Yeah, if you have your Bibles, let's turn to John, chapter 13. John, chapter 13. We're going to be looking at four books. All right, not four books, four chapters. You're scared. Like, oh, no, the power of youth hasn't started. All right. Four chapters, at least. Kind of pause it. Actually, I think it'll be five chapters. But we're going to take one point from each chapter and kind of look at a topic this evening. Many years ago there was a young businessman and he received an urgent phone call from his wife. And the urgent phone call asked him to come home quickly. The doctor is at the house and there's something up with our six-year-old. So he jumped in a taxi, actually, and he was expecting the worst when he got home. And the doctor's car was at his house. But it was not so tragic as anticipated when he walked through the door. Little Johnny had put his fist inside a precious Chinese vase. And they could not get it out. without breaking it, and so they called dad to get him home immediately because they needed permission to break the vase. Immediately the dad was like, no. I paid a ton of money for that base and we're gonna try all kinds of other things. You don't understand, I paid a ton of money for that. So they tried olive oil, they tried putting soaps down in there to see if it will loosen up his hand. All kinds of other methods that they were coming up with. And finally, the mom looked at the dad and was like, so are you really gonna make little Johnny walk around the rest of his life with a vase on his hand. He's like, you know what, I don't know, you know, let me just think, because it was a very expensive vase. And they were about ready to get the hammer, and it was at that point that young Johnny asked if it would help if he would release the penny. inside the vase. So the hammer may have been used. The story stops right there. So we don't know if the hammer was used and Johnny was no longer in the picture. The vase was still there. Johnny was no longer a part of the family. Mentioned that at the start because it goes along with our subject this evening We're gonna look in John 13 in just a moment But I want you to back up to John chapter 12 and in John chapter 12 Jesus introduces a thought and John chapter 12 and verse 23 It says and Jesus answered them saying the hours come that the Son of Man should be glorified Look at what he says in verse 24 verily verily. I say unto you except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone. But if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit. He that loveth his life shall lose it. He that hateth his life in this world shall keep it. unto life eternal. We're going to be looking at the idea of absolute surrender. And we find that introduced in John chapter 12 here, but then in John chapter 13, 14, 15, 16, and 17, we're given five principles. And my subtitle, instead of, you have the title Absolute Surrender, but my subtitle is Five Evidences of the Surrendered Life. And this evening, I believe you can look at your life, you can analyze your life, and you will be able to see by the Bible, in John 13, 14, 15, 16, and 17, if you have evidence of a surrendered life, or you'll be able to see if you have evidence of an unsurrendered life. And it's something that has to occur often. It's not something that is a one-time deal. That's why even Paul said that I die daily. I know Paul was referencing the idea of daily surrender when he wrote to the Church of Rome in Romans chapter 12 and verse 1 when he says, I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God that you present your body a living sacrifice. And the idea of that presenting your body, a living sacrifice, was a continual thing. And so there are times in our life where we have surrendered to God, maybe a week ago, or a month ago, or a year ago, but we have taken back some areas. And God desires us, and it's not just those in full-time service, it's those that desire to be a disciple of Christ. And those that desire to be a disciple of Christ must come to the place of absolute surrender. Absolute surrender. Lack of surrender to God is a result of selfishness deep within our character. Our selfish character robs us of a closeness with Christ and the power to touch our families and friends and the lost with the power of the gospel and the Holy Spirit. There was one man in China who ran a church house movement. And I put it, if you have the outline, it's written, it was quoted in a book called The Beauty of Brokenness. And he was known as Brother Yun. Brother Yun said this, multitude of church members in the West are satisfied with giving their minimum to God, not their maximum. Jesus gave his whole life for us, and we give as little of our lives, time, and money as we can back to God. What a disgrace. Repent. That's a man from China rebuking those of us in America who just give the minimum instead of the maximum. Absolute surrender. In the Bible, earlier in the book of John, in John chapter 4, Jesus said this, in John chapter 4 and verse 34, he says, my meat is to do the will of him that sent me and to finish his work. Remember that was at the woman at the well when the disciples came back and they were asking him, hey, so you got some food? And he said that, my meat is to do the will of him that sent me and to finish his work. What was Christ saying? My job is to fulfill whatever God wants me to do. That's what he was saying. In John chapter 5 and verse 30, this is Christ again saying, I can of my own self do nothing. Listen to what Christ said. I can of my own self do nothing. As I hear, I judge, and my judgment is just, because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me. John chapter 6 and verse 38, For I came down from heaven not to do my own will, but the will of Him that sent me." If you're going to be a follower of Christ, then I would challenge you to develop the character of Christ. And the character is to have the submission and surrender to do whatever God wants you to do. Heavenly Father, I pray this evening as we look at five evidences of a surrendered life, I pray that you would use the scriptures, help us to see clearly that the Bible does indicate to us that we should be surrendered to you. Pray that, as always, Lord, I pray that you would do that which I cannot do, and that is speak to hearts. We ask and claim your power in Jesus' name. Amen. We're called to surrender. Surrender isn't popular in our vocabulary, likely because it implies loss. It implies defeat to somebody that we surrendered to. Certainly, that's a lot of times what we think of as surrender. We think of giving in and giving up. Well, in the case of the Bible, the Bible is indicating that we need to give up to God. and you'll be much happier, you'll have a lot more satisfaction, you'll have a lot more peace and joy in your life when you give in and give up to God. So in John chapter 13 we start out with our first thought with absolute surrender and evidence of the surrendered life. Absolute surrender is mimicking our Savior's actions. Look at John chapter 13 and we'll notice two things. Starting in verse 3, Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, that he was come from God and went to God, he riseth from supper, and laid aside his garments, and took a towel, and girded himself. After that he poureth water into a basin, and began to wash the disciples' feet, and to wipe them with the towel wherewith he was girded. So first of all, as far as this idea, what is mimicking our Savior's actions? It is knowing the importance of service. Did you notice this passage here in verses three through five? Jesus himself lays aside some garments and takes up the garments of a servant. Look down in verse 13. It says, ye call me master and lord, and ye say, well, for so I am. If I then your lord and master have washed your feet, ye also ought to wash one another's feet. for I have given you an example that ye should do as I have done to you." Now, this was not instituting, praises the Lord, the ordinance of foot washing. All right? Now, there are some churches that hold to that, and I am glad that I am not a part of that. I'm glad in our Baptist heritage that somebody with sanity was like, you know what, I think that is saying we should be servants. otherwise walking in every day and I'd be down here you know what and that would be one thing that I believe the pastor could delegate to other people and you'd pull off your socks and we'd be washing your nappy feet well I think that Jesus was giving us an example That's what he said. And what's the example to be a servant? What's interesting is if you turn to 1 Peter chapter 5. 1 Peter chapter 5. Remember Peter was here in John chapter 13, and he piped up. Remember he was like, hey, you know what? Not just my feet. Wash my head, my body. You know, let's just go for a sponge wash here. You know, let's do the whole thing here. Well, I think that Peter in 1 Peter chapter 5 is recalling it. Why is it? Because in the language in 1 Peter chapter 5 and verse 5, likewise ye younger, look what he says, submit yourselves unto the elder, yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be, notice the phrase, clothed with humility. I think right there, as Peter was penning those words, I believe the Holy Spirit and Peter were working together under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, and he was sending them back to a time when he was in the upper room, and that clothed with humility means to put on a servant's attire. Guess what Christ did? Let's go back. Go back to John chapter 13. Says in verse four, he riseth from supper, laid aside his garments, and took a towel and girded himself. See that? So we're supposed to gird ourself with humility. That's the same, basically, idea. And Peter, I think, is saying, hey, Christ taught me something. And he taught me something about surrender. And if I'm gonna be absolutely surrendered to God, I have to mimic my Savior's actions. And one of those was knowing the importance of service. Then, it's not in this text, but it is in the text, right? Because if you know the chronological order of in the upper room, right? So go to Luke chapter 22. Luke chapter 22, this happened, this discussion happened in the upper room. Luke chapter 22. Look at verse 24. Alright, so, the reason I know it happened in the upper room is because of the context of Luke 22. All right, in the context, if you go back earlier in verse 19, he took bread, gave thanks, break it, gave unto them, saying, this is my body which is given. So this is the upper room. So here's Jesus, and he stoops down, he washes their feet. He's having the Last Supper communion with them, setting it up, I believe. But notice, right in the middle of it, A discussion pops up with the disciples, 24. And there was also a strife among them, which of them should be accounted the greatest. Somewhere in this thing, Jesus was on his knees washing their feet. And they're discussing, who's the greatest? Maybe Christ? Hello? It's silly, isn't it? But I think many of us are just as silly sometimes. Look at verse 25, and he said unto them, Jesus obviously is right there. The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them, and they that exercise authority upon them are called benefactors. But ye shall not be so. But he that is greatest among you, let him be as the younger. And he that is chief is he that doth serve. For whether is greater, he that sitteth at meat, or he that serveth. It's not he that sitteth at meat, but I am among you as he that serveth. All right, what is the Bible telling us? Bible telling us that absolute surrender is mimicking our Savior's actions. And in these context of John 13, what did he tell them? He told them to know the importance of service, and then secondly, he told them know the place of self. Know where you belong. Know your place. There are so many of us that it is all about us, and it's never about Christ. Think back over the past week in your conversation. Has any of your conversation included Christ? Has any of it included lifting Him up? Has any of it included maybe drawing somebody to God and godliness? Instead, it's, hey, look what I've done. This is what I'm thinking. These are my plans. This is what I'm going to do. I'm going to conquer the world. It's all about us. Know your place. You knew the place of self. One man said this and I thought it was interesting, glass blowers will never produce anything as fragile as the human ego. And it is true. One time a newspaper cartoonist named Webster amused himself by sending telegrams to 20 of his acquaintances. He selected 20 of them at random and each message contained the one word, congratulations. So far as Webster knew, none of them have done anything worthy of congratulations. But each of the 20 took the message at a matter of course, as though obviously I did something, and they sent him a thank you note. Although they did nothing. He knew they did nothing. He was aware that they did nothing. But congratulations, of course. You bet. Anytime. Anytime you can do nothing again, but that is us, isn't it? It's the place of self. We tend to be selfish. Selfishness greatly impedes our spiritual growth because the whole emphasis of Scripture is on a relationship to others. Consider this. We're instructed to love others, serve others, honor others, help others, share with others, encourage others, admonish others, restore others. A lot of that, just so you know, doesn't include you, as far as me, myself, and I. There's a lot of others. And in fact, in Romans chapter 7, Romans chapter 7, I think there's a confusion sometimes with the place of self. You know, we tend to be selfish, but I think we forget that we need to struggle with self. If you're not having a struggle with self, then I would venture to say that you're probably, self is winning. How do I know that? Romans 7, Romans 7 and starting in verse 15 it says, for that which I do I allow not, for what I would that do I not, but what I hate that do I. If then I do that which I would not, I consent unto the law that it is good. Now, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. And just so you know, that sin never leaves until I'm in heaven. So there's this struggle. So I need to understand that the struggle of sin and self should be ongoing in this life. And that may be depressing to you. You say, oh, come on. So how long am I going to struggle with sin and self? Until you get to heaven. We call that our progressive sanctification and future sanctification. All right, progressive sanctification is that which is occurring here on this earth. And every day I am drawing closer and closer to the image of God and the image of Christ. He's conforming me. But my future sanctification is in heaven. This self, this sin will be taken care of permanently. I will have a glorified body. But here on this earth, I struggle every day. Now, it doesn't mean that I have to live in defeat. I can have a victorious life. But if you are not struggling with self and with sin, what it means is that you've given into it. Dr. Schofield, and I thought this was an interesting statement, he was commenting on this passage in Romans chapter 7. Dr. Schofield said this, not everyone by any means has had the experience of the seventh of Romans. agony of conflict, of desire to do what we cannot do, of longing to do the right we cannot do. It is a great blessing when a person gets into the seventh of Romans and begins to realize the awful conflict of its struggle and defeat. You'd say, wait a minute, what is it? He's saying it's wonderful? Yes, it is. Because the first step toward getting out of the struggle of the seventh chapter and into the victory of the eighth is to get into the seventh. If you're never into the seventh chapter of that struggle, you'll never experience the victory of chapter eight. Of all the needy classes of people, the neediest of this earth are not those who are having a heartbreaking, agonizing struggle for victory, but those who are having no struggle at all. and no victory, and who do not know it, and who are satisfied and jogging along in a pitiable absence of almost all the possession that belongs to them in Christ." It's the place of surrender. In the place of surrender, first of all, absolute surrender is mimicking our Savior's actions. So let's go now to John chapter 14, and we're going to look at chapter 14 in verse 16 to 18. Look what it says, And I will pray the Father, and He shall give you another Comforter, that He may abide with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth Him not, neither knoweth Him, but ye know Him, for He dwelleth with you, and He shall be in you. I will not leave you comfortless. I will come to you. That's talking about the Spirit. Go down to verse 26 and 27. But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, He shall teach you all things and bring all things to your remembrance. Whatsoever I have said unto you, peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you, not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled. Neither let it be afraid." So first, absolute surrender is mimicking our Savior's actions. Secondly, absolute surrender is being led by the Spirit. It's being led by the Spirit. So that is an evidence of the surrendered life. Are there times in your life, now first of all, are there times in your life that you have to put yourself in its place, that struggle of Romans chapter 7 and head to Romans chapter 8 and you have to put self down because there are some times that you're doing things that you don't want to do. and the things that you want to do, you're not doing them. Is that true? If that's true, you're understanding the place of self and the place of service. That's evidence of a surrendered life. The second evidence is the Spirit leading you. Are there times in your life that you go to do something and like Paul, the Spirit restrains you? That is evidence of a surrendered life. If you have never had the Spirit stop you from doing something, stop you and say, hey, watch what you're saying, hey, you said that, don't say that, then I'm telling you, you are not absolutely surrendered. And that's all of us. That's not just me as a pastor. That's not just somebody in full-time service. All of us have the availability to have the Spirit lead us. Every one of us. Sometimes I don't know what to do. It could be in the case of finances. It could be in the case of family situation or a family issue. And I can trust that the Spirit will lead if I surrender to Him. You surrender. Absolute surrender is being led by the Spirit. Notice the Spirit will lead you in comfort. Notice in the passage, verse 18, I will not leave you comfortless. 26, but the comforter. 27, peace I leave with you. Let not your heart be troubled. So what is evidence of the surrender? We back? Maybe? All right. The spirit will lead in comfort. This, we just stationary. All right, here we go. Notice also in chapter 14 and verse 20, look at verse 20, at that day you shall know that I am in my father and ye and me and I and you, look at verse 21, he that hath my commandments and keepeth them. He it is that loveth me, and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him and will manifest myself to him. Notice, go down to verse 23. Jesus answered and said unto him, if a man love me, he will keep my words, and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him and make our abode with him. So notice another evidence of being led by the Spirit. Another evidence of being led by the Spirit is the Spirit will lead in comfort, but the Spirit will lead in bringing you close to the Father. Did you notice in those things that I am my father and ye and me and I and you. Notice verse 23, Jesus answered and said unto him, if a man loved me and he will keep my words and my father will love him and we will come unto him and make our abode with him. So notice what it's saying there. It's saying that the spirit, one of his jobs is to draw you closer to the father. So being surrendered to God, and this is an evidence of a surrendered life. All right? Myself is in its place. I am mimicking the actions of my Savior. That means serving, and myself is in its place. Then, I also am loved of the Spirit. And what does the Spirit's leading do? It brings comfort, but then my relationship with myself and the Heavenly Father are growing. That is evidence of the surrendered life. You have a stronger relationship with the Father than you have a year ago? If not, it could be a lack of surrender. Because when you're surrendered, the Holy Spirit works on you and He draws you closer to the Father. That's His job. Let's go to number three, John 15. John 15, you'll notice in this text, we see a couple of things as far as going through it. I read this ahead of time, and so I'm just gonna give you some stats about John chapter 15. Five times the word command or commandment is used. Five times. All right, so 10 times the word bring, forth, or bear, or do is used. So if that is an evidence of what the chapter is about, five times the word command or commandment, ten times bring forth or bear or do. So in John chapter 15, the evidence of absolute surrender demands complete obedience. And this is why some of you, you have a problem with surrender. You know why you have a problem with surrender? Because you can't obey God. And you say, oh no, I love him. I was joking with Pastor Wolven this past Monday. Because it's my gripe right now with Reformed Theology. Reformed Theology basically, and it's funny because there's a lot of new independent Baptists, young independent Baptists that are saying, I'm going Reformed. And Reformed Theology goes back to John Calvin, but actually goes past that. And John Calvin, he was a brilliant, brilliant man. He was a gifted mind. He really was. Brilliant. I am in no category with John Calvin. All right, but he was off on some of his scripture understanding. But what they say is, all right, so John Calvin is a thinker. He's a thinker and I just like to go deeper. And this is what a lot of the Reformed guys have said. They love to say, well, I love the Bible. Love it. But Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, you would never know it. Because they're out posting in the bars, hey, my favorite brewski. Oh, hey, man, this is my favorite rock jig. All right? There, man, they're out there. They drink all they want. I'm not saying they take drugs, but hey, if that's what... Hey, it's legal, man. Let's do it. All right? I'm listening to rock and roll. I'm listening to all the world's music. I don't have any separation from the world. But, hey, man, I love Jesus. I post verses every day, dude. I don't care. That's not evidence of the surrendered life. You know what evidence of the surrendered life is? You do what the Bible says. You bring forth fruit. You bear fruit. You do these things. If you love me, keep my commandments. It doesn't say if you love me, post a verse on your social media. Now, I'm glad if you post a verse, but do it. Evidence of the surrendered life is that absolute surrender demands complete obedience. Notice in John 15 and verse 3. This obedience brings purity. Look at verse 3. Now are ye clean, now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you. I can have purity. When? When I obey God. You're not gonna have purity in your life when you don't obey God. Notice in verses four through six, abide in me and I in you, as the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine. No more can ye except ye abide in me, I in the vine, ye are the branches. He that abideth in me and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit, for without me ye can do nothing. There's our surrender again. It's surrender. Guess what? Complete obedience. Obedience brings purity, it brings fruitfulness. Look at verse 11. These things have I spoken unto you that my joy might remain in you and that your joy might be what? Full. Know why some of you are happy one day and not happy the next? You're in and out of surrender. And what is in or out of surrender? Sometimes it's obedience. God has told you something to do. The Spirit nudged you. It told you maybe that you should be serving in some way. It told you that some place of self has taken over. And so then the Spirit nudges you. The Word of God clarifies and purifies. That's what the Word of God. Now are you clean through the Word. That's what the Word of God can do. But you pushed it off. F.B. Meyer, if you know him, he was a preacher, a writer. F.B. Meyer was a pastor in London. In the midst of a successful ministry, listen to what he says. F.B. Meyer confessed that something was lacking in his life and ministry. A man named J.H. Jowett recounts the following story. He said, Dr. Meyer has told us that his early Christian life was marred and his ministry paralyzed just because he had kept back one thing from the bunch of keys he had given to the Lord. Every key was God's but one. The key of one room was kept for personal use and the Lord was not allowed to go into it. The effect of incomplete consecration was found in a lack of power, and a lack of assurance, and a lack of joy, and a lack of peace. The joy of the Lord, F.B. Meyer said this, the joy of the Lord began when he handed over the last key. You know what that is? That's surrender, that's obedience. Whatever you want, Lord. Whatever you want. Obedience brings joy, and it's there on your countenance. Adonai Judson was a missionary to Burma, and the desire burned within him to preach the gospel. And he didn't know the language when he first got there, and he walked up to a Burmese man and just embraced him. The man went home and reported that he had seen an angel. And from that story, Adonai Johnston got the name Mr. Glory Face. You know why? From his countenance, they knew that something was different. and from your countenance. And that could be young people, that could be somebody that's saved 50 years. All right, it doesn't matter. I've been with some folks that are in the hospital and they're right on their deathbed. And you know what is there? Their Mr. and Mrs. Glory face. Because it is so obvious that whatever God wants, we're fine with it. That's absolute surrender. They are willing to completely obey what God has for them. Look at number four, John 16, John 16, and we're just gonna read verse 33. These things have I spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation, but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world. So absolute surrender, absolute surrender. It's mimicking our Savior's actions. It's being led by the Spirit. It demands complete obedience. But notice, it brings a peace that this world cannot bring. You see, these things have I spoken unto you, that in me you might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation, but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world. He's not saying that it's a removal of problems. He's not saying it's a removal of trials. What he's saying, it's a different peace. The world doesn't understand it. They think that it has to be everything removed and then it has to be just smooth going. One of my good friends over the past couple decades has been John Bishop. I can remember sitting over in the room with John Bishop and for some reason in the last year John Bishop has wanted to write me. So he writes me once in a while and then once in a while I get a text from him. I think it was in February, March, and April, and May. He was just having a hard time, and he would send me a long text, and I made the mistake of giving him my cell phone. He would send me this text, and it'd be longer, and longer, and longer. I'm like, wow, all right, when I have a few hours, I can read this, all right? But a couple of times, I've called him, and he'd pick up, Brother Dameron, And we just talked, and I said, hey, I'm praying for you. And he was having a hard time, having a hard time with seeing, and he needed some surgeries. There was pressure. Some of you don't know John Bishop. He hasn't been here in a while. And I said, well, when you can travel again, I want you to come. And I want you to come and speak again. He's like, oh, Brother Dameron, I don't travel much. But you'd say, well, wait a minute. I mean, he's experienced all this hardship, all this trial. God's probably mad at him, no? I remember sitting with him over in the dorm one time, and he says, I don't understand at all. He said, but I prayed and I prayed that God would send revival into my life. And this is how he sent it. It changed me. It's not saying that tribulation or trial is not gonna be there, but what he did say is, if I'm surrendered, I'll have perfect peace through it all. Absolute surrender means that you can have a peace that this world cannot bring. They just don't understand it. In chapter 17, our last thought here found that absolute surrender glorifies Christ through our lives. Notice what it says in verse 1. These words spake Jesus and lifted up his eyes to heaven and said, Father, the hour has come. Notice, glorify thy son that thy son also may glorify thee. A surrendered life is evidenced by pointing others to, not yourself, but to, for us, it's Christ. It's pointing people. For him, it was pointing them to God. He said, glorify now thy son. Why? So I can glorify you. Verse two, as thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given me, and this is life eternal, that they might know thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent. Look at verse four, I have glorified thee on the earth. So how do you glorify him? Absolute surrender glorifies Christ through our lives. So how do you bring glory first for I have finished? The work which thou gave us to me to do a surrendered life finishes God's work That he gave you to do And I know, I can think about folks that are here, and I can go back to my history back at Cleveland Baptist, and I know of folks that were there, and they taught kindergarten, or they taught first grade, or they taught second grade, and they taught it for decades. And you know what? No plaque. It's surrendered. Whatever you have, God, and I will finish this work. And you point people to Christ. That's when God is glorified through your life. Look at verse 14 and 17. I have given them thy word, and the world hath hated them because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. Verse 17, sanctify them through thy truth. Thy word is truth. So how do I glorify Christ through my life? A surrendered life finishes God's work for their life, but then a surrendered life is reliant, what? On the word of God. You notice what, in verse 14, I've given them thy word. That's bringing glory to God. Look at verse 17, sanctify them through thy truth, thy word is truth. When you give somebody the word of God, you are glorifying Christ. That's what it's saying. You're bringing glory to Him. When you are a channel for the Word of God, God gets glory. So what are you a channel for? Are you a channel for the latest fashions? Are you a channel for the latest tunes? Are you a channel for the latest gossip? Are you a channel for the latest in politics? Are you a channel? You put it in there. What are you a channel for? If you're glorifying Christ, it's you're a channel for the word of God. That's what I'm consumed with. That's what's important to me. and that brings glory to Christ. So think about this. Think about your life tonight and absolute surrender. If I'm surrendered to God, what is an evidence? I'm mimicking my Savior's action. John 13, I serve and I know where self is supposed to be at. And John 14, What's an evidence of my surrendered life? I'm led by the Spirit. So when's the last time the Spirit stopped you or led you? If He's not doing it, I'm telling you, you're not surrendered. Sorry, you're not. In chapter 15, Absolute surrender and evidence means it demands complete obedience, not partial, complete. And that means I'm sensitive to it. If God wants me to do something, I'm doing it. I don't care if he wants me bald. I'll shave my head off. Why? Because complete obedience means that the Holy Spirit can flow through me. I'm gonna stop the flow of the Holy Spirit because of my hair or because of my words or because of my actions? Yes, it can. And many of you sitting here, you know it because your lack of obedience has stopped the flow of God working through you. When's the last time you've seen an answer to prayer? When's the last time someone has been moved because of your working? It's because you haven't surrendered or you've taken something back. Absolute surrender. What is evidence? Number four, peace. Oh, there's a peace that's just there and it doesn't matter. Man, I am so glad I told Mr. Rankin, I'm so glad Empowered Youth Week is this week. That means I'm so busy, I can't read anything. And you know what? Don't bother me. I've told you the salvation of my life has never been politics. Sorry. It's not there. I'll do what I can. All right? America's a little different. We have the availability to take a lot of action. But guess what? All across this world, there are people in a lot worse situations, and they get up, they read God's word, they fellowship, they witness, and they have peace. They have peace. You see, those type of circumstances don't dictate my peace, my surrender to God does. And then chapter 17, Absolute surrender glorifies Christ. So, do people see Christ through your actions? They should. I'm not saying every day, alright? Men at work, every day somebody falls down, it's like, the glow. There's just something different about you. Well, I gained 20 pounds, alright? Oh, all right. I just wondered. Well, I smeared grease on my face. Yeah, that's... But there should be. And those of you that have worked out in the world, it has happened. And what is that an evidence of? It's an evidence of a surrendered will to God. It's a surrendered life. Because I'm bringing glory to Him. How am I bringing glory to Him? by doing the work that he's called me to do, but then also by giving out his word. He's glorified when his word goes forth. There was a pastor that lived in New York City many years ago, and he would talk to many young people who would struggle with the idea of surrender. And so he gave the following illustration. He counseled in his office and often he would take them and say, hey, why don't we go for a walk? And so he would go with them from his office down to the RCA building. In the RCA building, it's on 5th Avenue, in the entrance of the building is a giant, giant statue of Atlas. And Atlas, if you've not seen Atlas, I mean, the guy is massive. He's huge. He's a well-defined machine. All right, he's a powerfully built man. But on his back is the world. And it's pushing him down. It's as though Atlas is, I mean, here's the dude of all dudes. And he's being weighted down by the world. And he would look at the person and he'd say, that's one way to live. He said, you can try to carry the world on your shoulders. And then he'd say, let's go across the street. No, it just so happens it's the wrong place to go to, but you'll understand. On the other side of Fifth Avenue, so RCA building and you have Atlas there, on the other side was St. Patrick's Cathedral. They would walk inside St. Patrick's Cathedral, and there was a high altar, and behind the altar was a little shrine of the boy Jesus, probably about eight or nine years old, and with no effort, Jesus is there holding the world. And he said, you have a choice. You can carry the world on your shoulder, Or you can say, I give up. Lord, I give it to you. And it's no effort for Christ to carry it. That's your choice. Your choice is to struggle along and bear it and be under the weight. And you might make it a little bit. But eventually, you'll be discouraged. You'll be downhearted. You'll be just overwhelmed. or you give it to God, and God can do a lot more with it. And you'll have a lot more peace and satisfaction, but it comes through the vehicle of absolute surrender. The wonder in the Bible is that we have examples. And to me, the great example to me that encourages me is Peter. Because Peter kind of, under Christ, went back and forth. And I think that happens to you and I sometimes. We kind of fight with, we're not understanding it all. Maybe a little bit spiritual immaturity, we might say. And we're fighting back and forth. And then we have highs where we're walking on water and then we're sinking the next instant. And then there's other highs where, you know, we're answering Jesus, whom do men say the name of? Christ. And then the next moment, all right, get thee behind me. He's like, all right. All right, that's sometimes our life, isn't it? But guess what happened? Jesus, if you'll just keep coming back to him, he'll help you with this idea of surrender. I'm glad that Jesus pursued Peter. And he found him on the shore. Hey, lovest thou me? Lovest thou me? Lovest thou me? And Peter was getting the picture. And pretty soon, Peter is turned around, and about 40 days later, he's preaching at Pentecost. And he learned what true surrender is. You see, we can struggle sometimes with surrender. I understand that. But what you need to do is keep coming back to Christ. Keep coming back to Him. Keep coming back to Him. And maybe He'll take this little section. He'll take this little section. And it may be that surrender... And actually, surrender is a daily thing. But it may be that in certain areas, you've been kind of like, no, that's mine. Like F.B. Meyer. F.B. Meyer was a great preacher. He was a great pastor. But you know what, even when he was preaching, he had a little corner, ah, that's mine. And God said, no, give me the key. Maybe that's where you're at. And you need to come and surrender all to him. Heads bowed, eyes closed this evening.