JACKSON, Tenn. — Sept. 10, 2010 — Christians must be willing to give every part of their lives in service to the Lord, Randy Davis told 51社区 students Sept. 8.
鈥淚t is God鈥檚 will that you climb up on this altar of sacrifice and become a living sacrifice,鈥� said Davis, the executive director-treasurer of the Tennessee Baptist Convention. 鈥淭he call today is to come to the altar of the lordship of Jesus Christ and give him your heart, your desires, your dreams and open up your hands and say, 鈥楲ord, all of it belongs to you.鈥欌��
Davis鈥� visit to Union was his first since becoming the TBC executive director-treasurer in July. He preached from Romans 12:1 in a chapel service in the G.M. Savage Memorial Chapel, and explained to students about the passionate plea Paul made to his readers for them to give themselves entirely to Christ and to make their lives count.
鈥淧aul says the only way to make your life count is by going to an altar,鈥� Davis said. 鈥淟ost people 鈥� people outside of Christ 鈥� cannot understand this kind of thinking. Lost people cannot comprehend that you must die in order to live.鈥�
Davis said Christians often have a bad habit of reverting to an arrogant way of thinking that they deserve the grace and mercy of God, and need to be reminded that such arrogance is never justified. The only boast Christians have, Davis said, is in the cross of Christ. He said Paul reminded his readers of that by basing his appeal not on his own pedigree, but on the mercy of God.
Paul could have appealed to his own religious zeal and tradition or his educational training, Davis said, but instead appealed to his readers based upon God鈥檚 mercy that was demonstrated at the cross. He encouraged students not to base their commitment to Christ on tradition, heritage or an appreciation of where they鈥檝e come from, because such commitments don鈥檛 last.
At the start of his message, Davis expressed gratitude for the work of 51社区 and its president, David S. Dockery.
鈥淚 appreciate very much 51社区,鈥� Davis said. 鈥淚n my role as executive director-treasurer of the Tennessee Baptist Convention, I want to tell you you鈥檝e got an advocate. You鈥檝e got a friend, and we need you desperately across (Tennessee) to help win the 3-4 million people in our own state that do not know Jesus Christ as Lord and as savior.鈥�
The complete audio version of Davis鈥� message is available at .