LIVE | Surrender Fully | 1 Kings 13:11-32 | Ascend Church

God's summons to surrender is presented with sharp clarity: obedience to the revealed word of God matters more than spiritual pedigree, eloquence, or past faithfulness. A prophet from Judah obeyed an explicit command, began faithfully, and became a public witness. Yet familiarity with spiritual language and an apparently godly man’s contrary word seduced him into one small, seemingly reasonable compromise — he ate and drank where God had forbidden him. That single allowance unraveled into death and public disgrace, not because ritual acts were intrinsically evil but because trust was broken and direction was abandoned.

The narrative exposes three stages of spiritual failure and the corresponding call to perseverance: start surrendered, stay surrendered, and finish surrendered. The danger comes not only from overt enemies but from well-meaning, respected insiders who can confuse, rationalize, or counterfeit God’s voice. Scripture functions as the communal GPS and seat belt: clear, public, and life-preserving. Even when human messengers fail, God’s purposes advance; the original word against idolatry still comes to pass.

Yet grace and the gospel remain central. The story’s tragic outcome is juxtaposed with Jesus’ perfect obedience — He started, stayed, and finished fully surrendered, securing redemption where human obedience fell short. The remedy is not merely moral resolve but renewed reliance on the crucified and risen Christ: lay down the counterfeit assurances, pick up forgiveness, and walk the path God has marked. The practical pastoral invitation is immediate: respond now, let go of spiritual lies, and realign life with what God has actually said so that surrender becomes a posture lived through to the end.

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Key Takeaways

• 1. Start surrendered to God's word Obedience begins when one accepts God’s instruction as authoritative and immutable. Starting surrendered is not just initial fervor; it’s a public commitment grounded in what God has already declared, creating a testimony others will remember. That initial fidelity becomes the hinge upon which future faithfulness turns. [69:57]
• 2. Discern spiritual voices carefully Not every authoritative voice belongs to God, and spiritual language can mask deception. Discernment measures words against God’s revealed instructions rather than charisma, tenure, or appearance. Learning to test claims—even from respected leaders—preserves the soul from drift. [66:18]
• 3. Small compromises bring great ruin One concession can truncate a calling; tiny choices compound into catastrophic consequences. The narrative shows how what seems harmless in context becomes deadly when it severs trust in God’s directions. Spiritual safety is maintained by small, steady refusals to rationalize disobedience. [82:43]
• 4. Finish surrendered like Jesus True hope rests in Christ, who fulfilled perfect obedience where humans failed. Finishing surrendered means trusting God's completed work and allowing that obedience to shape persistent faithfulness. The cross assures that failures are not final and calls believers to persevere to the end. [92:04]

Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [23:06] - Opening prayer & reflection
• [24:40] - Praise reports and testimonies
• [29:49] - Community welcome & guests introduced
• [30:19] - Guest background and calling
• [31:03] - Juneau mission: vision and needs
• [44:40] - Kids dismissal and prayer
• [52:36] - GPS analogy: spiritual guidance
• [56:01] - Scripture reading & theme verse
• [60:31] - Man of God confronts Jeroboam
• [66:18] - Old prophet’s deception revealed
• [78:07] - Consequences: lion and warning
• [87:23] - Burial, grace, and God’s plan
• [94:27] - Invitation to respond / altar call
• [103:14] - Extended worship & closing

Here is a Bible study guide based on the sermon summary:

Bible Reading

1 Kings 13:11-19 (ESV)
Now an old prophet lived in Bethel. And his sons came and told him all that the man of God had done that day in Bethel. They also told to their father the words that he had spoken to the king. And their father said to them, “Which way did he go?” And his sons showed him the way that the man of God who came from Judah had gone. And he said to his sons, “Saddle the donkey for me.” So they saddled the donkey for him, and he mounted it. And the old prophet went after the man of God and found him sitting under an oak. And he said to him, “Are you the man of God who came from Judah?” And he said, “I am.” Then the old prophet said to the man of God, “Come home with me and eat bread.” But he said, “I may not return with you or go in with you. Neither will I eat bread nor drink water with you in this place, for it was said to me by the word of the Lord, ‘You shall neither eat bread nor drink water there, nor return by the way that you came.’” And the old prophet said to him, “I also am a prophet as you are, and an angel spoke to me by the word of the Lord, saying, ‘Bring him back with you into your house that he may eat bread and drink water.’” But he lied to him.

1 Kings 13:20-24 (ESV)
And as they sat at the table, the word of the Lord came to the prophet who had brought him back. And he cried to the man of God who came from Judah, “Thus says the Lord: ‘Because you have disobeyed the word of the Lord and have not kept the command that the Lord your God commanded you, but have come back and have eaten bread and drunk water in the place of which he said to you, “Eat no bread and drink no water,” your body shall not come to the tomb of your fathers.’” And after he had eaten bread, and after he had drunk, he saddled the donkey for the prophet whom he had brought back. And as he went away, a lion met him on the road and killed him. And his body was thrown in the road, and the donkey stood beside it, and the lion also stood beside the body.

Galatians 6:1 (ESV)
Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted.

Philippians 2:8 (ESV)
And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.

Observation questions

1. What was the explicit command given to the man of God from Judah regarding his return journey? [01:04:52]
2. How did the old prophet claim to receive his instruction to bring the man of God back? [01:06:18]
3. What was the consequence for the man of God after he ate and drank with the old prophet? [01:18:30]
4. According to Philippians 2:8, to what extent did Jesus demonstrate obedience?

Interpretation questions

1. The summary states, "The narrative exposes three stages of spiritual failure and the corresponding call to perseverance: start surrendered, stay surrendered, and finish surrendered." How does the story of the man of God illustrate the danger of failing to "stay surrendered"? [01:11:08]
2. The summary mentions, "Scripture functions as the communal GPS and seat belt: clear, public, and life-preserving." How does the man of God's experience demonstrate the importance of relying on God's revealed word, even when a seemingly spiritual person offers contrary advice? [01:05:14]
3. Galatians 6:1 advises those who are spiritual to "restore him in a spirit of gentleness" while also warning to "keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted." How can these two seemingly opposing ideas work together in practice when dealing with someone who has fallen into sin? [01:23:30]
4. The summary contrasts the failure of the man of God with Jesus' perfect obedience. How does Jesus' obedience, as described in Philippians 2:8, provide a solution where human obedience falls short?

Application questions

1. The sermon highlighted that "obedience begins when one accepts God’s instruction as authoritative and immutable." [01:09:57] Think about a time when God's direction for your life felt clear. What were the circumstances, and how did you respond?
2. We are warned that "Not every authoritative voice belongs to God, and spiritual language can mask deception." [01:06:18] When have you encountered a situation where a voice that sounded spiritual led you in a direction contrary to what you felt God was clearly telling you? How did you discern the truth?
3. The message emphasized that "One concession can truncate a calling; tiny choices compound into catastrophic consequences." [01:22:43] Can you identify a "small compromise" in your life that, in hindsight, had larger repercussions than you initially anticipated?
4. The sermon invited us to "lay down the counterfeit assurances, pick up forgiveness, and walk the path God has marked." [01:36:07] What are some "counterfeit assurances" you might be holding onto, and what would it look like to actively choose God's forgiveness and direction instead?
5. The call to "finish surrendered" is a call to persistent faithfulness. [01:32:55] In what specific area of your life do you feel God is calling you to persevere in surrender, even when it's difficult?
6. The story of the man of God serves as a warning. How can we actively guard ourselves against spiritual drift, especially when the temptation comes from familiar or seemingly godly sources? [01:11:31]
7. Jesus' perfect obedience is presented as the ultimate example of finishing surrendered. [01:32:04] How can reflecting on Jesus' sacrifice and obedience empower you to remain surrendered to God's will in your own life?