Judson W. Van DeVenter was born December 15, 1855, on a farm near the village of Dundee, Michigan. He was educated in the country and village schools, and later at Hillsdale College. He later moved to St. Petersburg, Florida. He wrote about 100 hymns, the following being one of his most revered compositions. This song was recently sung during our worship time during our Sunday morning service. As I thought about the childhood memories of First Baptist Buna, the words of this hymn came alive in my spirit. This song was sung often growing up and revisited on occasion over my adult church experiences, but that day it seemed fresh and new. As the Holy Spirit often does, a question was conveyed to me in such a manner saying, “What does this hymn mean to you today?”
All to Jesus I surrender, All to Him I freely give;
I will ever love and trust Him, In His presence daily live.
I surrender all, I surrender all; All to Thee,
my blessed Savior, I surrender all.
All to Jesus I surrender, make me, Savior, wholly Thine;
Let me feel Thy Holy Spirit, truly know that Thou art mine.
All to Jesus I surrender, Lord, I give myself to Thee;
Fill me with Thy love and power, Let Thy blessing fall on me.
I surrender all, I surrender all; All to Thee,
my blessed Savior, I surrender all.
Human resistance to change is a common trait that we all battle with, but to embrace change, physical or spiritual, requires giving up something: time, egos, schedules, comfort zones, etc. The act of surrender engages, rather than avoids, the process of transformation. There is a moment in the process of personal development and transformation that is pivotal. It is the moment when WE either enter the process of change or WE avoid it. This decision is what starts the process of change, it is simple and yet complex. It can be inviting but threatening. It can be fulfilling and defeating. Surrender does not merely affect a natural progression of change, but it holds the magical ability to translate us from one state of being into another. From ignorance to enlightenment, from carnal to spiritual, from death to life. It is a tool that we can willfully employ for our development and growth. But in this case, for this topic today it requires submission to God’s higher power and will rather than our own. So, what does “surrender all” mean to you? What does it require from you?
The Rich Young Ruler
Mark 10:17-27 As He was setting out on a journey, a man ran up to Him and knelt before Him, and asked Him, “Good Teacher, what shall I do so that I may inherit eternal life?” But Jesus said to him, “Why do you call Me good? No one is good except God alone. You know the commandments: “Do not murder, Do not commit adultery, Do not steal, Do not give false testimony, Do not defraud, Honor your father and mother.” And he said to Him, “Teacher, I have kept all these things from my youth.” Looking at him, Jesus said, “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 he was deeply dismayed by these words, and he went away grieving; for he owned much property. Before his encounter with Jesus, the rich young ruler thought he had it all. He had worked hard, and it sounds like he had a lot of money. He kept all God’s laws faithfully but had now been shown the bigger picture, in essence, what he's doing is trying to earn his way into heaven. Jesus is saying to the rich young ruler, you have put your faith and trust in your wealth, knowledge, and accomplishments. But the efforts and accomplishments are pushing you away from God.
This story ends in some translations with the rich young ruler going away sad Mark 10:22… but a more accurate translations use the word lupeó which translates as “grieved.”
That’s the same word used when Jesus is in the garden of Gethsemane (Matthew 26:38). Jesus was grieved and in great distress. Why? Because he knew what he was about to face. He knew he was about to experience separation from his father for the first time in eternity. When Jesus called this young man to give up his money, the man started to grieve, because money was for him what the Father was for Jesus. The problem with the rich young ruler is not really his wealth, because wealth is not a sin, nor is it evil. But it is where he placed his identity. He thought he didn’t need the grace of God because he could provide for himself. What Jesus was doing was revealing to him where he had placed his identity (self-sufficiency). And he left grieving!!
This man found Jesus very appealing proven out by his need to have this one-on-one encounter. It does not say but I am sure that this man had heard other teachings from Jesus, maybe even played out a scenario in his head of what it would be like to be a follower. The reason that I say this is “because his heart seemed ready,” he eagerly engaged in the conversation, almost proud that he had correctly answered the questions that Jesus had asked him. Much like other times when the Holy Spirit begins to convict a heart, set the stage if you will. How many non-believers consider Jesus as a welcome addition to their life? They feel conviction and are aware of a need for change, but at the time of decision, when the reality of the cost seems too great, many walk away grieving.
Luke 9:23 Then He said to them all, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.” This difficult verse has been interpreted in many ways and may have meaning on multiple levels. In the current Western church, we don't see real physical persecution, so we generally think of "taking up the cross" and "losing our life," in a more metaphorical sense. Without debating Lordship or salvation, most of us do realize that as Christians we're called to be different. If we're bound and determined to continue our OWN life of rebelliousness and sin, then we probably won't come to Jesus at all. We can interpret the "cross" in an associated verse with the putting to death of our natural man, which the Holy Spirit accomplishes by calling us to participate in this transformation process.
1 Corinthians 15:31 says, “I affirm, brethren, by the boasting in you which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily”. This statement echoes Jesus’ command to those who want to follow Him, as stated in the previous verse: So, when Jesus said that to follow Him, we must carry a cross, He meant that something must die before we can live, something must die on a cross. Paul saw his life as a daily death to himself. He expressed this understanding to the church elders of Ephesus: “I do not account my life of any value nor as precious to myself, if only I may finish my course and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God” Acts 20:24. Paul wrote often about dying to sin Romans 6:11, to the flesh, and self, Galatians 2:20. He lived what he preached and urged believers everywhere to imitate him as he imitated Christ 1 Corinthians 4;16 and 11:1
For many Christians, the thought of true self-sacrifice, surrender, and dying to self is a concept or proposal that seems too fanatical, too extreme. Maybe the loss of self-identity and a deeper commitment may be too much to give into. After all, I thought Christianity (being born again) was about that ticket to heaven, now you tell me that was just the beginning of my sanctification process? Scriptures like Rom 12:2 are to be our goal and standard. “Do not conform to the pattern of this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then, you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing, and perfect will.” Much like the “rich young ruler” Jesus spoke directly to the issue, mindset, and stronghold that stood in the way of his true spiritual growth. He did not ask others in the crowd to sell it all, just him. So, what is the Holy Spirit speaking to your heart, that must be sold or put to death?
The book of Romans lays out for us the pathway to righteousness, And Paul displays how he, and how we are to accomplish this transformation from carnal to the Spiritual/ supernatural life. He has also shared with us his struggles as an example. Romans 7:15-20. I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. As it is, it is no longer I, who do it, but it is sin living in me. For I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it. This yoyo, or pattern of actions, mindset, good versus evil, accurately DESCRIBES the war between our flesh and our Spirit.
The pattern of this world is influenced by Satan, and it continues ever since Adam fell to temptation. Because of this, we are born into sin, and so we sin, along with the rest of the world. The world, or “the dominion of darkness” has its ways and operates by certain patterns. Every Christian who is saved is brought out of that dominion, that pattern, and that way of thinking. Our renewed spirit is different and agrees with the ways of Heaven, but our flesh is not yet renewed, therefore, it has embedded within it old habits that run according to the “elementary principles of the world.” For our old flesh to fall into line with our new spirit and the Holy Spirit within us, our minds must be transformed by renewal. Let’s break down the stages of Romans 12:2
#1 “Do not conform to the pattern of this world,” “They are surprised that you do not join them in their reckless, wild living, and they heap abuse on you” 1 Pet 4:4. Several of the authors of the New Testament warn against the dangers of being of the world. Instead, we are called to be in the world, but not of it.
#2 "But be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” If your mind changes, you will change. Feed it with truth from the Word. Change it by acting appropriately in the world. When you sin, confess and repent. When your mind changes, you are fundamentally a different and more Christlike person.
#3 “Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is…”Just as the spirit of a man knows the man, the Spirit of God is the only one to truly know God 1 Cor 2:11. With a renewed mind we have the Spirit of God and the “mind of Christ” 1 Cor 2:16. The Christian with a renewed mind will know how to walk through life with an understanding of the will of God and will be able to obey him.
#4 “his good, pleasing, and perfect will.” New Christians sometimes admit that parts of God’s will are not pleasing to them. They know His will is good, but they admit that they are not pleased with it, especially in those areas where the culture they were brought up in has an extremely different view. But the more mature Christians will begin to love all the ways of God and find them increasingly pleasing the more that they surrender to this new path. (from immaturity to maturity), the sanctification process.
We, too, can say, "I die daily." Paul was sold out to God, and we can be, as well. Sin, the flesh, and this world will continually battle for our attention and demand our participation. But when we die daily, we position ourselves to be unable to respond to those temptations. A dead man has no personal agendas or rights. He is not tempted to sin because he is dead to everything around him. “You have died with Christ, and he has set you free from the spiritual powers of this world” Colossians 2:20, NLT. We must die too ourselves, our rights, and our desire to be our own boss. We must die daily. Every Christian will be tested by this reality!! Near the end of his life, Paul referred to himself as the least of the apostles and was unworthy to be called an apostle because he persecuted the church of God. In 1 Corinthians 15:9-10, he says, "I worked harder than all of them - yet not I, but the grace (power) of God that was with me". Have you surrendered to the POWER of God?
Jesus said, “Which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost, whether he has enough to complete it?” Luke 14:28. Jesus wanted to prevent people from starting to follow Him and then stopping later when the act of surrender became more costly than they had calculated. Expectations and demands will always shape your experiences. When you know the cost involved in following Christ, there is a better chance of completing the task.
I will finish this teaching as I started. The act of surrender engages the Believer, and the process of transformation begins. There is the moment when WE either enter the process of change or WE avoid it. I am convinced that after his encounter with Jesus “the rich young ruler” never found complete contentment or fulfillment in his riches or achievements. I am equally convinced that the same thing can be said for many believers. For too many live a grieved Christian life. With a lukewarm pursuit of God and His perfect will for their life, living short of full surrender. A born-again believer will never be completely satisfied until the act of full surrender to the will of the Holy Spirit becomes second nature. So, what does “surrender all” mean to you? What does it still require of you?