Crises of Love
The crisis in the Christian life is a time of testing and temptation that reveals our true character and forces us to make determined moral decisions on the side of Christ and His commandments.
A.W. Tozer discusses the 'Crises of Love' in the Christian life, emphasizing that while we may wish for a spiritual Utopia, we are often faced with the challenges of the flesh, the world, and the devil. These crises compel us to make decisive moral choices in alignment with Christ's teachings. Tozer illustrates this with the example of Paul during a storm at sea, where his true character and leadership emerged under pressure, revealing the strength of his faith. The sermon highlights that it is in these moments of crisis that our commitment to God is tested and made evident. Ultimately, these challenges serve to clarify our faith and deepen our relationship with God.
Text
If we lived in a spiritual Utopia where every wind blew toward heaven and every man was a friend of God, we Christians could take everything for granted, counting on the new life within us to cause us to do the will of God without effort and more or less unconsciously. Unfortunately we have opposing us the lusts of the flesh, the attractions of the world and the temptations of the devil. These complicate our lives and require us often to make determined moral decisions on the side of Christ and His commandments.
It is the crisis that forces us to take a stand for or against. The patriot may be loyal to his country for half a lifetime without giving much thought to it, but let an unfriendly power solicit him to turn traitor and he will quickly spurn its overtures. His patriotism will be brought out into the open for everyone to see. So it is in the Christian life. When the ?south wind blew softly? (Acts 27:13) the ship that carried Paul sailed smoothly enough and no one on board knew who Paul was or how much strength of character lay hidden behind that rather plain exterior.
But when the mighty tempest, Euroclydon, burst upon them Paul?s greatness was soon the talk of everyone on the ship. The apostle, though himself a prisoner quite literally took command of the vessel, made decisions and issued orders that meant life or death to the people. And I think the crisis brought to a head something in Paul that had not previously been clear even to him. Beautiful theory was quickly crystallized into hard fact when the tempest struck.
Sermon Outline
- The Crisis of Love
- The Crisis Brings Out Greatness
- The Crisis Crystallizes Our Theories
- Beautiful theories are quickly tested in the fire of crisis
- We must be prepared to put our faith into action
- We must make determined moral decisions on the side of Christ and His commandments
Key Quotes
“Beautiful theory was quickly crystallized into hard fact when the tempest struck.” — A.W. Tozer
“When the mighty tempest, Euroclydon, burst upon them Paul's greatness was soon the talk of everyone on the ship.” — A.W. Tozer
Application Points
- We must be prepared to put our faith into action in times of crisis.
- Making determined moral decisions is crucial in the Christian life.
- Our true greatness is revealed in times of crisis, and we must be prepared to stand firm on the side of Christ and His commandments.