Daily Cross-Carrying
True Christianity requires a rugged and sinewy commitment to righteousness, involving sacrifice and moral muscle to stand against sin.
A.W. Tozer emphasizes the challenging nature of following Christ, highlighting that Jesus never promised an easy path. He points out that true discipleship requires self-denial and the willingness to bear one's cross, a message often softened in modern evangelism. Tozer challenges believers to confront the reality that loving righteousness necessitates hating sin and that accepting Christ involves rejecting self. He warns against the complacency of professed Christians who lack the moral strength to embrace the rigorous demands of faith. Ultimately, Tozer calls for a deeper understanding of the cost of discipleship and the necessity of choosing between God and the world.
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Our Lord called men to follow Him but He never made the way look easy. Indeed one gets the distinct impression that He made it appear extremely hard. Sometimes He said things to disciples or prospective disciples that we today discreetly avoid repeating when we are trying to win men to Him. What present-day evangelist would have the courage to tell an inquirer, "If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it" (Matt. 16:24-25)?
And do not we do some tall explaining when someone asks us what Jesus meant when He said, "Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword. For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law" (Matt. 10:34-35)? That kind of rugged, sinewy Christianity is left for an occasional missionary or for some believer behind one of the various curtains in the world.
The masses of professed Christians simply do not have the moral muscle to enable them to take a path so downright and final as this. When will Christians learn that to love righteousness it is necessary to hate sin? that to accept Christ it is necessary to reject self? that to follow the good way we must flee from evil? that a friend of the world is an enemy of God? that God allows no twilight zone between two altogethers where the fearful and the doubting may take refuge at once from hell to come and the rigors of present discipline?
Sermon Outline
- I. The Call to Follow
- A. Jesus made the way look hard
- B. Discipleship requires sacrifice
- II. The Cost of Discipleship
- A. Deny self and take up the cross
- B. Lose life to save it
- III. The Nature of True Christianity
- A. Rugged and sinewy
- B. Requires moral muscle
- IV. The Choice Between Righteousness and Sin
- A. Love righteousness, hate sin
- B. Accept Christ, reject self
Key Quotes
“If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.” — A.W. Tozer
“For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it” — A.W. Tozer
“A friend of the world is an enemy of God” — A.W. Tozer
Application Points
- I must be willing to deny self and take up the cross to follow Jesus.
- True Christianity requires a commitment to righteousness and a rejection of sin.
- I must flee from evil and stand for what is right to be a true follower of Christ.