The Foolish Spending of Life
The sermon highlights the importance of seeking God and living a life of spiritual purpose, contrasting it with the prevalence of seekers after nothing in modern society.
A.W. Tozer discusses the various classes of people as identified by Pythagoras, emphasizing the alarming presence of those who seek nothing and live passively, neglecting their intellectual and spiritual potential. He critiques the majority who are content with trivial pursuits and distractions, warning that such apathy shapes societal values and decisions. Tozer calls for a recognition of the seekers after God, urging individuals to awaken from their complacency and strive for a deeper understanding and relationship with the divine.
Text
The Greek philosopher Pythagoras is said to have divided men into three classes: 1. Seekers after knowledge. 2. Seekers after honor. 3. Seekers after gain. Thus far Pythagoras. But I wonder why he failed to notice two other classes: those who are not seekers after anything and those who are seekers after God. These no doubt existed in Pythagoras as they do in ours and it is odd that he did not recognize them. Let us add them to the list. 4. Seekers after nothing. These are the human vegetables who live by their glands and their instincts.
I refer not to those unfortunate persons who by birth or by accident have been deprived of their normal faculties. There but by the grace of God go I. I do refer to the millions of normal persons who have allowed their magnificent intellectual equipment to wither away from lack of exercise. These seekers after nothing have certain large ear-marks. They may be known by the company they keep. Their reading matter is the sports page and the comic section; their art is limited to magazine covers and the illustrated trivialities of the weekly picture magazines; their music is whatever is popular and handy and loud.
After work they sit and watch television or just drive around waiting for-what? It is an omen and a portent that this describes the bulk of our population in the United States, and that they constitute what we proudly call the electorate; that is, they decide the direction our country shall go, morally, politically and religiously. O tempora! O mores!
Sermon Outline
- I. The Three Classes of Men
- A. Seekers after knowledge
- B. Seekers after honor
- C. Seekers after gain
- II. The Two Missing Classes
- A. Seekers after nothing
- B. Seekers after God
Key Quotes
“These seekers after nothing have certain large ear-marks. They may be known by the company they keep.” — A.W. Tozer
“Their reading matter is the sports page and the comic section; their art is limited to magazine covers and the illustrated trivialities of the weekly picture magazines; their music is whatever is popular and handy and loud.” — A.W. Tozer
“O tempora! O mores!” — A.W. Tozer
Application Points
- Recognize the importance of seeking God in your life and make it a priority.
- Be mindful of the influence of society and the company you keep.
- Pursue spiritual growth and development to avoid being a seeker after nothing.