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What It Means To Surrender And Why Do It
Brian Mashburn
April 16, 2017
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Surrendering All
The most incredible event in the history of the universe, which also happens to contain the greatest news that any human being could ever know, is acknowledged on this day each year: Easter Sunday.
This is the day on the Christian calendar where we get to remember that the worst event in history - the murder of Jesus - led to the most unlikely, unbelievable, and treasure-packed event ever - the resurrection of Jesus!
And because of it, we Christians live with an ability to face life honestly, as it comes, fully engaging it, but with an irrational sense of peace. We confess and accept our imperfections sincerely, and take them seriously, but with a confidence that we are forgiven, an expectation that we can change, and gratitude that even our mistakes are turned into life-giving ministry. We know that death will come, but have no fear or respect for it, because we believe that there is more, and better, and so refuse to die before we die, and have a confidence even in the face of death.
We walk this earth knowing that there is something bigger, inclusive of, but not limited to, this earth.
For Resurrection Sunday to be a thing, however, Jesus had to surrender everything. And for us to experience the life I just described above, well, we must surrender everything, too. The way Jesus said it goes like this: "Whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it." (Luke 9:24)
Today, we look at those first followers recorded in the book of Acts - those who first continued what Jesus started - and how they did just that. They surrendered all.