https://www.bible.com/events/49578577
Church of the Nazarene – East Rockingham Campus
Hurdles Part 3
Controlfreak…
We are continuing in our 4-part teaching series called “Hurdles”.
Throughout this series we are going to face some of the key obstacles or hurdles that keep us from a full and abundant life in Christ.
Today we are talking about the hurdle of control.
The fact is, we love this level of control and in many ways have come to expect it in most areas of our lives…
Sometimes we expect control in our relationship with Jesus. And control will always be a hurdle for us in growing closer to Jesus.
Matthew 16:24
Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.
Jesus says that whoever really wants to experience life with him, youhave tobe all in.
Youhave todeny yourself- say no to your desires, your old ways of doing things, whatfeels good. Give up your right to do your own thing,yoruown way.
Take up your cross- Jesus is using thecross bearingidea that we wouldliterally dieto our old way of life and thinking- that it has no power over us anymore.
We deny ourselves, put a decisive end to life our way, and wefollow afterJesus. We learn to do all of life, his way.
This is the picture Jesus paints for everyone who wants to know him in relationship.
Proverbs 3:5-6
Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your wayssubmitto him, and he will make your paths straight.
This is one of theoften quotedverses of the bible andit’sall about letting go of control. That we would trust the Lord completely, wewouldn’tdepend on our perspective or our understanding- we would give that up and trust him.
In all your wayssubmitto him, that is a letting go of control. Surrender.
As long aswe clinch on to what we will andwontdo, what we will and wont surrender. Our hands and our heart are closed off from receiving more of God’s grace, more of his presence in our lives. We are closing ourselves off from the Lord.
Galatians 2:20
I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
Paul is saying that he has put to death his old self, his desires, his self-determination, his rights, he has given all that over to the Lord-it’sas if he died. Complete and total surrender to Jesus himself.
You could say, Paulhas wavedthe white flag of surrender.
Romans 12:1
Sohere’swhat I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him.Don’tbecome so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God.You’llbe changed from the inside out.Readilyrecognizewhat he wants fromyou, andquickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you.
The normal Christian response to all of God’s mercy is that we would give ourselves 100% over to the Lord and whatever he wants and wills for our lives.
This is not just for pastors, or board members, or those who feelsome sort of callingon their life- This is for everyone who wants to be a Christian, a follower of Jesus.
Because this is exactly what Jesus taught us…
On the other side of the hurdle of control is grace, peace, life, and freedom that farsurpassesanything you are being asked to surrender.
When we waive the white flag of surrender over our lives, we open ourselves up to receive more of him, more of his grace and presence in our lives. Andthat’sour invitation this morning.
To waive the white flag of surrender over our lives.