The Call of Christ
A Sermon on Matthew 9:9
Originally preached Sept. 23, 1956
Scripture
9¶ And as Jesus passed forth from thence, he saw a man, named Matthew, sitting at the receipt of custom: and he saith unto him, Follow me. And he arose, and followed him.
Sermon Description
What does it mean to be called by the Lord Jesus Christ? In this sermon on Matthew 9:9 titled “The Call of Christ,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones looks to the example of Matthew, a tax collector whom Jesus called one day. Matthew responds to this call by leaving his old sinful life behind and committing himself to Christ. This demonstrates that the call to be a Christian is a call to leave behind the old way of living and to seek Christ Jesus and His kingdom. It is an uncompromising commitment to love God and follow His commandments, not out of self-preservation, but out of a new love for God and neighbor. To be a Christian is to follow Jesus and to obey His commandments. This is done first and foremost by believing in His gospel and the fact that He is the Savior sent from God. How does this apply today? Being a Christian in modern times is fundamentally the same as it has always been because it is about following Christ and believing in His gospel. It is about trusting in Jesus in the midst of suffering and persecution, and pursuing God in all aspects of life. The call to be a Christian is one that all must accept because it is the only way to eternal life.
Sermon Breakdown
- Jesus calls Matthew, a tax collector, to follow him.
- The call of Jesus is a totalitarian call that demands a response and will change your whole life.
- Jesus calls us to follow him in our thinking, willing, and living.
- Jesus' thinking is supernatural, profound yet simple, practical and theoretical. We must become like little children to understand.
- Jesus talks about God, our souls, life, death, eternity, and judgment.
- Jesus calls us to follow him in righteousness, holiness, perfection, and love.
- Following Jesus may lead to persecution, trials, suffering, and death to self.
- Following Jesus leads to God, forgiveness, new life, companionship, and eternal life.
- We must follow Jesus all the way, not just believe in parts of who he is or what he did.
- We should follow Jesus because there is no one else who can help us, he is the Son of God, his character is perfect, he died for us, and he leads to eternal life.
Sermon Q&A
What Was the Key Message of Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones' Sermon on Matthew 9:9?
Based on Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones' sermon on Matthew 9:9, here are questions and answers that capture his key points:
What is the central event discussed in Dr. Lloyd-Jones' sermon?
The sermon centers on Jesus calling Matthew, a tax collector (publican), with the simple words "Follow me," and Matthew's immediate response of getting up and following Him. This encounter represents the essence of Christianity as a personal call from Christ that demands a total life response.
How does Dr. Lloyd-Jones describe the nature of Christ's call?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones describes Christ's call as "totalitarian," meaning it addresses the whole person, not just parts of them. It's not a call to take a vague interest in Christianity or engage in theoretical debates - it's a direct, personal demand that requires a decision and leads to a complete life change. Christ calls us to follow Him with our mind, will, and heart.
According to the sermon, what makes Christianity different from other religions?
Christianity differs from all other religions because it centers on a historical person - Jesus Christ. While other religions like Buddhism, Confucianism, and Islam are based on the thoughts and philosophies of men, Christianity is about a divine Person who entered history. As Lloyd-Jones states, "This is an entirely different category. We start with this person who's alone and who cannot be bracketed with anybody else."
What topics does Jesus focus on that differ from worldly concerns?
According to Lloyd-Jones, Jesus doesn't focus on political issues, economic concerns, or current affairs that dominate newspapers. Instead, He speaks about God, the human soul, death, judgment, and eternity. Jesus is concerned with eternal matters rather than temporal ones, asking "What shall it profit a man though he gained the whole world and lose his own soul?"
What does it mean to follow Christ practically, according to the sermon?
Following Christ means adopting His way of thinking, which is supernatural rather than merely rational. It means embracing values opposite to the world's - being poor in spirit, meek, and hungering for righteousness rather than self-assertion. It means following Him through persecution, trials, and even to the cross, accepting the complete Christ including His teaching, miracles, death, and resurrection.
Why should someone follow Christ, according to Dr. Lloyd-Jones?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones gives several reasons: 1) There's no one else who can truly help us or knows the way, 2) He is the unique Son of God, 3) His character of compassion and sympathy is unmatched, 4) He sacrificed Himself for us, and 5) He leads us to eternal blessings despite temporal costs.
What might following Christ cost a person?
Following Christ may require giving up sinful practices, surrendering one's right to oneself, facing misunderstanding, being separated from friends and family, enduring persecution, experiencing humiliation, and dying to self. Lloyd-Jones doesn't conceal these potential costs but presents them honestly.
What benefits does Dr. Lloyd-Jones say come from following Christ?
Those who follow Christ will be led to God as Father, receive forgiveness of sins, gain peace of conscience, experience new life and power, enjoy Christ's constant companionship through every trial, and ultimately be brought through death into everlasting glory with God.
Other Sermons
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.