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Whom Can God Use?

Romans 12:1-21

Introduction:

A basic fact of life is that none of us will live forever.  Thus comes the question:  Who will replace us in our places of service for God? Who will replace Billy Graham? James Dobson? Dr. White?

We need not worry about the replacements for these people.  God has already picked them out.  The only question is will they answer the call?  The same question is there for us today as we consider whom God can use.

God uses people of unconditional surrender, (Romans 12:1 and Romans 12:3).

A.  What is unconditional surrender?
  1. Like skydiving, it is throwing yourself totally into a thing.
    Illustration:  ‘If at first you don’t succeed, skydiving isn’t for you!’
    Illustration:  ‘Early explorer to America burned ships: no going back.’
  2. We need to do this because we can’t add anything to God’ plan.
    Illustration:  ‘Drowning man should stop fighting and let lifeguard save.’
B.  What areas do we need to surrender?
  1. Our bodies:  do right.
  2. Our minds: think right.
  3. Our will:  decide right.
    Illustration:  ‘Buying computer as a package, not as individual bits.’

God uses people willing to be corrected, (Romans 12:9-10).

A.  Arrogance is a distasteful and defeating trait:
Illustration:  ‘I thought I was wrong once, but I was mistaken.’Illustration: ‘You just want to argue.’  ‘No I don’t!’  ‘See!’

  1. We all know arrogant people.
  2. They are of little use to God!
B.  We must be willing to have our world view corrected.
  1. The classic view:  the Creator is truth.
  2. The modern view:  the Creation is truth.
  3. The post-modern view:  the Creature is truth.
    Illustration:  ‘Story of three umpires.
  4. We need to know that truth is found in God’s revelation to us!
C.  We must be willing to have our relationships corrected.
  1. Our arrogance and our wrong world view damage relationships.
  2. Once we get our spirits sorted out, we then correct our relationships.
  3. Can’t do it before, but must do it after.
    Illustration:  ‘Me arguing with friend about the make of his conversion van.’Read:  Romans 12:9-18.

God uses people who are willing to work, (Romans 12:1, Romans 12:11).

A.  Too often we look for the easy way out:
Illustration:  ‘Work fascinates me; I can sit and look at it for hours.’
  1. ‘Miracle’ theology.
  2. Looking for revival.
B.  God Clearly Expects Us To Work:
  1. ‘Serve’ here  implies that as we work we are worshipping God.
  2. God expects us to use what He has given us.
    Illustration:  ‘One talent Christian.’
  3. Most of what is done in the Kingdom isn’t spectacular!
    Illustration:   ‘James Bond’s PTSD levels must be outrageous!’
C.  Done properly, our work has two equal characteristics:
  1. It is diligent, earnest, well done (fervent=boiling over).
  2. It is fun
Read: Romans 12:11-12.

God uses people who win souls, (Romans 12:2, Romans 12:20-21).

A.  He will transform us into powerful people:
  1. He will make the weak strong.
    Illustration:  ‘Power Inverter makes weaker current stronger.’
  2. He will make the overpowering merely strong.
    Illustration:  Transformer makes strong current weaker.’

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B.  Once he transforms us, he uses us:
  1. To go even to our enemies.
    Illustration:  ‘Jesus and Samaritan woman.’
  2. To go with good to overcome evil.

Consider some of the people God has used:

  • Moses was a stuttering, murderer, working as a shepherd on the back side of the desert.
  • Rahab was a harlot.
  • David was a humble shepherd boy.
  • Mary was a insignificant teenage girl.
  • Peter was a rough fisherman.
  • Matthew was a traitorous tax collector.
  • Paul was a bitter, legalistic Pharisee.
Yet He used all of these, and He will use us as well, if we only let Him!
Otis Corbitt
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