The Absence of Self
E.A. Johnston teaches that true spiritual maturity and leadership come through the painful process of self-denial and allowing Christ to be exalted in place of self.
In 'The Absence of Self,' E.A. Johnston explores the spiritual journey of self-denial through the example of David's trials and God's refining work. Johnston emphasizes that true Christian maturity requires surrendering self to exalt Christ, embracing suffering, and submitting to God's sovereign process of growth. This sermon challenges believers to take up their cross and trust God's refining fire for greater fruitfulness and leadership in His kingdom.
Full Transcript
We read in 1 Samuel the repeated phrase, And David fled. There was a season in the life of David when he was on the run from Saul's armies, and he was hunted like a flea among the rocks, where he lived in a constant crucible of anxiety and uncertainty, danger and adversity. But God was with David, and he kept giving him miraculous deliverances while he was stripping David of self and teaching David the doctrine of the absence of self, while building character and maturity into David to be a leader and king over Israel, while at the same time making him the passionate penman of some of the most moving passages of Scripture in the Psalms, wherein David relates his personal experiences with God and gives testimony to the faithfulness of God and gives encouragement to the people of God for the advancement of the kingdom and the glory of God.
Every follower of Christ must come to the place of absence of self and denial of self and take up his cross and follow a crucified Savior. Self must both be dethroned and put down so Christ can be enthroned and exalted into life, because if you want more of Jesus, then you must be prepared to have more of his cross. J. Siddle Baxter used to say, How can a man, full of himself, preach to Christ who emptied himself and its true friends? The doctrine of the absence of self means we must be willing to be reduced to nothing so Christ can be everything to us and prominent in us.
For as God built David to be king by reducing David before he was king, so too with us God built his servants through his sovereign process of reducing and decreasing. Gold must be reduced to its purity in the furnace of affliction. The branch must be pruned back and decreased before it can be more fruitful.
If we desire further usefulness to God, then we must be willing to submit to both the refiner's fire and the divine pruning knife.
Sermon Outline
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I. The Life of David as a Model
- David's flight and adversity
- God's presence and deliverance
- David's spiritual growth through trials
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II. The Doctrine of the Absence of Self
- Necessity of self-denial
- Christ must be exalted over self
- The call to take up the cross
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III. The Refining and Pruning Process
- God reduces us to build us
- Affliction as the refiner's fire
- Pruning for greater fruitfulness
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IV. Application for Followers of Christ
- Submit to God's sovereign process
- Embrace reduction for usefulness
- Pursue Christ above self
Key Quotes
“Every follower of Christ must come to the place of absence of self and denial of self and take up his cross and follow a crucified Savior.” — E.A. Johnston
“The doctrine of the absence of self means we must be willing to be reduced to nothing so Christ can be everything to us and prominent in us.” — E.A. Johnston
“If we desire further usefulness to God, then we must be willing to submit to both the refiner's fire and the divine pruning knife.” — E.A. Johnston
Application Points
- Embrace trials as opportunities for spiritual growth and refinement.
- Practice daily self-denial to exalt Christ above personal desires.
- Submit willingly to God's discipline to become more fruitful in service.