Doting on the Past
As Christians, we must balance remembering God's past goodness with looking forward to the future He has planned for us.
A.W. Tozer emphasizes the danger of fixating on the past, warning that many Christians live in the shadow of their former glories instead of looking forward to the future God has for them. He expresses concern over believers who dwell on past experiences, suggesting that their testimonies reflect a backward focus rather than a hopeful outlook. Tozer encourages Christians to learn from Paul, who occasionally looked back to appreciate God's grace but ultimately kept his eyes on the future. The sermon calls for a shift in perspective, urging believers to embrace the promise of what lies ahead rather than clinging to the ashes of yesterday.
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I always get an uneasy feeling when I find myself with people who have nothing to discuss but the glories of the days that are past! Why are we not willing to believe what the Bible tells us? The Christian's great future is before him. Therefore, the whole direction of the Christian's look should be forward. It is a fact that we should ponder soberly that so many Christians seem to have their future already behind them! Their glory is behind them. The only future they have is their past. They are always bringing around the cold ashes of yesterday's burned-out campfire! Even their testimony, if they give it, reveals their backward look. Their downcast look betrays that they are facing in the wrong direction.
We should take Paul for an example here.
I think he occasionally took a quick, happy backward look just to remind himself of the grace and goodness of God enjoyed by the maturing believers in their Savior, Jesus Christ!
Sermon Outline
- The Problem of Doting on the Past
- The Direction of the Christian's Look
- A Call to Move Forward
- Taking Paul as an example
- The balance between remembering and moving forward
Key Quotes
“Their glory is behind them. The only future they have is their past.” — A.W. Tozer
“We should take Paul for an example here.” — A.W. Tozer
“Their downcast look betrays that they are facing in the wrong direction.” — A.W. Tozer
Application Points
- Take a quick, happy backward look to remind yourself of God's grace and goodness, but then look forward to the future He has planned.
- Don't get stuck in the past; instead, focus on the great future God has in store for you.
- Remember that the Christian's great future is before him, and looking forward allows us to tap into the hope and promise of that future.