Where Truth Leads Us
The sermon emphasizes the rarity of truth seekers due to the hard and demanding nature of truth, which requires surrender and sacrifice.
The preacher delves into the concept of philosophy, which is the love of wisdom, and its negative connotation in the Bible as erroneous teaching. Paul encountered Epicureanism and Stoicism, the leading philosophies of his time, warning against the deceptive nature of philosophy that deviates from Christ. While secular philosophy may be a quest for truth, true wisdom is found in Jesus, and any philosophy not rooted in divine revelation is considered false and harmful.
Text
The world is full of seekers, true enough, and they gravitate quite naturally toward the church. Seekers after peace of mind are plentiful enough to keep the printing presses busy; seekers after physical health are always with us in sufficient numbers to make our leading faith healers comfortably rich; seekers after success and safety are legion, as our popular religious leaders know too well. But real seekers after truth are almost as rare as albino deer. And here is why: Truth is a glorious but hard master. It makes moral demands upon us. It claims the sovereign right to control us, to strip us, even to slay us as it chooses. Truth will never stoop to be a servant but requires that all men serve it.
It never flatters men and never compromises with them.
It demands all or nothing and refuses to be used or patronized. It will be all in all or it will withdraw into silence. It was Christ who capitalized truth and revealed that it was not an it at all but a Being with all the attributes of personality. I am the Truth, He said, and followed truth straight to the cross. The truth seeker must follow Him there; and that is the reason few men seek truth.
Sermon Outline
- The Rarity of Truth Seekers
- The Nature of Truth
- The Personification of Truth
- Christ revealed truth as a Being with personality
- Following truth leads to the cross
Key Quotes
“Truth will never stoop to be a servant but requires that all men serve it.” — A.W. Tozer
“It was Christ who capitalized truth and revealed that it was not an it at all but a Being with all the attributes of personality.” — A.W. Tozer
“I am the Truth, He said, and followed truth straight to the cross.” — A.W. Tozer
Application Points
- We must be willing to surrender to the moral demands of truth and follow Christ, even if it means sacrifice and hardship.
- Truth is not something to be used or patronized, but rather something to be served and obeyed.
- Seeking truth requires a willingness to strip away our own desires and follow the hard path of Christ.