Total Surrender: Loving God Above All Else
Summary
In this sermon, I was reminded of the importance of surrendering all aspects of my life to God. The speaker emphasized that this surrender could mean giving up something that is sinful or distracting me from the Kingdom, or it could mean giving something good to God so that He can use it more effectively for His glory. This surrender is a reflection of my deep love for Christ and a testament to my trust in the sufficiency of Christ's sacrifice on the cross. The speaker also highlighted the transformative power of a relationship with God, which not only grants forgiveness of sins but also brings satisfaction and meaning to life.
The sermon also underscored the necessity of loving God above all else. The speaker used the story of Abraham to illustrate this point, showing how Abraham's willingness to sacrifice his son Isaac demonstrated his supreme love for God. This love for God should be so profound that compared to it, our love for other things, even good things, should seem like hatred. This is the call to every Christian - to love Christ above everything else.
Key takeaways:
- God calls us to surrender all areas of our life to Him, whether it means giving up something sinful or giving something good to Him for His greater use ([21:36]).
- Trusting in the sufficiency of Christ's sacrifice on the cross is crucial in our journey of surrender and transformation ([22:48]).
- The sacrifice that Christ made on the cross not only grants us forgiveness of sins but also brings us into a satisfying, life-transforming relationship with God ([24:10]).
- Our love for God should be so profound that compared to it, our love for other things, even good things, should seem like hatred ([17:16]).
- The call to every Christian is to love Christ above everything else ([17:56]).
Study Guide
Main Points from the Sermon:
1. Abraham's obedience to God's command to sacrifice his son Isaac is a testament to his faith and trust in God's plan. Despite the emotional turmoil he must have felt, Abraham prepared meticulously for the sacrifice, demonstrating his willingness to obey God's command. [03:51]
2. The silence in the story is significant. We don't know what Abraham and Isaac are talking about, what questions Abraham is asking himself, or if he told Sarah about God's command. The only conversation we hear is when Isaac asks where the lamb for the burnt offering is, and Abraham replies that God will provide. [08:13]
3. God asks us to give up things in our lives, either because they are sinful or distract us from the kingdom, or because they are good things that God wants us to use more for his kingdom. When God asks us to give something up, we must trust that the sacrifice of Christ on the cross is enough. [21:36]
Bible Chapters for the Group to Read:
1. Genesis 22:1-19 - The story of Abraham's willingness to sacrifice Isaac.
2. Hebrews 11:17-19 - Abraham's faith in God's promise is highlighted.
Discussion Guide:
Observation Questions:
1. What are the key actions that Abraham takes in preparation for the sacrifice?
2. How does the silence in the story contribute to its overall impact?
3. What does Abraham's response to Isaac's question about the lamb for the burnt offering reveal about his faith?
Interpretation Questions:
1. How does Abraham's obedience to God's command reflect his faith and trust in God?
2. What might Abraham's silence throughout the journey to the mountain suggest about his emotional state?
3. How does the concept of giving up something for God's kingdom apply to our lives today?
Application Questions:
1. Can you recall a time when you had to obey God's command despite the emotional turmoil it caused? How did you handle it?
2. Have you ever experienced a moment of silence or uncertainty in your faith journey? How did you navigate through it?
3. What is something in your life that God might be asking you to give up or use more for his kingdom? How can you respond to this call?
Devotional
Day 1: Sacrificing Everything for God's Love
God's love is so profound and encompassing that it often calls us to let go of the things we hold dear. This is not a call to deprivation, but rather a call to experience the fullness of God's love, which surpasses all earthly possessions and desires.
Mark 10:17-22 - "As Jesus started on his way, a man ran up to him and fell on his knees before him. 'Good teacher,' he asked, 'what must I do to inherit eternal life?' 'Why do you call me good?' Jesus answered. 'No one is good—except God alone. You know the commandments: ‘You shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, you shall not defraud, honor your father and mother.’ 'Teacher,' he declared, 'all these I have kept since I was a boy.' Jesus looked at him and loved him. 'One thing you lack,' he said. 'Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.' At this the man’s face fell. He went away sad, because he had great wealth."
Reflection: Reflect on something in your life that you hold onto tightly, like the rich man in Mark 10:17-22. How might your relationship with God change if you were to loosen your grip on this thing?
Day 2: Giving Up or Giving to God
God calls us to surrender everything to Him, not out of a desire to control us, but out of a desire for us to experience true freedom and joy in Him.
Luke 14:33 - "In the same way, those of you who do not give up everything you have cannot be my disciples."
Reflection: In what areas of your life are you struggling to fully surrender to God, as suggested in Luke 14:33? What steps can you take to begin giving these areas over to Him?
Day 3: Addressing Sin and Idolatry
God calls us to put to death our earthly desires and habits that hinder our relationship with Him. This is not a call to self-deprivation, but a call to experience the fullness of life in Him.
Colossians 3:5-10 - "Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. Because of these, the wrath of God is coming. You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived. But now you must also rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator."
Reflection: Consider Colossians 3:5-10. What earthly desires or habits are you holding onto that may be hindering your relationship with God? How can you begin to address these issues?
Day 4: Trusting in the Sacrifice of Jesus
The sacrifice of Jesus is complete and final, providing us with the assurance of salvation and the freedom to live in relationship with God.
Hebrews 10:10-14 - "And by that will, we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. Day after day every priest stands and performs his religious duties; again and again he offers the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. But when this priest had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God, and since that time he waits for his enemies to be made his footstool. For by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy."
Reflection: Reflect on Hebrews 10:10-14. How does understanding the finality and completeness of Jesus' sacrifice impact your daily walk with God?
Day 5: Using Our Gifts for God's Kingdom
God has given each of us unique gifts and talents, not for our own glory, but for the building up of His kingdom and the service of others.
1 Peter 4:10-11 - "Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms. If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen."
Reflection: Based on 1 Peter 4:10-11, what gifts has God given you that you could use to serve others and glorify Him? How can you begin to use these gifts more intentionally?
Quotes
1. "Lost people are now walking with Jesus because of the career path that I have taken. That's what it means to give something up to Him. God asks that about every area of our life. It's either give it up because it's sinful or it distracts you for the kingdom, or it's give it to me because it's a good thing but God wants you to use it more than you have been for the sake of His kingdom, for the sake of His glory." - 21:36
2. "God provided a ram for Himself. It was to satisfy His own demand of Holiness and righteousness in Abraham's life that Abraham couldn't fulfill. In our lives as believers, as we give things up, as we let go of the sin and the stuff that distracts us from the kingdom, what we're doing in that moment is saying, 'Jesus, I trust in the way that I make my little sacrifices in my small world and my small life, I am trusting that the sacrifice that you made by giving up your son on the cross is enough to satisfy me.'" - 23:25
3. "If following you, God, means giving up everything, I will give it up. Even when God gives Isaac back, his relationship with Isaac has been changed. Yes, he still loves Isaac, but for the purpose of Abraham's heart, what he loves most is this God that has called him and everything else in his life is a distant second or third or seventh or tenth." - 15:24
4. "In comparison with our love for Christ, Our Love for others and even the good things that God has given us in this world will look tiny. Loving God, loving Christ more than anything means being willing to sacrifice everything." - 17:56
5. "If God does not ask you to give something up, he will ask you to give it to him. I want you to keep that thing, I'm going to allow you to keep that thing, but I want you to use it in such a way that that thing is now a part of your walk with me and your way of honoring me." - 20:26
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