“Fully Committed to Him (Pt.3)”
Sermon – 29 August 2004
(From sermons 2 and 3)
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.
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."
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.
4. He Was 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
Part IV
5. He Sacrificed Before The Lord – 2 Chron 15:11
At that time they sacrificed to the LORD seven hundred head of cattle and seven thousand sheep and goats from the plunder they had brought back.
Asa led his army in the destruction of the detestable idols that existed throughout the land of Judah and Benjamin, he also took towns in Ephraim.
It was plunder from these victories that they sacrificed before the Lord when they returned to Jerusalem.
God had given them victory – the first thing they did was honor him for what he had done.
2 Chron 15:10
They assembled at Jerusalem in the third month of the fifteenth year of Asa’s reign.
Having defeated the enemies of Judah – in particular those who were practicing the idolatrous worship of Ba’al and Asherah the first thing they did was assemble at Jerusalem for worship.
They had just seen what happens to a people who worship false gods.
Psalm 97:7
All who worship images are put to shame,
If people were true to the first commandment, obedience to the remaining nine would follow naturally. It is because they are unsound in this that they break the others.
—D.L. Moody
Worship is very powerful in renewing or maintaining our focus upon the Lord.
Worship causes us to take our focus off the things around us – off ourselves and focus on Him – who He is, His attributes and His mighty works.
Psalm 86:9-10
9 All the nations you have made
will come and worship before you, O Lord;
they will bring glory to your name.
10 For you are great and do marvelous deeds;
you alone are God.
Asa had just led the people of Judah in a rousing victory and cleansing of the land. Now they honored God, knowing that He had given them the victory and He was with them.
We too must worship the Lord…
God is looking for worshippers…
John 4:23-24
A time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. 24 God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth."
The matter of worship is one that has divided churches.
Even within local congregations there is division over worship – churches having “contemporary” and “traditional” worship services.
There is a lot that passes for worship but in reality sets aside truth in the interest of being trendy.
Worship should be a time when we commune with God in Spirit – our spirit with His. And a time when we declare the truths of who He is and the mighty things He has done on behalf of His people.
Psalm 145:3-6
3 Great is the LORD
and most worthy of praise;
his greatness no one can fathom.
4 One generation will commend your works to another;
they will tell of your mighty acts.
5 They will speak of the glorious splendor of your majesty,
and I will meditate
on your wonderful works.
6 They will tell of the power of your awesome works,
and I will proclaim your great deeds.
So, as Asa and Judah offered sacrifices before the Lord their God – worshiping Him for who He is and for what He had done on their behalf…
Hebrews 13:15
Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise-the fruit of lips that confess his name.
Asa Sought The Lord and he was Strong In The Lord – he Served The Lord and he was Satisfied By The Lord – He Sacrificed Before the Lord and…
6. He Shouted Before the Lord – 2 Chron 15:14-15
They took an oath to the LORD with loud acclamation, with shouting and with trumpets and horns.
Psalm 20:5
We will shout for joy when you are victorious
and will lift up our banners in the name of our God.
Psalm 35:27
May those who delight in my vindication
shout for joy and gladness…
Beyond worship, this was a declaration to all who would hear.
It was a declaration that there was a God in Judah – He had done exploits for His people and that they were His people.
There was enough ambiguity within the land of Canaan and amongst God’s people as it related to who they served – they wanted to be unambiguous – to make it known that the God of Jacob was their God and they were his people.
These people had something to shout about! God was on their side and He had vindicated them in battle and brought shame on the gods of the nations.
The question has been asked, “if you were charged with being a Christian would there be enough evidence to convict you in a court of law?” Would the people in your circle of influence come forward to testify that you are a Christian?
In the same was that Asa and the people of Judah had something to shout about so do we!
Romans 8:31
If God is for us, who can be against us?
This takes us back to being strong in the Lord – the battle belongs to Him! He will fight for us, in fact the greatest battle – the battle against sin has already been won by him!
We certainly have something to shout about!
Romans 1:16
I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes…
Remember that shouting represents our declaration that we belong to our God!
Luke 9:26
If anyone is ashamed of me and my words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when he comes in his glory and in the glory of the Father and of the holy angels.
