Making Space to Surrender

(S1) — THE ALTAR CALL

Many churches have railings, steps or an area up front to come, kneel and pray. To encounter God in a personal way. Though I had gone to church most of my life, I had never experienced an “altar call” until I was in High School.

YOUTH EVENT/INVITATION to COME to the ALTAR

I recall being both overwhelmed, confused and emotional as youth flooded the front—keeling, prostrate, praying, and many cried. Why? I didn't know. It seemed like this moment in the service was more important than anything else.

I remember what was said felt like it was for me. I wanted to move, I hesitated at first until the pastor said again “COME TO THE ALTAR’ It was when I GAVE MY LIFE TO CHRIST!

The Altar, this altar is not just for decoration. it is more than a piece of furniture...this whole area is an altar. Where you are becomes an altar—when the Holy Spirit moves in your heart...and it becomes a place of SURRENDER.

(S2)

SERIES — six O.T. altars; their purpose and significance—How they marked a time and place when God spoke. When altars were constructed a SPACE was created to WORSHIP God, a SACRIFICE was offered, and something changed for the one who made it.

SPACE + SURRENDER = SHIFT

Altars make SPACE to hear from God...they call for SURRENDER...which is meant to lead to some kind of change...

[COAT-MIRROR]

Edwards Men’s Shop/Tailor—Mirrors (Looking good!)

God has a suit for us. It is made “IN HIS IMAGE.” And for each of us to fit in it there must be some ALTER-ations made. (get it?)

(S3)

During these six Sunday’s of Lent. we are going to pursue a ‘SPIRITUAL ALTERATION’—an invitation to COME to the Altar; to encounter God, to surrender and to make a shift in our lives.

Jesus became the ultimate sacrifice, surrendering himself on the cross, so we can live a new life in Him—the way for us to encounter the power and presence of God.

“So all of us..can see and reflect the glory of the Lord—who is the Spirit—makes us more and more like him as we are changed into his glorious image.” {2 Corinthians 3:18 }

PRAYER

(S4)

There are some things, events...that get permanently etched in our memories...

COVID! Stay Inside/churches closed/limited contact/Funeral homes/bars open

Imagine what it was like for Noah—Build a BIG BOAT, God said! Don’t worry about your FAMILY/FRIENDS/SUPPLIES/ANIMALS! I will take care of all of that.

“A male and female of each kind entered, just as God had commanded Noah. Then the Lord closed the door behind them.” {Genesis 7:16}

Then the rains came, just as God has said...40 days and 40 nights, our season of Lent—The flood was God’s judgement; but through it, the world was being transformed, created anew...

“Earth was no longer as it was intended; the perfect paradise—Humanity had forgotten their creator. It should frighten us to see how quickly people forgot God and the consequences; a reminder for all and to us still today” (NLT, Notes)

Only one man still worshipped God.

“Noah was a righteous man, the only blameless person living on earth at the time, and he walked in close fellowship with God.” {Gen. 6:9}

NOAH ALWAYS MADE SPACE FOR GOD

Ever have regrets? Not spending enough time with kids, family? Deathbed: “I WISH I WOULD HAVE WORKED MORE’ — SAID NO MAN EVER!

NOAH ALWAYS MADE SPACE FOR GOD, a lesson for us all still today

As God opened the door, God CLOSED the DOOR—SHELTER IN PLACE Noah! Its going to be a rough year! ISOLATION is better than judgement, but its still isolation!

LONG WINTERS

(S5) — {8:13-14}

Noah was 500 years old when he became the father of Shem, Ham, and Japheth—600 years old when the flood began...cooped up in a BIG BOAT with who knows how many STINKY ANIMALS—Let alone with his family for a year!

ARK ENCOUNTER

Noah always made SPACE for God…and GOD REMEMBERED NOAH.

8:1 “and all the wild animals and livestock with him in the boat. He sent a wind to blow across the earth, and the floodwaters began to recede.”

Ever been there? Had a rough year? Waiting - Praying - Trusting - Praying - Waiting- Trusting?

DOES GOD REMEMBER OUR FAITHFULNESS?

(S6)

“ In his presence, a scroll of remembrance was written to record the names of those who feared him and always thought about the honor of his name. “They will be my people,” says the Lord. “On the day when I act in judgment, they will be my own special treasure. I will spare them as a father spares an obedient child.” (Malachi 3:16–17)

Imagine how busy ARK life was! I wonder how often Noah and his family prayed? Wondering if they would survive—God when will this be over? God remembered Noah’s faithfulness and they were SAVED

PETER IN A STORM

Then...GOD OPENED THE DOOR

(S7) — {16-17}

It was God who SENT the rain, who DRIED up the land. It was God who OPENED the DOOR...who instructed Noah to leave the very vessel which had protected from the destructive elements for over a year—Imagine what this day felt like; LET ME OUTTA HERE—

Freedom from confined places evokes all sorts of responses.

HEADLINES—738 Days in GAZA—20 Israelis erupt with Joy; kissing, hugging, crying....

What is the first thing you do when God answers your prayer? When God provides a need? When God opens a door?

Released into a whole new world. What did Noah do? Kiss the ground, hug his family, take a hike, look for food, clean out the ARK, find a hotel and take a shower...? NOPE

(S8)

20 “Then Noah built an altar to the Lord...

Up to this point, Noah had been a doer; God spoke and Noah obeyed (Gen. 6:22). But, after being allowed to leave the shelter of the ark, we see a SHIFT—Noah’ choosing for himself what was MOST importance—HIS FIRST ACT WAS TO WORSHIP!

God DID NOT command Noah to build an altar—Noah MADE SPACE to worship his savior. He made SPACE to encounter and give PRAISE to God! Built an alter to remember what God had done! Go

— What a person does first reveals their priority—first of the day…first after a blessing…a prayer answered…God showered Noah with more than rain. He showered him with GRACE and Noah’s ALTAR is a response to God’s grace.

What is your first priority this Lent? How are you making space to worship God both physically and mentally?

Jesus often made space to be with His Father— Traveling with His disciples, he would go out in the early morning to pray; make space for silence and solitude—to be alone with His Father. Something he taught his disciples.

“Once Jesus was in a certain place praying. As he finished, one of his disciples came to him and said, “Lord, teach us to pray...”” {Luke 1:11}

The altar is a space that becomes holy by the presence of God’s saving grace. According to Scripture, we are called to worship the Lord with our praise

(S9)

“Therefore, let us offer through Jesus a continual sacrifice of praise to God, proclaiming our allegiance to his name.” (Hebrews 13:15 )

The altar is a place of PRAISE—The alter is a place of SURRENDER—that is meant to cause a SHIFT. While God was transforming the earth, He was MAKING Noah New

This SHIFT happens for us in three ways...

(S10) — First, when AN ALTAR becomes a place…

I. …where we REMEMBER

It where Noah remembered there was a reason he was on that ark—SIN. The world was corrupt, and everyone did evil. The altar would remind Noah that God will deal with sin His way.

— The altar should remind us that God provided a way out. That being obedient to God’s Word and having the faith to do what God says, saves you.

Genesis 6:22, Noah did everything just as God commanded him.” If Noah had not obeyed and acted in faith, he would not have been saved. Believing God to build an ark required faith.

The altar reminds us to thank God for his gracious act of salvation.   

Ephesians 2:8 “God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God.”   

When you look at our altar, you see many things…but THE CROSS is what it all points to. It tells a story, just like when you see a rainbow. You see it and remember God’s grace. When you see the cross you remember God’s grace; an instrument of salvation—Where Jesus willingly went!

1 John 3:16 “We know what real love is because Jesus gave up his life for us.”

Then THE SHIFT happens…

(S11) — Second, when the ALTAR reminds is to…

II. …make worship THE priority

Leaving the ark meant facing a new world and a new life. Noah’s first act would reveal his priority. God.

Remember the reason God flooded the world was because people were not in right relationship with him. People had priorities and it was to serve the God of me, myself, and

Seeking God’s righteousness is to be our 1st priority.

Matthew 6:33, “Seek first, the Kingdom of God and His righteousness.”

Priorities matter—Lent helps us put our priorities back in place because our priorities can get out of whack real fast, can’t they?

Regular time at this altar helps that, but of course, you are only here one day a week. What about the others. Well, you can build an altar at home. A place and space to remember God and keep your priorities of seeking God first. Perhaps you have a special place in your home where you like to meet with God.

In our home I have a particular chair; a place where I make myself an altar to God.

THE SHIFT happens…

(S12) — Thirdly, when the ALTAR becomes…

III. …a place of SURRENDER

Noah’s, after building an altar, made a costly sacrifice…

Noah; a righteous man, who WORSHIPPED, needed to SURRENDER.

(S13)

20 “Then Noah built an altar to the Lord and, taking some of all the clean animals and clean birds, he sacrificed burnt offerings on it.”

Noah took some of what God gave him and surrendered it to God. That doesn’t sound like a big deal but remember this - Noah had limited resources. Every living thing, except for what was on the ark, was wiped from the earth— It would have been easy for Noah to say, “God, I don’t have much. I need everything I got. I’m sure you understand.”

“BURNT OFFERINGS—The ritual itself followed precise procedures. The animal—had to be male and without defects, and the offerer would place a hand on the animal’s head, with the Lord accepting its death as a substitute to purify the offerer (Lev 1:3–17).”

By his sacrifice, Jesus became the final offering. the BEST God had to offer, so we can give him our BEST

Hebrews 9:14 “Just think how much more the blood of Christ will purify our consciences from sinful deeds so that we can worship the living God. For by the power of the eternal Spirit, Christ offered himself to God as a perfect sacrifice for our sins.”

Notice that God responded to Noah’s  sacrifice and surrender by honoring his faith.

(S13)

21 “the Lord was pleased with the aroma of the sacrifice and said to himself, “I will never again curse the ground because of the human race, even though everything they think or imagine is bent toward evil from childhood. I will never again destroy all living things.”

I mean as you look around this world have we run short of animals? Noah learned and we would do well to learn that when we trust God with our resources, limited or not, that God honors it.

Malachi 3:10, “Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,” says the Lord Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it.”

The altar is where we surrender our wants and desires and trade them in for generosity (OFFERING). An altar is a place of sacrifice. So, Noah made a sacrifice on it to God. Maybe God is asking you to do more than just giving-up something during Lent?

As followers of Jesus, our surrender is an act of sacrifice; where we experience the transforming power of Christ.

The Greek word for surrender is paradidomi and can be expressed in different ways including: To commit in obedience, to yield, to entrust, and to deliver over.

However, surrendering is not always easy, is it? Jesus shared a story of the rich young ruler

Mark 10:21, “‘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’” but he was unwilling to surrender and so lost the gift of new life through Christ.

The altar—Where we REMEMBER—make worship THE priority—a place of SURRENDER

(S14) — SPACE + SURRENDER = SHIFT

CLOSE: It is time to put on Christ and stand in the mirror to be like we are intended to be.

[COAT-MIRROR]

Will you allow God to make some alter-ations in your life during lent? So you will remember why Jesus came—YOUR SIN?

1 Peter 2:24, “He personally carried our sins in his body on the cross so that we can be dead to sin and live for what is right. By his wounds you are healed.”

Maybe your priorities are out of whack? Will you allow God to make some alter-ations so you will make WORSHIP…THE PRIORITY?

Romans 12:1-2 says, “…in view of God’s mercy offer your lives as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God, this is your reasonable act of worship.”

Will you allow God to make some alter-ations to make space for Jesus who became the way for people to encounter the power and presence of God?

When we do it pleasing to God—like a sweet aroma...going up to the heavens.

Ephesians 5:2 “Live a life filled with love, following the example of Christ. He loved us and offered himself as a sacrifice for us, a pleasing aroma to God.”

The Altar, this altar is not just for decoration. it is more than a piece of furniture...its where alterations are made. Its when we surrender and a shift happens. Where you are becomes an altar—when the Holy Spirit moves in your heart...and it becomes a place of SURRENDER.

What will your shift be these next 40 days? Will you make space? What do you need to surrender?

Noah made a choice...Jesus made a choice...giving us a choice...