I'm Going All In: An Issue Of The Heart Series

Intro: We just sang, “All to Jesus I surrender”

All (some) to Jesus I surrender,

All(some) to Him I freely give;

I will ever love and trust Him,

In His presence daily(every other daily) live.

I surrender all (some),

I surrender all (some).

All (some) to Thee, my blessed Savior,

I surrender all(some).

All (some) to Jesus I surrender,

Humbly at His feet I bow,

Worldly pleasures all forsaken;

Take me, Jesus, take me now.

All (some) to Jesus I surrender,

Make me, Savior, wholly(partly) Thine;

Let me feel Thy Holy Spirit,

Truly know that Thou art mine.

All (some) to Jesus I surrender,

Lord, I give myself to Thee;

Fill me with Thy love and power, (only some of the time)

Let Thy blessing fall on me.

All (some) to Jesus I surrender,

Now (occasionally) I feel the sacred flame.

Oh, the joy of full(partial) salvation!

Glory, glory to His name!

source: http://www.lyricsondemand.com/miscellaneouslyrics/christianlyrics/alltojesusisurrenderlyrics.html

What if we changed the Lyrics? (reread with words in parenthesis)

Matthew 22:34-40 (Highlight All)

What do we see in this passage of Matthew? It is a call for your all.

I. Love God with your all

First let’s define biblical love so we don’t get off track. Biblical love is ongoing unconditional unemotional purposeful commitment to another. It’s about choice. If you don’t go all in for God it’s because you chose not to.

A) Involvement and investment with Jesus and His kingdom

Jesus is making clear that we are to give total allegiance, and obedience to Him. William Barclay said it this way. “It means that to God we must give a total love, a love which dominates our emotions, a love which directs our thoughts, and a love which is the dynamic of our actions.

1) If we love God we should be consumed with His person

It seems to me the longer I live the more the church is enraptured with what God gives instead of who God is!

We must be careful that we aren’t after health, happiness and prosperity. When health fades God is faithful. When happiness is hard to find God is near. When prosperity is stolen from us God is our inheritance. All in doesn’t start with projects, programs and progress!!! All in starts with the person of God and explodes from there. Jesus said in Matthew 6:33 “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be provided for you.”

This is an invitation from Jesus to be all in. What we find when we become part of the kingdom of God we don’t just receive Jesus righteousness. We also receive a responsibility to live in the presence of God and follow His principles.

2) If we love God would should be consumed with His principles

It never ceases to amaze me in the ways we Christians overlook what God says. We are all too ready to point a demonizing finger at the world when we fail to look into the mirror the word of God and see what a poor job we are doing at reflecting God!

If we are consumed with God’s principles, His holy words and what the Holy Spirit reveals we should have a holy conduct! God doesn’t save us to act like the world He saves us to act like Him!

Remember God doesn’t command us to follow His word to imprison us!! He commands us to follow His word because it sets us free!

What are the controlling principles of your life? God’s principles reveal God. From Genesis 1:1 to Revelation 22:21 all that is written is used to reveal God through Jesus.

What are you willing to do for $10,000,000? Two-thirds of Americans polled would agree to at least one, some to several of the following:

Would abandon their entire family (25%)

Would abandon their church (25%)

Would become prostitutes for a week or more (23%)

Would give up their American citizenships (16%)

Would leave their spouses (16%)

Would withhold testimony and let a murderer go free (10%)

Would kill a stranger (7%)

Would put their children up for adoption (3%)

James Patterson and Peter Kim, The Day America Told the Truth, 1991

The principles we follow reveal that passion of our lives.

Colossians 3:17, 23 “And whatever you do, in word or in deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him. Whatever you do, do it enthusiastically, as something done for the Lord and not for men.” (That’s is why people say I step on toes, I’m not doing it for you!!)

B) Involvement and investment in His body & bride the Church

When you come to God you can’t help but become part of God’s body and bride.

John 1:12 “But to all who did receive Him, He gave them the right to be children of God, to those who believe in His name, who were born, not of blood, or of the will of the flesh, or of the will of man, but of God.