Blessed Maladjustment!
The sermon emphasizes the importance of being maladjusted to the world, as exemplified by Jesus, and how this can lead to progress and a deeper relationship with God.
A.W. Tozer emphasizes the danger of churches conforming to societal changes, arguing that true progress comes from those who refuse to adjust to worldly standards. He points out that the most impactful figures in history, including Jesus, were often seen as maladjusted, highlighting that the call to follow Christ requires a rejection of worldly norms. Tozer warns against the pressure to conform, suggesting that those who adjust lose their value and effectiveness in the world. He encourages believers to stand firm in their faith and resist the temptation to compromise their beliefs for acceptance.
Text
The second prominent tragedy is that the gospel churches are confused and intimidated by numbers. They accept the belief that there has been change and that Christians must adjust to the change. The word used is adjustment. We must get adjusted, forgetting that the world has always been blessed by the people who were not adjusted. The poor people who get adjusted cannot do much anyhow. They are not worth having around. In every field of human endeavor progress has been made by those who stood up and said, "I will not adjust to the world." The classical composers, poets and architects were people who would not adjust. Today society insists that if you do not adjust you will get a complex.
If you do not get adjusted, you will have to go to a psychiatrist.
Jesus was among the most maladjusted people in His generation. He never pretended to adjust to the world. He came to die for the world and to call the world to Himself, and the adjustment had to be on the other side.
Sermon Outline
- I. The Tragedy of Adjustment
- A. The gospel churches are confused and intimidated by numbers
- B. They accept the need to adjust to the world
- C. The world is blessed by those who refuse to adjust
- II. The Consequences of Adjustment
- A. The adjusted are not worth having around
- B. Progress is made by those who refuse to adjust
- III. The Example of Jesus
- A. Jesus was among the most maladjusted people in His generation
- B. He refused to adjust to the world
Key Quotes
“The poor people who get adjusted cannot do much anyhow.” — A.W. Tozer
“The world is blessed by the people who were not adjusted.” — A.W. Tozer
“Jesus was among the most maladjusted people in His generation.” — A.W. Tozer
Application Points
- We should refuse to adjust to the world and stand up for what we believe in, just like Jesus.
- Being maladjusted to the world can lead to progress and a deeper relationship with God.
- We should not be intimidated by the world's expectations and conform to its standards.