The People Shall Be [A Freewill Offering]
A.B. Simpson emphasizes the importance of voluntary surrender to God as an act of love and faith, leading to transformation and inheritance in His kingdom.
A.B. Simpson emphasizes the concept of consecration as a voluntary offering of oneself to God, motivated by love and faith. He illustrates that true surrender is not a loss but a safe embrace into the arms of a loving Father, leading to an infinite inheritance. Simpson likens this surrender to clay yielding to the potter, allowing God to shape us into vessels of honor. He encourages believers to trust in God's wisdom and love, which will transform them into what they aspire to be. Ultimately, he portrays surrender as a privilege that leads to a rich and fulfilling life in Christ.
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This is what the term consecration properly means. It is the voluntary or self-offering of the heart, by the constraint of love, to be the Lord's. Its glad expression is, I am my beloved's (Song of Solomon 6:3). Surrender must spring, of course, from faith. There must be the full confidence that we are safe in this abandonment, that we are not falling over a precipice or surrendering ourselves to the hands of a judge but we are sinking into a Father's arms and stepping into an infinite inheritance!
It is an infinite privilege to be permitted to relinquish ourselves to One who pledges Himself to make us all that we would love to be, yes, all that His infinite wisdom, power and love will delight to accomplish in us.
It is the clay yielding itself to the potter's hands that it may be shaped into a vessel of honor meet for the Master's use. It is the poor street waif consenting to become the child of a prince in order that he may be educated, provided for and prepared to inherit all the wealth of his guardian.
Sermon Outline
- I points: - Understanding Consecration - The Nature of Surrender - The Role of Faith
- II points: - The Expression of Love - The Assurance of Safety - The Infinite Inheritance
- III points: - The Potter and the Clay - Transformation through Surrender - Becoming a Vessel of Honor
- IV points: - The Privilege of Relinquishment - The Child of a Prince - Preparation for Inheritance
Key Quotes
“It is the voluntary or self-offering of the heart, by the constraint of love, to be the Lord's.” — A.B. Simpson
“We are sinking into a Father's arms and stepping into an infinite inheritance!” — A.B. Simpson
“It is the clay yielding itself to the potter's hands that it may be shaped into a vessel of honor.” — A.B. Simpson
Application Points
- Consider what areas of your life you need to surrender to God.
- Reflect on the love that motivates your commitment to God.
- Embrace the identity of being a child of God and the privileges that come with it.