Finding Light and Life in Christ
The sermon highlights the joy and satisfaction that comes from finding Christ and experiencing a new life in Him.
A.W. Tozer emphasizes the profound joy experienced by new converts who encounter Christ, contrasting their initial happiness with the potential disillusionment that can arise from interacting with seasoned believers and church members. He reflects on the transformative power of faith, where old burdens are lifted and a vibrant new reality emerges, filled with beauty and light. The sermon highlights the spontaneous joy and satisfaction found in Jesus, as new believers often perceive the world around them in a brighter, more hopeful way, affirming the lasting impact of their conversion.
Text
The happiest man in the world," said a well-known preacher some time ago, "is the new convert before he has met too many Bible teachers and seen too many church members."
Even after we have made what allowance we must for the obvious irony in these words, there still remains in them sufficient truth to perturb the honest Christian soul more than a little.
Surely one of the happiest persons in the world should be the new convert. Has he not found Him of whom Moses and all the prophets did write? The spontaneous song that bursts from his lips is likely to be: "Hallelujah! I have found Him Whom my soul so long has craved. Jesus satisfies my longings; Through His blood I now am saved."
Old things pass away and all things become new. So brilliant is the contrast between the dark despair of but a few short hours ago and the new, bright world into which he has been thrust by the miracle of faith that every nerve and cell in his complex personality vibrates joyously. The testimony of many persons known for their poise and self-restraint has been that at the time of their first satisfying encounter with Christ the whole world took on a new luster. It is not unusual to hear people say that on the night of their conversion, the air smelled sweeter, the stars shone more brightly and all the common familiar objects of nature appeared to glow with a subdued light. And that these men and women were not the victims of a hallucination is proved triumphantly by the stability of their subsequent lives and the salty good sense manifest in all their religious attitudes.
Sermon Outline
- The Contrast Between the Old and New Life
- The Experience of the New Convert
- The Reality of the New Life
- Stability and good sense in the Christian life
- The contrast between the old and new life
Key Quotes
“The happiest man in the world is the new convert before he has met too many Bible teachers and seen too many church members.” — A.W. Tozer
“Old things pass away and all things become new.” — A.W. Tozer
“The spontaneous song that bursts from his lips is likely to be: ''Hallelujah! I have found Him Whom my soul so long has craved.''” — A.W. Tozer
Application Points
- A genuine faith is manifested by stability, good sense, and a salty attitude in all religious matters.
- The new life in Christ brings joy, satisfaction, and a new perspective on the world.
- A satisfying encounter with Christ is the key to a stable and sensible Christian life.