God-Centered and Other-Centered Living
A.W. Tozer explains that true selflessness can only be achieved through Jesus Christ, who demonstrated pure selfless love through His life and death.
A.W. Tozer emphasizes the contrast between human selfishness and the selfless love exemplified by Jesus Christ. He argues that society is inherently self-serving, and attempts to create a selfless community often fail due to human nature. However, with Christ's arrival, a new motive for living emerged, symbolized by the cross, which calls for a life devoted to God and the welfare of others. Tozer highlights that true fulfillment comes from living a God-centered and others-centered life, as demonstrated by Christ's own example of service and sacrifice. Ultimately, the sermon calls believers to embrace this radical shift in perspective and conduct.
Text
Human society is built upon a balance of personal interests. People are so used to seeing everyone serving his own ends that no other kind of conduct is expected. Only the eccentric dreamer would expect that unregenerate men could be persuaded to surrender their personal rights and devote themselves wholly to the interests of others. Occasionally small groups of persons have come together to try to form a selfless society, but in every instance they have lived to see their little utopia tear itself apart by the centrifugal force generated by the very selfishness they were trying so nobly to escape.
The human heart is essentially selfish and it cannot be cured by external organization.
With the advent of Jesus Christ a new and radically different motive for human conduct was introduced into the world and its symbol is the cross. By His words Christ exposed the evil of self-interest and by His cross He demonstrated pure selfless love in its fullest perfection. He came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give His life a ransom for many. Christ pleased not Himself, but lived in total devotion to the honor of God and the welfare of mankind, and when He died He set a crown of beauty upon a God-centered and an others-centered life.
Sermon Outline
- Human Nature and Selfishness
- The Limitations of Human Effort
- The New Motive Introduced by Jesus Christ
- The cross symbolizes pure selfless love
- Christ's words exposed the evil of self-interest
Key Quotes
“The human heart is essentially selfish and it cannot be cured by external organization.” — A.W. Tozer
“Christ pleased not Himself, but lived in total devotion to the honor of God and the welfare of mankind,” — A.W. Tozer
Application Points
- We must recognize our own selfishness and seek to live a God-centered life.
- True selflessness can only be achieved through devotion to God and the welfare of others.
- Jesus Christ is the ultimate example of selfless love and living.