Consecrate Yourself To God

Today's bible reading is marked with a contrast in the methods of consecration. In the Old Testament we have the prescription for those who desire to minister or be priests unto the Lord. It is filled with sacrifices, the correct clothing and all the externals necessary to be consecrated and devoted to God. What is missing (not in God's design nor in prescription) is the heart of the people. Many of them went through the motions of the prescription and missed the heart God was calling them to possess. The external things found in Exodus have great symbolism for us today and certainly speak of dedication - but more importantly of the work of Jesus - who would become our ultimate sacrifice and high priest.
Stephen was in the forefront of those who saw Christianity as much more than a Jewish sect. They took seriously the commission of Jesus to carry the gospel to the whole world and led to the founding of the world mission movement that took the gospel to the whole Roman Empire in the first century. Saul held the clothes of those who stoned Stephen to death; he saw him die a victorious death. Stephen may well have been the human agency that God used to open up the heart of Saul who would later become the greatest Christian missionary of all time. It was the consecration of Stephan that made this possible. Stephen's Speech to the Sanhedrin
In Luke 7 (today's New Testament Reading) Stephan is also speaking about Consecration. But his has to do with internal consecration - that of the heart. Stephan quotes from Exodus 32 when he says:

SCRIPTURE:
(Luke 7: 49 - 53)"However, the Most High does not live in houses made by men. As the prophet says: 'Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool. What kind of house will you build for me? says the Lord. Or where will my resting place be? Has not my hand made all these things?' "You stiff-necked people, with uncircumcised hearts and ears! You are just like your fathers: You always resist the Holy Spirit! Was there ever a prophet your fathers did not persecute? They even killed those who predicted the coming of the Righteous One. And now you have betrayed and murdered him— you who have received the law that was put into effect through angels but have not obeyed it." (NIV)The Stoning of Stephen (Luke 7: 54 - 59)When they heard this, they were furious and gnashed their teeth at him. But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, looked up to heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. "Look," he said, "I see heaven open and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God." At this they covered their ears and, yelling at the top of their voices, they all rushed at him, dragged him out of the city and began to stone him. Meanwhile, the witnesses laid their clothes at the feet of a young man named Saul. While they were stoning him, Stephen prayed, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit." Then he fell on his knees and cried out, "Lord, do not hold this sin against them." When he had said this, he fell asleep. (NIV)OBSERVATION:God's heart is for us to worship Him and to be committed and consecrated to him. It changes others around us and makes some mad to say the least. Stephan boldly shares that consecration is a matter of the heart. If you resist the Holy Spirit you will you cannot be consecrated. The focus is on hearts here - God lives in hearts and not in houses built by men and by hands. He comes and speaks to those who hearts and ears are open and pure. Stephan modeled a consecrated life in from of them:

• He was full of the Holy Spirit
• He could see the glory of God.
• He caused Jesus to give Him a standing ovation.
• He offers a prayer and cry for the forgiveness of those who stone him.
  Jesus is seated at the right hand of God - but here He is standing and ready to receive the soul of Stephan.
  

APPLICATION:
May we live our lives with a consecrated heart and in a way that others are greatly impacted. Sure we will face opposition at times but in the end we will live to please God and not men and to give Him glory and blessing. Consecration is a matter of the heart.

John 4:24God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth." (NIV)

PRAYER:
Lord, may we never get trapped in the externals - while they are important and can even be your prescription to us - you desire our hearts. Give us hearts of consecration and commitment to you. May we be people full of the Holy Spirit. In our Savior, Jesus' Name, Amen