The Possibilities Of Our Surrender Series

Remember last week - the funky glasses or the special measurements were needed so you could experience a certain depth and a certain beauty set before your eyes. As Christians, when we live in the 3 dimensions, it’s how we experience the most out of our walking with God.

Ephesians 2:10 “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk (about) in them.”

“Workmanship” = work of art or a masterpiece. The reason God wants us to walk about is because the good works the Holy Spirit produces through us, reflects the masterpiece we are in Christ!

I’m concerned that many Christians are stuck in the shallowness of life instead experiencing the deepness of this extraordinary relationship in Jesus Christ! Before you got married to your spouse, can you remember the dimensions of that relationship? Jill and I went from shallow to serious over a 3 year period, and with each dimension came a new depth, a new trust and a new commitment within the relationship.

My promise to you regarding this series, if you are shallow and sour in your relationship with Christ and crusty and cranky in your walk with Christ – all that will vanish when you live in the 3 dimensions of abundance! So with that said, let’s look at the 2nd dimension that every Christian is to daily experience: Surrender!

“I Surrender!” – What an incredible statement when it comes to a police officer chasing down a bank robber! What a more powerful statement when it comes from our mouths to God’s ears!

Let’s go on the streets of Angels Camp as we asked the question, “What does it mean to you to surrender to God?”

Do you realize that most of the problems we face in our personal lives are connected to the lack of genuine surrender in an area of our lives before it becomes a bigger problem! If you worry, that’s because you will not surrender to trusting the power of God. If you’re angry, that’s because you will not surrender the person or the event connected to anger, to the peace of God. If you’re a bitter person, that’s because you will not surrender to the forgiveness of God.

GET THE PICTURE? Let’s be real honest with each other, most of us can talk up a real good fight about surrender, but we lose the battle most of the time! I struggle with it and you struggle with it! But the reality is, when it comes to this dimension to living the Christian life, it is paramount that each of us re-examine this subject! And we wonder why our walk with God is so shallow, so miserable, so defeated?

I want to bring you face to face with the most powerful 7 words in the Bible:

Acts 10:36 “…Jesus Christ, He is Lord of all.”

Will you say it with me… now that didn’t hurt too badly! You can plant your life on this one verse and then live one of the most fulfilling journeys God has for mankind!

Notice something very interesting about this verse – it contains the 3 most common names used for Jesus in the N.T. - “Jesus” “Christ” “Lord”.

• “Jesus” = His human name. If you were his buddy growing up, you would have called him “Jesus”! A very common name in that period of history.

• “Christ” = His holy name. That name was given to Him because He’s “Messiah” or the Anointed One!

• “Lord” = His heavenly name. When we all get to heaven, that’s what we will call Him!

It’s like this - He is the Sovereign, I am the subordinate, He is the Master I am the slave, He is the Ruler, I am the servant, He is the King, and I am the subject in His kingdom! Now, the moment we get this messed up – our lives are in a mess!

LifePoint: The title “Lord” describes the way we relate with Him and how Christ responds to us.

Listen, we were not created to be self - focused and self - centered little kings ruling miniscule kingdoms with the population of only one! You see - at salvation, mercy cut a huge hole into our self made prison and now grace invites us to step into something so much larger and so much more significant that only one word can capture this experience accurately – “Surrender!”

So I want to give you the 4 most important areas that we must get a grip on and then willing hand them over to Jesus Christ to be Lord over them:

1. We Must Surrender Our Faith To His Lordship.

Little pop quiz: why did Jesus die on the cross and rose from the dead? “To save us from our sins!” Oh really!