Embracing Freedom Through Surrender to God

 

Summary

In today's message, we explored the profound concept of surrendering our will to God, drawing inspiration from a story in the series "Band of Brothers" and the teachings of Jesus. The story of Private Blythe, a soldier paralyzed by fear, illustrates the transformative power of accepting one's circumstances. Lieutenant Spears tells Blythe that true freedom comes when one accepts they are already dead, allowing them to function without fear. This parallels Jesus' call to deny oneself, take up the cross, and follow Him. The paradox is that by losing our life—our ego-driven desires and fears—we find true life.

Jesus' invitation to take up the cross is a call to die to our self-centered ambitions and embrace a life of surrender to God's will. This surrender is not about living in emptiness but about finding freedom from the trivial concerns that often consume us. The story of Dag Hammarskjöld, a humble statesman, further illustrates this point. His life and writings reveal a deep spiritual journey marked by self-surrender and a commitment to a meaningful existence.

The challenge is to make this surrender concrete in our daily lives. Whether it's through financial generosity or letting go of our need for control, we are invited to trust God with our resources and our future. Jesus assures us that by giving, we receive far more in return. This act of surrender is a daily decision, a prayer of "Your will be done," inviting us to turn our lives over to God's care.

Key Takeaways:

- True freedom comes from accepting our circumstances and surrendering our fears. By acknowledging that we are already "dead" to our self-centered desires, we can live without fear and embrace the life God has for us. [02:29]

- Jesus' call to take up the cross is an invitation to die to our ego-driven ambitions. By denying ourselves and following Him, we find a life that is far greater than anything we could achieve on our own. [03:11]

- Surrendering to God involves letting go of our attachment to trivial concerns. This detachment frees us from the petty and foolish things that often consume our thoughts and energy. [05:13]

- The life of Dag Hammarskjöld exemplifies the power of self-surrender. His spiritual journey and commitment to a meaningful existence remind us that surrendering to God leads to a life of purpose and fulfillment. [07:21]

- Making surrender concrete involves trusting God with our resources and future. By being generous and letting go of our need for control, we open ourselves to the abundant life that Jesus promises. [11:14]

Youtube Chapters:

[00:00] - Welcome
[01:44] - Story of Private Blythe
[02:29] - Freedom in Acceptance
[03:11] - Jesus' Call to Surrender
[04:24] - The Cross and Detachment
[05:13] - Freedom from Trivial Concerns
[06:00] - Dag Hammarskjöld's Journey
[07:21] - Meaning in Self-Surrender
[08:25] - Worth Dying For
[09:07] - Concrete Acts of Surrender
[10:03] - Trusting God with Resources
[11:14] - Generosity and Abundance
[12:04] - Turning Our Lives Over to God
[12:19] - Series and Book Information
[12:46] - Community and Prayer Invitation

Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide

Bible Reading:
1. Matthew 16:24-25 - "Then Jesus said to his disciples, 'Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it.'"
2. Luke 9:23 - "Then he said to them all: 'Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.'"
3. Philippians 2:3-4 - "Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others."

Observation Questions:
1. What does Jesus mean when He invites His followers to "take up their cross" in Matthew 16:24-25? How does this relate to the story of Private Blythe in the sermon? [03:11]
2. How does the concept of surrendering one's will to God appear in the life of Dag Hammarskjöld as described in the sermon? [07:21]
3. What are some of the "trivial concerns" mentioned in the sermon that people often need to detach from to find true freedom? [05:13]

Interpretation Questions:
1. How might accepting that we are "already dead" to our self-centered desires lead to a life of greater freedom and purpose, as discussed in the sermon? [02:29]
2. In what ways does the sermon suggest that surrendering to God can lead to a more meaningful and fulfilling life? [07:21]
3. How does the sermon illustrate the paradox of losing one's life to find it, particularly in the context of financial generosity and letting go of control? [11:14]

Application Questions:
1. Reflect on a fear or self-centered ambition that you struggle with. How can you begin to surrender this to God in your daily life? [03:11]
2. Consider a "trivial concern" that often consumes your thoughts. What practical steps can you take this week to detach from it and focus on what truly matters? [05:13]
3. How can you incorporate the prayer "Your will be done" into your daily routine to help you surrender your life to God's care? [04:08]
4. Identify a specific area in your life where you feel the need to control. What is one action you can take to trust God more with this area? [11:14]
5. Think of a way you can be financially generous this week, whether through giving to a cause or helping someone in need. How does this act of generosity help you practice surrender? [11:38]
6. Reflect on the life of Dag Hammarskjöld. What aspects of his journey of self-surrender can you apply to your own spiritual journey? [07:21]
7. How can you remind yourself daily of the freedom that comes from accepting your circumstances and surrendering your fears to God? [02:29]

Devotional

Day 1: Freedom Through Acceptance
True freedom is found in accepting our circumstances and surrendering our fears. This concept is illustrated through the story of Private Blythe, a soldier who was paralyzed by fear until he accepted his situation. Lieutenant Spears' advice to Blythe—that true freedom comes when one accepts they are already dead—mirrors the spiritual truth that by acknowledging our mortality and the futility of clinging to self-centered desires, we can live without fear. This acceptance allows us to embrace the life God has for us, free from the chains of fear and anxiety. [02:29]

"For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it." (Matthew 16:25, ESV)

Reflection: What fear or circumstance are you struggling to accept today? How can you invite God into this space to find freedom?


Day 2: The Call to Deny Ourselves
Jesus' call to take up the cross is an invitation to die to our ego-driven ambitions. By denying ourselves and following Him, we find a life that is far greater than anything we could achieve on our own. This paradoxical truth challenges us to let go of our self-centered goals and embrace a life of surrender to God's will. In doing so, we discover a deeper, more fulfilling existence that transcends our limited understanding and desires. [03:11]

"And he said to all, 'If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.'" (Luke 9:23, ESV)

Reflection: What is one ambition or desire you need to surrender to God today? How can you take a step towards denying yourself in this area?


Day 3: Detachment from Trivial Concerns
Surrendering to God involves letting go of our attachment to trivial concerns. This detachment frees us from the petty and foolish things that often consume our thoughts and energy. By focusing on what truly matters, we can live a life of purpose and fulfillment, unburdened by the distractions that seek to derail us from our spiritual journey. [05:13]

"Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth." (Colossians 3:2, ESV)

Reflection: Identify one trivial concern that has been consuming your thoughts. How can you shift your focus to what truly matters today?


Day 4: The Power of Self-Surrender
The life of Dag Hammarskjöld exemplifies the power of self-surrender. His spiritual journey and commitment to a meaningful existence remind us that surrendering to God leads to a life of purpose and fulfillment. By following his example, we can embark on our own journey of self-surrender, trusting that God will guide us towards a life of significance and impact. [07:21]

"I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me." (Galatians 2:20, ESV)

Reflection: What does self-surrender look like for you? How can you begin to live a life that reflects Christ living in you?


Day 5: Trusting God with Our Resources
Making surrender concrete involves trusting God with our resources and future. By being generous and letting go of our need for control, we open ourselves to the abundant life that Jesus promises. This act of surrender is a daily decision, inviting us to turn our lives over to God's care and experience the freedom and abundance that comes from living in alignment with His will. [11:14]

"Honor the Lord with your wealth and with the firstfruits of all your produce; then your barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will be bursting with wine." (Proverbs 3:9-10, ESV)

Reflection: In what area of your life are you holding back from trusting God with your resources? What step can you take today to practice generosity and surrender?

Quotes


The only hope you have is to accept the fact that you are already dead and the sooner you accept that the sooner you will be able to function as a soldier is supposed to function. [00:02:21]

Whoever wants to be my disciple now this is the third step must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me for whoever wants to save their life will lose it that is if I think I can be in control and make myself the center of the life my life and make my will and my ego run things which I'm so prone to do I want to have this I want to be recognized I want more success I want more money and that way is death and then I will lose my life but whoever loses their life I have died to those kind of petty small-minded ignoble dreams uh receives back something far far greater. [00:03:05]

I hear the voice of God saying to me you give me everything and I will give you everything and it is the this strange truth the will is made to surrender to God this is what we're talking about today so I'm want to invite you today to say this prayer your will be done God your will be done as best I can as concretely as I can I want to surrender I want to turn my life and my will over to you. [00:03:50]

The strange Freedom that comes to us in surrender is a kind of Detachment from all the petty stupid foolish stuff that my soul on its own is attached to and that my willpower cannot free me from and oh God help me die to that help me die to that help me die to that not so that I live with emptiness and pain and anguish and holess forever but so that I can come alive to something greater the will was made to surrender to God because somehow when we surrender to what is good when we take my own desires and my ego off the throne then it's like I'm put into this gulf stream of spiritual reality where I can actually find life. [00:05:13]

Some of the most inspiring words about this that I know were written by a man named dag hamers shold and he was a Swedish Statesman John Kennedy said that he was the greatest Statesman of the 20th century and he was the um youngest man ever named Secretary General of the United Nations he was stunned by this he was quite a humble person LED quite a humble life and uh it was on um April 1st 1953 that he was initially informed by journalist that the councel at the UN had named him Secretary General he thought it was an April Fool's joke I'm not making this up he got three phone calls from ger saying hey you're the man before he actually believed it himself and he served with enormous distinction uh he died when he was on his way on a peacekeeping mission to the Congo in a plane crash and to this day the circumstances of that crash are mysterious and disputed and he may well have been murdered because of his efforts after he died they discovered a book he had started it when he was quite a young man it was the only book that he ever published and it was uh published posthumously interestingly he was also the guy only person ever to receive the Nobel Prize for Peace that was awarded postumus and in this book there was an enormous spiritual journey his relationship with God that was revealed and it was was remarkably deep. [00:06:00]

I don't know who or what put the question I don't know when it was put I don't even remember answering but at some moment I did answer yes to someone or something and from that hour I was certain that existence is Meaningful and that therefore my life in selfs surrender had a goal. [00:07:53]

The person who does not have something to Worth Dying For has nothing worth living for and so Jesus comes again to you and me today in the midst of our attachments to whatever is small and Petty and issues that same great invitation if you would follow me then deny yourself take up your cross die regard yourself as dead and there's a kind of freedom of that I know I know I know it sounds like bad news I know everything inside us screams against doing this but if I will die to everything that is small and Petty and ignoble then at last I can come alive give me everything and I will give you everything your will be done that's the third step. [00:08:28]

There's always a danger in the spiritual life in a moment I might be moved about the beauty of a thought and think oh yes God I surrender all I surrender all and then the next moment somebody ask me to do something like no I'm been surrendered all so just to make this quite concrete very often in Jesus day now in in recovery circles in AA often it will involve alcohol that's part of the Beauty and the power of uh this way of life as folks will remember every day I'm not drinking anymore if you don't have an identified Addiction in that way you might just start with money and Just Surrender some money today in a way that you wouldn't otherwise do because we live in a world that uh has a big agenda for your money. [00:09:13]

Trust me with your money don't worry about tomorrow don't worry about what you're going to eat or what you're going to wear give and it will be given to you give and it will be given to you be generous and sometimes there's people who surrender like zakus give half everything I have to the poor pay back all the people I've defrauded four times that and then sometimes there's people that will not surrender like the Rich Young Ruler so today just to make surrender concrete uh there'll be an opportunity that you will have to give maybe it will be somebody that you see on the street somebody that's homeless I know that's not the best way to systemically combat poverty but still or maybe it's to send money to a worthy cause to be giving as lots of us are right now with the fires that have been going on in Southern California to bring relief there uh my old school Fuller is in the middle of all that they've got a fund and that's one of the things that n and I have given to just today sometime as a way of making surrender will your will be done your will be done made the decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God that's the prayer that's the invitation keep coming back it works if you work it. [00:11:04]

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Transcript
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