Christ Precedence
Christ demands to be our first priority, above all earthly relationships and loyalties, and requires us to sacrifice them to follow Him.
A.W. Tozer emphasizes the radical call of Christ to prioritize Him above all earthly relationships and loyalties, asserting that true discipleship requires a willingness to sacrifice personal attachments and even one's own life for the sake of following Christ. He highlights that faith introduces a higher loyalty, demanding that Christ takes precedence over family, country, and self. Tozer warns that in a culture of comfortable Christianity, it takes spiritual insight and genuine faith to embrace this challenging truth, urging believers to seek divine illumination and strength before it's too late.
Text
. . ?If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters--yes, even his own life--he cannot be my disciple. And anyone who does not carry his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple? (14:26-27).
What Christ is saying here is that faith in Him immediately introduces another and a higher loyalty into the life. He demands and must have first place. For the true disciple it is Christ before family, Christ before country, Christ before life itself. The flesh must always be sacrificed to the spirit and the heavenly placed ahead of the earthly, and that at any cost. When we take up the cross, we become expendable, along with all natural friendships and all previous loyalties, and Christ becomes all in all.
In these days of sweet and easy Christianity, it requires inward illumination to see this truth and real faith to accept it. We had better pray for both before time runs out on us.
Sermon Outline
- Christ's Demand for Precedence
- Hating Family and Self
- Carrying the Cross
- Following Christ
Key Quotes
“For the true disciple it is Christ before family, Christ before country, Christ before life itself.” — A.W. Tozer
“When we take up the cross, we become expendable, along with all natural friendships and all previous loyalties, and Christ becomes all in all.” — A.W. Tozer
Application Points
- We must prioritize Christ above all earthly relationships and loyalties.
- Sacrificing our natural friendships and previous loyalties is necessary to follow Christ.
- Praying for inward illumination and real faith is essential to accept Christ's demand for precedence.