SURRENDER IS FREEDOM
Greetings church family
Daniel 3:1-7 - King Nebuchadnezzar made a gold statue, ninety feet high and nine feet wide. He set it up on the plain of Dura in the province of Babylon. King Nebuchadnezzar sent word to assemble the satraps, prefects, governors, advisers, treasurers, judges, magistrates, and all the rulers of the provinces to attend the dedication of the statue King Nebuchadnezzar had set up. So the satraps, prefects, governors, advisers, treasurers, judges, magistrates, and all the rulers of the provinces assembled for the dedication of the statue the king had set up. Then they stood before the statue Nebuchadnezzar had set up. A herald loudly proclaimed, “People of every nation and language, you are commanded: When you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, drum, and every kind of music, you are to fall facedown and worship the gold statue that King Nebuchadnezzar has set up. But whoever does not fall down and worship will immediately be thrown into a furnace of blazing fire.” Therefore, when all the people heard the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, and every kind of music, people of every nation and language fell down and worshiped the gold statue that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up.
“Don’t open them until Christmas!” Every Christmas Eve since I could remember, my favorite uncle, Uncle Bobby, would come over to drop off gifts for my siblings and me. And every year he would remind us not to open our gfits until the next day. He was so good at buying Christmas gifts for my siblings and I when we were kids. He actually paid attention to our likes and hobbies and such, and purchased gifts accordingly. We were always grateful for any Christmas gift, no matter who gave them or what they were. However, our anticipation was heightened most over Uncle Bobby’s gifts.
The Christmas Eve of my 11th year of age was no different. Except this time, stayed to visit for a long duration that night. The other difference was I had become more impatient and impulsive than I used to be. Seeing that my uncle was deep in conversation with my parentsin the dining room, I snuck over to the living room to find the wrapped gift Uncle Bobby brought. I lasted about 30 seconds before I decided to tear just enough of the wrapping to see what the gift was. It was a 50-in-1 Science Kit! Oh man, I couldn’t wait to open the gift and play with it on Christmas day! Unfortunately, when I got up to return to the dining room, I bumped right into Uncle Bobby, who had been watching me the entire time. He was extremely disappointed in me, and he let me know it!
What is it about our human nature that many times we tend to do exactly the opposite of what we’re supposed to do? I wasn’t alone. King Nebuchadnezzar had the same problem.
In Daniel 2, through the gold head of statue in King Nebuchadnezzar’s dream, God made it clear to him that Babylon would reign over the world for a time. However, Babylon would eventually fall, and other kingdoms would rise in its place (thus the chest and arms of silver, torso of bronze, legs of iron, and feet of clay and iron). This declaration did not sit well with Nebuchadnezzar, and by the beginning of Daniel 3, the king has already set up a statue for all of the leaders of his empire to come and worship that was made purely of gold. This was Nebuchadnezzar’s way of opposing the interpretation God presented some time earlier. Doing exactly the opposite of what had been spelled out to him.
Paul says in Romans 11:23 that “everything that is not from faith is sin.” When our actions are not a result of complete trust in God, they are sinful actions.
Jesus says in John 8:34 that “everyone who commits sin is a slave to sin.” Humanity’s problem isn’t just that we are born rebellious to the principles of the kingdom of heaven, but that we bound to this rebellious tendency.
Paul echoes Jesus words in a different way in Romans 8:7, which says, “The mindset of the flesh is hostile to God because it does not submit to God's law. Indeed, it is unable to do so.” Paul gets vulnerable and shares about his rebellious experience, saying in Romans 7:15 - “For I do not understand what I am doing, because I do not practice what I want to do, but I do what I hate.”
To be clear, none of the scripture passages above negate the fact that we have been granted free will by our Creator to make choices. But, the prideful, unrepentant heart will, more often than not, make choices that do not reflect God’s will.
This is why the gospel of Jesus Christ is such good news!!! Through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus, we have been freed from this bondage, and can make choices from a context of true freedom rather than from a nature that leans to rebellion. We can either choose to keep our grip on the controls of our life, thinking, like King Nebuchadnezzar, that we are better equipped to author our destiny. Or, we can surrender to the One who is the source of life and purpose, living by faith rather than by control.
Lord, help us as a church family to choose faith over control. Help us to embrace surrender each and every day, knowing that Your will is just and good. And when we fall back into the rebellious habit of taking control of our own lives, remind us of the words of Proverbs 19:21 - “Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the LORD that will stand.”
I pray this prayer in Jesus’ name, Amen!
Blessings church family!!
Pastor Chris
