“Don’t Give Up, Just Surrender”

September 8, 2006. Pastor Matt

This Sermon is a simple outline of some of what God has shown me in the last few weeks.  Today, I am going to take some time to share it with you.

Ephesians 1

(1) Paul and apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God

-         It was not his own effort or his own desires that made him an apostle

-         God wanted him, called him, and that is why he is doing it…not so much God forcing him as it is his response to the call, his attitude towards God and his attitude about life, that we, as Christians should do whatever and go wherever God tells us to do

(4-5) For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will

He chose us

He predestined us

(5) …In accordance with His pleasure and will

Before we were born, God had plans for us

Before we knew Him, He knew us and plan great and many things, the biggest of which being the salvation that comes through Jesus

God has plans for everyone…don’t think of this verse in terms of God only calls certain people to believe in Him, but rather God calls all men to believe and He has plans for all men…plans to do things with and through them…starting with sending His Son to save all of us!

(11) In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will,

God has a master plan and we are part of it

God has a master plan for everything under the sun

(13) And you also were included in Christ

God’s plans for you can finally and fully began to take place in your life once you gave your life over to Him

God is the one with the master plan and until we surrender to Him and start following His plans, we can never become and do the great things God has planned for us

Every minute of our life has been planned for us

God has a perfect plan for our lives if we will only surrender to his plan, His control

Those people that give God 100% control are the ones living on the edge, the ones doing amazing things…the rest of us just give 1-99% control to Him.

Some More…

(1:18-19) I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and his incomparably great power for us who believe.

-         we know there are great things waiting for those who believe

-         we know there are great things God wants to do through us, and he will give us the power to accomplish those great things!

(2:10)  For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

-         God created us to do good things

-         They have already been prepared and are waiting to be done by us!

-         God is waiting for us to reach our potential by finding out what he has planned in advance for us to do and do it!

Why would we do this?

Some of you may struggle with this idea of giving over the control.

He loves us!

(3:16-21)  I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

We can trust in His great plans for us because He loves us!

His plans are far better than anything we could ever think up

 20Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, 21to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.

So what do we do from here?

(5:15-17) Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord's will is.

-         We do whatever He tells us to do. 

-         We let Him be in control of every aspect of our life

-         We stop trying to create God’s will.  We must see where God is at work and get on board with it.

-         You don’t do anything until God shows you what He wants you to do (He’ll already have gotten the job started for you)

-         If you don’t know what the next thing is you should do, go back to doing the last thing he told you to do until He tells you to move on (No matter how far back you have to Go)

-         If you don’t know what God’s will is, start spending time in the Word…apply It’s principles to everyday life and watch God do His thing

If we refuse to let God run our life, we will wind up down a different path from where God wanted to take you.

Can you surrender?  Can you let go of the control?