It’s possible to look like a Christian, talk like a Christian, attend church like a Christian and still be far from Jesus in your heart.
Jesus didn’t come to give us a better religious appearance. He came to transform us from the inside out.
In this 4-part message series we will discover what it means to move beyond surface-level Christianity into a genuine, surrendered, Spirit-filled relationship with Jesus!
“These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me.” — Matthew 15:8
Part 3: Almost Surrendered
When Jesus Is Savior but Not Lord
“A man ran up to Him and knelt before Him, and asked Him, ‘Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?’... ‘You know the commandments, “Do not murder, Do not commit adultery, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Do not defraud, Honor your father and mother.”’ And he said to Him, ‘Teacher, I have kept all these things from my youth up.’ Looking at him, Jesus felt a love for him and said to him, ‘One thing you lack: go and sell all you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.’ But at these words he was saddened, and he went away grieving, for he was one who owned much property.” Mark 10:17-22
Why Did The Rich Young Ruler
Miss Jesus?
1. We can obey Jesus in many areas while withholding one from Him.
“Thus says the Lord of hosts, ‘I will punish Amalek for what he did to Israel, how he set himself against him on the way while he was coming up from Egypt. Now go and strike Amalek and utterly destroy all that he has...Saul defeated the Amalekites…But Saul and the people spared Agag and the best of the sheep, the oxen, the
fatlings, the lambs, and all that was good, and were not willing to destroy them utterly…Then the word of the Lord came to Samuel, saying, ‘I regret that I have made Saul king, for he has turned back from following Me and has not carried out My commands.’... Samuel came to Saul, and Saul said to him, ‘Blessed are you of the Lord! I have carried out the command of the Lord.’” 1 Samuel 15:2-13
“Beware, and be on your guard against every form of greed…” Luke 12:15
2. Jesus will confront whatever competes for our heart.
“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal; for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Matthew 6:19-21
“Jesus felt a love for him and said to him, ‘One thing you lack: go and sell all you possess and give to the poor…’” Mark 10:21
3. Following Jesus requires surrender, not addition.
“Whom have I in heaven but You? And besides You, I desire nothing on earth.” Psalm 73:25
“To you who believe, He is precious.” 1 Peter 2:7 NKJV
“You are God’s special treasure.” 1 Peter 2:9 NIRV
* All scriptures are from the New American Standard Bible (NASB) unless otherwise noted
