Set Apart

 Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle and set apart for the gospel of God ~ Romans 1:1

There I was,  on Monday,  talking of how you would struggle to get a sermon out of one verse like this,  and now here I am, three days later,  and still on it.

We have looked a little at Paul,  and how the kind of man he was,  living in the time and place he did,  placed him perfectly to be the man to spread the message of the gospel.

And we have seen yesterday,  that Paul,  a forgiven and redeemed would be murderer,  has devoted himself to God,  as a slave given his freedom,  out of love and gratitude.

Today we see how God had set him apart.

I quoted Queen Esther on Monday,  who was a remarkable woman placed perfectly to save her people.  Perfectly but precariously.

And she had the tenacity and faith to step up when required.

She said,  for it may be that I was born for such a time as this.

Cometh the woman,  cometh the hour.

Except that as inspiring as that is,  and credit where credit is due (Esther and Paul made good decisions in the light of God's grace,  for which they should be commended), it did not all fall to them.

God set them apart.

He chose them.

This interplay between free will and divine appointment is a mysterious paradox,  but I am one who believes that,  in the mystery of God,  these are not incompatible.

But the point,  and always the greater point in my opinion, is that God ordained it.

He separated them for a purpose.
Called them to himself.

It is my belief that he calls us all to a purpose.

But he doesn't just set us apart for some work or other. Primarily he sets us apart for himself.

He wants you to be his man.  His woman.

It is God's ownership of Paul,  through his redemptive love,  that precedes.  Paul is his bondservant.  A willing slave of his love.

And consequently he is committed to following God's call.

There is a sense in which the Gospel is all of our calling.

If we hold that God is the gospel,  then whatever you do in worship of that God is gospel work.

You or I may not be called to establish churches and evangelise half the world,  but we are called,  set apart,  to be God's people,  wherever we are.

And wherever you are,  God, in Christ,  has called you to be his.

You belong to him.

'You are not your own. For you were bought with a price. Therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit '~ 1 Cor 6:19-20

Father we pray today,  keep us set apart for you,  so that where ever we are,  whatever we do,  we can do it all in sincerity in the name of the Lord Jesus,  and bring you glory,

Today,
And all days,

Amen.