Wholly Consecrated unto God Romans 12_1_2

Text: Romans 12:1-2

Title: Consecration unto God

Intro: It was in 1873, in Dublin that D.L. Moody heard British evangelist Henry Varley utter those life changing words: “The world has yet to see what God can do with and for and through and in a man who is fully and wholly consecrated to Him.

“As I crossed the wide Atlantic,” Moody said, “the boards of the deck...were engraved with them, and when I reached Chicago, the very paving stones seemed marked with them.”

Consecrate – To devote

D.L. Moody went on to be one of the greatest Evangelist the world had ever seen. It is estimated that Moody shared the Gospel with over 100,000,000 people.

New Year’s Resolutions:

CPS: Let us set to be the man/woman wholly consecrated to God.

Consecration unto God means we are to die to ourselves and live for Him. Vs.1

“Therefore,” what is it there for?

Beseech “Urge” – (call, exhort, encourage)

Because of God’s mercy

The only thing that saves a human race lost in sin is the mercy of God. Mercy is oiktirmos (compassion, pity) that compassion-based response of God to the plight of humans that causes him to forego what they deserve, punishment for sin, and give them what they do not deserve, forgiveness.

Present – stand by (given to devotion) (verb tense Once and for all!)

Living Sacrifice

Sacrifice was an Old Testament form of worship. Offering of a dead sacrifice, “make” a sacrifice. The New Testament now teaches a Spiritual Form of Worship, offering a living sacrifice, “Be” a sacrifice.

Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God. Ro. 6:13

ILL: Scriptural Examples of a Living Sacrifice

Isaac – Yielded himself to God. He died to Himself and lived.

Jesus – Yielded Himself to God, to fulfill God’s will. Gave His life. Yet He lives in the presence of God.

God is not asking you to dedicate your gifts to Him, nor does He want your time, money, ideas, or creativity. You cannot dedicate to God what is not yours to give. There is actually only one thing you can dedicate to God, and that is your right to yourself. God wants you to dedicate yourself to Him.

APP: Surrendering the will through prayer and obedience. Constantly keep the mercies of God on the forefront of our hearts and minds and we walk with Him in unbroken fellowship by praying always and obeying His prompting and his Word. When was the last time you told yourself in your heart of hearts the Gospel message?

Hammer The Gospel – remind yourself moment by moment of God’s great mercy.

Trans: In 2020 let’s resolves to devote our lives totally to God, in worship of the One who redeemed us by His great mercy.

Consecration unto God means we are to die to this world and live according to His Word. Vs. 2

Be not Conformed

Don’t let the world squeeze you into its mold!

Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father: Gal. 1:4

And we know that we are of God, and the whole world lieth in wickedness. 1 John 5:19

NASB (Lies in the power of the evil one)

If Satan is the god of this world (and he is), and if the whole world lies in his power (and it does), then the believer must resist the pressure to conform morally, intellectually, and emotionally—and ultimately behaviorally—to Satan’s schemes for life.

Be Transformed

Transformed – (Metamorphosis)

ILL. The Idea of a caterpillar metamorphosing into a butterfly. Or Scripturally its what Peter, John, and James saw on the Mount of Transfiguration when Jesus Metamorphosized into His true Identity. His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as the light. Matt. 17:2

Let us transform into what God what us to be, the likeness of His Son (Rom. 8:29)

Be Renewed daily

Renewed – anakainōsis = renovation

APP: The only way to renovate your mind is by the Word of God, only there do we find God’s perfect will for our lives. Joshua 1:8, Psalm 119:11, 2nd Cor. 10:5.

We must get to the place and that we open the Word of God and fixate ourselves in it. Come to it with an open mind and allow it to dictate how we think and behave, because it is the final authority in doctrine and deed.

CON: As D.L. Moody went about being the man fully concentrated to God all those many years ago, let us resolve to do the same starting today. Since He died for us certainly we can live for Him!

Dedicate your life to Him moment by moment, day by day, because this is the worship pleasing and acceptable to God.