Theme: Consecration to God
Text: 1 Chron.29: 5
Introduction
A. Last week we celebrated the crucifixion and the resurrection of our Lord. We thank God for these important events that secured our redemption. We thank God for the commitment of the Lord Jesus Christ to give Himself that we may have salvation for our souls. Now we know that we have received forgiveness and justification, setting us free from the power, penalty and condemnation of sin. Through the cross of Jesus Christ, we are brought near to God, to have fellowship with Him both now and eternity. Indeed His grace is so amazing. In view of this I asked myself, what shall I offer back to God in response to His amazing love? Of course not just a tenth of my being; not just a tenth of what I have, not a half-hearted commitment and a lip service, but my whole life, my whole being, my everything.
B. Now going back to our series on commitment, in our last message King David talked to the entire assembly of Israel that they should help prepare the materials needed for the building of the temple of God. In his challenge, he sets the principles of right giving. First that giving must be in the right purpose. He said that the temple to be built is not for man, but for God. Giving must be done with the purpose of bringing glory and honor to God alone. Second that giving must be in the right degree. Giving must be done willingly. And third that giving must be in the right direction of affection. One must put his emotion, his love on his giving. It must not be done with half-hearted commitment and love.
C. Then we concluded that message with David’s challenge: “Who then is willing to consecrate his service this day unto the LORD?” Amazingly, everyone in Israel responded with great willingness and generosity. They gave willingly and gladly. But, was it because of that simple challenge given by their king? Was it because they were ashamed with David’s words and example? Was it because they were to honor the words of their king? I think not. David and the people consecrated their service to God for a rational reason.
Now to get a clearer picture on this, I’d like to connect this story to the testimony of a person in the New Testament who consecrated and devoted his whole life in the service of God –the man was Paul. I believe everyone knows about this man. He is Saul of Tarsus, the ardent persecutor of the Church. But one day when he was on his way to Damascus to track down the believers, he encountered the living Christ. Everything was changed of this man, and from that very day, his life was devoted and consecrated in the service of the living God. He gives us the reasons of his consecration:
I. THE GOD WHO CALLED HIM
Twice in the book of Acts (chapters 22 & 26), Paul was tried because of his teaching about the Savior. For each trial he faced, he never missed the opportunity to give the testimony of his conversion. Why did he tell the story of his conversion? To testify that it was because of the living Lord who called him that he became the person he was. His consecration and devotion to serving Christ was the result of that fateful day when he met and was called by the Lord Himself.
So notice that he mentioned the mission and the commission given by the Lord to him. Jesus said: “And I said, Who art thou, Lord? And he said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest. But rise, and stand upon thy feet: for I have appeared unto thee for this purpose, to make thee a minister and a witness both of these things which thou hast seen, and of those things in the which I will appear unto thee; Delivering thee from the people, and from the Gentiles, unto whom now I send thee, To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.”
Well, this means that the apostle understood that his encounter with Christ was not the end of itself, but that it was the beginning of a lifetime consecration and devotion to God who chose and called him. So in Rom.8: 30 he says, “Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.” This verse tells us three things:
First, salvation is not the end of itself. When God calls us unto salvation, it’s just the beginning of our lifetime consecration and devotion to God. He calls you to justify you, and to glorify you. Glorification will not come without consecration.
Second, it is God Himself who called us to consecration in His service, not anybody else, not anyone else. When we pastors challenge the people of God to consecrated service, we only act as God’s mouthpiece and nothing more. It is God Himself who chose you and called you to serve Him. It’s not even our choice to be chosen by God for His service. Jesus said: “Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you” (Jn.15: 16). This verse means that we serve God because He called us to be His own and called us to the consecration of ourselves to Him.”
Then next, the calling is to serve God –it’s not just to serve the church in its different ministries, or to serve anybody out of their needs. Our consecration is first of all to God. This is the secret of Paul’s endurance and perseverance in his service to God. He would have abandoned the ministry if his consecration were for the people or for the movement only. And he never asked compensation.
II. THE GRACE THAT CHANGED HIM
In 1 Cor.15: 9-10 Paul says, “For I am the least of the apostles, that am not meet to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I labored more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.”
Paul was honest to admit here that he was not worthy to be called an apostle of Christ because he was once a persecutor of the church. But through the grace of God, he was changed into a man of God and a man consecrated to God’s service –indeed, he’s a new creature. If before he was a threat to the church, now he was the church’s great propagator. Before he was an opposition, now he’s in consecration. Definitely, he did not render God’s grace in vain. The grace of God was in full operation in his life which leads him to put all his effort and energy in his devotion to God.
And there’s one more thing that made Paul realized the greatness of God’s grace, leading him not only to be zealous in his own walk with God, but also encourage every believer to do the same. It is found in Rom.7: 24-25. He said “O wretched man that I am! Who shall deliver me from the body of this death? I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Paul not only feels miserable but is condemned because of sin. He knew that sin brings death. He feels the power of death engulfing him. For sure, to find deliverance is truly a joy without compare. So here I could hear the apostle shout his praise when he said: “I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord!” Then, he turned his attention to every believer and said: “In view of God’s mercies, offer your bodies as living sacrifices to God.” The admonition here is this: “Because God has saved us and changed us through His grace, let us consecrate our whole life to Him.”
III. THE GAIN THAT CONSUMED HIM
Phil.3: 7-10 tells us what Paul wants to gain in his service to God. Let’s read what he said, “But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, and be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith: That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death.”
The key phrase here is “that I may win Christ.” This phrase literally means “that I may found like Christ.” Paul’s unwavering and consuming desire is to be found like the Savior he served. Nevertheless, he is aware that this will not be realized until his life is placed in total consecration and devotion to Christ. In the christian life, nothing is automatic. There’s no instant maturity. You see, even God’s blessings require labor and hard work. Christ-likeness is the product of firm commitment and whole-hearted devotion.
What is our heart’s desire today? Are we more committed to the things of this life than we are to Christ? How committed are you? How is your devotion to God? Are you sold out for Christ or have you sold out Christ for temporal matters?
D. Why should we consecrate and devote our whole life to God?
Because it is God Himself who chose and called us to consecrated service; and it’s a privilege to serve God.
Because of the grace of God that changed us. We deserve nothing but death, but how great is the grace of God, He saved us and changed us through His grace.
Because to be like Christ is a gain beyond compare.
