth about him.
- Christ provides for those in this relationship. He gives us life, food, sustenance, care, gentleness, and protection.
- Christ gives us new, spiritual, miraculous life that we can't understand. We just have to receive it.
- The Bible provides intellectual food and guidance for how to live. Christ provides fellowship, joy, peace, and meets all our needs.
- Christ cares for the young and weak. He knows our ignorance and weakness and bears with us. We can trust in his faithfulness.
- Christ is gentle with the weak and burdened. He doesn't condemn or hurt them.
- Christ protects us, gives us security, guides us, never leaves us, meets all our needs, and will present us perfect before God.
- The test of hearing Christ's voice is following him, turning from the world, and giving ourselves to him.
Sermon Q&A
What Does it Mean for Christ to Feed His Flock Like a Shepherd?
How does Dr. Lloyd-Jones describe the relationship between Christ and believers?
According to Dr. Lloyd-Jones, Christ's relationship with believers is a special, personal one. He states, "To be a Christian means that you're in a special relationship to the Lord Jesus Christ." He emphasizes that this relationship is marked by ownership - Christ calls them "my sheep" and "knows them by name." This relationship was established through Christ's sacrifice: "He tells us that he brings those who are Christians into this relationship by giving his life for us, that we are his because he's bought us and because he has purchased us." The relationship is reciprocal, as believers "hear his voice" and "follow him," recognizing Jesus as the Son of God and their personal Savior.
What does the shepherd metaphor reveal about Christ's care for believers?
The shepherd metaphor reveals Christ's comprehensive care for believers. Dr. Lloyd-Jones explains that "He shall feed his flock like a shepherd" means Christ tends to every need of His people. This includes: giving them new life ("I am come that they might have life and that they might have it more abundantly"), providing sustenance ("He shall go in and out and find pasture"), carrying the young and weak ("He will gather the lambs with his arm and carry them in his bosom"), gently leading those who struggle ("shall gently lead those that are with young"), and offering protection and security ("they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand").
How does Christ care for new and weak believers according to the sermon?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones emphasizes Christ's special care for new and weak believers. Using Isaiah's imagery, he explains that Christ "will take the young and gather them into his arm and carry them in his bosom." This means Christ understands their weakness and ignorance, and doesn't expect immediate understanding: "Young converts need have no fear...He knows all about your ignorance. He knows all about your weakness." Lloyd-Jones advises new believers to "Leave yourself in his hands. He'll bear with you. He'll carry you." He also explains how Christ is gentle with the weak, referencing "The bruised Reed he will not break and the smoking flax he will not quench," showing that Christ doesn't reject those who are damaged or barely hanging on spiritually.
What does Dr. Lloyd-Jones identify as the main difference between Christians and non-Christians?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones clearly states that the fundamental difference between Christians and non-Christians is their relationship to Christ. He says, "Here is the fundamental division and distinction. To be Christian means to be in a particular special relationship to him." He references Jesus' own words about "those who are my sheep and those who are not my sheep." Christians are those who "recognize the Lord Jesus Christ and his voice," believing the truth about who He is - the Son of God who came to save sinners. They acknowledge their sinfulness and need for salvation, and have been given new life by Christ. The Christian "knows the truth about him. He knows that he's come and did come into the world to die for him."
What does Dr. Lloyd-Jones say about the security of believers in Christ?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones emphasizes the complete security of believers in Christ. He quotes Jesus' words: "I give unto them eternal life, and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand." He affirms that Christ "will guard us, he'll protect us, he'll guide us, he'll never leave us, nor forsake us. He'll answer all our needs, will never fail us in life nor in death." Lloyd-Jones then quotes Romans 8, concluding that nothing "shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." This security extends through all of life, death, and eternity, culminating when Christ "has presented you, perfect and faultless, in the presence of God, in eternity."
Old Testament
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.