Surrender

As the fable goes, a chicken and pig are walking down the road.
Chicken: Hey Pig, let’s open a restaurant.
Pig: Hmm, maybe, what would we call it?
Chicken: How about “Ham & Eggs”?
Pig: No way! For you it only requires a contribution, but for me, it means total commitment, total sacrifice, total surrender.

Felix faced this personally. He was formerly a slave but was promoted to the office of a Roman governor, a very powerful man who takes whatever he wants. He’s known for being cruel, crude and corrupt. It’s as if he’s getting back at the world for all the abuses it had heaped upon him. Not a nice guy.

After listening to Paul’s defense, Felix recognizes Paul has done no wrong. A few days later, Felix sends for Paul, and hears him speak about faith in Jesus. Paul reasons with him, insisting on right relations with God, about a life of moral discipline and the coming judgment. Felix is alarmed and tells Paul to go away and he’ll call for him again, when it’s more convenient. Yet, Felix refuses to surrender his life.

Faith in Jesus, to really accept Him, is total 100% surrender. Letting go of all of our ambitions, hopes and plans. Jesus said we have to lose our life to save it. We’ve got to let go of everything, give up the allusion and see the reality of who God is. Jesus died for us. We can surely choose to live for Him.

Our apologies, due to a glitch, there is no recording of Sunday’s service on July 20. There’s so much more to the story. Read it for yourself: Acts 24.