Total Submission
There is a song that I love to sing “I surrender all”; and this is what Jesus Himself
says (Luke 14:26-33) “If any man come to Me, and hate not his father, and mother,
and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he
cannot be My disciple. And whosoever does not bear his cross, and come after
Me, cannot be My disciple. For which of you, intending to build a tower, sits not
down first, and count the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it. less haply,
after he has laid the foundation, and is not able to finish it, all that behold it begin
to mock him. Saying, this man began to build, and was not able to finish. Or what
king going to make war against another king, sits not down first, and consults
whether he be able with ten thousand to meet him that comes against him with
twenty thousand. Or else, while the is yet a great way off, he sends an
ambassador and desires conditions of peace. So likewise, whosoever he be of you
that forsake not all that he has, he cannot be My disciple”.
Submission to Christ’s Lordship is central in Christianity. He encouraged those
who were superficial either to go deeper or to turn back. Following Christ means
total submission to Him, perhaps even to the point of death.
Christ at whose name “every knee will bow, in heaven and on earth and under the
earth” (Philippians 2:10); He submitted His will to the Father (Mark 14:35-36), in the
garden of Gethsemane, He says “and He went forward a little, and fell on the
ground, and prayed that if it were possible, the hour might pass from Him. And He
said, Abba Father, all things are possible to You, take away this cup from Me,
nevertheless not what I will, but what You will”. And we honor Christ by following
His example; in fact we are told to “let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ
Jesus”.
When we submit to God, we become more willing to obey His command (I John 2:3-
6) says “and hereby we do know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments.
He that says, I know Him, and keep not His commandments, is a liar, and the truth
is not in him. But whoso keeps His word, in him verily is the love of God perfected;
hereby know we that we are in Him. he that say he abides in Him ought himself
also so to walk, even as He walked”.
Submission means putting aside our own interest and coming under submission to
God. James says “submit yourselves therefore to God, resist the devil, and he will
flee from you. Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you. Humble yourselves
in the sight of the Lord, and He shall lift you up” (James 4:7-8a,10).
You can not accomplish total submission to God until you first die to yourself.
Remember John the Baptist said “He must increase, but I must decrease”. Jesus
said “he that loves his life shall lose it, and he that hates his life in this world shall
keep it to life eternal. If any man serve Me, let him follow Me, and where I am, there
shall also My servant be, if any man serve Me him will My Father honor” (John 12:
25-26).
Paul says in Galatians 2:19-20, says “but I through the law am dead to the law, that
I might to God. I am crucified with Christ, nevertheless I live, yet not I, but Christ
lives in me, and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of
God, who loved me, and gave Himself for me”.
The Bible says “for as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of
God”. (Romans 8:14). Being led by the Spirit is being yielded and submitted to
God.
Jesus said that He only spoke what He heard His Father speak (John 8:26,28).
The world says that you have to call things as they are, but the word of God says
in (Romans 4:17) to “call those things that be not as though they are”. In Joel 3:10
the Bible says “let the weak say I am strong”. We as followers of Jesus must speak
what God says.
Jesus says “why call you Me, Lord, Lord and do not the things which I say”? (Luke
6:46). And He goes on to say “not everyone that says to Me, Lord, Lord shall
enter into the kingdom of heaven, but he that does the will of My Father which is in
heaven. Many will say to Me in that day Lord, Lord have we not prophesied in
Your name? And in Your name have cast out devils? And in Your name done
many wonderful works? And then will I profess to them, I never knew you, depart
from Me, you that works iniquity. Therefore, whosoever hears these says of Mine,
and does them, I will liken him to a wise man, which built his house upon a rock.
And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the win blew and beat upon that
house; and it fell not for it was founded upon a rock. And everyone that hears
these sayings of Mine, and does them not, shall be likened to a foolish man, which
built his house upon the sand. And the rain descended, and the floods came, and
the winds blew, and beat upon that house and it fell, and great was the fall of it”.
The good news is the battle is not ours, it’s the Lord’s. Jesus says “come to Me all
you that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon
you, and learn of Me, for I am meek and lowly in heart, and you shall find rest to
your souls. For My yoke is easy, and My burden is light” (Matthew 12:28-30).
Peter says “humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that He
may exalt you in due time. Casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.
Be sober, be vigilant, because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walks
about, seeking whom he may devour. Whom resist steadfast in the faith, knowing
that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.
But the God of all grace, who has called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus,
after that you have suffered a while, make you perfect, establish , strengthen,
settle you. To Him be glory and dominion for ever and ever, Amen” (I Peter 5:6-11).
The Bible tells us to “be careful for nothing, but in every thing, by prayer and
supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be known to God. And the peace
of God, which passes all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through
Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:6-7).
Let us make the determination to be in total submission to God, and as we make
that determination, God will empower us.
Sermon by: Harriet Bond
Date: January 29, 2010
There is a song that I love to sing “I surrender all”; and this is what Jesus Himself
says (Luke 14:26-33) “If any man come to Me, and hate not his father, and mother,
and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he
cannot be My disciple. And whosoever does not bear his cross, and come after
Me, cannot be My disciple. For which of you, intending to build a tower, sits not
down first, and count the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it. less haply,
after he has laid the foundation, and is not able to finish it, all that behold it begin
to mock him. Saying, this man began to build, and was not able to finish. Or what
king going to make war against another king, sits not down first, and consults
whether he be able with ten thousand to meet him that comes against him with
twenty thousand. Or else, while the is yet a great way off, he sends an
ambassador and desires conditions of peace. So likewise, whosoever he be of you
that forsake not all that he has, he cannot be My disciple”.
Submission to Christ’s Lordship is central in Christianity. He encouraged those
who were superficial either to go deeper or to turn back. Following Christ means
total submission to Him, perhaps even to the point of death.
Christ at whose name “every knee will bow, in heaven and on earth and under the
earth” (Philippians 2:10); He submitted His will to the Father (Mark 14:35-36), in the
garden of Gethsemane, He says “and He went forward a little, and fell on the
ground, and prayed that if it were possible, the hour might pass from Him. And He
said, Abba Father, all things are possible to You, take away this cup from Me,
nevertheless not what I will, but what You will”. And we honor Christ by following
His example; in fact we are told to “let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ
Jesus”.
When we submit to God, we become more willing to obey His command (I John 2:3-
6) says “and hereby we do know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments.
He that says, I know Him, and keep not His commandments, is a liar, and the truth
is not in him. But whoso keeps His word, in him verily is the love of God perfected;
hereby know we that we are in Him. he that say he abides in Him ought himself
also so to walk, even as He walked”.
Submission means putting aside our own interest and coming under submission to
God. James says “submit yourselves therefore to God, resist the devil, and he will
flee from you. Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you. Humble yourselves
in the sight of the Lord, and He shall lift you up” (James 4:7-8a,10).
You can not accomplish total submission to God until you first die to yourself.
Remember John the Baptist said “He must increase, but I must decrease”. Jesus
said “he that loves his life shall lose it, and he that hates his life in this world shall
keep it to life eternal. If any man serve Me, let him follow Me, and where I am, there
shall also My servant be, if any man serve Me him will My Father honor” (John 12:
25-26).
Paul says in Galatians 2:19-20, says “but I through the law am dead to the law, that
I might to God. I am crucified with Christ, nevertheless I live, yet not I, but Christ
lives in me, and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of
God, who loved me, and gave Himself for me”.
The Bible says “for as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of
God”. (Romans 8:14). Being led by the Spirit is being yielded and submitted to
God.
Jesus said that He only spoke what He heard His Father speak (John 8:26,28).
The world says that you have to call things as they are, but the word of God says
in (Romans 4:17) to “call those things that be not as though they are”. In Joel 3:10
the Bible says “let the weak say I am strong”. We as followers of Jesus must speak
what God says.
Jesus says “why call you Me, Lord, Lord and do not the things which I say”? (Luke
6:46). And He goes on to say “not everyone that says to Me, Lord, Lord shall
enter into the kingdom of heaven, but he that does the will of My Father which is in
heaven. Many will say to Me in that day Lord, Lord have we not prophesied in
Your name? And in Your name have cast out devils? And in Your name done
many wonderful works? And then will I profess to them, I never knew you, depart
from Me, you that works iniquity. Therefore, whosoever hears these says of Mine,
and does them, I will liken him to a wise man, which built his house upon a rock.
And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the win blew and beat upon that
house; and it fell not for it was founded upon a rock. And everyone that hears
these sayings of Mine, and does them not, shall be likened to a foolish man, which
built his house upon the sand. And the rain descended, and the floods came, and
the winds blew, and beat upon that house and it fell, and great was the fall of it”.
The good news is the battle is not ours, it’s the Lord’s. Jesus says “come to Me all
you that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon
you, and learn of Me, for I am meek and lowly in heart, and you shall find rest to
your souls. For My yoke is easy, and My burden is light” (Matthew 12:28-30).
Peter says “humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that He
may exalt you in due time. Casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.
Be sober, be vigilant, because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walks
about, seeking whom he may devour. Whom resist steadfast in the faith, knowing
that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.
But the God of all grace, who has called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus,
after that you have suffered a while, make you perfect, establish , strengthen,
settle you. To Him be glory and dominion for ever and ever, Amen” (I Peter 5:6-11).
The Bible tells us to “be careful for nothing, but in every thing, by prayer and
supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be known to God. And the peace
of God, which passes all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through
Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:6-7).
Let us make the determination to be in total submission to God, and as we make
that determination, God will empower us.
Sermon by: Harriet Bond
Date: January 29, 2010
