Point of Grace Worship 11.2.25 “Consecrated Unto Thee” Part 1
Romans 12:1-2 “Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. 2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.”
Consecration – to make “holy”, to “set apart” for God,
God makes us “holy” (set apart for Him) through the life, death and resurrection of Jesus.
Now, we respond to that grace and love by “consecrating” ourselves to Him. Consecration is an active response to the gracious action God has taken in saving and redeeming us back to Him – as His special people.
Consecrating includes cleansing, sacrifice and (re-)dedication to God and His purposes in the world.
Consecration is so important in a time of compromise.
Theological compromise
John 17:14-19 “13 “I am coming to you now, but I say these things while I am still in the world, so that they may have the full measure of my joy within them. 14 I have given them your word and the world has hated them, for they are not of the world any more than I am of the world. 15 My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. 16 They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. 17 Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth. 18 As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world. 19 For them I sanctify myself, that they too may be truly sanctified.”
2 Timothy 4:1-5 “In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I give you this charge: 2 Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction. 3 For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. 4 They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.
“The vague and tenuous hope that God is too kind to punish the ungodly has become a deadly opiate for the consciences of millions.” A.W. Tozer
Moral Compromise
Titus 2:11-14 For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, 13 while we wait for the blessed hope—the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, 14 who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good.
“Three marks of a moral revolution:
What was universally condemned is now celebrated.
What was universally celebrated is now condemned.
Those who refuse to celebrate are condemned.”
Theo Hobson
1 Corinthians 6:19-20 18 Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a person commits are outside the body, but whoever sins sexually, sins against their own body. 19 Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; 20 you were bought at a price. Therefore, honor God with your bodies.
We are consecrated to a Person – In our “being” and in our “living” we are “set apart” for a person.
1 Peter 2 9 But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. 10 Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. 11 Dear friends, I urge you, as foreigners and exiles, to abstain from sinful desires, which wage war against your soul. 12 Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us.
We are consecrated for a Purpose – In our “being” and in our “living” we are “set apart” for His purpose.
1 Peter 2 9 But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. ……. 11 Dear friends, I urge you, as foreigners and exiles, to abstain from sinful desires, which wage war against your soul. 12 Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us.”
“A man by His sin may waste himself, which is to waste that which on earth is most like God. This is man’s greatest tragedy and God’s heaviest grief.” A. W. Tozer
“You were born in the image of God to be used by God for incredible Kingdom purposes and the greatest tragedy is that you will waste your life on lesser things. You are the perfect candidate for God to use if you will consecrate yourself to Him” – Jon Tyson
“The world has yet to see what God would do with a man fully consecrated to Him” D.L. Moody
“Other’s may.
You may not!”
Joshua 3:5
Joshua told the people, “Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do amazing things among you.”
Consecrate yourselves!
Cleansing, Sacrifice, (Re-)Dedication to Jesus and His purposes in the world.