A. ABSOLUTE, FULL SURRENDER TO THE WORD OF CHRIST
1. Peter’s Surrender of Ship and Substance to Christ (Luke 5:1-3; Mark 10:28-30; John 21:15-17)
Peter and his colleagues have not caught anything that night, but their situation did not hinder them from surrendering their ship to Christ when He came to make the request. They didn’t say no money, no fish, no food, this is not the right time to make this request. People who want heaven more than food surrender what they have to God fully. That was how Peter got saved. This is how we get saved. You have to surrender whatever is in your hands, even profitable things, whatever you are selling to make money that is not godly – cigarettes, alcohol, your body and all things that brought gains and money.
Let me ask you, you say you are born again and belong to Christ, at the point of salvation, what did you surrender? Have you left or abandoned anything for Christ? What did you give up? I know what I surrendered and gave up. In my former church where I was before I became born again, I was doing something for them, I was known and appreciated, and I surrendered it all. Have you surrendered anything?
2. Profitable Surrender of Sin and Self to Christ
At the point of salvation, there must be definite things you forsook. As you come to the Lord for sanctification, there must be things you surrender to Christ. Although you are born again, some things must go at sanctification. We call it consecration in the heart, mind, nature and depraved minds. At salvation, all external sins are gone, but self is still dominating and competing with the Saviour of the soul and Sanctifier of the Spirit, and we have to come again to surrender self. Have you surrendered anything beyond the point of salvation? Think about it. Self – having it your own way, on your own terms, wanting to beat down anyone who will not agree with your self-centeredness.
At salvation, we surrender every sin and things that used to bring profit to us. At sanctification, self must not be in competition with the Spirit. Have you given away your self-centeredness? Does self rule everything in the church, in the homes, with our domestic staff, in the places of work? Are you a master controlling everyone? At sanctification, we surrender everything at the feet of Christ.
3. Perpetual Surrender in Sacrifice and Service to Christ (Luke 5: 14:33)
Jesus told Peter to throw His net to a direction after toiling all night without result. He did and caught a lot of fishes. At the word of the Lord, despite all his personal efforts. When you come to Christ, it is no longer how you feel, or what is comfortable or convenient, what you are used to, by your training, but at the word of the Lord. That is Christian service, anything beyond that is not acceptable to the Lord.
You should always say, “Not my will, or way, but Thine will be done”. They caught a lot of fish, the greetest number they ever caught in their fishing career.
Then Jesus said, follow me and they forsook that. He didn’t say he wanted to sell the fish first, after all, He gave them the blessing. No
They left all and followed Him. What have you left without carnal comparison with other people who have not left anything? Have you left your own ways, profits, your own mind – always wanting to say and show them your mind, and way? Jesus says whosoever does not forsake his all – opinions, ideas, ways cannot be His disciple. Surrender at the points of salvation, sanctification and service.
You bring your service to the Lord, and you want others to do same. You don’t want to be a model, a pattern of reaction to the word of God. You will not join a conspiracy to react to the word of God, but to respond profitably to it.
B. ASTONISHING FAITH SURPRISES IN THE WORK OF CHRIST (Luke 3:12-13,17-26)
As Peter and his friends did what Jesus commanded, they were provided for, cleansed, saved, and healed in their bodies, skin and hearts. Salvation is the work of Christ, what they used to be, they were no more. A leper by birth, life, and style, you come to Christ and He clears everything away, and cleanses everything at His word.
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