Title: Surrendering to His Love
Meta: Christ died for you; therefore He is certainly not going to require anything of you that would ultimately harm you, but He is abundantly for your good. Express your absolute allegiance to Christ and be surrendered to His love. Be able to say, "Lord, You are enough; and if I have You, though You strip everything else away, I am satisfied."
Tags: Luke 14:33,John Wesley,covenant renewal services,surrender,Lordship,Jesus Christ

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Well, good morning, brethren.

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I greet you in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

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I don't want to take any other time in introductions 

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and get right to the message this morning. (P)

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Brethren, let's turn in our Bibles to Luke 14.

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Luke 14:33. We're going to deal with various texts this morning,

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but I want to start right here.

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Luke 14:33. "So therefore, any one of you

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who does not renounce all that he has

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cannot be my disciple."

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Let's pray.(P)

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Father, I pray for Your help.

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And Lord, I pray that You would give us

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just what we need in this hour.

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I pray in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, our hiding place, amen.(P)

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Brethren, I kind of look at this conference as a mile marker in life,

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much like birthdays, the new year.

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We kind of have these sign posts along the way,

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these markers. Here we are at another Denton conference.

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Here we are at the end of another Denton conference.

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Everybody here is going to drive away from this place very soon,

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and what I want to seek to do in this hour is to have you go away

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able to express before the Lord

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your unconditional allegiance to Him.

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That's my goal: surrender to Christ.(P)

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And not just to look at it in theory,

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my goal is that we affirm it.

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That we speak to the Lord our surrender.

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You see the text. Our Lord's words,

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"any one of you who does not renounce all that he has,

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he cannot be My disciple."

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The aim: all leaving here surrendered.(P)

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The title of my message: Absolute Allegiance.

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I want you to think about your submission to Christ,

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but more than that, I want you to affirm it.

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This is about you and the Lord Jesus. The Lord of your life.(P)

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So, just for starters, I want us to think historically.

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And I might go all the way back to David in Psalm 119.

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Do you know David promised the Lord that he would keep His word?

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Do you know he made an oath to that effect?

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And I just want to ask you right up front:

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are we in the habit of doing that?

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In our prayer life, "Lord, I am Yours.

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I am going to do Your Word.

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I am going to follow Your ways.

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I am surrendered to You.

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Lord, I'm all Yours.

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Everything. Everything."

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Unless you forsake all that you have,

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you cannot be His disciple.

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Are we affirming that?(P)

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Let me tell you something, many of you are aware,

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Jonathan Edwards, he had resolutions,

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have you ever read those 70 resolutions?

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Let me just tell you about several of them.

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In resolution 42, Edwards resolved himself

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to frequently renew the dedication of himself to God.

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So here's a man who stands out,

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much like Chapman, he stands out as a very godly man,

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we look back on, his works are here.

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He made a resolution to not just come

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into Christianity at the beginning, saying,

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"Lord, I'm Yours. I surrender."

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He actually sought in a resolution

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to frequently renew the dedication of himself to the Lord.

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Frequently.

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Another one of his resolutions, 53,

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he was resolved to consecrate himself wholly to Christ.

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And the thing is, he had some other resolutions,

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37 and 41, where he was dedicated

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to every day, every week, every month

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and every year reaffirming these things.(P)

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There was a Puritan by the name of Richard Alleine.

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He wrote a book called, "A Vindication of Godliness."

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In that book, probably most of us have never heard of it,

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but I'll tell you somebody who heard about it,

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was John Wesley. But let me tell you what Alleine said in that book:

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He emphasized in this book on godliness

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that we as Christians covenant with God,

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we covenant with God to be His and to live for Him,

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and to be committed to cleave to Him

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and obey Him and serve Him all our days.

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Ok, you have to recognize that

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both the Puritan camp and the Anglican camp,

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they talk about making a certain covenant in their baptism.

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We as Baptists don't talk that way.

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But I just want you to think about the concept here.

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Alleine believed that we are given to more care,

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more watchfulness and more seriousness in our Christian life

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if we are frequently going back to the Lord, and looking up,

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and expressing, being transparent before the Lord,

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"Lord, nothing is held back...

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it's all Yours. Lord, I am all Yours. I am wholly committed.

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I am reaffirming my allegiance to the Lord Jesus Christ,

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to live only for Him, and to die to self, and to cleave to Him,

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and He is my only hope,

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and I'm going to serve Him and I'm going to live for Him."

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Elaine was convinced that when we do that,

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it produces a seriousness

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that men don't lightly go out

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and not do that after they've made that kind

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of commitment face to face with God.(P)

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Reaffirming that on a regular basis. And I'll tell you what happened:

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Wesley got a hold of that, he got a hold of this book by Alleine,

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and you know what he did?

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He said, we're going to start what he called

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covenant renewal services.

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They had these in the societies of Methodism.

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They began to develop these.

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And they were times when they would

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reaffirm their commitment to the Lord.

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They would reaffirm their surrender to the Lord.

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They would reaffirm their allegiance to the Lord.(P)

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Now listen to this, Wesley says in April 1756,

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these are his journal entries

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concerning these renewal services,

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"Many mourned before God,

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and many were comforted."(P)

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In October 1765, another meeting,

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"It was a time of remarkable blessing."

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January 1, 1775, "I do not know that ever we had a greater blessing,

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afterwards, many desired to return thanks either for a sense of pardon,

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for full salvation, or for fresh manifestation of His graces,

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His healing of their backslidings."

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What he saw was this, he took this idea of Alleine

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and he went to the Methodist societies,

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and he had specific meetings where what he wanted the people to do

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was nothing else but rededicate themselves.

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Not lightly, not flippantly.

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But really think about what we're called to as Christians,

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to forsake everything for Christ.

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To live wholly to Christ, to die to self,

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to live to Him. To follow Him.

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To carry your cross. Total dedication to Him.

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And he said that such meetings were met

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with amazing blessings from the Lord.

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And you know, I think Alleine is right.(P)

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When we look up to heaven in our prayers,

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and we recommit ourselves, a man or woman of God,

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they don't lightly run out and flippantly sin after that.

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Here's the matter that I want us to consider:

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If it be that Christ demands total allegiance,

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and He does,

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should we not be committed to it?

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Should we not affirm it?

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I want us to think. Come with me, now.

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I want us to behold Christ.

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I want us to behold the Person that you find

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in the pages of the four Gospels of your Bible.

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What is He really like?(P)

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Let's think for a second about what He's really like.

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Not what men oftentimes want to think that He's like.

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But what is He really like?

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I mean, have you ever noticed, I'm sure you have,

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You talk to people about Jesus of Nazareth...

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I can remember in one workplace,

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talking to a certain foreman, you've seen this a lot of times...

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it's just a memory that jumps out,

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I'm sure it's happened to me hundreds of times.

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Many of you know this, you talk to people, you talk to your families,

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you talk to your co-workers, fellow students about Christ

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and they want to give their opinions.

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Well, I think this about Christ...

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they speak as though their own approval or

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disapproval is what defines Christ. Have you ever seen that?

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People want to tell you, "Well, I think He's like this..." or "I think this..."

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"I think the other thing..." They speak very irreverently,

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and men talk about the Biblical Christ

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as though He's the One on trial.

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Do you notice how men do that?

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We did that when we were lost, undoubtedly.

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What's He like? What is the true Christ like?

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You know what the truth is?

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The true Christ of Scripture...

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He's dangerous.

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And sometimes disturbing, alarming.

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I mean, listen to Him.

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"You have heard it said...

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you shall not commit adultery."

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Moses said that. Seventh commandment.

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"You have heard it said,

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but I say unto you."

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Whoa, what did He say?

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He's trumping Moses.

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And He's saying, "But I say..." What did He say?

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"If you even look on a woman with lustful intent,

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you've already committed adultery with her in your heart."

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And He says this, you better tear out

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that right eye and cast it away from you,

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for it's better for you to go without

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that member into life."

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And He uses this term, "than to be thrown into hell!"

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Who do you think is going to throw you?

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Listen to Who is speaking here.

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You know what He said?

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He said, "You call me Teacher and Lord?

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And you're right, for so I am."

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He spoke with authority.

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This is the Christ of the Scripture.

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He is a Lamb, yes. But do we not read in Scripture

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that He is a lamb with wrath?

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He is dangerous.

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He is a Savior.

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He speaks of His gentle ways.

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But make no mistake about it,

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He demands absolute allegiance from His followers.

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And you can't escape it.

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You cannot just be a spectator with this Christ.

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I mean, have you ever noticed?(P)

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You think there in John 6,

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you've got people leaving.

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And there's James and John and Thomas,

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and they're over there, and you can't just be a spectator.

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And they were watching this, they were watching our Lord.

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He said you need to eat My flesh and you need to drink My blood.

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And you've got all these disciples leaving,

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and the inner circle they're standing over there,

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and you can't just be a spectator. Because what does Jesus do?

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He looks right over at them and He says, "you guys want to go too?"

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You can't just watch this Christ.

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You can't just stand back and make your evaluations.

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He will pull you in every single time.

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It affects all of us. How we respond to Him

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affects every one of us directly.

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It affects our eternity.

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You know there was that question posed before men one day:

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"What think ye of Christ?"

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You do recognize He was not looking for man's opinion

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about who He is or who He ought to be.(P)

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Jesus wasn't interested in our opinions.

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He asked that question to wake us up to what God's Word says,

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and what does God's Word say?

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Yes, He's David's Son, but He's David's Lord.

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And He's our Lord. Think of the claims that He made.

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He claimed to be Lord.

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He claimed to be King.

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He claimed to be the Son of Man.

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He claimed to be Master.

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He's in His 30's. He claims to be the I AM.

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Think of the claims. He's the Christ of Scripture.

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Not the one who is the figment of men's imaginations.

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He claimed that He had no sin.

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He claimed that He could forgive sin.

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He claimed to be the only way to God. He claimed He was God.

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He claimed that He came to give His life a ransom for many.

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He claimed to be the Savior of the world.

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And I'll tell you this, He claimed men's allegiance.

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He came and He insisted

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that He be believed on and that He be followed.

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He did not hesitate.

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This is the Christ who does not hesitate to be walking along one day,

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look over at a man who's fully employed

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in his business as a tax collector.

254
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There he is. He's busy.

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He's about his business. He's collecting his taxes.

256
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And Jesus says to him, "Follow Me." Can you imagine that?

257
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He actually expected him to follow Him. Follow Me. And He meant it.

258
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What are we going to do with this Christ?

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He actually expects people to leave everything and follow Him.

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And the thing is, Matthew did it.

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How unreasonable and inconvenient is that?

262
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Just to get up and leave your whole life behind?

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But this, beloved, is the Christ of Scripture.

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Without hesitation He called men to absolute surrender,

265
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and you know He did if you read your Bibles.(P)

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Don't you see? Brethren, we're the ones on trial

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when we're confronted by this Christ.

268
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He's not the One on trial. It's us.

269
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We're the ones being put to the test.

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Follow Me.

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The rich, young ruler. You know about him.

272
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Why don't we turn there? Mark 10:21.

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Brethren, we may imagine ourselves

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as some sort of spectators over on the side,

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but none of us can escape those words, "Follow Me."

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He demands absolute allegiance

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and how we answer is not a reflection on Him.

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It is a reflection on us.

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You know this account, Mark 10:21

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We're going to break in right here:

281
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"Jesus, looking at him, loved him,

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and said to him, 'you lack one thing, go sell all that you have,

283
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and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven,

284
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and come, follow Me."

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Here's this young man; rich, young ruler we call him.

286
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He ran up to Jesus, he knelt before Him, Jesus loved him.

287
00:19:05,479 --> 00:19:10,839
And you know what? Jesus loved him too much to waste his time,

288
00:19:10,839 --> 00:19:16,728
too much to skirt the real issues. He didn't mince words.

289
00:19:16,728 --> 00:19:21,432
He laid it on the line. Young man, do you want eternal life?

290
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You say yes? O.k. Surrender.

291
00:19:27,515 --> 00:19:31,548
Surrender.

292
00:19:31,548 --> 00:19:38,141
Eternal life is to be found in surrendering oneself to Christ.

293
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To be saved the way Christ saves.

294
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Many people have a wrong idea about how the Lord saves.

295
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Sell it all, give to the poor, follow Me.

296
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Listen, this is not works.

297
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This is Jesus saying, "Do you want to be saved?

298
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Well, I always save people into conformity to Me.

299
00:20:01,766 --> 00:20:06,977
I always save people in a certain way. I save people from their idols."

300
00:20:06,977 --> 00:20:12,316
If you want to be saved, it's not just the guilt aspect of your sin,

301
00:20:12,316 --> 00:20:16,467
He saves the way He saves, and He's looking at this man...

302
00:20:16,467 --> 00:20:19,913
Do you know what this man basically said by his actions?

303
00:20:19,913 --> 00:20:21,902
"I don't really want to be saved."

304
00:20:21,902 --> 00:20:24,662
I don't want to be saved the way Christ saves people.

305
00:20:24,662 --> 00:20:29,288
Christ saves us into total allegiance to Him.

306
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He saves us into surrender to Him.

307
00:20:33,847 --> 00:20:37,576
Do you really want to be saved the way I save people?

308
00:20:37,576 --> 00:20:40,928
It's full allegiance. We don't want to play around.

309
00:20:40,928 --> 00:20:43,398
We don't want to make Christianity into anything else.

310
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We don't want to make the Christ of Scripture into anyone else.

311
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Do you really want to be saved? Full surrender.

312
00:20:49,434 --> 00:20:52,558
All for Him. We're bought with a price. We're not our own.

313
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That kind of surrender. That's what He calls for.

314
00:20:56,221 --> 00:21:01,227
And the thing is, the thing that just ought to jump out at us,

315
00:21:01,227 --> 00:21:08,718
is He let the man walk.

316
00:21:08,718 --> 00:21:16,301
He let the man walk, after only a few words and a short time.

317
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You know, He didn't argue.

318
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Jesus called for absolute allegiance on this man's part.

319
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He wasn't willing. And Jesus didn't deliberate with him.

320
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He didn't debate. He didn't say "Whoa, whoa, whoa...

321
00:21:33,348 --> 00:21:37,568
let's talk about this before you walk away.

322
00:21:37,568 --> 00:21:40,568
Maybe you didn't understand Me clearly."

323
00:21:40,568 --> 00:21:43,785
Jesus didn't dive in front of him. Jesus didn't try to stop him.

324
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Isn't it amazing? He just let him go.

325
00:21:51,718 --> 00:21:58,064
You know sometimes that doesn't work. That doesn't seem to fit

326
00:21:58,064 --> 00:22:01,359
with our idea of evangelism.

327
00:22:01,359 --> 00:22:05,102
Don't we have sometimes concepts of friendship evangelism;

328
00:22:05,102 --> 00:22:07,160
we need to kind of work with people,

329
00:22:07,160 --> 00:22:10,160
we need to work with people over time,

330
00:22:10,160 --> 00:22:13,587
we need to pour the truth into them?

331
00:22:13,587 --> 00:22:17,568
But look what happened here. He doesn't mince words.

332
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If you would be saved by Him then surrender to Him

333
00:22:19,930 --> 00:22:22,630
to be saved by Him the way that He saves.

334
00:22:22,630 --> 00:22:24,280
That's what He's calling for.

335
00:22:24,280 --> 00:22:27,939
If that's not what you're interested in, case closed.

336
00:22:27,939 --> 00:22:31,598
He let him walk. Brethren, what I'm wanting to do here

337
00:22:31,598 --> 00:22:37,118
as we're thinking about our own affirmation,

338
00:22:37,118 --> 00:22:43,279
a reaffirmation for many of us, of our allegiance to Him.

339
00:22:43,279 --> 00:22:49,293
I want you to see, He is the Christ who demands total allegiance.

340
00:22:49,293 --> 00:22:56,205
He wants us all. He wants us wholly. Entirely.

341
00:22:56,205 --> 00:22:58,498
Case closed. He let him walk.

342
00:22:58,498 --> 00:23:00,988
Just think with me here.(P)

343
00:23:00,988 --> 00:23:04,498
Let's go back to John 6; in fact, turn to John 6

344
00:23:04,498 --> 00:23:10,457
let's actually look at this account as well.

345
00:23:10,457 --> 00:23:28,214
John 6:66, Again, we get this feel

346
00:23:28,214 --> 00:23:39,224
for Jesus of Nazareth, the historical Jesus of Nazareth

347
00:23:39,224 --> 00:23:41,768
6:66 "After this many of the disciples

348
00:23:41,768 --> 00:23:44,768
turned back and no longer walked with Him,

349
00:23:44,768 --> 00:23:49,539
Jesus said to the twelve, 'do you want to go away as well?'

350
00:23:49,539 --> 00:23:53,244
Simon Peter answered Him, 'Lord, to whom shall we go?

351
00:23:53,244 --> 00:23:55,659
You have the words of eternal life.'"

352
00:23:55,659 --> 00:23:57,067
And see, here's the thing, He not only

353
00:23:57,067 --> 00:24:00,067
let many of His disciples walk away that day,

354
00:24:00,067 --> 00:24:03,034
He even looked over at the inner circle - isn't that amazing?

355
00:24:03,034 --> 00:24:06,206
"Do you guys want to go too?"

356
00:24:06,206 --> 00:24:13,433
He not only was not trying to keep all of the other disciples from going,

357
00:24:13,433 --> 00:24:17,418
He wasn't saying, "Hold on, guys, hold on!"

358
00:24:17,418 --> 00:24:19,118
"Maybe we can renegotiate terms here,

359
00:24:19,118 --> 00:24:20,691
if you didn't like something I said,

360
00:24:20,691 --> 00:24:21,938
maybe we can tone that down."

361
00:24:21,938 --> 00:24:24,028
He never did that.

362
00:24:24,028 --> 00:24:27,511
He laid it out there. They didn't want it on His terms.

363
00:24:27,511 --> 00:24:32,293
They didn't accept Him for who He was.

364
00:24:32,293 --> 00:24:35,293
They didn't accept what He was calling them to.

365
00:24:35,293 --> 00:24:39,901
And they walked. He didn't argue, He didn't debate, He didn't deliberate.

366
00:24:39,901 --> 00:24:41,883
He didn't throw Himself in the way.

367
00:24:41,883 --> 00:24:44,013
In fact, what He does is He looks over

368
00:24:44,013 --> 00:24:47,900
at the other guys who aren't walking and He says,

369
00:24:47,900 --> 00:24:50,887
"Do you guys want to go too?"

370
00:24:50,887 --> 00:24:58,433
Put yourself in that place. Here you are: Peter. He looks at you.

371
00:24:58,433 --> 00:25:05,768
It's like, "Lord, I wasn't walking. We weren't going.

372
00:25:05,768 --> 00:25:10,480
Why are You directing Your attention to us?"

373
00:25:10,480 --> 00:25:14,001
But you see that's what He always does.

374
00:25:14,001 --> 00:25:16,553
Do you know what He wanted?

375
00:25:16,553 --> 00:25:21,842
A reaffirmation right there. "Are you guys totally in?"

376
00:25:21,842 --> 00:25:26,115
We can watch other people walk away.

377
00:25:26,115 --> 00:25:28,452
You can watch people leave your church.

378
00:25:28,452 --> 00:25:31,982
You can watch people turn their backs and they go away.

379
00:25:31,982 --> 00:25:33,771
And we can stand there.

380
00:25:33,771 --> 00:25:36,771
But even there, the Lord is not going to let us be spectators.

381
00:25:36,771 --> 00:25:40,123
Because He's going to turn right to you, and say,

382
00:25:40,123 --> 00:25:43,254
"Are you all in?"

383
00:25:43,254 --> 00:25:45,948
"Can you affirm, am I your all?

384
00:25:45,948 --> 00:25:50,828
Am I the only answer? Full allegiance to Me?"

385
00:25:50,828 --> 00:25:53,154
"All in or all out?"

386
00:25:53,154 --> 00:25:55,829
That's what He was looking for in these guys.

387
00:25:55,829 --> 00:26:00,394
He wants them to reaffirm. Are you still all in or not?

388
00:26:00,394 --> 00:26:06,944
His question to you, "Do you want to go away as well?"

389
00:26:06,944 --> 00:26:09,165
What's He looking for? Fresh commitment.

390
00:26:09,165 --> 00:26:12,689
"So therefore, any one of you who does not

391
00:26:12,689 --> 00:26:17,629
surrender all that he has cannot be My disciple."

392
00:26:17,629 --> 00:26:21,483
What does Christ want you to surrender?

393
00:26:21,483 --> 00:26:26,246
In a word. One word: Everything.(P)

394
00:26:26,246 --> 00:26:31,034
Now let me tell you something, when Wesley

395
00:26:31,034 --> 00:26:37,664
would hold these covenant renewal services,

396
00:26:37,664 --> 00:26:42,040
there is a prayer, he admits he got it somewhere else,

397
00:26:42,040 --> 00:26:46,813
I'm not sure where he got it, but he used this,

398
00:26:46,813 --> 00:26:51,893
and he often would encourage them to pray this way:

399
00:26:51,893 --> 00:27:00,003
Listen to this, because this is my aim, that we walk out of here today

400
00:27:00,003 --> 00:27:05,813
and we're able, before the Lord, to say this.

401
00:27:05,813 --> 00:27:11,169
These covenant renewal services that were so blessed,

402
00:27:11,169 --> 00:27:13,469
this is where he wanted the hearts

403
00:27:13,469 --> 00:27:20,183
of those early Methodists lifted up in prayer this way.

404
00:27:20,183 --> 00:27:26,763
And you think with me here as I say this. I want you to pray this.

405
00:27:26,763 --> 00:27:30,612
I want you to feel this:

406
00:27:30,612 --> 00:27:38,279
"I am no longer my own, but Thine."

407
00:27:38,279 --> 00:27:44,652
"Put me to what Thou wilt. Rank me with whom Thou wilt."

408
00:27:44,652 --> 00:27:49,606
Rank me. You know you read in Scripture,

409
00:27:49,606 --> 00:27:53,756
Your gentleness has made me great.

410
00:27:53,756 --> 00:27:58,574
His gentleness may make you least.

411
00:27:58,574 --> 00:28:06,484
Are we resigned to not be used or to be used?

412
00:28:06,484 --> 00:28:12,765
Wesley goes on, "Put me to doing.

413
00:28:12,765 --> 00:28:22,165
Put me to suffering. Let me be employed for Thee,

414
00:28:22,165 --> 00:28:30,086
or laid aside for Thee." For Thee.

415
00:28:30,086 --> 00:28:33,086
"Exalted for Thee or brought low for Thee."

416
00:28:33,086 --> 00:28:37,857
"Let me be full. Let me be empty.

417
00:28:37,857 --> 00:28:46,427
Let me have all things. Let me have nothing."

418
00:28:46,427 --> 00:28:55,147
Surrender. Can we put the marriage, the money, our children?

419
00:28:55,147 --> 00:28:57,047
This is surrender.(P)

420
00:28:57,047 --> 00:29:01,547
It's surrender to the Lord Who may want

421
00:29:01,547 --> 00:29:07,477
your lost child to yet be lost a year from now.

422
00:29:07,477 --> 00:29:10,385
Or He may not.

423
00:29:10,385 --> 00:29:17,213
Surrender.

424
00:29:17,213 --> 00:29:26,302
"I freely and heartily yield all things to Thy pleasure and disposal."

425
00:29:26,302 --> 00:29:30,273
"And now O glorious and blessed God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit,

426
00:29:30,273 --> 00:29:36,411
Thou art mine and I am Thine, so be it.

427
00:29:36,411 --> 00:29:38,707
And the covenant which I have made on earth,

428
00:29:38,707 --> 00:29:42,837
let it be ratified in heaven. Amen."(P)

429
00:29:42,837 --> 00:29:51,950
Brethren, can you look to heaven and pray with all your heart,

430
00:29:51,950 --> 00:29:55,872
"Lord, I love You.

431
00:29:55,872 --> 00:30:01,612
Lord, thank You that almighty vengeance fell upon Your head.

432
00:30:01,612 --> 00:30:07,419
Thank You that You have redeemed me. Thank You for all the kindness.

433
00:30:07,419 --> 00:30:13,361
You've bought me with a price. Nothing held back.

434
00:30:13,361 --> 00:30:16,476
Do inventory. Inventory all the way through.

435
00:30:16,476 --> 00:30:19,896
Lord, I'm not going to hold anything back.

436
00:30:19,896 --> 00:30:23,700
The way I eat, the way I exercise, my t.v.,

437
00:30:23,700 --> 00:30:28,530
my computer, my relationship, my wife,

438
00:30:28,530 --> 00:30:31,430
my husband, my children, my job,

439
00:30:31,430 --> 00:30:34,510
my money, my possessions, my house,

440
00:30:34,510 --> 00:30:43,911
my car, Lord, my goals, my ambitions, my desires, Lord, all of it.

441
00:30:43,911 --> 00:30:53,173
Lord, I surrender it. I surrender afresh. I surrender."

442
00:30:53,173 --> 00:30:57,691
You're thinking is there anything held back, is there anything?

443
00:30:57,691 --> 00:31:05,164
"Lord, nothing. Lord, do with me as You will."

444
00:31:05,164 --> 00:31:11,703
I think we need to do that afresh, brethren,

445
00:31:11,703 --> 00:31:17,613
to stimulate our walk before the Lord.

446
00:31:17,613 --> 00:31:22,949
And I'm going to show you that there is a real, Biblical basis for this,

447
00:31:22,949 --> 00:31:24,950
which I'm leading to.

448
00:31:24,950 --> 00:31:28,790
But, all of it, brethren, all of it, consecrated to Him.

449
00:31:28,790 --> 00:31:36,200
All of it. "I bow in absolute allegiance to You. Nothing held back."

450
00:31:36,200 --> 00:31:40,437
Say this, brethren, say it to the Lord.

451
00:31:40,437 --> 00:31:46,207
Say it in your own heart. Say it as you leave here. Reaffirm this.

452
00:31:46,207 --> 00:31:50,024
"Lord, there is no part of my life I am going to hold back from You.

453
00:31:50,024 --> 00:31:53,900
Nothing is going to be protected. All on the table.

454
00:31:53,900 --> 00:31:57,608
How you want me to live, whether You want me to go to the right or left,

455
00:31:57,608 --> 00:32:01,318
whether You even want me to move at all. Lord, all of it. All of it.

456
00:32:01,318 --> 00:32:07,345
I am not going to hold anything back. Everything fully yielded to You.

457
00:32:07,345 --> 00:32:12,134
No longer am I going to resist Your right to control my body,

458
00:32:12,134 --> 00:32:16,114
my appetites, my time, my future, my final years, my tongue,

459
00:32:16,114 --> 00:32:19,388
my daily decisions, whatever it may be."

460
00:32:19,388 --> 00:32:24,480
Now, brethren, turn with me to Matthew 6,

461
00:32:24,480 --> 00:32:26,773
because if anyone is hesitating,

462
00:32:26,773 --> 00:32:30,923
is it really necessary that we reaffirm our surrender?

463
00:32:30,923 --> 00:32:37,239
Yes, it is. Our Lord taught us so. He taught us in the very way to pray,

464
00:32:37,239 --> 00:32:48,104
that we should be doing this as one of the pillars of our prayer life.

465
00:32:48,104 --> 00:32:54,278
You say, where? Matthew 6:9-10, "Pray then like this..."

466
00:32:54,278 --> 00:32:58,485
This is no legalistic prescription for prayer. We get an idea about that

467
00:32:58,485 --> 00:33:04,437
because we find numerous examples of Christians in our Bibles praying

468
00:33:04,437 --> 00:33:07,583
and they never prayed this verbatim.

469
00:33:07,583 --> 00:33:11,906
This is a guide for how to pray. This contains the spirit of prayer.

470
00:33:11,906 --> 00:33:15,195
This is the Lord teaching us what is important to consider

471
00:33:15,195 --> 00:33:20,822
when approaching God, but notice this:

472
00:33:20,822 --> 00:33:27,350
"Our Father, who art in Heaven.

473
00:33:27,350 --> 00:33:31,440
Hallowed by Thy name.

474
00:33:31,440 --> 00:33:35,994
Your kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven."

475
00:33:35,994 --> 00:33:40,770
Notice that: Thy will be done.

476
00:33:40,770 --> 00:33:47,872
Every time we pray, Jesus is teaching us fresh surrender.

477
00:33:47,872 --> 00:33:49,805
You say, "Thy will be done on earth."

478
00:33:49,805 --> 00:33:52,805
You know we can distance ourselves from that.

479
00:33:52,805 --> 00:33:55,046
Well, all out here, Thy will be done, but who's on earth?(P)

480
00:33:55,046 --> 00:33:58,046
Brethren, you are on earth.

481
00:33:58,046 --> 00:34:00,177
That's where we are.

482
00:34:00,177 --> 00:34:05,697
When you're lifting up your voice, "Thy will be done,"

483
00:34:05,697 --> 00:34:10,427
that is a prayer, that is a component of prayer,

484
00:34:10,427 --> 00:34:13,399
that is reaffirming surrender, every time.

485
00:34:13,399 --> 00:34:17,699
This is the attitude, this is the spirit, this is the heart

486
00:34:17,699 --> 00:34:20,778
that Christ is teaching His disciples

487
00:34:20,778 --> 00:34:24,578
ought to be evident, ought to be present,

488
00:34:24,578 --> 00:34:29,583
when we go - when we lift up our voices,

489
00:34:29,583 --> 00:34:34,023
when we turn our eyes to heaven,

490
00:34:34,023 --> 00:34:39,677
there should be this surrender to His will, a fresh surrender,

491
00:34:39,677 --> 00:34:41,511
a fresh reaffirming.

492
00:34:41,511 --> 00:34:45,271
That's what we find, all over again, new every morning,

493
00:34:45,271 --> 00:34:48,290
we're to acknowledge our surrender.

494
00:34:48,290 --> 00:34:52,090
There it is. Thy will be done.

495
00:34:52,090 --> 00:34:58,107
My house, my comforts, my pleasures, Lord, all of it,

496
00:34:58,107 --> 00:35:02,024
my convenience, my old age, my young age,

497
00:35:02,024 --> 00:35:05,024
I surrender all I am and have

498
00:35:05,024 --> 00:35:09,694
to Your will. Take me, have me, do with me as You desire.

499
00:35:09,694 --> 00:35:13,564
Thy will be done." (P)

500
00:35:13,564 --> 00:35:23,923
Brethren, resigned.

501
00:35:23,923 --> 00:35:27,924
Surrendered.

502
00:35:27,924 --> 00:35:30,664
To be used by the Lord as He wills.

503
00:35:30,664 --> 00:35:41,033
For some of us, it may mean, Lord, I surrender. I will go to Lebanon.

504
00:35:41,033 --> 00:35:45,573
And for somebody else it will mean, Lord, I surrender.

505
00:35:45,573 --> 00:35:55,563
I will not continue to hold on to this desire to go to Lebanon.

506
00:35:55,563 --> 00:36:04,214
Lord, I put my child on the altar. I surrender.

507
00:36:04,214 --> 00:36:09,587
Lord, if it's Your will that he still be lost a year from now, I surrender. (P)

508
00:36:09,587 --> 00:36:13,824
Brethren, in all this surrender, we're surrendering to His will.

509
00:36:13,824 --> 00:36:17,435
Still, in His will He tells us to pray; He tells us to pray in His name,

510
00:36:17,435 --> 00:36:20,874
He tell us to pray that our joy may be full.

511
00:36:20,874 --> 00:36:24,739
The thing is, surrendering to Him is not all drudgery.

512
00:36:24,739 --> 00:36:26,799
Surrendering to Him is surrendering to His love.

513
00:36:26,799 --> 00:36:28,557
It's surrendering to His kindness.

514
00:36:28,557 --> 00:36:31,436
It's surrendering to His goodness. It's surrendering to the reality

515
00:36:31,436 --> 00:36:33,810
that that child that I just laid on the altar

516
00:36:33,810 --> 00:36:36,810
may very well be saved next year.

517
00:36:36,810 --> 00:36:45,057
Brethren, there is fear - I know it -

518
00:36:45,057 --> 00:36:48,927
there is fear to speak this way to the Lord.

519
00:36:48,927 --> 00:36:50,457
There tends to be a hesitancy

520
00:36:50,457 --> 00:36:53,317
and there tends to be a reservation in us

521
00:36:53,317 --> 00:36:59,096
to willingly and honestly pass every single aspect of our life

522
00:36:59,096 --> 00:37:04,640
beneath the gaze of this all-allegiance-demanding Christ. We know it.

523
00:37:04,640 --> 00:37:07,216
There's a hesitation; there's a fear. Why?

524
00:37:07,216 --> 00:37:09,233
Because we don't know what tomorrow brings.

525
00:37:09,233 --> 00:37:12,233
We don't know what He may put us through.

526
00:37:12,233 --> 00:37:13,809
That's why we hesitate.

527
00:37:13,809 --> 00:37:16,809
Because when we put it all on the altar, you know what?

528
00:37:16,809 --> 00:37:22,222
When you put Isaac on the altar, He may demand Isaac.

529
00:37:22,222 --> 00:37:27,503
And you put it all out there, and we're afraid. We're often afraid.

530
00:37:27,503 --> 00:37:33,476
We have these fears that what if He takes away that thing that I just

531
00:37:33,476 --> 00:37:38,170
feel like I need. And I know that there's fears,

532
00:37:38,170 --> 00:37:42,340
because I know you - I know me.

533
00:37:42,340 --> 00:37:45,885
The fear is what will happen if I do surrender, especially that one

534
00:37:45,885 --> 00:37:54,952
particular area of my life? We fear. We hesitate. We get nervous.

535
00:37:54,952 --> 00:37:59,354
What will He require?

536
00:37:59,354 --> 00:38:05,513
He always requires things of us that we don't want to give up.

537
00:38:05,513 --> 00:38:10,588
And He gives us things that are far better

538
00:38:10,588 --> 00:38:15,918
than the things that we do give up.

539
00:38:15,918 --> 00:38:19,879
Brethren, He has not promised to call us to an easy road.

540
00:38:19,879 --> 00:38:24,670
And He's not promised to call us to a road without suffering.

541
00:38:24,670 --> 00:38:28,934
We need to be ready and resigned.

542
00:38:28,934 --> 00:38:31,574
The suffering is coming, brethren.

543
00:38:31,574 --> 00:38:34,574
The pain and the sorrows and the tears in this life.

544
00:38:34,574 --> 00:38:37,590
They're all ahead of us. But there's glory beyond that,

545
00:38:37,590 --> 00:38:41,260
and there's lots of glory in this life as well.

546
00:38:41,260 --> 00:38:44,693
And being surrendered to Him, He could bring revival tomorrow.

547
00:38:44,693 --> 00:38:47,010
He could bring cancer tomorrow.

548
00:38:47,010 --> 00:38:48,984
I mean, that's been the reality of church history.

549
00:38:48,984 --> 00:38:51,461
That's been the reality of our brethren that have gone before us.

550
00:38:51,461 --> 00:38:54,979
But being surrendered, we don't want to fight, because brethren,

551
00:38:54,979 --> 00:38:57,725
He never puts us through anything that isn't for our good.

552
00:38:57,725 --> 00:38:59,792
He always does what He does with purpose,

553
00:38:59,792 --> 00:39:02,792
and it is always done with love.(P)

554
00:39:02,792 --> 00:39:06,891
Brethren, I would just say this to us,

555
00:39:06,891 --> 00:39:11,115
As we hesitate, you think about this Christ

556
00:39:11,115 --> 00:39:14,815
Who demands all of our allegiance,

557
00:39:14,815 --> 00:39:19,238
has He not led you in the best possible way?

558
00:39:19,238 --> 00:39:21,278
Has He not been kind to you?

559
00:39:21,278 --> 00:39:24,797
We heard about His providences.

560
00:39:24,797 --> 00:39:27,797
Have they always been easy? No.

561
00:39:27,797 --> 00:39:29,565
But brethren, do we not have a promise in Scripture

562
00:39:29,565 --> 00:39:32,565
that they're all being worked out for our good?

563
00:39:32,565 --> 00:39:33,565
Do we not have the promise

564
00:39:33,565 --> 00:39:36,482
that as the Father loved Christ, He says, so I love you.

565
00:39:36,482 --> 00:39:40,648
Did He not tell us that He came to give us life more abundantly?

566
00:39:40,648 --> 00:39:42,984
You see, these things we hold onto.

567
00:39:42,984 --> 00:39:45,984
We get this idea, I have to protect this,

568
00:39:45,984 --> 00:39:49,715
because, Lord, the truth is I just really believe

569
00:39:49,715 --> 00:39:52,715
that I know how better to handle this thing

570
00:39:52,715 --> 00:39:54,541
than You do. Because I really think

571
00:39:54,541 --> 00:39:57,401
that if something happens to this over here,

572
00:39:57,401 --> 00:39:58,730
that I'm not going to be able

573
00:39:58,730 --> 00:40:01,550
to be happy and satisfied and content any longer.

574
00:40:01,550 --> 00:40:04,948
And I'm just really nervous about surrendering this thing to You,

575
00:40:04,948 --> 00:40:08,709
because You may come in and do something that I don't want You to do.(P)

576
00:40:08,709 --> 00:40:12,012
But brethren, we're just infants, we're children,

577
00:40:12,012 --> 00:40:15,012
we don't know what is best for us,

578
00:40:15,012 --> 00:40:17,388
and He knows, and I guarantee

579
00:40:17,388 --> 00:40:20,778
when He comes and He comes and He cuts,

580
00:40:20,778 --> 00:40:24,937
it is good. It is good for us. We can trust Him.(P)

581
00:40:24,937 --> 00:40:26,551
Brethren, has He not always done everything

582
00:40:26,551 --> 00:40:29,551
that leads us to believe we can trust Him?

583
00:40:29,551 --> 00:40:34,527
You see, it's a trust issue. That fear, when it crops up, it's a trust issue.

584
00:40:34,527 --> 00:40:37,882
And He tells us, "I love you!"

585
00:40:37,882 --> 00:40:42,536
He tells us, "I came that you might have life more abundantly."(P)

586
00:40:42,536 --> 00:40:46,521
Brethren, we try to hold on to things.

587
00:40:46,521 --> 00:40:48,941
And you as a Christian, you know this:

588
00:40:48,941 --> 00:40:50,521
How often have we been in that place,

589
00:40:50,521 --> 00:40:52,240
oh, we're trying to hold on to this thing?

590
00:40:52,240 --> 00:40:53,743
We're trying to protect this thing.

591
00:40:53,743 --> 00:40:56,743
And the longer we try to hold on to it and protect it,

592
00:40:56,743 --> 00:40:58,862
and keep it from Him, and shelter it,

593
00:40:58,862 --> 00:41:02,452
and hold it back, the more miserable we become.(P)

594
00:41:02,452 --> 00:41:06,148
And when you let it go, joy.

595
00:41:06,148 --> 00:41:16,249
The cases are manifold. Don Johnson and his arrowheads.

596
00:41:16,249 --> 00:41:21,834
Corrie Ten Boom and the Nazi's. You can read the chapter there...

597
00:41:21,834 --> 00:41:27,408
Hudson Taylor, those of you who got that, concerning the mission.

598
00:41:27,408 --> 00:41:28,938
Men and women throughout history,

599
00:41:28,938 --> 00:41:31,314
they come to these points of resignation,

600
00:41:31,314 --> 00:41:36,712
and what happens? Is it misery? No, it's joy.

601
00:41:36,712 --> 00:41:40,068
There is so much joy in surrender.

602
00:41:40,068 --> 00:41:41,888
Because brethren, when we're surrendered,

603
00:41:41,888 --> 00:41:43,996
He may take us through suffering,

604
00:41:43,996 --> 00:41:47,054
and He may take us through sorrows.

605
00:41:47,054 --> 00:41:52,726
You read about Richard Wormbrand, he's surrendered, surrendered,

606
00:41:52,726 --> 00:41:56,147
and there he is in his cell and the place glowed.

607
00:41:56,147 --> 00:41:58,700
The presence was so amazing.

608
00:41:58,700 --> 00:42:00,916
Surrendered. They would beat him.

609
00:42:00,916 --> 00:42:05,550
He said there were times when they would beat those prisoners,

610
00:42:05,550 --> 00:42:07,831
and with every stroke, he said

611
00:42:07,831 --> 00:42:11,471
he felt greater love for the guy that was beating him.

612
00:42:11,471 --> 00:42:15,851
It's like, "bang!" but being surrendered...(P)

613
00:42:15,851 --> 00:42:24,653
Brethren, there are blessings for those who walk a surrendered life.

614
00:42:24,653 --> 00:42:28,575
And to the degree as Christians that we walk that way,

615
00:42:28,575 --> 00:42:30,881
we are going to know joy.

616
00:42:30,881 --> 00:42:35,357
The Christians that are most difficult and most unruly

617
00:42:35,357 --> 00:42:39,894
and most trying to rule and govern their own lives,

618
00:42:39,894 --> 00:42:43,631
are the Christians that are going to be most miserable,

619
00:42:43,631 --> 00:42:46,819
and are going to feel the least amount of joy.

620
00:42:46,819 --> 00:42:51,159
And listen, if it's habitual with you,

621
00:42:51,159 --> 00:42:56,469
yeah I know what the Lord says, but I'm not doing it...

622
00:42:56,469 --> 00:42:59,548
I mean, you're the man that built his house on the sand.

623
00:42:59,548 --> 00:43:02,803
You cannot be His disciple.

624
00:43:02,803 --> 00:43:07,955
But see, we as Christians, we know this, do we not?

625
00:43:07,955 --> 00:43:13,172
Don't you have times in your life you feel surrendered,

626
00:43:13,172 --> 00:43:18,387
you desire to be surrendered, and then you have other times

627
00:43:18,387 --> 00:43:24,567
where that idol crept in? And you begin protecting it?

628
00:43:24,567 --> 00:43:26,227
And the Lord begins to deal with you,

629
00:43:26,227 --> 00:43:28,003
He begins to touch your conscience.

630
00:43:28,003 --> 00:43:31,548
You know it. You know what the thing is. You might try to deny it.

631
00:43:31,548 --> 00:43:34,631
You might try to look the other way, but you know.

632
00:43:34,631 --> 00:43:39,725
Doesn't He always test our surrender? He does.

633
00:43:39,725 --> 00:43:43,614
On a regular basis, He does. He tests us.

634
00:43:43,614 --> 00:43:47,809
Just like with those inner circle, just like John 6.

635
00:43:47,809 --> 00:43:54,245
Something's going on with other people, and He looks at you.

636
00:43:54,245 --> 00:44:02,286
"Are you surrendered to Me? All for me?"

637
00:44:02,286 --> 00:44:05,932
All.

638
00:44:05,932 --> 00:44:09,775
Beloved, it's an issue of trust.

639
00:44:09,775 --> 00:44:12,973
Does He demand our unconditional surrender?

640
00:44:12,973 --> 00:44:15,661
You know He does.

641
00:44:15,661 --> 00:44:19,596
But not as a tyrant.

642
00:44:19,596 --> 00:44:23,812
As One Who's come to save us. As One Who's come to take us to glory.

643
00:44:23,812 --> 00:44:29,405
As One Who's promised a thief next to Him paradise.

644
00:44:29,405 --> 00:44:33,155
This is the Christ Who promises paradise.

645
00:44:33,155 --> 00:44:37,300
He knows the way. When He says, "Follow Me," He's saying,

646
00:44:37,300 --> 00:44:45,330
"This is the way to God. This is the way to glory. Follow Me."

647
00:44:45,330 --> 00:44:50,463
That thing you think you need so much, let it go.

648
00:44:50,463 --> 00:44:52,773
Because He's going to say to us the same thing

649
00:44:52,773 --> 00:44:54,792
He said to the rich, young ruler,

650
00:44:54,792 --> 00:44:59,214
"You let that go, and you follow Me."

651
00:44:59,214 --> 00:45:03,806
And oh brethren, that is the sweet way, when we're following

652
00:45:03,806 --> 00:45:07,246
and we're resigned. He's never failed us.

653
00:45:07,246 --> 00:45:09,016
He's never given us reason to believe

654
00:45:09,016 --> 00:45:11,236
that He's not worthy of all of our trust.(P)

655
00:45:11,236 --> 00:45:17,150
Brethren, it's like Paul says, I appeal to you by the mercies of God,

656
00:45:17,150 --> 00:45:20,986
present yourselves as these living sacrifices.

657
00:45:20,986 --> 00:45:23,986
All for God. All on the altar.

658
00:45:23,986 --> 00:45:29,421
Totally surrendered.

659
00:45:29,421 --> 00:45:32,514
Brethren, has He not indicated to us

660
00:45:32,514 --> 00:45:37,944
that every single thing He takes away,

661
00:45:37,944 --> 00:45:42,802
it's always, always for a purpose.

662
00:45:42,802 --> 00:45:48,248
The Lord's dealings with us are never meaningless.

663
00:45:48,248 --> 00:45:54,373
He has a plan and it is perfect. And it is to make us into His image.

664
00:45:54,373 --> 00:45:58,598
And it's not the easy path. Brethren, I am not promising any of you that

665
00:45:58,598 --> 00:46:04,749
over the next year till we all meet again, that it is going to be easy.

666
00:46:04,749 --> 00:46:07,515
Some of us are going to discover such things, some of us

667
00:46:07,515 --> 00:46:12,368
are going to go through some glorious blessings.

668
00:46:12,368 --> 00:46:17,042
There's a time when He pours out that which we delight in,

669
00:46:17,042 --> 00:46:20,307
and there's a time when He pours out that which is difficult.

670
00:46:20,307 --> 00:46:23,759
Sometimes they're intermingled. But they're coming.

671
00:46:23,759 --> 00:46:26,058
Are you resigned?

672
00:46:26,058 --> 00:46:28,898
Yes, Lord, I'm resigned to what You say in the Word.

673
00:46:28,898 --> 00:46:33,069
I am resigned to love my wife, I'm resigned to submit to my husband,

674
00:46:33,069 --> 00:46:35,504
I'm resigned to train my children

675
00:46:35,504 --> 00:46:39,394
in the way that You would have me to train them,

676
00:46:39,394 --> 00:46:44,011
I am submitted with regards to their spiritual condition,

677
00:46:44,011 --> 00:46:47,559
Lord, my money is resigned, You say to store up treasure in heaven,

678
00:46:47,559 --> 00:46:51,408
I'm going to seek to do that. Use my possessions.

679
00:46:51,408 --> 00:46:54,070
I see that those brethren in the early days, they sold possessions

680
00:46:54,070 --> 00:46:55,658
to meet each others' needs;

681
00:46:55,658 --> 00:46:58,658
I recognize You want us to love one another;

682
00:46:58,658 --> 00:47:02,028
I recognize You want us to not forsake the assembling together;

683
00:47:02,028 --> 00:47:04,445
I recognize that when we have meals, we should invite people

684
00:47:04,445 --> 00:47:06,316
that can't pay us back.

685
00:47:06,316 --> 00:47:12,380
I recognize that You call us, Lord, to put to death sin in our lives.

686
00:47:12,380 --> 00:47:14,806
You call us to be people of prayer.

687
00:47:14,806 --> 00:47:18,456
You call us to be people that are abiding in Your Word.

688
00:47:18,456 --> 00:47:23,185
Lord, we recognize, You call us to surrender. You call us to follow.

689
00:47:23,185 --> 00:47:27,788
You call us to die. You call us to evangelize the world.

690
00:47:27,788 --> 00:47:34,524
Lord, You are calling us to walk through whatever comes, trusting,

691
00:47:34,524 --> 00:47:38,675
fully committed to allegiance to Him.(P)

692
00:47:38,675 --> 00:47:43,920
Brethren, when it gets hard, and it does get hard!

693
00:47:43,920 --> 00:47:49,997
Brethren, as we're resigned, He's going to stretch us.

694
00:47:49,997 --> 00:47:54,054
There's going to be seasons which are difficult.

695
00:47:54,054 --> 00:47:57,258
And there's going to be seasons when you feel like,

696
00:47:57,258 --> 00:48:01,080
I've tried to resign myself and it feels like He wants more and more

697
00:48:01,080 --> 00:48:03,843
and more and I don't hardly feel that I have the reserves to be

698
00:48:03,843 --> 00:48:08,759
able to give. Brethren, when it gets hard, you just let your eyes

699
00:48:08,759 --> 00:48:12,286
go over to the cross.

700
00:48:12,286 --> 00:48:15,286
You let them settle on the garden of Gethsemane.

701
00:48:15,286 --> 00:48:21,679
You watch Him being so wrenched that blood comes from Him.

702
00:48:21,679 --> 00:48:26,742
You watch His anguish, and you hear Him.

703
00:48:26,742 --> 00:48:32,426
"Not My will, but Thine be done."

704
00:48:32,426 --> 00:48:35,875
When it gets difficult, just set your eyes on Calvary.

705
00:48:35,875 --> 00:48:40,465
Set your eyes on our Lord's suffering: a Man of Sorrows,

706
00:48:40,465 --> 00:48:44,598
and He learned obedience as He went through all these sufferings,

707
00:48:44,598 --> 00:48:46,627
and He went, and He yet went forward,

708
00:48:46,627 --> 00:48:49,627
and He didn't depart from that line at all.

709
00:48:49,627 --> 00:48:53,765
Watch His example, because He's beckoning every one of us right now,

710
00:48:53,765 --> 00:48:55,472
"Follow Me."

711
00:48:55,472 --> 00:48:58,205
"Follow Me."

712
00:48:58,205 --> 00:49:00,157
Be committed. Brethren, go out of this place,

713
00:49:00,157 --> 00:49:01,417
this is the desire of my message today,

714
00:49:01,417 --> 00:49:03,971
we go out of this place committed

715
00:49:03,971 --> 00:49:06,572
to follow Him, committed to be people of His Word,

716
00:49:06,572 --> 00:49:09,540
committed to read it in His Word, and do it.

717
00:49:09,540 --> 00:49:12,352
Not be hearers only, but doers of this Word.

718
00:49:12,352 --> 00:49:15,944
Doers of the words of Christ; keeping His commandments,

719
00:49:15,944 --> 00:49:20,482
following Him, seeking to be like Him, seeking to imitate Him.

720
00:49:20,482 --> 00:49:27,017
He said, brethren, He has a yoke. A yoke.

721
00:49:27,017 --> 00:49:30,411
And He calls us to take that yoke.

722
00:49:30,411 --> 00:49:36,941
And a yoke, that's an instrument of surrender.

723
00:49:36,941 --> 00:49:40,627
And He said if you do, you'll know His rest.

724
00:49:40,627 --> 00:49:49,540
I want this to be a year of rest for all of us. Not an easy year. But rest.

725
00:49:49,540 --> 00:49:54,553
Because we've got the yoke on our necks.

726
00:49:54,553 --> 00:49:58,458
Oh brethren, there's simplicity.

727
00:49:58,458 --> 00:50:01,458
The Gospel just removes all sorts of complications, right?

728
00:50:01,458 --> 00:50:04,448
One Lord.

729
00:50:04,448 --> 00:50:07,410
That's simple. There's a great simplicity in that.

730
00:50:07,410 --> 00:50:13,368
And do you know who it's not? It's not me.

731
00:50:13,368 --> 00:50:21,714
We want to get away from that oxy-moron we heard about: "No, Lord."

732
00:50:21,714 --> 00:50:25,766
"Lord, I just think I know better

733
00:50:25,766 --> 00:50:30,586
how to deal with this situation than You do."

734
00:50:30,586 --> 00:50:34,866
Surrender. Yes, Lord. Say yes to Him.

735
00:50:34,866 --> 00:50:42,847
I want us all to leave here, "Yes, Lord." Yes.

736
00:50:42,847 --> 00:50:48,651
You are enough. If I have You, though you strip everything else away,

737
00:50:48,651 --> 00:50:55,012
I am satisfied. Brethren, surrender to His love.

738
00:50:55,012 --> 00:51:04,241
You look to that cross. He came to give His life as a ransom.

739
00:51:04,241 --> 00:51:09,026
Think of His love. Surrender to the love.

740
00:51:09,026 --> 00:51:11,210
If He did that for you, He certainly is not going to require

741
00:51:11,210 --> 00:51:14,210
anything of you that would harm you.

742
00:51:14,210 --> 00:51:16,481
Surrender, brethren, surrender.(P)

743
00:51:16,481 --> 00:51:23,221
Listen as we end here, just listen to this prayer that they would pray

744
00:51:23,221 --> 00:51:28,787
at these covenant renewal services again:

745
00:51:28,787 --> 00:51:31,090
This is what I want us resonating

746
00:51:31,090 --> 00:51:34,090
through ourselves and saying to the Lord.

747
00:51:34,090 --> 00:51:35,871
I want you to say this, brethren:

748
00:51:35,871 --> 00:51:43,863
"I am no longer my own."

749
00:51:43,863 --> 00:51:52,921
We need to think. We need to stop and think.

750
00:51:52,921 --> 00:51:58,131
And be honest. Be transparent.

751
00:51:58,131 --> 00:52:04,416
Lord, I am not my own. I belong to You.

752
00:52:04,416 --> 00:52:12,296
I've been bought with a price.

753
00:52:12,296 --> 00:52:19,219
Lord, by Your grace, I am going to seek to not live for myself.

754
00:52:19,219 --> 00:52:26,170
Not for my comfort and pleasure. Not for myself primarily.

755
00:52:26,170 --> 00:52:29,728
Lord, if You bring some measure of comfort,

756
00:52:29,728 --> 00:52:32,728
and if You bring some measure

757
00:52:32,728 --> 00:52:40,456
of worldly ease or good, I will praise Your name.

758
00:52:40,456 --> 00:52:52,419
I'm not mine. Lord, if it's to the desert...

759
00:52:52,419 --> 00:53:00,700
You singles, "Lord, if this time next year, You still want me single,

760
00:53:00,700 --> 00:53:08,772
Lord, it's not what I desire, but I surrender. Lord, I'm surrendered.

761
00:53:08,772 --> 00:53:12,295
If that's the path You want me to walk, I'm surrendered.

762
00:53:12,295 --> 00:53:17,710
I look to You, Lord, to give me the grace to be faithful to You,

763
00:53:17,710 --> 00:53:21,723
to walk that path that You have for me."

764
00:53:21,723 --> 00:53:26,397
Those of you that have a great desire for something,

765
00:53:26,397 --> 00:53:27,844
you can lay that on the altar.

766
00:53:27,844 --> 00:53:30,884
Not that you stop praying and asking the Lord

767
00:53:30,884 --> 00:53:34,796
to give you all manner of good things,

768
00:53:34,796 --> 00:53:36,856
but if the Lord chooses not to,

769
00:53:36,856 --> 00:53:44,243
I'm surrendered. If the Lord chooses to give it to me, I'm surrendered.

770
00:53:44,243 --> 00:53:49,421
I'm not mine, but Thine. Put me to what Thou wilt.

771
00:53:49,421 --> 00:53:53,451
Rank me with whom Thou wilt.

772
00:53:53,451 --> 00:53:58,483
Put me to doing. Put me to suffering. Let me be employed for Thee,

773
00:53:58,483 --> 00:54:05,840
or laid aside for Thee. Exalted for Thee or brought low for Thee.

774
00:54:05,840 --> 00:54:10,882
We can pray these things, being brought low for Christ.

775
00:54:10,882 --> 00:54:14,577
The valley of humiliation.

776
00:54:14,577 --> 00:54:19,597
And very often the devil meets you down in that valley.

777
00:54:19,597 --> 00:54:29,076
We're not talking about ease, but surrender and rest. Not ease.

778
00:54:29,076 --> 00:54:36,286
But we will find rest for our souls in this yoke.

779
00:54:36,286 --> 00:54:43,048
The yoke doesn't chafe, this is a good yoke, it takes you to glory.

780
00:54:43,048 --> 00:54:49,666
Let me be full. Let me be empty.

781
00:54:49,666 --> 00:54:54,176
Let me have all things, let me have nothing.

782
00:54:54,176 --> 00:55:06,916
I freely and heartily yield all things to Thy pleasure and disposal.

783
00:55:06,916 --> 00:55:13,060
And now O glorious and blessed God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit,

784
00:55:13,060 --> 00:55:17,597
Thou art mine and I am Thine, so be it.

785
00:55:17,597 --> 00:55:22,983
And the covenant that I have made on earth, let it be ratified in heaven.

786
00:55:22,983 --> 00:55:27,159
Amen.