Wave the White Flag

This week we started a series in youth called "Surrender". It started as most, a little slow with the leader (me) fumbling around trying to get the timing right. However, the time came after the video portion to discuss what surrender is. Some answers I got were interesting. I heard most of the usual answers like "give up" and "let go." However, the one that caught my attention was "weak" or "to be weak." That really perked my ears. I never really thought of it in that light. Is the act of surrender showing weakness? Some people may disagree, however, I intend to hopefully shine a light in order to break our pride.

            It really showed me something that was right in front of my face the whole time. Surrender is showing that you are weaker than your adversary. You surrender in order to save your life. You give up your way of fighting and come under the leader that you surrender to in hopes of being cared for by that kingdom. Now, I understand that not all kingdoms in the past have been accommodating to the people that have surrendered and come under that rule. However, I want you to focus on the concept and not past events of what has happened to those who have surrendered!

            This is a total act of humility. Surrendering is losing your pride and admitting defeat. You can no longer sustain this battle on your own efforts and if you continue it will ultimately bring your own demise. I hope by now after just beginning you are starting to get a picture of what I am pointing out. I know that some people will be admitting it takes a great deal of strength to surrender. Our surrender to Jesus shows how strong we really are. I guess in the light of being humble, it does require an amount of intestinal fortitude to admit that we are weak. However, don't confuse the point. In surrendering you are admitting that you are weak.  

            So, now I hope you can see the direction I am heading. The whole concept of new life in Christ is surrendering the old self over to the saving grace of God and allowing him to change us from the inside out. However, we must surrender. What does that mean now? It means that we recognize our weakness. You may ask, "What weakness?" 

            We are regrettably weak beings because of the fall. What weakness? Sin. It is because of sin we cannot be righteous, good, holy, saved, or enter Heaven on our own. However, the pride of people is that we can do it. We can earn it. We can do the right things to get to Heaven. Well that is what every religion in the world tells us. Except for Christianity! It says that we are weak and fallen beings that need a Savior and only through that Savior can we be saved. We have to become humble and own up to our weakness.

            Paul states in 2 Corinthians 12 that only when we are weak are we strong. Jesus is quoted there as he tells Paul that, “My grace is sufficient for you, power is perfected in weakness.” (1 Cor. 12:9 HCSB) It is amazing that Christ and Paul are telling us to boast in our weakness for that is when we will be strong.

            So in retrospect, in order to surrender to Christ we must boast in our weaknesses. It is we turning over what we cannot do on our own. CHANGE! We cannot become a Christians, get to Heaven, be saved, be good, be holy, or be righteous without Jesus.

           

            So in order to save your life you must surrender to the only one who can save it, Jesus! He is a good and just King. He is the one who rules with justice and mercy. We are on the battlefield. Whose banner will you be fighting under? Will you fight under the banner of the world, where you will become weary and eventually destroyed? Or will you fight under the banner of Jesus, who already won the victory, where the burden in light and the yoke is easy?

All you have to do is surrender! 
Wave the White Flag!