100 Sermon Illustrations on Consecration

Bring forth every thing separately, — yourself, your family, your reputation, your property; relinquish all claim, and surrender the whole to God, to use and to enjoy them only as he directs, and with reference to his glory; never to withdraw what you solemnly covenant shall be only his.

— Dr. R. S. Foster

I recollect a story, told by one heathen of another, in the following terms, — Eudamidas, a citizen of Corinth, died in poverty; but having two wealthy friends, Arctæus and Charixenus, he left behind him the following testament: In virtue of this my last will, I bequeath to Arctæus my aged mother, to be taken home to his house, and supported for the remainder of her life; to Charixenus I bequeath my daughter, to be portioned and honorably fitted out by him to the best of his ability. In the event, however, of either of the two dying, my will is, that the survivor shall supply the place of the deceased. This testament occasioned much mirth and laughter. The two legatees, however, were pleased with the testimony it gave of the confidence reposed in them by their departed friend; and as, in the course of a few days, Charixenus departed this life, Arctæus undertook the double trust, and affectionately executed it. If heathens, then, thus trusted, and showed themselves so faithful to each other, even after their decease, why should not I cherish a far greater confidence in the most faithful of all friends, my beloved Master, Jesus? I hereby, therefore, nominate him my sole heir, bequeathing and consigning to him, first my soul, and next my children, sisters, blood-relations, and acquaintances, that he may adopt, protect, keep, and provide for them by his mighty power unto salvation. The whole residue of the estate which I leave behind me in the world shall be intrusted to his holy counsel and will, that he may do and deal with it as he lists, to the advancement of his glory, and the salvation of those I leave behind. Gotthold.

An incident is related of a missionary, and a proud and powerful Indian chief. The chief was convicted of sin. Trembling under a sense of guilt, he approached the missionary, and profited his belt of wampum, to be freed from his crushing fears. "No," said the missionary, "Christ cannot accept such a sacrifice." The Indian departed, but soon returned, offering his rifle, and the skins he had taken in hunting. "No," was the reply: "Christ cannot accept such a sacrifice." Again the Indian went away, but soon returned once more with a troubled conscience, and offered his wigwam, wife, child, every thing, for peace and pardon. "No," was still the reply: "Christ cannot accept such a sacrifice." The chief seemed oppressed with surprise for a moment; then, lifting up tearful eyes to the face of the missionary, he feelingly cried out, "Here, Lord, take poor Indian too."

A merchant in one of the towns of the State of New York, says Mr. Finney, was paying a large part of his minister's salary. One of the members of the church was relating the fact to a minister from abroad, and speaking of the sacrifice which this merchant was making. At this moment the merchant came in. "Brother," said the minister, "you are a merchant. I suppose you employ a clerk to the prizes. This was accordingly done, to the astonishment of all France.

# 99. Conscientiousness. Want of.

Danger of compromise by desiring for our children a position in the world (v. 11) or by failing to consecrate all our possessions along with ourselves

Samson's power not in his hair but in his Nazarite consecration of which his long hair was the badge. By losing the badge he forfeited the strength

This is one of the many precious hymns by Miss Frances R. Havergal. Concerning this hymn she once wrote to a friend: “It may interest you to hear how nearly it went into the fire instead of nearly all over the world. It was, I think, the very first thing I ever wrote which could be called a hymn; written when I was quite a young girl. I don’t know how I came to write it. I scribbled it in pencil on the back of a circular, in a few minutes, and then read it over and thought, ‘Well this is not poetry anyhow. I won’t go to the trouble to copy this.’ So I reached out my hand to put it into the fire. A sudden impulse made me draw it back; I put it crumpled and singed, into my pocket. Soon after, I went out to see a dear old woman in an almshouse. I thought I would see if a simple old woman would care for these verses, which I felt sure nobody else would care to read. So I read them to her, and she was so delighted with them that when I went back, I copied and kept them, and now the Master has sent them out in all directions.” Miss Havergal also wrote that beautiful consecration hymn “Take My Life and Let it be Consecrated Lord to Thee.” This hymn was very widely circulated, she, herself, was deeply imbued with the spirit of consecration to Christ, and the hymn seems to be the outpouring of a sanctified, devoted heart. On her deathbed she declared: “Jesus said, ‘It is finished!’ It is simply trusting Jesus. How splendid to be so near the gates of Heaven! Tell them to trust Jesus. There it is all over.”

Jim Gross was a drug dealer in Akron. He described himself as a ong-haired hippie, but then he got saved. He dropped alcohol immediately, and promiscuity. Marijuana was harder. Jim went to read the Bible in the woods and smoke a joint; which made him feel close to God. He put down his Bible to smoke and was feeling very mellow. Half of his joint was left. He didn't want to read the Bible then, but he felt convicted. His Bible opened to Ephesians 5:18 - "Do not get drunk on wine, ... but be filled with the Spirit." This convinced Jim to stop smoking dope.

However, he did not get rid of the last half of the joint but stashed it in his garage. Later he dug it out and smoked it but felt very guilty. Cigarettes also took him a long time to give up. He and his wife spent $1,400 a year on cigarettes; he smoked two packs a day. He quit, then started, quit, started. He stored them on top of the air duct in his garage and was always tempted by them. Jim decided he must rid his house of them completely if he would have victory. He smoked one more time, taking two puffs to show someone how dirty the filter became; it almost made him sick to his stomach. To really be a Christian you must give all of yourself to him.

[Talk given to Senior High Baptist Youth Fellowship of the First Baptist Church of West Lafayette, Ohio]]

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Version in Sermons:

C. Example of Jim Gross:

Jim Gross used to be a long-haired hippie.

He was a drug dealer in Akron.

Became saved.

Dropped alcohol immediately, and promiscuity.

Marijuana was harder.

Went to read Bible in woods and smoke a joint; made him feel

close to God.

Put down Bible to smoke, was feeling very mellow.

Had half his joint left.

Didn't want to read Bible then, but felt convicted.

Opened to Ephesians 5:18 - "Do not get drunk on wine, ... but

be filled with the Spirit."

Convinced him to stop smoking dope.

However, he did not get rid of last half of joint but stashed it

in his garage.

Later he smoked it but felt very guilty.

Cigarettes also took him a long time to give up.

He and wife spent $1,400 a year on cigarettes; he smoked

two packs a day.

He quit, then started, quit, started.

He stored them on top of air duct in garage and was tempted by them.

Decided he must rid his house of them completely if he would

have victory.

He found out to really be a Christian and feel the spiritual power

you must give all of yourself to Jesus.

Uncle Henry was consecrated. He was an uneducated tenant farmer who had been saved in his sixties. This was in a little country church in Alabama. After Uncle Henry accepted Christ, he was like every new Christian. He wanted to do something for the Lord.

He noticed in the country church he had joined that no one came early to open the windows in the summertime or to build afire in the pot bellied stove in the wintertime, so he volunteered for the job. His church was just like ours. When someone volunteers to paint the doors and fix up the church, it isn’t hard to get us to let them do that. His church said, “Yes, we will be happy for you to take care of the church house.” Every Sunday he would hook up his wagon and ride to church. He would get there a little bit early. In the summertime, he would open the windows. In the wintertime he would build a fire in the pot bellied stove.

Uncle Henry had the first bus route that I know of except it wasn’t a bus route, it was a wagon route. He used some of the same approaches that bus drivers us today. He asked the boys to ride to Sunday School with him in the wagon, but he didn’t have many results until he started leaving some candy and peanuts in the back of the wagon. Then he began to bring more and more boys on the wagon with him. Over a period of time, a large number of boys rode that wagon with Uncle Henry to that little country church. Some of those boys are deacons in that same country church today. One of the boys is pastor of one of the largest churches in Alabama. Another one of the boys is pastor of a fine country church.

The chances are you have more ability than Uncle Henry. He was uneducated. He got saved late in life. But he consecrated all that he had to the Lord, and that consecration resulted in tremendous spiritual outcomes in the lives of people he influenced. Consecration determines spiritual results.

There was a dramatic moment in the world's history when General Pershing placed the American Army under the command of General Foch, who had just been made Commander of the Allied Forces in the field. One sentence that he uttered at that time, although not widely quoted, is most significant:

"Infantry, artillery, aviation ... all that we have are yours.

Dispose of them as you will."

God wants to hear his people make such a consecration as that.

J. Wilbur Chapman, perhaps the finest evangelist the Presbyterian church has known, once told in a message that he had just heard of a father who came into the bedroom where his young son lay dying. The boy had been ill for so long that his body was badly wasted. It was painful for him even to lie on the bed.

As the father entered, the boy said, “Daddy, lift me up for a moment.” The father put his hands under the emaciated body and raised his son just a little off the bed. “Lift me higher,” he said, “Daddy, lift me higher.” The father lifted him up until he held him above his head. When he took him down, the boy was dead. It would seem as if that father had actually lifted his son into the very arms of Christ.

When Dr. Chapman concluded the service, a man came up to him with tears in his eyes and said, “Dr. Chapman, it happened just as you said. I went into his room. My minister was with me, I lifted him up, and his weak voice came back to me in whispers saying, “Higher, Daddy, higher.” When I took him down, he had gone. But, sir, I had lifted him into the arms of Christ long before, for when he was a very small boy I taught him of a Savior’s love, and told him what it means to be a Christian.”

How about the talents? Will you give them to God?

The consecrating blood in the Old Testament used to fall on the up of the right car, that it might hear only what God had to say; it used to fall right on the right hand, that that hand might do only what God wanted to do; it used to fall on the great toe of the right foot, that the feet might go where God would have them go, and nowhere else. O blood of Christ, fall on ears and touch the hands and the feet of the people here this afternoon -- ears to hear, hands to do, feet to gladly run, but never to run until God says “Go!”

You may remember that old tale about the caliph of Bagdad, against whom a rebel had set up his banners. The caliph had surrounded this rebel chieftain in the mountain fastnesses, until it seemed as though He could not escape, and then he sent a messenger and summoned him to surrender. Before the chieftain answered he stretched out his hand and made a motion to a man, and the man cast himself over the edge of a precipice and was killed. He beckoned to another soldier, and when the soldier came he handed him a dagger and said, “Take this and plunge it into your heart”; and the soldier took the dagger and plunged it into his heart, and fell down dead.

“Now,” said the chieftain, go back to the caliph and tell him what you have seen. Tell him I have five hundred men like these, and that before tomorrow night I will have him chained among my dogs.” And He did.

Oh, for the men and women like that, for the people who have no wish to live, no will to be, only to wish what God wishes, to will what God wills, and to be satisfied with Jesus! Bring out your ambitions today; bring out your pleasures; bring out your business; lay them all on God’s altar, and never take them off unless God bids you. Turn everything over. Let everything be new, nothing old. If it be an old thing, let it be newly given unto you and it will be a new thing to you. If your right hand offend your, cut it off, and cast it from you. It is profitable for you to enter m to life maimed rather than, having two hands, to sink into the fire of hell. I have heard men disputing about the effect of the death of Christ upon us. Let us say today, as Paul said, “He died for all, that they who live should henceforth live not unto themselves, but unto him who died for them, and rose again.” -- B. F. M.

By J. Wilbur Chapan, “Present Day Parables.”

A Connecticut farmer came to a well-known clergyman, saying that the people in his neighborhood had built a new meeting-house, and that they wanted this clergyman to come and dedicate it. The clergyman, accustomed to participate in dedicatory services where different clergymen took different parts of the service, inquired:

"What part do you want me to take in the dedication?"

The farmer, thinking that this question applied to the part of the building to be included in the dedication, replied:

"Why, the whole thing! Take it all in, from underpinning to steeple."

That man wanted the building to be wholly sanctified as a temple of God, and that all at once. "Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?" (1 Corinthians 3:16).

Pastor Charles Simeon once said that whenever he looked at the

portrait of Henry Martyn, four words rang in his head: "Don't trifle!

Don't trifle!" It's easy to understand why Simeon felt that way.

Martyn graduated from Cambridge University with honors in both

mathematics and classics, and had the prospect of a brilliant academic

career. Instead, he chose to serve the Lord in India. He was almost

25 when he arrived there, and at the age of 31 he died. Yet in those

six years, Martyn translated the New Testament into three languages:

Hindustani, Arabic, and Persian. Only eternity will reveal how much

his work meant to other missionaries and how many people were saved

because of it. Henry Martyn had a profound sense of the sacredness of

time and the greatness of his obligation toward God.

Several years ago on an extremely hot day, a crew of men were

working on the road bed of the railroad when they were interrupted by

a slow moving train. The train ground to a stop and a window in the

last car was raised. A booming, friendly voice called out, "Dave, is

that you?" Dave Anderson, the crew chief called back, "Sure is, Jim,

and it's really good to see you." With that pleasant exchange, Dave

Anderson was invited to join Jim Murphy, the president of the

railroad, for a visit. For over an hour the men exchanged pleasantries

and then shook hands warmly as the train pulled out.

Dave Anderson's crew immediately surrounded him and to a man

expressed astonishment that he knew Jim Murphy, the president of the

railroad as a personal friend. Dave then explained that over 20 years

earlier he and Jim Murphy had started to work for the railroad on the

same day. One of the men, half jokingly and half seriously asked Dave

why he was still working out in the hot sun and Jim Murphy had gotten

to be president. Rather wistfully Dave explained, "twenty-three years

ago I went to work for $1.75 an hour and Jim Murphy went to work for

the railroad." --See You at the Top

A pilot was flying his small plane one day, when he heard a

noise which he recognized as the gnawing of a rat. Wondering

what its sharp teeth were cutting through, he suddenly realized

with horror that it might be an electric wire. Then he remembered

that rodents can't survive at high altitudes. Immediately he began

climbing until finally he had to put on his oxygen mask. Soon the

gnawing sound ceased, and when he landed he found the rat -- dead.

Do you want to destroy the power of evil in your life? Then read

the Bible regularly, meditate upon its truths, and actively do God's

will. Sinful appetites can't survive in such spiritual heights.

Listen to the Heavenly Father as He calls, "Children, come up

higher!"

John Hancock, first signer of the Declaration of Independence, was

an earnest worker for the cause of freedom. During the siege of

Boston, General Washington consulted Congress upon the propriety of

bombarding the town. His letter was read to Congress, of which Mr.

Hancock was president. At first, there was silence. Then, a member

made a motion that the house should resolve itself into a committee of

the whole, in order that Mr. Hancock might give his opinion, since all

of his property was located in Boston.

Leaving his chair, John Hancock addressed the chairman of the

committee as follows: "It is true, sir, nearly all of the property I

have in the world is in houses and other real estate in the town of

Boston; but if the liberties of our country require their being burnt

to ashes, issue the order for that purpose immediately!" --Mabel Ruth

Jackson

I am only one, but I am one. I cannot do everything, but I

can do something. What I can do, I ought to do. And what I

ought to do, By the grace of God I shall do! -- Edward Hale

When the soldiers of Napoleon's army were invading Russia,

they came to a village from which all the inhabitants had fled

except one man. He was a Russian peasant, a woodsman, and still

carried his ax in his leather belt. When the French captain saw

him he ordered him to be shot immediately. The soldiers fell in

and leveled their guns, but the man did not seem afraid, looking

fearlessly down the gun barrels. The French captain noticed

this, and before the soldiers could pull their triggers, ordered

them to lower their guns. He then ordered that the peasants life

should be spared. "But," said he, "we will put a mark on him. We

will brand him." So the branding iron was brought out and placed

in the fire. Then it was placed upon the Russian's hand. The man

saw his own flesh burn and quiver, but he did not flinch or cry

out. After the iron was removed the peasant saw the letter "N"

branded on his palm.

"What is that?" he asked. "This is the letter "N" and it stands for

Napoleon; you belong to Napoleon now," replied the captain. For a

moment the poor man did not know what to do or say. His pain was

intense. Then an idea occurred to him. He had always been a loyal and

patriotic Russian. Now was the time to show it, even in the presence

of his enemies.

At once he placed his burned hand on something solid. The French

soldiers looked on, laughing, and jeering at him. The brave man took

the ax out of his belt, and swinging it high, brought it down with

such might that he severed his own hand. "There," he said to the

soldier, "the hand may belong to Napoleon, but I am a Russian. If I

must die, I will die a Russian." --Joseph D. Ryan

William Lloyd Garrison, who wrote the anti-slavery paper called the Abolitionist and was probably the leader in that cause, was so hot to get rid of the slavery cancer upon our society that he angered many many people. One of his friends, Samuel May, said one day to him, and I quote, "Oh, my friend, do try to moderate your indignation and keep more cool, why you're all on fire." To which Garrison replied, "My friend, I have need to be all on fire for I have mountains of ice around me to melt."

-- John Maxwell

A group of clergymen were discussing whether or not they ought

to invite Dwight L. Moody to their city. The success of the famed

evangelist was brought to the attention of the men. One unimpressed

minister commented, "Does Mr. Moody have a monopoly on the Holy

Ghost?" Another man quietly replied, "No, but the Holy Ghost seems to

have a monopoly on Mr. Moody." --The Chaplain

A Roman coin was once found with the picture of an ox on it;

the ox was facing two things -- an altar and a plough; and the

inscription read: "Ready for either". The ox had to be ready

either for the supreme moment of sacrifice on the altar or the

long labor of the plough on the farm. There is no one cup for

the Christian living. To drink the cup simply means to follow

Christ wherever he may lead, and to be like him in any situation

life may bring.

During the Korean War, a group of believers were in a little

chapel when communist soldiers barged in with machine guns. One

of the soldiers said, "All right everybody, get up!" So they

got off their knees. He said, "Line up against the wall!" They

did what the soldier said to do. Then that soldier ripped the

picture of Christ off the wall and threw it down on the floor.

He said, "All right, one by one, I want you to come by here,

spit on this picture, and curse His name."

The first three in line were men of the church, they did what the

soldier said to do. They spit on the picture and they cursed the name

of Christ. The fourth one in line was a high school girl. She came up

before the picture and she dropped to her knees. She

wiped the spittle off with her skirt, and she said, "Go ahead and kill

me. I cannot curse His name."

The soldier said, "Get up!" They blindfolded that girl and the

three men, and marched them out behind the chapel. The people inside

heard three shots. The soldiers came back in with the girl -- alive.

The soldier said, "Anyone who gives up what they believe that easily

is not fit to be a communist." And they marched out. --Ron Blue

On the windy Brittanny coast of France the Abbe Adolph

Juelienne Foure spent nearly ten hours a day every single day

for 25 years carving more than 300 figures out of a huge section

of rock above the sea. The statues tell the fantastic history

of the Rotheneuf Family, a 16th century tribe of smugglers,

pirates, and outlaw fishermen. Why the French priest devoted

the last third of his life to chiseling in stone these craggy

creations no one knows.

We know something far more profitable for one devoted to the

service of God. There are human lives to be formed and fashioned as

stones in God's living temple, the church. That task demands our

total time and energy. It cannot be looked upon as a hobby. It

requires "full-time" service.

The Rev. J. Alexander Clark, a Scotch missionary from Africa, told

in this country a very striking story of an African who had been

mauled by a lioness and was well-nigh dead. Mr. Clark cared for his

wounds, and when he got well he left. After three months he came back

to Mr. Clark, and said, "You know the law of the African forest, that

the redeemed belongs to the redeemer. I was dead, but I am now

alive. I am yours. Here are my six wives and my children and my

cattle; do with me as you will." Are we willing to surrender all to

Christ like that? The secret of our lack of power and service is just

this we do not acknowledge that we, the redeemed, belong to the

Redeemer. --Christ Life