Do You Know Where You Are Going?
A.W. Tozer's sermon challenges listeners to recognize their ignorance of the right path in life and to seek divine guidance for a hopeful future.
A.W. Tozer emphasizes the importance of knowing one's destination in life, asserting that the right path is crucial for reaching a desired end. He reflects on the uncertainty of human direction, highlighting that many do not truly know where they are going or how to get there. Tozer points out that acknowledging our ignorance is the first step toward finding hope and guidance from God. He warns against the pride of thinking we know the way, which only leads to darkness. Ultimately, he calls for humility and reliance on divine wisdom to navigate life's journey.
Text
It is a simple axiom of the traveler that if he would arrive at the desired destination he must take the right road. How far a man may have traveled is not important; what matters is whether or not he is going the right way, whether the path he is following will bring him out at the right place at last.
Sometimes there will be an end to the road, and maybe sooner than he knows; but when he has gone the last step of the way will he find himself in a tomorrow of light and peace, or will the toward which he journeys be a of trouble and distress, a of wasteness and desolation, a of darkness and gloominess, a of clouds and thick darkness?
The inspired prophet Jeremiah says (and for that matter all the holy prophets who have spoken since the world began say) and our Lord and His apostles say that man does not know the way; indeed he hardly knows where he should go, to say nothing of the way he should take to get there. The worried Thomas spoke for every man when he asked, Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way?
That is the truth and we had better face it squarely: the way of man is not in himself. However severe the blow to our pride, we would do well to bow our heads and admit our ignorance. For those who know not and know they know not, there may in the mercy of God be hope; for those who think they know there can be only increasing darkness.
Sermon Outline
- I points: - The importance of choosing the right path - Consequences of the wrong direction - The ultimate destination of our journey
- II points: - Human ignorance about the way - The role of divine guidance - Acknowledging our limitations
- III points: - The example of Thomas's question - The need for humility in our understanding - The hope for those who seek truth
- IV points: - The contrast between light and darkness - The promise of peace in the right direction - The dangers of self-reliance
Key Quotes
“The way of man is not in himself.” — A.W. Tozer
“For those who know not and know they know not, there may in the mercy of God be hope.” — A.W. Tozer
“The worried Thomas spoke for every man when he asked, Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way?” — A.W. Tozer
Application Points
- Reflect on your current direction in life and consider if it aligns with divine guidance.
- Practice humility by acknowledging the areas in which you lack understanding.
- Seek out wisdom and truth from scripture and trusted spiritual mentors.