Chap. 21: Surrendering in Jesus
A disciple surrenders with this prayer: "May your will be done." The story of surrendering in the life of Boaz and Sarita Johnson at NPU.
JESUS AND SURRENDER. "The Jesus Creed is about loving God with the heart, soul, mind, and strength—with the entire person. In short, Jesus is calling us to total surrender: personally (heart and soul), mentally (mind), and physically (strength)."
SURRENDERING PERSONALLY (HEART AND SOUL). Sometimes surrendering means giving up a gift because it consumes you personally .The Lord's prayer says, "May your [note--not my] will be done."
SURRENDERING MENTALLY (MIND). We need to read the Bible. We need to learn about church history. We need to understand our own culture. We need to give up thinking we know everything.
SURRENDERING PHYSICALLY (STRENGTH). Bodies and spirit are related. We surrender by relinquishing our quest for agelessness, by tending to our physical health, by not being vain, and by the proper enjoyment of sexual pleasure.
Chap. 22: Restoring in Jesus
No matter how we define how to live the Christian live, we fail. The good news is that we can be restored in Jesus.
FAILURE BY ANY OTHER NAME IS SIN.
FAILURE FROM THE GET-GO. "In the Jesus Creed is a basic recognition of human sinfulness: love is not about perfection but about relationship." Failure is followed by rebuke, and rebuke by repentance, and then restoration.
- Failure. Peter is a great example of a disciple who failed. Philip Yancey describes his own racism growing up.
- Rebuke. No matter how much it hurts, sometimes we need to be told that what we are doing is sinful.
- Repentance. "Genuine repentance, seen here, involves three more Rs: taking responsibility, making restitution when necessary and possible, and recommitment." Philip Yancey's church repents.
- Restoration. Restoration is possible because Jesus forgives and loves us.
Quotes from Mcknight, Scot (2009-10-01). Jesus Creed: Loving God, Loving Others (p. 203). Paraclete Press. Kindle Edition.