Truth That Seeks Lost People
God takes the initiative in seeking men, and truth is a Person who seeks us out.
A.W. Tozer emphasizes that truth is not something we must search for, but rather a Person--Jesus Christ--who actively seeks us. He illustrates this through biblical examples, showing that God consistently takes the initiative in seeking out humanity, from Adam in the Garden to the prophets of the Old Testament and ultimately in the New Testament with Jesus. Tozer highlights that while many sought Jesus for physical needs, few sought Him for the truth, underscoring the reality that the truth is pursuing us, yet many do not respond. The sermon calls attention to the divine pursuit of lost souls and the importance of recognizing and responding to this truth.
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Our Lord said, I am the Truth, and again He said, The Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost. Truth therefore is not hard to find for the very reason that it is seeking us. Truth is not a thing for which we must search, but a Person to whom we must hearken. This is taught or taken for granted in the record of Gods dealings with men throughout the Sacred Scriptures. After the sin in Eden it was not Adam who cried O God, where art Thou? but God who cried Where art thou? as He sought for Adam among the trees of the Garden.
Abraham heard God speak and responded, but it was God who was the aggressor. God appeared unto Jacob before Jacob came to appear before God. And in the burning bush God revealed Himself to Moses. Again and again did God take the initiative. He sought for Gideon and found him on the threshing floor of Ophrah. He showed Himself to Isaiah when there is no evidence that Isaiah was seeking Him. Before Jeremiah was born God laid His hand upon him, and He opened heaven to let the discouraged priest Ezekiel see a vision and hear a voice.
Amos said he was not a prophet neither a prophets son, but the Lord took him as he followed the flock. Again God was the aggressor. In the New Testament things are not otherwise. True, multitudes came to Christ for physical help, but only rarely did one seek Him out to learn the truth; and even that rare one usually turned away when the truth was told him. The whole picture in the Gospels is one of a seeking Savior, not one of seeking men. The truth was hunting for those who would receive it, and relatively few did. Many are called, but few are chosen.
Sermon Outline
- Truth is a Person, not a thing
- The picture of a seeking Savior
- Implications for our lives
- Multitudes sought physical help, but few sought truth
- The truth was hunting for those who would receive it
- Examples from the New Testament
Key Quotes
“Truth is not a thing for which we must search, but a Person to whom we must hearken.” — A.W. Tozer
“The truth was hunting for those who would receive it, and relatively few did.” — A.W. Tozer
Application Points
- We should be open to God's initiative in seeking us, and not be like those who turn away from the truth.
- We should seek to understand the truth as a Person, rather than just a concept or idea.
- We should be aware of the implications of God's seeking nature for our lives and our relationships with Him.