The Sparrow
A Sermon on Psalm 84:3
Originally preached June 30, 1957
Scripture
3Yea, the sparrow hath found an house, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young, even thine altars, O LORD of hosts, my King, and my God.
Sermon Description
What is most supreme in life? Can the Christian say with the psalmist that communion with God is supreme in the whole of life and existence? In this sermon on Psalm 84:3 titled “The Sparrow,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones walks through three certain things that are absolute essentials if one is to enjoy life like this. First, in reviewing his first two primary considerations, religion is not simply a matter of living, or of doing good, but rather one of knowing God: “The only thing that brings us into the presence of God is the blood of Jesus.” Additionally, the Christian learns that it is the truth of Christianity that is most essential, while the effectiveness of such a religion is merely an effect of its foundation of truth. Finally, Dr. Lloyd-Jones bring a new consideration, one that declares the Christian ought not only know the truth about God, but that they must realize the truth about themselves. They need a place of rest. No one has ever become a true Christian without feeling restless and homeless. To enjoy the blessings the psalmist expresses in Psalm 84:3 is to be aware of one’s helplessness and defenselessness.
Sermon Breakdown
- The psalmist emphasizes knowing God as the essence of religion.
- We must start with knowing God and his objective truth. Our feelings and experiences are secondary.
- We must also know the truth about ourselves. There are two foci of Christian truth: God and man.
- To know God, we must realize our own smallness and insignificance in the immense universe and masses of humanity. We are like sparrows.
- We will also realize a sense of homelessness and restlessness, seeking purpose and meaning. We are like swallows seeking a nest.
- We will realize our own helplessness, defenselessness, and inability to stand against the forces that attack us: illness, loss, sin, the world, the flesh, the devil.
- We will realize our soul is our most precious possession, like the young are to the birds. We seek a safe place for our eternal soul.
- The gospel answers these realizations. God knows even the sparrow and cares for us. Christ gives us rest. He protects us from all enemies. He saves and keeps our souls.
- We can find our home, rest, safety, and peace in Christ. Our souls can be safe in his keeping. We can say with the psalmist "blessed is the man who trusts in you."
Sermon Q&A
Questions and Answers about Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones' Sermon on Psalm 84:3
What does Dr. Lloyd-Jones identify as the main theme of Psalm 84?
According to Dr. Lloyd-Jones, the main theme of Psalm 84 is that the greatest thing in life is to enjoy the blessings of a godly life and communion with God. The psalmist declares that "there is no happiness on earth which is in any way comparable to the happiness of a man who knows God." He emphasizes that the psalmist would "give the whole world for this" because it "means everything to him" even when circumstances seem to be driving him to despair.
What does the sparrow and swallow illustration in Psalm 84:3 represent?
The sparrow and swallow illustration represents the human soul finding its true resting place in God. Dr. Lloyd-Jones explains that the psalmist is not complaining that birds can build nests in the tabernacle while he cannot be there. Rather, the psalmist is saying, "I am like a sparrow, I'm like a swallow, but I'm like the sparrow that has found a house for herself... and the place where I found the right position and all the right conditions for making my nest... is thine altars, O Lord of hosts."
What are the four needs of humanity that Dr. Lloyd-Jones identifies through the sparrow illustration?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones identifies four needs through the sparrow and swallow illustration: 1. Our awareness of our smallness and insignificance in a vast universe 2. Our sense of homelessness and restlessness in the world 3. Our helplessness and defenselessness against life's "enemies" (illness, temptation, etc.) 4. Our need to protect what is most precious - our soul - just as birds seek safe places for their young
How does Dr. Lloyd-Jones describe the path to becoming a Christian?
According to Lloyd-Jones, a person becomes a Christian when they: 1. Realize that religion is fundamentally about knowing God, not just living a good life 2. Understand that the only way to know God is through Jesus Christ ("through his broken body, through his shed blood") 3. Recognize objective truth about God's character rather than relying on personal feelings 4. Come to see their own smallness, restlessness, helplessness, and the preciousness of their soul 5. Find their "nest" or resting place in God through Christ
What does Dr. Lloyd-Jones identify as the most precious possession a person has?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones identifies the soul as the most precious possession a person has. He explains: "The ultimate secret of every godly, religious Christian men... is this, that he had come at last to realize that the most priceless thing in life was his soul." He quotes Jesus: "What shall it profit a man, though he gain the whole world and lose his own soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?" The soul is what continues through eternity when the body is gone.
What evidence does Lloyd-Jones provide that God cares about individuals despite their smallness?
Lloyd-Jones offers several biblical examples to show God cares about individuals: 1. Jesus' teaching that "not a single sparrow can fall to the ground without your heavenly father knowing it" 2. The story of the woman with an issue of blood whom Jesus recognized in a crowd, saying "who touched me?" 3. Jesus' attention to the thief on the cross despite bearing the sins of the world These examples show that "though you're one of the teeming masses in this world... God says, I know you."
What does Lloyd-Jones identify as the only solution to human restlessness?
Lloyd-Jones identifies Christ as the only solution to human restlessness. He quotes Jesus' invitation: "Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." He emphasizes that worldly pleasures, philosophy, art, and culture cannot provide lasting rest, but only Christ can give "rest and peace for your soul." He states, "there's only one place in the universe you'll find it. It's the altar" - referring to Christ's sacrifice.
How does Dr. Lloyd-Jones describe the safety that Christians find in Christ?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones describes the safety Christians find in Christ using several illustrations: 1. Christ as a shield and protector from "the world, the flesh, and the devil" 2. Jesus' promise that "no man shall be able to pluck them out of my hand" 3. Paul's assurance that nothing "shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus" He concludes: "We are safe in the nest, and no animal can come there. We are protected. We are surrounded."
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.