Set Apart for God

Scripture Introduction

Connection: A call for the priest and Levites to consecrate themselves. As Christians, we have been give similar tasks as those preformed by the priest and Levites in the Old Testament.

Take Home: Yahweh has chosen you to stand in His presence, to minister to him, to be His ministers, and to make offerings to Him.

Message Focus: What we must do to allow God to work through us as we fulfill this calling to the best of our ability.

Potential Impact

Abide v. 2

Regularly hearing from God

2 Chronicles 29:2 And he did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, according to all that David his father had done.

How? Abide.

Neglected well: Some wells are fed by hundreds of tiny underground rivulets. They seep a steady flow of water, and as long as the water is being drawn out new water flows in through those little tiny rivulets and it keeps them open. But when the water stops flowing the rivulets clog up with mud—they close up. And that’s how the well died.

When we spend time with God we are changed.

Enablement

Nothing would hurt me more as a Dad if my introverted older daughter felt like she had to be like my extroverted younger daughter for me to want to spend time with her. - Gary Thomas

If we are going to devote ourselves to getting to know the Lord, we have to find a pathway that works for us so we actually do it.

Bible reading

Bible study

Prayer

Christian books

Christian blogs

Podcast

Christian videos

Transformation vv. 4-5

Transformation; A righteous change in our life

2 Chronicles 29:4 He brought in the priests and the Levites and assembled them in the square on the east

2 Chronicles 29:4–5 and said to them, “Hear me, Levites! Now consecrate yourselves, and consecrate the house of the Lord, the God of your fathers, and carry out the filth from the Holy Place.

Consecrate- removed from common use

Positionally fulfilled through Christ

Practically an earthly pursuit

2 Corinthians 7:1 Since we have these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from every defilement of body and spirit, bringing holiness to completion in the fear of God.

House of the Lord

1 Corinthians 6:19 Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own,

Kingdom Impact v. 11

Transformation results in kingdom impact (participating in God’s work)

2 Chronicles 29:11 “My sons, do not now be negligent, for the Lord has chosen you to stand in his presence, to minister to him and to be his ministers and make offerings to him.””

Enablement

Finger painting for God

Work in the gifting and passions God has built within you.

Volunteer ministry

Para-church ministry

Teaching moments

Spiritual Conversations

Acts of service

Making yourself available

Prayer

Transformation vv. 16, 23-29

2 Chronicles 29:16 “The priests went into the inner part of the house of the Lord to cleanse it, and they brought out all the uncleanness that they found in the temple of the Lord into the court of the house of the Lord. And the Levites took it and carried it out to the brook Kidron.”

2 Chronicles 29:23 “Then the goats for the sin offering were brought to the king and the assembly, and they laid their hands on them

2 Chronicles 29:27 Then Hezekiah commanded that the burnt offering be offered on the altar. And when the burnt offering began, the song to the Lord began also, and the trumpets, accompanied by the instruments of David king of Israel.

Enablement

Paul Mowery’- Rollercoaster Christian + "It’s time to start over, its time to truly believe, its time for a new beginning, its time to truly see”

Areas where our actions don’t correspond with what we profess.

Passages that

convict us

make us uncomfortable

upset us

Praise v. 31

Glorifying God

Motivation: How the meaning comes to life

2 Chronicles 29:31 “Then Hezekiah said, “You have now consecrated yourselves to the Lord. Come near; bring sacrifices and thank offerings to the house of the Lord.” And the assembly brought sacrifices and thank offerings, and all who were of a willing heart brought burnt offerings.”

Scheduled bathroom visits

Enablement

The reality is whatever God gives us, instead of being thankful for it we often start to critique it. We take it for granted. It becomes so familiar and so common we stop being thankful and our attitude is, “Lord, can’t you bless me just a little bit more? Just a little bit more.” But here’s a biblical truth of thanksgiving. Instead of always praying for more blessings, what if we were learning to recognize the blessings God has already given us? What if in our prayer times, we said, “Lord, instead of giving me a new blessing today, how about you open up my eyes to the blessings I’ve already received. - Gary Thomas

Proclaiming the praises and manifold wisdom of God in

conversations

prayer

through music.

Harmony v. 34

Motivation: How the meaning comes to life

2 Chronicles 29:34 “But the priests were too few and could not flay all the burnt offerings, so until other priests had consecrated themselves, their brothers the Levites helped them, until the work was finished—for the Levites were more upright in heart than the priests in consecrating themselves.”

2 Chronicles 30:15 “And they slaughtered the Passover lamb on the fourteenth day of the second month. And the priests and the Levites were ashamed, so that they consecrated themselves and brought burnt offerings into the house of the Lord.”

2 Chronicles 30:17 “For there were many in the assembly who had not consecrated themselves. Therefore the Levites had to slaughter the Passover lamb for everyone who was not clean, to consecrate it to the Lord.”

2 Chronicles 30:12 “The hand of God was also on Judah to give them one heart to do what the king and the princes commanded by the word of the Lord.”

Used up my shield in a video game so Corban helped me with his

Enablement

One another

Stir one another up to love and good works

Encourage

Build-up

Pray

Love

Bear

Forgive

Instruct

Comfort

Serve

Honor

Hospitable

Fellowship

2 Chronicles 32:1 “After these things and these acts of faithfulness, Sennacherib king of Assyria came and invaded Judah and encamped against the fortified cities, thinking to win them for himself.”

2 Chronicles 32:25–26 “But Hezekiah did not make return according to the benefit done to him, for his heart was proud. Therefore wrath came upon him and Judah and Jerusalem. But Hezekiah humbled himself for the pride of his heart, both he and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that the wrath of the Lord did not come upon them in the days of Hezekiah.”

Reflection

Take some time now, to see what God might have to say to us about being set apart for Him.

Abiding

Bible reading; Bible study; Prayer; Christian books; Christian blogs; Podcast; Christian videos

Kingdom Impact

“My sons, do not now be negligent, for the Lord has chosen you to stand in his presence, to minister to him and to be his ministers and make offerings to him.”

Transformation

The priests went into the inner part of the house of the Lord to cleanse it, and they brought out all the uncleanness that they found in the temple of the Lord

Praise

Hezekiah said, “You have now consecrated yourselves to the Lord. Come near; bring sacrifices and thank offerings . . . and all who were of a willing heart brought burnt offerings.”

Harmony

Stir one another up to love and good works; Encourage; Build-up; Pray; Love; Bear; Forgive; Instruct; Comfort; Serve; Honor; Hospitable; Fellowship

A Possible Next Step

Pickup your time of reflection later today. Don’t miss out on what God want to speak to you. For the Lord has chosen you to stand in his presence, to minister to him and to be his ministers and make offerings to him.””