Further Up, In: Submission to God

Introduction

Sermon series

TRANSFORMATION AND EVANGELISM The research highlights the sad reality that relatively few Americans experience an episode of brokenness that positively affects their relationship with God. Doesn’t that raise some fundamental and serious questions about how many genuine followers of Christ there are in America? After all, merely believing that Jesus is God, and that He lived on earth and exists today is not enough; the Bible tells us that even Satan believes those things. Saying you’ve made a commitment to Christ and living in ways that demonstrate that commitment are two different realities. Claiming to be saved because of having said a prayer asking for forgiveness while continuing to live without a dramatic change of heart is not the same as seeking forgiveness and turning that forgiven heart over to the one who extended the forgiveness.

American Christians verbally dismiss the possibility that they are trading in cheap grace — taking the free gift of salvation without simultaneously committing to allowing the Holy Spirit to rule their life. That is spiritual mutiny: hijacking the treasure and jettisoning the Captain. Yet the research consistently reveals that we have sustained that mutiny for well over a quarter century.

Barna, George. Maximum Faith . Kindle Edition.

There are different circles here that I have been working with that have spent some time learning about the Welsh revival of 1904. And really, I have become obsessed with it, because it is one of the most amazing outpouring of God’s Spirit and few people know anything about it. A 26 year old named Evan Roberts received a vision that thousands would come to know Christ and in less than a year 100,000 people became Christian. History shows it to be one of the most concentrated and impactful movements of God on the culture:

crime rate: judges and cops

taverns had to close

coal mines stoppages

J. Edwin Orr describes the revival as "the farthest reaching of the movements of general awakening, for it affected the whole of the evangelical cause in India, Korea and China, renewed revival in Japan and South Africa, and sent a wave of awakenings over Africa, Latin America and the South Seas." Visiting pastors from Norway, Japan, America, India, South Africa and Korea were all deeply moved in the Welsh Revival and became carriers of revival to their nations as they returned home.

J. Edwin Orr describes the revival as "the farthest reaching of the movements of general awakening, for it affected the whole of the evangelical cause in India, Korea and China, renewed revival in Japan and South Africa, and sent a wave of awakenings over Africa, Latin America and the South Seas." Visiting pastors from Norway, Japan, America, India, South Africa and Korea were all deeply moved in the Welsh Revival and became carriers of revival to their nations as they returned home.

All of this began because a small group, mostly students and young people, submitted and surrendered to what God wanted to do in their life. Marked by confession of sin, responded to the Spirit, and public confession of Jesus, they surrendered fully. And the world was different for it.

This morning we turn to Jesus in the garden of Gethsemane. The place where he fully surrendered

Matthew 26:36–46 NIV

Then Jesus went with his disciples to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to them, “Sit here while I go over there and pray.” He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee along with him, and he began to be sorrowful and troubled. Then he said to them, “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.” Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.” Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. “Couldn’t you men keep watch with me for one hour?” he asked Peter. “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.” He went away a second time and prayed, “My Father, if it is not possible for this cup to be taken away unless I drink it, may your will be done.” When he came back, he again found them sleeping, because their eyes were heavy. So he left them and went away once more and prayed the third time, saying the same thing. Then he returned to the disciples and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting? Look, the hour has come, and the Son of Man is delivered into the hands of sinners. Rise! Let us go! Here comes my betrayer!”

Matthew

George Barna Writes about this stage:

Nearly impossible as it is, we have to grasp the ultimate truth for us at this stage: we are now fully His, truly a slave to Christ, freed from the challenges of making every decision based on our best judgment and ability. Like a franchise that is responsible for following every corporate order to the smallest detail, we are His. Signed, sealed and delivered, no exceptions, we have forfeited our worldly independence in exchange for eternal significance and dependence. This is the time to “get over yourself,” once and for all.

Submission is difficult

You can see the struggle that Jesus is in on this passover night. It is as if the crucifixion has already begun.

Luke 22:44 NIV

And being in anguish, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground.

In our text he says “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death.”

Even as pure and holy as Jesus is there is still the fight against the flesh and personal desire. There is still this turmoil to give all of himself to the work of the Father.

Friends, Jesus never told us that it would be easy. Unfortunately some of us signed up for a fluffy version of this all. Jesus tells people that they must leave mother and father, that they must walk away from all family and public responsibilities that do not allow us to give ourselves fully to him. He tells us to consider the cost.

Barna:

This is tough place to be, especially for American men. Even the terms used to describe the activity—surrendering and submitting—are harsh to the ears of independent, freedom-loving, power-seeking, self-reliant people. But after God reveals who we really are and how we have lived in such consistent disobedience and selfishness, we have only two options: make a final stand against Him, or accept His gracious offer of continue grace and support by handing over the keys to God.

After enduring the trials of brokenness, we must again undergo some critical transitions in our thinking. Surrendering control of your life and submitting to His call and His ways are the natural stepping stone after the brokenness and healing that you have recently experienced. You will ease into this transition and it will take years for you to fully inhabit it. Settle in; this stop is where you really become holy—separate from the world, set apart for God.

This is hard work, if it were easier then more people would be in this place

Submission is lonely

Do you see how lonely Jesus is in this text? Will you stay here and keep watch?

The work of submission leads you down unpopulated roads on a journey of transformation. There are less than 2 percent American Christians from this point on.

Surrender and submission will cause you to be isolated from others. Even your spouse. As you get to a place of fully giving yourself to God not many will understand.

It is a Jewish custom to stay awake and “keep watch” during passover. The disciples would have been accustomed to these prayer vigils that would take place on passover. And now as Jesus does the hard work of complete surrender for the sake of the world and the glory of the Father....they fall asleep.

Submission is dependent on prayer

The only way that Jesus can even begin this work of complete surrender and submission is through the already intimate relationship with God. Yes I know that Jesus is inherently in relationship with God but He also must work on it and does.

I ask you this morning, how is your prayer life?

Prayer is by which Jesus knows the Father

Prayer is how he knows that the Father’s will is

Prayer is where he finds strength....Luke’s version says in prayer and angel of the lord came and strengthened him

Prayer is where Jesus turns before the action

How is your prayer life church?

Submission is independent and communal

Surrender and submission is a very independent decision. It is yours to make. No one else can make it for you. Jesus is Lord is a decision that you must make time and time again. No one else can take the cup that Jesus is given....and no one else can surrender your life for you. I know this sounds like, ok duh....but let bring an example and talk to husbands in the room for a second in specific. Statistically, it is the wife that brings the family, it is the wife that responds and is active in the ministries and life of the church. And yes work, and bring home the income and all of that. Your wife’s faith is not a free pass for you. I am not saying that you have to change your job so that you can get another bible study in during the week…what I am saying is it is your responsibility to surrender your life to God.

At the same time it is also communal. Think about it…In some sense Jesus seems to need the disciples there to keep watch. Look at it again, Jesus speaking to Peter:

Matthew 26:40–41 NIV

Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. “Couldn’t you men keep watch with me for one hour?” he asked Peter. “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”

Matthew 26:

It is in community that we surrender. Band group. I dont know about you, but let me talk about myself for a second:

I enjoy being the smartest person in the room, I do not play games that I might lose at, I yearn to be liked and to earn your appreciation. Which leads to insistent people pleasing and non confrontational decisions. I am prone to pride and pretending that successful ministry is because I am awesome. And that is only the shallow stuff that I care to share outloud right now.

The Spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak…enter band group.

Submission is ongoing

Finally, and quickly....surrender and submission is constant. I love that Matthew records Jesus asking God three times if he could take this cup from him.

Becoming a Christian is about saying yes to Christ…being a Christian is about giving all of yourself to Jesus systematically and continuously. Parenting, job, your insecurities, your hurt that has been caused by others or the hurt you have caused, that abuse from back there, that place deep within you that has so much pain, or that hidden closet of sin that you have locked away.

Conclusion

Friends we can learn a lot from Jesus’ perfect surrender and submission. And yet our experience is completely different because Jesus took the cup. He fully surrendered and submitted and as one pastor put it, died in the garden....the rest was just the evidence. It is in the surrender that we are caught up in Christ. and it is the introduction to the resurrection life.

The Welsh Revival that we opened with. Evan Roberts was overcome with God at a prayer meeting. At the age of 26 he heard a pastor pray that God would bend us. The words like a throw away line, landed squarely on the heart of Roberts. The next morning in a breakfast prayer meeting students began to pray aloud and Roberts dropped to his knees and he cried out “Lord, would you bend me.”

That is the moment that revival broke out. Because of a small group of people that surrendered everything. Because of one 26 year old cried out “Bend me.” Bend my heart.