Strangers and Pilgrims
To run a straight course in life, one must have both a present focus and a distant goal, staying focused and on track through regular progress checks.
A.B. Simpson emphasizes the importance of having both immediate and long-term goals in our Christian journey, likening it to ploughing a straight furrow. He illustrates that just as a ploughman needs two stakes to maintain a straight line, Christians must have a near and a distant vision to avoid straying from their path. This dual focus helps believers stay grounded in the present while also aiming for a glorious future in Christ. Simpson encourages the congregation to seek both immediate guidance and eternal purpose in their lives.
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If you have ever tried to plough a straight furrow in the country-I feel sorry for the man who does not know how to plough and more sorry for the man who is too proud to want to know-you have no doubt found it necessary to have two stakes in a line and to drive your horses by these stakes. If you have only one stake before you, you will have no steadying point for your vision, and you can swerve about without knowing it, making your furrows as crooked as a serpent's coil. But if you have two stakes and always keep them in line, you cannot deviate an inch from a straight line, and your furrow will be as an arrow speeding to its target.
This can be a great lesson to us in our Christian lives.
If we would run a straight course, we must have two stakes-the near and the distant. it is not enough to be living in the present; it is likewise a great and glorious thing to have a distant goal.
Sermon Outline
- The Importance of a Steadying Point
- The Power of a Distant Goal
- Running a Straight Course in Life
- The Need for Balance
- The Importance of Staying Focused
Key Quotes
“If you have only one stake before you, you will have no steadying point for your vision, and you can swerve about without knowing it, making your furrows as crooked as a serpent's coil.” — A.B. Simpson
“If we would run a straight course, we must have two stakes-the near and the distant.” — A.B. Simpson
Application Points
- Set both short-term and long-term goals to stay focused and on track in life.
- Regularly check your progress to ensure you are staying on course.
- Having a clear and focused vision for your life can bring precision and accuracy to your path.