Inescapable Choices
The sermon emphasizes the importance of faith in following Christ, even in the face of persecution and loss.
A.W. Tozer emphasizes the critical nature of choices in the Christian life, illustrating how the rich young ruler turned away from discipleship due to the cost involved. He contrasts this with the faithful followers in the Acts of the Apostles, who faced persecution yet remained steadfast in their commitment to Christ. Tozer highlights that true faith is willing to endure hardships for the sake of the glory of Christ, while unbelief clings to comfort and ease. Ultimately, each individual must confront the decision of whether to embrace faith or succumb to the allure of unbelief, which he describes as a 'terrible luxury.'
Text
When the rich young ruler learned the cost of discipleship he went away sorrowing. He could not give up the sunny side of the brae. But thanks be to God, there are some in every age who refuse to go back. The Acts of the Apostles is the story of men and women who turned their faces into the stiff wind of persecution and loss and followed the Lamb whithersoever He went. They knew that the world hated Christ without a cause and hated them for His sake; but for the glory that was set before them they continued steadfastly on the way. Perhaps the whole thing can be reduced to a simple matter of faith or unbelief.
Faith sees afar the triumph of Christ and is willing to endure any hardship to share in it.
Unbelief is not sure of anything except that it hates the wind and loves the sunny side of the brae. Every man will have to decide for himself whether or not he can afford the terrible luxury of unbelief.
Sermon Outline
- The Cost of Discipleship
- The Choice Between Faith and Unbelief
- The Decision We Must Make
- 'Faith or Unbelief: A Simple Matter'
- The Consequences of Our Choice
Key Quotes
“Faith sees afar the triumph of Christ and is willing to endure any hardship to share in it.” — A.W. Tozer
“Every man will have to decide for himself whether or not he can afford the terrible luxury of unbelief.” — A.W. Tozer
Application Points
- We must be willing to give up our worldly desires to follow Christ.
- Faith is the key to enduring hardship and sharing in the triumph of Christ.
- We must make a choice between faith and unbelief, and the consequences of our choice will be eternal.