In meeting with a few friends, we were talking about marriage and relationships. We spent some time on the topic of how much do we give up for the other person? We talked about the many different messages we have heard about how to make relationships work. How much do you give of yourself to the other person? Is it 50/50 or 75/25? What is it? You might have heard these messages as well. One message of frustration was the sense that you lose yourself in order to really love that other person.
The word that has been resonating in my spirit is “surrender.” Surrender is defined by the American Heritage Dictionary as a verb, meaning:1) to relinquish possession or control of to another because of demand or compulsion. 2) to give up in favor of another. 3) to give up or give back (something that has been granted): surrender a contractual right. 4) to give up or abandon: surrender all hope. 5) to give over or resign (oneself) to something. As we were talking I was thinking about the Son of Man, Jesus Christ, who spoke these words to His Disciples. He said this, “whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, 27and whoever wants to be first must be your slave— 28just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many" Matthew 20:26-28 NIV. The underlined words servant and slave are similar. These words mean to be a servant, meaning slave, attendant, domestic, to serve, wait upon, 1a) to serve and to be served, 1b) to wait at a table and offer food and drink to the guests, 1c) to meet the needs of another. ie., supply food and necessities of life 1d) to relieve one’s necessities, to provide for or to take care of, distribute, the things necessary to sustain life 1e) to take care of the poor and the sick…
Paul challenges us as followers of Jesus Christ, to be just like Jesus. He says it this way, “1If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, [these were more rhetorical statements. The assumption is that as a followers of Jesus Christ, we do already receive these things] 2then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. 3Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. 4Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. 5Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: 6Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, 7but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. 8And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death—even death on a cross! 9Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name…”
Our story this Christmas is this. If we will surrender ourselves fully to Jesus Christ, think like Him, act like Him, move like Him, and influence others like Him, we will be exalted [blessed]!
Today, will you think and pray about how your story will read and ask the Holy Spirit to lead you to live your life as Jesus directs us? Will you live your life fully surrendered to Jesus Christ? That is the ultimate Christmas gift that we can give back to God. Join me right now, via this web cast, in Our Christmas Story!
Our Senior Pastor, Mark Savage,taught this message December 23, 2007. 
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