The Lord of All Beauty
Christ's moral beauty has captivated even those who claimed to be His enemies, and it is a reflection of God's deposit within us.
A.W. Tozer reflects on the concept of beauty, emphasizing that God has instilled in humanity an appreciation for beauty that transcends the physical to encompass moral beauty, which is epitomized in Christ. He notes that even those who opposed Jesus, like Hitler and Nietzsche, recognized His moral perfection and beauty. Tozer encourages believers to acknowledge the promise of heaven as the ultimate expression of beauty, where the all-beautiful Savior resides. This understanding of beauty invites us to deepen our relationship with Christ, who embodies the highest moral standards. Ultimately, Tozer calls us to celebrate and seek the beauty that comes from God.
Text
Think with me about beauty-and about this matchless One who is the Lord of all beauty, our Savior! God has surely deposited something within our human beings that is capable of understanding and appreciating beauty - the love of harmonious forms, appreciation of colors and beautiful sounds. Brother, these are only the external counterparts of a deeper and more enduring beauty-that which we call moral beauty. It has been the uniqueness and the perfection of Christ's moral beauty that have charmed even those who claimed to be His enemies throughout the centuries of history.
We do not have any record of Hitler saying anything against the moral perfection of Jesus.
One of the great philosophers, Nietzsche, objected to Paul's theology of justification by faith, but he was strangely moved within himself by the perfection of moral beauty found in the life and character of Jesus, the Christ. We should thank God for the promise of heaven being the place of supreme beauty-and the One who is all-beautiful is there!
Sermon Outline
- The Lord of All Beauty
- The Uniqueness and Perfection of Christ's Moral Beauty
- The Promise of Heaven as the Place of Supreme Beauty
- Historical Evidence of Christ's Moral Perfection
- Philosophical Recognition of Christ's Moral Beauty
Key Quotes
“We do not have any record of Hitler saying anything against the moral perfection of Jesus.” — A.W. Tozer
“One of the great philosophers, Nietzsche, objected to Paul's theology of justification by faith, but he was strangely moved within himself by the perfection of moral beauty found in the life and character of Jesus, the Christ.” — A.W. Tozer
Application Points
- We should thank God for the promise of heaven being the place of supreme beauty.
- We can appreciate the deeper and more enduring moral beauty of Christ's life and character.
- God has deposited within us a capacity to understand and appreciate beauty, which reflects His image in us.