Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit · Sermon No. 794
Delivered on Lord’s-Day Morning, February 9, 1868, by.
“He shall gather the lambs with His arm, and carry them in His bosom.’” Isaiah 40:11.
IN the chapter before us our Savior is described as Jehovah God. He is spoken of as clothed with irresistible power: “He shall come with strong hand, and His arm shall rule for Him,” but, as if to soften a glory far too bright for the weak eyes of the trembling, the Prophet introduces the delightful words of the text: “He 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.” Here is Divinity! Not Jehovah, the Man of War, but Jehovah the Shepherd of Israel! Here is the fire of Deity, but its gentle, warming influence is felt and the consuming force is veiled. Greatness in league with gentleness, and power linked with affection now pass before us.
Loving-kindness and tender mercy are drawn in their golden chariot by the noble steeds of Omnipotence and Wisdom. Heroes who have been most distinguished for fury in the fight have been tender of heart as little children— sharp were their swords to the foe—but gentle their hands towards the weak. It is the index of a noble nature that it can be majestic as a lion in the midst of the fray and roar like a young lion on the scene of conflict—and yet have a dove’s eye and a maiden’s heart. Such is our Lord Jesus Christ! He is the conquering Captain of salvation but He is meek and lowly of heart.
This morning, in considering the text, we have a special eye to these who are the weaklings among us. Our desire is, as an under-shepherd, to administer consolation to those who are distressed in spirit and feeble in mind, hoping that while we speak, the Holy Spirit, the Comforter, may speak effectually to them.
I. Our first consideration, this morning, will be the enquiry, WHO ARE THE LAMBS WHICH OUR BLESSED LORD IS SAID TO GATHER AND TO CARRY IN HIS BOSOM? In a certain sense we may affirm that all His people are lambs. In so far as they exhibit the Christian spirit, they are lamb-like. Jesus sends them forth as sheep in the midst of wolves. They are a little flock, a guileless people. Just as the lamb was clean and acceptable to God, so is every Christian. As the lamb might be presented in sacrifice, so does every Believer present his body as a living sacrifice unto God. As the lamb was the symbol of innocence, so should the Believer be holy, harmless, undefiled and separate from sinners.
And as the lamb fights not, and has no weapon of offense, so the Believer is no brawler, striker, or man of strife. Wars and fighting he hates, and follows peace with all men. When he is fully conformed to his Master’s will he resists not evil, but is patient, turning the other cheek when he is struck. He knows that vengeance is God’s prerogative and therefore is slow to retort upon a railing adversary, remembering that Michael the archangel only replied to the adversary, “The Lord rebuke you.”
A lamb is so guileless and unsuspicious that it licks the butcher’s hand and those who seek to destroy it find it easy work. So have the saints been killed all the daylong—they are accounted as sheep for the slaughter, and the accusation of James is true—“You have condemned and killed the just, and he does not resist you.” Those who are of a meek and lamb-like spirit are precisely such as become lovers of the gentle Prophet of Nazareth. Like attracts its like. He is meek and lowly in heart and therefore those who are like He is, come to Him. The power of His Gospel, wherever it is exerted, produces men of such character. Those who came to Christ when He was upon earth may have been boisterous enough in their natural dispositions, but after they had received the baptism of His Spirit, they were an inoffensive race.
They proclaimed the Gospel with boldness and for their Master they were very valiant, but they rose not in arms against Caesar. They headed no rebellions. They were not competitors in the race for power. They shed no blood even to win their liberties. They were examples of suffering, affliction and of patience—they were ready to live or to die for the truth, but that truth was love to God and man. Self pride, greed, wrath as works of the old nature they sought to mortify, and it was their daily desire to do good unto all men as they had opportunity. Jesus will always gather such lambs. The world hates them and scatters them! The world ridicules and despises them but Jesus makes them His bosom friends.
The world of old hounded them to death—made them pine in the damps of the catacombs of Rome, or perish among the snows of the Alps—but their glorified Lord gathered them by tens of thousands from the prison, the amphitheater, the stake, the bloody scaffold—and in His blessed bosom they rest in congenial company forever! As the Lord’s lambs they are glorified with the Lamb of God.