“Fully Committed to Him (Pt.3)”
Sermon – 22 August 2004
We have been in a series entitled “Fully Committed to Him”, and in this series we have been looking at the life of King Asa.
King Asa was a very interesting character for we can see in his life some of the paradoxes of a life of service to the Lord.
We have seen the danger of compromise – even in seemingly small things. Asa tore down the altars to Baal and the Asherah poles – even deposing his own grandmother, yet he failed to remove all of the high places – the foundations of idolatry in Judah.
Last week we came to the second part in this series entitled “Fully Committed to Him”. After having looked at the things that occurred in Asa’s life that caused him to die under God’s judgment in week one, we looked last week at the positive aspects of Asa’s life.
It is important that we remember that, as we discussed last week, Asa was still known as a king who “did right in the eyes of the Lord” and was fully committed to Him.
Therefore we have been looking at the different aspects of Asa’s life as a man fully committed to God.
Last week we looked at two qualities of Asa that we can learn a lot from…
1. He Sought The Lord – 2 Chron 14:7
7 "Let us build up these towns," he said to Judah, "and put walls around them, with towers, gates and bars. The land is still ours, because we have sought the LORD our God; we sought him and he has given us rest on every side." So they built and prospered.
Asa understood the necessity of seeking the Lord and he led the people of Judah in seeking Him. – As we discussed, when we talk about the need to seek the Lord we often think of those who do not know Him and therefore must seek Him.
However, as we saw in Jeremiah 29:13, it is God’s people who are called on to seek the Lord with all our heart and soul.
That was how Judah had sought the Lord under Asa’s leadership…
2 Chronicles 15:12
12 They entered into a covenant to seek the LORD, the God of their fathers, with all their heart and soul.
We must seek the Lord with all our hearts!
Hebrews 11:6
Without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.
2. He was Strong in the Lord – 2 Chron.15:7
7 But as for you, be strong and do not give up, for your work will be rewarded."
Asa was strong in the Lord and their “work” was rewarded. God gave them rest on every side from their enemies.
It is important that we see in these passages of scripture that God is not looking for people who are perfect before He will strengthen them.
Simply people who are committed – fully committed to Him.
Ephesians 6:10-12
10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11 Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.
We must be strong in Him and in His mighty power!
Main text: 2 Chronicles 14:2-6
Asa Sought The Lord and that he was Strong In The Lord…
3. He Served The Lord – 2 Chron 14:2-3
Asa did what was good and right in the eyes of the LORD his God.
Asa understood what it meant to serve the Lord.
1 Samuel 15:22
"Does the LORD delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices
as much as in obeying the voice of the LORD?
To obey is better than sacrifice,
and to heed is better than the fat of rams.
Not only did Asa do what was right in the eyes of the Lord but he led the people of Judah in doing so as well.
2 Chron 14:4
He commanded Judah to seek the LORD God of their fathers, and to observe the law and the commandment.
NKJV
The people of God had way of often serving God when they were led by a good king or judge.
As the leaders were so were the people of God.
Judges 2:7
The people served the LORD throughout the lifetime of Joshua and of the elders who outlived him and who had seen all the great things the LORD had done for Israel.
But when Joshua and the elders died…
Judges 2:10-11
After that whole generation had been gathered to their fathers, another generation grew up, who knew neither the LORD nor what he had done for Israel. 11 Then the Israelites did evil in the eyes of the LORD and served the Baals.
Asa had a responsibility before God to lead His people in godly ways. God was, as He still is looking for an obedient people.
God desires obedience above sacrifice.
Gen. H. Norman Schwarzkopf describes his experience at West Point:
When I began as a plebe, “Duty, Honor, Country” was just a motto I’d heard. By the time I left, those values had become my fixed stars. It was a tremendous liberation.
The Army, with its emphasis on rank and medals and efficiency reports, is the easiest insitution in the world in which to get consumed with ambition. Some officers spend all their time currying favor and worrying about the next promotion—a miserable way to live. But West Point saved me from that by instilling the ideal of service above self—to do my duty for my country even if it brought no gain at all. It gave me far more than a military career—it gave me a calling.
As Asa had a calling as the king of Judah so we have a calling as children of God – as soldiers of the cross – it is service above self.
Matthew 6:24
"No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money.
Jesus makes the point here that we cannot serve both God and money but the principle through which he makes it is transcendent – we cannot serve two gods.
Either we serve the Lord our God or we serve another – we cannot do both!
2 Chron 16:9
For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him.-NKJV
Let us serve the Lord!
Asa Sought The Lord and he was Strong In The Lord – he Served The Lord and he was…
4. Satisfied By The Lord – 2 Chron 14:6,7
…he had no war in those years, because the LORD had given him rest…He has given us rest on every side." So they built and prospered.
NKJV
In these two verses and again in chapter 15 we see the people enjoying a rest that God had given them.
They have come through a tumultuous time – only 20 years before Asa’s reign the entire kingdom if Israel suffered a schism that divided it into to kingdom’s. Israel in the north under Jeroboam and Judah in the south under Rehoboam. Asa’s father, Abijah only served as king for three years and was at war with Rehoboam.
Asa becomes king and causes the people to seek the Lord and find their strength in Him. They have served the Lord and he has satisfied them with rest. They found contentment in the place God had them in.
Proverbs 19:23
The fear of the LORD leads to life:
Then one rests content, untouched by trouble.
At this point in their history Judah had been learned to walk in the fear of the Lord – they now knew contentment and trouble was far from them
Asa had been given rest on every side and God had prospered them…
2 Chron 14:7
…we have sought Him, and He has given us rest on every side." So they built and prospered.
NKJV
It is when we lose the sense of contentment and satisfaction for where God has us that we often hurt ourselves and others…
1 Timothy 6:6-10
Godliness with contentment is great gain. 7 For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. 8 But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. 9 People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction. 10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.
This passage and the previous verses speak of finding contentment in the Lord as it relates to our financial state. The principle of finding contentment and satisfaction applies to any area of our life – we must find our satisfaction in the Lord and in serving Him.
Psalm 63:1-8
O God, you are my God,
earnestly I seek you;
my soul thirsts for you,
my body longs for you,
in a dry and weary land
where there is no water.
2 I have seen you in the sanctuary
and beheld your power and your glory.
3 Because your love is better than life,
my lips will glorify you.
4 I will praise you as long as I live,
and in your name I will lift up my hands.
5 My soul will be satisfied as with the richest of foods;
with singing lips my mouth will praise you.
6 On my bed I remember you;
I think of you through the watches of the night.
7 Because you are my help,
I sing in the shadow of your wings.
8 My soul clings to you;
your right hand upholds me.
This is a Psalm of David when he was in the desert of Judah – he knew the secret of finding his satisfaction in the Lord!
There is an enlightening Japanese legend of a stonecutter named Hasnu. While carving a stone one day he grew miserably weary, and in his weariness began to wish for easier work, and more money.
Seeing the king ride by on his horse, he thought he would like to be king. At once his wish was granted. But riding on the royal horse, he became miserable from the sun beating down on his head and neck.
Realizing that the sun was stronger than a king, he wished to be the sun. His wish was granted. But as he shone down, a cloud formed. In a short time the cloud burst and spread itself over land and mountain, running down the creeks and rivers, moving everything in its path except a huge stone.
Yes, that stone was mightier then the water, so he wanted to be a stone. But there came a man with a hammer and a chisel, who began to hack on the stone.
Yes, the stone-cutter was mightier than the stone. Only then did Hasnu realize the power of a stone-cutter. Only then was he content with his lot.
—Arthur Tonne
True satisfaction and contentment are found in the Lord – specifically as we serve Him we enjoy the blessings thereof and the satisfaction God gives.
Philippians 4:12
I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.
Asa Sought The Lord and he was Strong In The Lord – he Served The Lord and he was Satisfied By The Lord.
