Embracing Full Surrender: Following Jesus Wholeheartedly

Devotional

Day 1: Return to Simplicity

Reflect on your initial encounter with God and the simplicity of your faith at that time. Life with God is meant to be simple—giving up our own way, taking up our cross, and following Him. As life gets complicated, our walk with God should remain straightforward and focused. [12:40]

"But I am afraid that as the serpent deceived Eve by his cunning, your thoughts will be led astray from a sincere and pure devotion to Christ." (2 Corinthians 11:3, ESV)

Reflection: Think back to the time when you first encountered God. What was the most significant change in your life at that time? How can you return to that simplicity in your current walk with Him?

Day 2: Full Surrender

The life you are looking for in Jesus is on the other side of full surrender. This means laying down your rights and fully committing to His way. It's not about religious activity but a genuine relationship with God, who knows you intimately and has a purpose for your life. [13:38]

"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 area of your life where you find yourself holding back from surrendering to Jesus? What would surrendering this area to Him actually look like in terms of daily habits?

Day 3: Eliminate the Option to Go Back

Like Elisha, we must eliminate any possibility of returning to our old ways. Full surrender means burning the bridges to our past life and fully committing to the path God has for us. This radical commitment is essential for experiencing the fulfilling life Jesus offers. [16:59]

"And Elisha left the oxen and ran after Elijah and said, 'Let me kiss my father and my mother, and then I will follow you.' And he said to him, 'Go back again, for what have I done to you?' And he returned from following him and took the yoke of oxen and sacrificed them and boiled their flesh with the yokes of the oxen and gave it to the people, and they ate. Then he arose and went after Elijah and assisted him." (1 Kings 19:20-21, ESV)

Reflection: Is there something in your past that you keep returning to, preventing you from fully committing to God's path? What steps can you take today to "burn the plow" and eliminate the option to go back?

Day 4: Embrace Trials

Following Jesus involves trials and suffering, but He walks with us through them. Our Western culture often promotes a comfortable Christianity, but true discipleship requires embracing the hard times, knowing that they refine us and draw us closer to God. [24:21]

"Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing." (James 1:2-4, ESV)

Reflection: Think of a recent trial you have faced. How did you see God working in that situation? How can you embrace future trials with a mindset that they are opportunities for growth and deeper faith?

Day 5: Follow Jesus Wholeheartedly

Jesus is not just an influencer among many; He is our Savior and ultimate authority. We must follow Him wholeheartedly, eliminating any other options and fully committing to His way. This involves a return to the passionate, all-in faith we had when we first encountered Him. [32:20]

"And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength." (Mark 12:30, ESV)

Reflection: What distractions or influences are competing with Jesus for your attention and devotion? What practical steps can you take to ensure that Jesus remains your ultimate authority and focus?

Sermon Summary

### Summary

Today, we delved into Mark 8:34, where Jesus calls us to give up our own way, take up our cross, and follow Him. This call to full surrender is not just a one-time emotional experience but a lifelong commitment. Reflecting on our initial moments of encountering God, we remember the passion and simplicity of our faith. God desires for us to return to that simplicity, where our walk with Him is not complicated by life's distractions and complexities.

We explored the story of Elisha in 1 Kings 19:19-21, who demonstrated full surrender by burning his plow and slaughtering his oxen, eliminating any possibility of returning to his old life. This act symbolizes the kind of commitment Jesus asks of us. We must be willing to lay down our rights, go all in, and follow Him without looking back.

The life we seek in Jesus is found on the other side of full surrender. This means laying down our rights, taking up our cross, and following Him wholeheartedly. It's not about avoiding trials but embracing them, knowing that Jesus walks with us through them. Our Western culture often promotes a comfortable Christianity, but true discipleship requires a radical commitment that may involve suffering and sacrifice.

In conclusion, we are called to follow Jesus not as one of many influences in our lives but as our ultimate authority. This involves a return to the passionate, all-in faith we had when we first encountered Him. Today, let's recommit to this path of full surrender, knowing that the life we truly desire is found in following Jesus wholeheartedly.

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Key Takeaways

1. in faith we had when we first encountered Him. [32:20]
### [32:20]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[01:07] - Opening Prayer
[01:53] - Introduction to Mark 8:34
[02:45] - Remembering Your First Encounter with God
[04:11] - God Wants Everyone to Have an Encounter
[05:16] - Personal Testimony of Encounter
[10:28] - Theme of Mark 8:34
[12:00] - Life Gets Complicated
[12:40] - Return to Simplicity
[13:38] - Full Surrender
[14:53] - Elisha's Example of Full Surrender
[16:59] - Eliminate the Option to Go Back
[18:05] - Give Up Your Own Way
[19:38] - Lay Down Your Rights
[21:27] - Take Up Your Cross
[24:21] - Embrace Trials
[25:56] - Avoiding a Form of Godliness
[26:33] - Go All In
[28:39] - Testimonies of Long-Time Believers
[29:32] - Context of Mark 8:34
[30:25] - Romans 12:1
[31:18] - Jesus is Always Better
[32:20] - Follow Jesus Wholeheartedly
[33:17] - Call to Repentance
[34:44] - Response and Ministry Time

Bible Study Guide

Observation Questions

What does Jesus ask of those who want to follow Him according to Mark 8:34?
How did Elisha demonstrate his commitment to following Elijah in 1 Kings 19:19-21?
In the sermon, what was the significance of Elisha burning his plow and slaughtering his oxen? [16:59]
What does the pastor mean by "return to simplicity" in our walk with God? [12:40]

Interpretation Questions

Why is full surrender essential to experiencing the life Jesus offers, according to the sermon? [13:38]
How does the story of Elisha illustrate the concept of eliminating the option to go back to our old ways? [16:59]
What does it mean to "take up your cross" in the context of modern-day discipleship? [21:27]
How does embracing trials and suffering refine our faith and draw us closer to God? [24:21]

Application Questions

Reflect on your initial encounter with God. How can you return to the simplicity and passion of that time in your current walk with Him? [12:40]
What are some "plows" in your life that you need to burn to fully commit to following Jesus? How can you take steps to eliminate the option to go back? [16:59]
In what ways have you been holding onto your rights instead of laying them down for Jesus? How can you start surrendering these rights today? [18:05]
Think of a recent trial or difficult situation you faced. How did you see Jesus walking with you through it? How can this perspective help you embrace future trials? [24:21]
How can you ensure that Jesus is not just one of many influences in your life but your ultimate authority? What practical steps can you take to follow Him wholeheartedly? [32:20]
Identify one area of your life where you have been hesitant to go "all in" for Jesus. What changes can you make this week to fully surrender that area to Him? [21:27]
How can you cultivate a mindset of full surrender in your daily life, especially in a culture that promotes comfort and convenience? [24:51]

Sermon Clips

### Quotes for Outreach

1. "God never wanted us to go through life only with an intellectual understanding of him and a reasoning that he is God. He actually wants every single person to have a moment where you know that he is God, that you encounter him as God." [03:23] (14 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

2. "God wants you to have an emotional moment. Now, let me clarify. God doesn't want us to be emotional. Thank you, Jesus. But he's created us in his image. And God has emotions. And I thank God that he appeals to our emotions." [04:40] (12 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

3. "The life that you're looking for in Jesus is on the other side of full surrender. See, here's what I know about you, because we're all human, and we share this as human beings, is you're not looking for religious activity. You're not that bored that you just want to go through some motions, right?" [13:38] (23 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

4. "If you're here today and you're just checking out church, if you're at one of our locations and you're new to this whole thing, you're not here just to go through the motions. I believe you're here because you're saying, I need something and someone to tell me purpose that I've never heard and give me meaning that I've never heard before." [14:14] (15 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

5. "Stop looking back. Stop looking at the door that leads to the other options if this whole Jesus thing doesn't work out, because I'm here to tell you today, it will not work out as long as that door exists. And so today, sacrifice the ability, to go back." [17:34] (15 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

### Quotes for Members

1. "Do you remember the moment when you were first on fire for God? Like any believers, you've been in the room, you know, any of our locations, you've been serving God for any. You've been serving God for any period of time. And I'm talking about way back when your heart was first gripped by God." [02:45] (13 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

2. "Life with God really is that simple. And as you know, you read the Bible, it's as simple as saying just do what the word says. And you understand that that is infinitely complex. And it will take the rest of your life. And I get it. But this heart of ours is not to reason away the things of Scripture, not to reason away the things of God, and not to justify how our pursuit has changed, but just to come back as a 40-year-old, as a 50-year-old, as a 60-year-old, decades into your walk, and just say, God, it's gotten too complicated." [12:40] (27 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

3. "When you came to Jesus, you laid down your rights and you took up his rights that he gives us through the word and tells us in his word. If you lay down your rights, you will truly live. Psalm 16, 11, David writes this. You, God, make known to me, what? The path of life. And in your presence, there's fullness of joy. And at your right hand are pleasures forevermore." [20:53] (26 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

4. "Jesus said, no, if you wanna follow me, there's gonna be hard times. There's gonna be suffering. There's gonna be trials. But see, in our Western form of Christianity, it's like Jesus saves me from trials. That's not in the Bible. Jesus walks with us through trials. Jesus will use trials." [23:14] (19 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

5. "We gotta follow Jesus. He is the authority. His is the opinion that matters. His word is the word that is worth giving my life to. He is worth reading. He is worth following. He is worth worshiping. We follow him and never look back." [32:20] (16 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

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