Christmas Is Surrender

Some years ago, when we were in California, my brother in law took us to Saddle Back church. It was a very large church, and the first thing that I noticed was that we were only allowed to park in the parking lot if we were first time visitors. Everyone else took a bus from another lot. The second thing I noticed was a full wall, 4 pictures high were photographs of missionaries that they support. saddleback is an interesting church. It was started from scratch about 20 years ago, and five other people. Their original design was not to be a monster church, but a church where there was one on one concern, and a mutual love and appreciation for everyone in the church. They now have a membership of approx. 20,000!!! This was surrender on their part, because everyone else wanted the largest church. And surrender is the key to a satisfactory Christian life.

I became a Christian when I was about 6 yrs old. At 12 I was baptized, but it wasn't until I was ab out 19 that I surrendered to the person of the Holy Spirit. From then on it was a 1 on1 experienced. I left a strongly denominational church and sat in Knox church for 3 years, where I was quiet, and the Lord could feed me. Then on to Vancouver where I became involved. Supt of the young peoples s.s. department, choir, and a wonderful young peoples class of about 15 kids. But the Lord led me, and fed until the next step was somewhere foreign to me. The United Church. That was a large step of surrender. It meant a class of 40 kids, and a coffee house ministry of sometimes 400 high school kids. But He also taught me how to kneel to pray. Now it was surrender again.

This is one of the first acts in Luke's story of the birth of Christ. Mary was a young person, perhaps 14 - 15 years old. She was alone, perhaps preparing her betrothal dress, because she was betrothed to a man called Joseph. Suddenly she was in the company of an angel. She was afraid. Now her fear turned to wonder as he tole her that she was to be the mother of the messiah. Now she had a number of surrenders to do. What will I tell my parents, and Joseph. Will he still accept me, or will I be stoned to death, or perhaps never marry. She had to surrender all her fears, and we get magnificent hymn of praise. The Magnificat - My soul doth glorify the Lord, and my spirit doth rejoice in God my Saviour, for He hath regarded the lowliness of his handmaiden. It is a b beautiful portion from the bible, which show her total surrender.

But you know, the picture of surrender doesn't start there. John 3:16 says, "God so loved the world, that He gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believeth in Him might not perish but have everlasting life". God was willing to surrender all that He had, His only begotten, and precious son to give us full salvation. And there followed a full surrender when Jesus was willing to come, and surrender his life for us. The gospels say, that his face was set as it were flint to go to be crucified. Such a gift of love asks that we surrender to Him.