If He Gave Us His All, What Would Happen If We Gave Him Our All?

Scripture Reading:

(NASB95)

Mark 14:22–24 NASB95

22 While they were eating, He took some bread, and after a blessing He broke it, and gave it to them, and said, “Take it; this is My body.” 23 And when He had taken a cup and given thanks, He gave it to them, and they all drank from it. 24 And He said to them, “This is My blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many.

Jesus Gave His All For Us

If Jesus was willing to give his all for us, why is it so difficult for us to give our all to him?

Phil 2:5-8

Philippians 2:5–8 NASB95

5 Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, 6 who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. 8 Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.

Think about this!

Our triune God, entered into human history.

He entered into human history - born as we are born. Grew up in a family as we grew up.

Had a job as we have a job.

Experienced life as we experience life. He knew joy. He knew sorrow. He knew anger. He knew grief. He knew betrayal by trusted friends. He knew pain, pain beyond what you and I will ever experience. He knew what life was like in all of its ups and downs.

He knew pain, pain beyond what you and I will ever experience.

He knew the human condition - the Bible calls it sin. He knew what we are really like when we have turn from God and try to figure out and live life on our own terms.

He loved us so much that he was willing to die on a cross so that we might be able to come back into a love relationship with God.

2 Corinthians 5:21 NASB95

21 He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

Let me ask you this question. Assuming that none of your family members were here today. And assuming that the rest of us were acquaintances, but not real friends and many of us had not always been kind to you. If someone walked in here with a machine gun and said that if one person was willing to stand up and be killed he would let the rest of us go, would you stand up?

In a sense this is exactly what Jesus did - for you, for me, for the world.

He gave his life so that we might live.

Now you might be saying to yourself, “Yes but he knew he would rise from the dead. He probably never had any doubt.

Remember the Garden of Gethsemane and his time of prayer.

Mark 14:36 NASB95

36 And He was saying, “Abba! Father! All things are possible for You; remove this cup from Me; yet not what I will, but what You will.”

He didn’t want to die this way, but he was obedient to God even unto death.

He gave his all for you.

He gave his all for me.

He gave his all for the world.

One Solitary Life

Here is a man who was born in an obscure village, the child of a peasant woman. He grew up in another village. He worked in a carpenter shop until He was thirty. Then for three years He was an itinerant preacher.

He never owned a home. He never wrote a book. He never held an office. He never had a family. He never went to college. He never put His foot inside a big city. He never traveled two hundred miles from the place He was born. He never did one of the things that usually accompany greatness. He had no credentials but Himself...

While still a young man, the tide of popular opinion turned against him. His friends ran away. One of them denied Him. He was turned over to His enemies. He went through the mockery of a trial. He was nailed upon a cross between two thieves. While He was dying His executioners gambled for the only piece of property He had on earth – His coat. When He was dead, He was laid in a borrowed grave through the pity of a friend.

Twenty centuries have come and gone, and today He is a centerpiece of the human race and leader of the column of progress.

I am far within the mark when I say that all the armies that ever marched, all the navies that were ever built; all the parliaments that ever sat and all the kings that ever reigned, put together, have not affected the life of man upon this earth as powerfully as has that one solitary life.

This essay was adapted from a sermon by Dr James Allan Francis in “The Real Jesus and Other Sermons” © 1926 by the Judson Press of Philadelphia (pp 123-124 titled “Arise Sir Knight!”). If you are interested, you can read the original version .

1 John 1:8–9 NASB95

8 If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

1 Jn 1:8-9

So what is holding you back?

So what is holding you back?

What is holding you back

from stopping your rationalizing.

from stopping your excuses.

What is holding you back from giving your all to him who gave his all for you?

Jesus changed world history.

all the armies that ever marched, all the navies that were ever built; all the parliaments that ever sat and all the kings that ever reigned, put together, have not affected the life of man upon this earth as powerfully as has that one solitary life.

And what does he say about us if we give ourselves to him...

John 14:12 NASB95

12 “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do, he will do also; and greater works than these he will do; because I go to the Father.

We pray Father, raise up men and women who will help to change this world.

God has answered our prayer. You are the answer.

Jesus gave his all for us. What would happen if we gave him our all?

The world would become a place of

(NASB95)

... joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; ...

23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.

Listen to the paraphrase from The Message.

(The Message)

...affection for others, exuberance about life, serenity. We develop a willingness to stick with things, a sense of compassion in the heart, and a conviction that a basic holiness permeates things and people. We find ourselves involved in loyal commitments, not needing to force our way in life, able to marshal and direct our energies wisely. ...

23 not needing to force our way in life, able to marshal and direct our energies wisely. Legalism is helpless in bringing this about; it only gets in the way.

Jesus gave his us his all for you.

What’s holding you back from giving your all to him?