Surrender!
🗣️ Speaker: Pastor Derrel Strickland
This message from Pastor Strickland delves into the challenging yet essential theme of surrendering to God, highlighting the need for Christians to offer themselves as living sacrifices to be fully equipped for every good work. Through reflections on Jeremiah's prophecies and Jesus' ultimate example of surrender in Gethsemane, the message urges believers to overcome their self-driven nature and align their wills with God's, emphasizing the transformative power of obedience and faith.
The core takeaway from Pastor Strickland's sermon is the profound importance of surrendering to God, highlighting that true spiritual growth, freedom, and readiness for God's work stem from willingly offering ourselves as living sacrifices. By embracing surrender, we align our will with God's, overcome our self-centric nature, and embark on a path marked by divine guidance and purpose.
Additional Info
The info below was generated by an AI from the audio recording of the sermon.
Embracing Surrender: A Lesson from Pastor Strickland's Sermon
In a poignant and thought-provoking sermon, Pastor Strickland explores the concept of surrender to God, urging believers to present themselves as living sacrifices in alignment with divine will. This blog delves into the essence of his message, shedding light on why surrender is not just an act of giving up but a profound commitment to spiritual growth and obedience.
The Power of Surrender in Faith
Surrender, as Pastor Strickland explains, is a fundamental yet challenging aspect of the Christian faith. Drawing inspiration from the prophets Jeremiah, Isaiah, and Ezekiel, he reminds us of the pivotal moments when surrender could have altered the course of history for the Israelites. Yet, the core of his message lies in the New Testament, where Jesus exemplifies surrender in the Garden of Gethsemane, choosing God's will over human desire.
Overcoming Self with Divine Help
The struggle against the self is a recurring theme in Pastor Strickland's sermon. He candidly shares his own battles with pride and self-reliance, echoing the sentiments of many Christians who find it difficult to let go of control. However, through biblical examples and personal reflections, Pastor Strickland makes a compelling case for why surrendering to God leads to true freedom and fulfillment.
The Role of Communion in Surrender
Communion, as highlighted in the sermon, serves as a poignant reminder of the ultimate act of surrender by Jesus Christ. Pastor Strickland calls on the congregation to view communion not just as a ritual but as a moment of deep personal commitment to surrendering all aspects of life to God. This act of faith, he argues, is what allows believers to live as true living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God.
A Call to Action: Walking Every Day as Living Sacrifices
Pastor Strickland's sermon is not just a call to reflection but a call to action. He encourages believers to examine their lives and identify areas where surrender can lead to greater spiritual growth and effectiveness in God's kingdom. By embracing surrender, Christians can overcome the limitations of self and step into a life marked by divine purpose and power.
Conclusion
Pastor Strickland's sermon on surrender challenges believers to reconsider their approach to faith and obedience. In a world that often celebrates self-sufficiency, the call to surrender to God's will is both counter-cultural and deeply transformative. Through surrender, we find the path to true freedom, spiritual growth, and a deeper, more meaningful relationship with God.
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Use the questions listed below as a launching point to discuss the sermon points together as a family. These are great for dinner table discussions and small groups.
What does surrender mean to you personally, and why can it often feel counterintuitive?
How do the examples of Jeremiah and Jesus help us understand the nature and necessity of surrender?
In what areas of your life do you find it most difficult to surrender to God's will?
Can you share a time when surrendering to God led to unexpected blessings or growth?
How can we practice surrender in our daily lives and decision-making?
What fears or misconceptions might hinder us from fully surrendering to God?
How does the concept of being a 'living sacrifice' challenge your understanding of worship and service?
In what ways can surrender impact our relationships with others and our community?
How can we help and encourage each other to live lives of surrender?
What practical steps can we take to cultivate a heart of surrender, even in challenging times?
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Connecting our kids to what we as adults are learning and hearing on Sundays is vital to passing on our faith to the next generation. Use the summary below as a great way to talk about the message we heard with your kids.
In this week's sermon, Pastor Derrel talked about a really important word—surrender. It's kind of like when we're playing a game, and we decide to follow the rules so everyone can have fun. God asks us to surrender, or follow His rules because He knows what's best for us. He tells us stories about people like Jeremiah who had to listen really hard to God, even when it was tough. And about Jesus, who loved us so much that he followed God's plan, even when it was scary. So, when we decide to do things God's way, it's like we're giving Him a big 'Yes! I trust you!' and that makes Him very happy and our lives better.
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The sermon draws upon the historical context of Jeremiah's time, a period marked by political upheaval and spiritual waywardness among the Israelites. Jeremiah, often called the 'weeping prophet,' ministered during the decline of the Kingdom of Judah, culminating in the Babylonian exile. His calls for surrender to the Babylonians were counter-cultural and reflective of a deeper spiritual surrender to God's will, emphasizing trust in God amidst adversity. This message resonates with the broader biblical narrative of redemption, where surrender to God's plans unfolds in unexpected ways, leading to salvation and restoration.
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There are some messages that are much easier to preach than others. And after preaching this message, the first service, I come to the conclusion it may be just for me, but I love preaching about God's love, his mercy, his forgiveness, his power, so many things. But the Bible tells us that the Bible is profitable for reproof, correction and training.
Now, the word training literally means instruction, which aims at the increase of training and righteousness and virtue. Now, why do we need training? The rest of that verse says, so that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work. How many thinks that we as Christians, we need to be equipped for every good work? I said, we need to be equipped for every good work.
Now, I consider myself an optimist. Somebody said, well, what's an optimist? An optimist is a person that falls out of a 20 story building, and as he passed the 10th floor, says, so far so good. And I also consider myself as a fighter.
I don't believe in giving up. I keep fighting. I remember Carl Straiter told me early in my ministry, says to keep plugging, plodding and praying.
Good advice. I'm also a competitor. It ain't over till the fat lady sings and the fat lady ain't even tuning up yet.
So I'm a competitor. So this message this morning, it's hard for me to preach because it goes against this human nature. How many knows that? A lot of godly things goes against human nature, about the human element, but it's one that's necessary.
And it's necessary because even if you don't need to hear it, I need to hear it. I need to hear it. How many will say this morning, God, I'm listening to it.
I'm willing to listen to what you're saying to the church. Are you willing to do that? But would you add to it, help me not only to listen, but to be able to respond. Turn to your neighbor and says, you listen for me and I listen for you, and we'll both agree to listen to see what the church, what God has to say to the church.
I've had this message on my heart for several weeks. Somebody asked me last week. Well, have you been enjoying your time off? I didn't realize I'd had time off.
I just didn't preach here. I preached somewhere else, but not here. But as I was studying Old Testament prophets, I saw something in Jeremiah and Isaiah and Ezekiel.
They were written about the same know in the same time frame, and they were wrote and addressed to the people of Israel that would be taken away into exile. I want us to go to the book of Jeremiah and see what Jeremiah says in Jeremiah, chapter 38, verse two. Now, I know we read this, I believe, on a Wednesday night not too long ago, but let's pick up there again.
Thus says the Lord, he who stays in this city shall die by the sword. Now, what city was he talking about? He talking about Jerusalem. They will die by the sword or by famine and by pestilence.
Now, I don't know about you, but I wouldn't want to choose either one of those. Famine, sword, or pestilence. But he who goes out to the Chaldeans shall live.
He that surrenders shall live. He shall have his life as a prize of war and live. Thus says the lord, this city shall surely be given into the hand of the army of the king of Babylon and be taken.
Then the official said to the king, let this man be put to death. What man's he talking about? Talking about Jeremiah. For he is weakening the hands of the soldiers who are left in this city and the hands of all the people by speaking such words to them.
For this man is not seeking the welfare of this people, but their harm. King Zedekiah said, behold his in your hands, for the king can do nothing against you. So they took Jeremiah and cast him into the cistern of Malka, the king's son, which was in the court of the guard, letting Jeremiah down by the ropes.
By ropes. And there was no water in the cistern, but only mud. And Jeremiah sank in the mud.
Oh, man, that wouldn't be very good, would it? They put him in the cistern. Now, cistern's where they collected water, but it was all dried up, except mud. And I don't know how far he'd sunk up into that mud.
But if you've ever been around a pig pen, it don't take a whole lot of mud to stink. And he was in there with really no intentions of bringing it out. They expected to leave him there.
That was the setting. All because he said, folks, you need to surrender. That goes against my grain.
Does that bother any of you to say you need to surrender? It does me, the human element of me. I don't want to surrender. I want to keep plugging.
I want to keep fighting. I want to keep walking. But Jeremiah said, fellas, you need to surrender now.
He didn't say it specifically then, but let's keep on reading. Go down to verse 14. Then King Zedekaya sent for Jeremiah the prophet.
Now where was he? He was in the cistern and received him at third interest of the temple of the Lord. The king said to Jeremiah, I will ask you a question, hide nothing from me. And Jeremiah said to Zedekai, if I tell you, will you not surely put me to death? Said, last time I said it, you threw me in a cistern.
Are you going to put me to death? And if I give you counsel, you will not listen to me. Then king Zedekiah swore secretly to Jeremiah, as the lord lives, who made our souls, I will not put you to death or deliver you into the hand of those men who seek your life. Then Jeremiah said to Zedekiah, thus says the Lord, the God of hosts, the God of Israel, if you will surrender to the officials of the kings of Babylon, then your life shall be spared, and this city shall not be burned with fire, and you and your house shall live.
Now let me read that verse again, because I did not really notice this until this morning. And this city, if you will surrender to the officials of the king of Babylon, then your life shall be spared, and this city shall not be burned with fire, and you and your house shall live. That was a promise to Zedekiah.
But if you do not surrender to the officials of the king of Babylon, then this city shall be given into the hands of the Chaldeans, and they shall burn it with fire, and you shall not escape from their hand. And king Zedekiah said to Jeremiah, I am afraid of the Judeans who have deserted to the Chaldeans, lest I be handed over them, and they deal cruelly with me. Jeremiah said, you shall not be given to them.
Obey now the voice of the lord and what I say to you, and it shall be well with you, and your life shall be spared. But if you refuse to surrender, this is the vision which the Lord has shown to me. Behold, all the women left in the house of the king of Judah were being led out to the officials of the king of Babylon and were saying, your trusted friends have deceived you and prevailed against you.
Now that your feet are what, stuck in the mud, they turn away from you. All your wives and your sons shall be led to the Chaldeans. And you yourself shall not escape from their hands, but shall be seized by the king of Babylon, and this city shall be burned with fire.
Reason I read that verse again earlier is because I kind of got the impression that if they would have surrendered, Jerusalem would have been spared. Isn't that what it said? But if you don't surrender, the city is going to be ransacked, the temple will be torn down, the city will be burned. And we know that that's exactly what happened because they refused to surrender.
Now, what a statement. Everything in my carnal body, or maybe I should say in my human nature, rebels at that. Dave Jenkins.
I don't like to give up. I don't want to surrender. I want to keep fighting.
But he says, you've got to learn to surrender. Now, why do you think? Why is my human nature like that? Well, part of it's my heritage. My dad always said, boys, if you're going to fight, make sure the first lick counts.
And he also said, if I ever catch you picking a fight, you're going to get a whooping. Anybody know what that was? A whooping. But he said, if I catch you running from a fight, you're going to get a whooping.
So we were willing to fight at the drop of the hat, and we've even been known to knock the hat off. So that goes against my grain, to surrender. I believe here in America we can say we're Americans.
We don't surrender. I said we don't surrender. I mean, Japan found that after Pearl harbor.
We don't surrender. We fight. But I believe the real reason I don't like to surrender, because I like to cater to self.
See, my biggest enemy is not the democratic or the republican party. My biggest enemy is self. I have to deal with myself.
I hear people say, boy, the devil's been giving me a fit. Devil don't have time to fool with me. Self gives me all the trouble I need.
I have to deal with self. Do you have to deal with self? So what does surrender mean? It means to yield, to present, to give. Now, let's go over to the book of Hebrews.
Hebrews, chapter five, verse five. So also, Christ did not exalt himself to be made a high priest, but was appointed by him. Now, who appointed Christ to be high priest? It tells you, you are my son.
Today I've begotten you. He says, also in another place, you are a priest forever. After the order of Melchizedek in the days of his flesh.
What was the days of his flesh? As long as Jesus was in his earthly body, he had to fight everything that you and I have to fight. See, Jesus was fully God, but it was also what fully man. So in the days of his flesh, Jesus had to deal with self.
But Jesus offered up prayers and supplications with loud cries and tears to him who was able to save him from death. And he was heard because of his reverence. Now, that word reverence, some translations say fear, but the word literally means reverential fear or godly fear.
Because Jesus feared God. Although he was a son, he learned obedience through what he suffered. And being made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey him, being designated by God.
A high priest after the order of Melchizedek. Now back up a few verses to chapter four. We need to see this.
Chapter four, verse 14. Since then, we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens. Who is it? Jesus, the son of God.
For we do not, excuse me, Jesus, the son of God. Let us hold fast. In other words, we don't give up on that.
Let's hold on to that. Let's hold fast our confession. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.
Now, what in the world does that mean? Go back to that scripture with in the days of his flesh. In the days of his flesh, Jesus was tempted. Every way that you've ever been tempted, every way that you've ever been tempted.
That's powerful. He was tempted, yet what happened? He was without sin. Let us then, with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
Now, with these things in mind, let's go back over to the Book of Matthew. Book of Matthew. This story is recorded in other gospels, but Matthew is a little bit clearer.
Matthew, chapter 26. This happened the last night. The last night that Jesus was in his human body.
He'd just left the upper room. He'd had a great time with his disciples, even though Judas was going to betray him. And he told them that even though he told Peter, he said, before the cock grows, you'll deny me three times.
And they left that meeting, and they went to Gethsemane. And then Jesus went with them to a place called Gethsemane. And he said to his disciples, sit here while I go over there and pray.
And taking with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee. That was James and John. He began to be sorrowful and troubled.
That tells me one thing, that Jesus was fully human. They began to be sorrowful and troubled. Then he said to them, my soul is very sorrowful, even to death.
Remain here and watch with me. And going a little further, he fell on his face and said, praying, saying, my father, if it be possible, let this cup pass for me nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will. What was he saying? What was he saying? He said, lord, he's saying, God, I'm surrendering to you.
I'm surrendering to you. Not my will, but your will be done. And he came to the disciples and found them sleeping.
And he said to Peter, so, could you not watch with me 1 hour watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak. Now I have to ask myself this question.
Do you think maybe if Peter would have spent that time praying, he'd had enough strength to withstand the temptation to deny Christ again? For the second time, he went away and prayed, my father, but this cannot pass unless I drink it. Your will be done. I've had people tell me, pastor, that praying and that your will be done, that's not scriptural.
We need to claim the promises of God. Well, I tend to believe if Jesus said, not my will but your will be done, that I need to be more than willing to say, Lord, I'll surrender to your will. I'll surrender to you because you know what's best.
I want all of you to think about this, particularly you macho men. We don't need help. We can do it by ourselves.
If you think I'm going to give up, you're sadly mistaken. Surrender. Not on your life.
And I said we needed this because we need to learn how, that we need to surrender. I never forget the words of a counselor. This has been a number of years ago.
He was a counselor at the rehab center down at Lighthouse ministry. He was an intake counselor. What that means is he interviewed everybody that was coming in to the rehab program, and he told me that most of his determination was based on one segment of a question, because when he talked with people, he said, almost invariably they would say, I'm out of control.
Have you ever heard say somebody, I'm out of control? And he said, he always gave him the same response, no, you're not. That's your problem. You're in control.
You're in control. But when you learn to surrender to God, he takes control. When we surrender to God, remember that statement by Jesus? He began to be sorrowful and troubled.
He said, my soul is very sorrowful, even to death. Remain here and watch with me. He prayed so fervently that his sweat became like drops of blood.
Now, what I'm about to say is kind of speculation because we really don't know what Jesus prayed, except not my will, but thy will be done. And so I may be letting my human mind come to play a little bit. But this is some of the things I thought he might have prayed about, because remember, he was tempted in all manner.
And I believe this was his biggest temptation, his biggest temptation, because we know that he said, he said I could call, what, 10,000 angels? Do you think that might have been a temptation for Jesus? It hurt him on that cross just as much as it would you and I. He suffered when they beat him with 39 stripes, just like we would have. Could he afraid? Lord, give me strength not to call 10,000 angels.
But what about, what else do you think? Do you think he was praying for strength to endure because he knew what crucifixion was. He knew that was the cruelest death known to man, and he was going to do that. He said, lord, if it be possible, but I'm going to surrender not my will.
Amen. But your will be done to endure the beating. Certainly.
But what about when he was on the cross and he began to quote Psalm 27, my God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? Now, if you took time to read all of Psalm 22, when you got down to verse six, you'd see said, where? I'm not a man, I'm a worm. I'm not a man, I'm a worm. Do you just think that possibly the son of man, the son of God that had done all these things, hated to be forsaken? Have you ever been forsaken? Have you ever been left high and dry? Everybody, or almost everybody, forsook him, even his disciples.
It's interesting, he said, I'm not a man. I'm a worm. Because if you look up the word worm there in that context, that worm was what made the dye that they used to color crimson.
He said, so I'm not a man. I am the covering for all sin. And we know the Old New Testament teaches us that he literally what became sin.
Do you think that was hard for him to do? I do. I think it was hard to keep him from calling ten angels. I tell you, I think it would have been hard for me.
Now, I know you're more spiritual than I am, but it would have been hard for me to look at that person nailing the spikes in my hand for me to say, father, forgive them. Forgive them for they don't know what they're doing. Do you think it's possible that he was saying, lord, I know I'm going to be thirsty there.
And we know he said, father, I thirst. I submit. I surrender to go through that thirstiness.
I surrender. And some of you may not think about this, but I know I have. What about his mother? I know one thing.
I would have hated to look down from across to see my mother weeping over me. I would have been a little bit more like the guy that the new convert that played Jesus on the crucifixion. And they had him up on the cross.
Of course, he was just tied there. And some of his friends began to laugh at him and poke fun at him. And he said, Sunday's coming and I won't be on the cross.
I would have been more like that, brother. I don't know if I could have sit there and said, john, take care of Mama. But my Jesus, my Jesus was willing to surrender to give his life.
For what purpose? So that we would not have to give ours. So that we would not have to give ours. So from then on, he didn't ask for animal sacrifices.
He did not want any more body sacrifices. He wanted human living sacrifices. I appeal to you, therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies or to surrender your bodies as a what living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.
Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing, you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. Now, remember when we read that first thing about the scriptures helping us to be workmen that need not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth, because that's what the word of God helps us do. And so sometimes we have to reach a place of surrender, of giving ourselves so that we can understand what God would have us to do.
Now, we normally stop after reading those first two verses there. Oh, powerful verses. I probably use those two verses as much as any two verses in the Bible.
But I realized something, that. That living sacrifice is described in the rest of the chapter. It's described in the rest of the chapter.
For by the grace given to me, I say to every one of you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think. Now, if you go back to that verse, what say, let us be transformed by the renewing of what our minds, folks. We're not supposed to think of ourselves more highly than we ought to think.
And we need to submit and surrender to God and surrender ourselves as a living sacrifice so that God may help us be a reasonable service to do his will. Now let's read on. But to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned.
Now, let me just pause right here. This morning, probably got about 400 people here, and every one of us is on different place in our walk. I said every one of us on different place in our walk.
God's not going to ask the same surrender from you that he was somebody else. Why? Because you're either further along or not as far. I said you're either further along or not as far.
If you begin to get puffed up and think, well, man, I'll have to surrender a bunch. The Bible says, to whom much is given, what much is required, so that we may do God. Okay, let's go on.
For as in one body, we have many members, and the members do not have the same function. So we, though many, are one body in Christ and individually members one of another. Having gifts that differ according to your talent? No, according to the grace given to us.
Let us then use them. If prophecy in proportion to our faith, if service in our serving, the one who teaches in his teaching, one who exhorts in his exhortation, the one who contributes in generosity, the one who leads with zeal, the one who does not act with what does, acts of mercy with cheerfulness. And if you notice in my Bible, the very next section talks about marks of a true Christian.
Marks of a true Christian. In other words, we can tell if somebody has surrendered to God because he will give us marks of a true Christian. Let love be genuine, abhor what is evil, hold fast to that which is good.
See, God doesn't want us to give in to the world. He wants us hold fast to God. We're to surrender to him, present our bodies.
What a living sacrifice, wholly acceptable to yield ourself to him so that he can make us a better Christian. So that people will know us because we have what? Love one for another. And by our works you shall know them.
Because we have love one for another. Outdo one another, ensuring, showing honor. Do not be slothful in zeal, be perfect, fervent in spirit, serve the Lord, rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer, contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality.
Bless those who persecute you. Bless and do not curse them. Rejoice with those who rejoice.
Weep with those who weep. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly.
Never be wise in your own sight. Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all, if possible, so far as it depends on you. Live peaceably with all, beloved.
Never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, vengeance is mine. I will repay, says the Lord. To the contrary, if your enemy is hungry, feed him.
If he is thirsty, give him something to drink. For so doing, you will heap burning colds on his head. Do not overcome.
Be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. How in the world can we do that as we surrender to God? I told you I wasn't very good at that. I'm still trying to learn how to surrender.
Because self gets in the way. I said self gets in the way. Today is communion Sunday.
I'm going to ask you on this communion Sunday, Palm Sunday, to let this service and this communion be a service of surrender. You say surrender what? Whatever you've been holding back. Because every one of us got different things.
I said every one of us has got something different. And some of you already, the Holy Spirit's already began to tell you. Yep.
You need to surrender, that you need to give it up. For what purpose? To fulfill the will of God. And now what? Jesus said, not my will, but thy will be done.
So let this communion service be a service of surrender. So what have you been holding back? God wants us to present a living sacrifice. He doesn't need a dead sacrifice.
He needs a living sacrifice. I know. I've heard it all my life.
Well, pastor, I can't be there, but I'll be there in spirit. God wants the real thing. He wants a living sacrifice.
And as I said at the beginning of this sermon, may not mean anything to you, but I believe at least a few of us here today need to present ourselves as a sacrifice to God. Not our will, but God will be done. I'm going to ask the worship team to come up.
Is there anyone that did not get communion? Okay. There's one right in the back there. Let me remind you to start with the bread, start with the bottom.
If not, you're going to have a cleaning bill. Would you pause with me? Let's just ask the Holy Spirit to speak to our hearts. Holy Spirit.
So many things we don't know. But I was surprised, seeing that Jeremiah and Isaiah and Ezekiel all encouraged the people to surrender. To surrender.
We have to ask, if they surrendered, would the temple had to have been totally rebuilt, would have been totally destroyed? Your scripture seems to indicate maybe not. But God, so many times we refuse to surrender. And I ask you, Father, right now to every person in this congregation, every person living and watching online God, that you would speak to them, speak to us, speak to me and help me to surrender whatever I need to surrender to you and help me to be a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is our reasonable service.
Have your way.
