A Passionate Plea for Full Surrender — Shane Idleman

Fearing God Rather Than Man

Why would Jesus this person right who the world has given this? Oh, he's a nice teacher. He's a good teacher. He said don't fear man who can kill your body. That's why Christians should have theoretically no fear of man.

No fear of man. Now it's not possible sometimes because sin comes in sometimes and we get discouraged. But we should have no fear of man. Jesus said but fear him who can cast both body and soul in hell.

Fear him Jesus not me. Don't get mad at me. All I'm doing is reading the Bible. All I'm doing is quoting the words of Christ. So what blows my mind is you present this case against man and then you say but guess what?

Here's the solution. You don't have to work 30 years of Lockheed and get retirement. There's a solution. You don't have to pastor for 40 years. You don't have to do all this checklist. You don't have to go to Mecca 20 ,000 times.

You just have to look to the cross and look to Christ and repent and believe my goodness. Even a child on his knees can do that at six years old. Here's the thing too is sin. You think you're hiding it, but it's growing.

Sin Must Be Actively Put to Death

You think it's contained but it's not. Sin doesn't hide it grows and we are either killing sin or sin is killing us. I think that was John Owen again be killing sin or sin be killing you. I Don't know about the English on that, but it's it's it's true.

See we think if I can just contain it right this this issue. I have no nobody. I need to know Lord. Just me and you well as you're containing it. This little child now is a 16 year old monster who's gonna jump over your back and beat you up because it can't be contained.

It's either growing or it's withering. That's what's it. Sin is either growing or it's withering. That's why we called the church those who are interested to the corporate fast to fast from time to time because that more than anything.

Will starve the flesh if you mix it with prayer and fasting. It will starve the source of sin because you can't prayer and pray and seek God and hold on to a little closet sin back. Here you enjoy. Lord, I'm gonna seek you with all of my heart, but I'm sure like this back here.

I know it's wrong. It's called plan B. You know if my spouse ever gives up on me. I've got this other person just in case. You okay with that Lord? That you'd be amazed that when sin blinds and deceives you'll have people come and say I God's call me to divorce.

I met this other person we click. This is who I should have married. I knew I made a mistake back there blinded deceived. Well, you're ten-year-old kids crying about it. He sure doesn't agree. But Shane you don't understand.

No, you don't understand. You've been blinded. You've been deceived by the work of the enemy. Open your eyes repent and believe the gospel be encouraged in that. And then for the echoing voice of conviction.

Becomes harder to hear when sin increases. Have you ever noticed that those who need to hear it the most are often the most? Closed off their heart is their heart is so hard and. That's one of my concerns for the church in America is if you go to different countries.

The Hardening of the American Church

And they hear the gospel. I mean you. I wish I'm just gonna start recommending some books and sometime because you guys you you we judge by God. How God is moving? Around us. I Can take you to Africa where they don't have altar calls of a hundred thousand people.

Did you catch that the Rose Bowl? Big stadiums. Third world countries. China fast. They thought they might have. I think if they estimated that when they went back into China. They'd have 700 ,000 believers now.

There's something like 80 million. Don't quote me on numbers. I'm just saying, you know, but it's it's amazing what God is doing. You just go into a place in Sudan and you preach the gospel. The translator right villages like what's going on?

Everybody's on their face before God. Hundreds and hundreds and hundreds and. The tribe leader will come back say all these people have decided to follow that Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. You spoke wait, hold on the whole village.

We can't get one person to come to salvation in a church is in America over the course of a year. You think God's moving based on what we see you better open your eyes. There's a bitter bitter bigger picture.

They're the hard heart of American Church the hard heart of the gospel. So many people hear the gospel all of their lives and their hearts have become hard they don't hear the voice of conviction. So I was raised in a Christian home.

I Went to a Christian school my favorite. Well shame like my parents were Christians. Oh Well, then I stand corrected. Are you do you know, do you know Christ? Do you truly know him? Hard hearts. Three times in the book of Hebrews and one book when God says something once I listen.

When he says it twice I get on my face and I pray. When he says it three times. Today today if you hear my if you don't if today if you hear my voice harken, you're not hearts not against me. Today if you hear my voice do not harden your heart against me a couple chapters later today.

Today or I'm going to schooners tonight. Nope today. You'll get that on your way home. Today harden your voice harden your don't harden your hearts today. Turn to me today. Today is the day of salvation.

Maybe it's me. But the reason I get passion is that we call Westside the treadmill church. So many people come and visit thou and we've had a couple thousands of people visiting right? But it doesn't stay moving going doesn't want to hear the message anymore.

They got sick found a different church, whatever it is I've got one opportunity sometimes one opportunity. I'm gonna speak something to you. That's going to impact you for the rest of your life. Hardness of heart sets in they don't want to hear the gospel.

That's why I want to change our slogan at some point to if you don't like what I'm saying. It's what you need to hear. You need to hear what I'm saying. Isn't that true? If you don't like what I'm saying if you're convicted it's because you need to hear what I'm saying.

God Loves you. This is not condemning coming from a condemning judging heart. I could sit in that pew just the same as you if I had time to tell you my life story. You would be you would be you go. Why is he a pastor?

That's the question. I asked myself just about every month. Well, you it's just a cruel joke. Of course, I don't mean that right, but I'm saying but meaning. Where how did that happen? How did you take?

This country boy from a from a small town and and preach the gospel. What what what what what is that you and people say oh people are in it for the money you want to do. I ran from this For years get me.

There's no way. So I'm not here judging and condemning. I'm here inviting you to a relationship with Christ full surrender turning over everything. Listen, why don't we get excited about what God has done?

Full Surrender and the Mission of the Church

How many of you screamed for the Eagles? Come on. Oh, I see guys here at church. I see him. They're like, yeah. Yeah. Yeah, they've got their beers popcorn everywhere. They're cheering for three hours and you can't get them on their face before God for 30 minutes.

What's wrong with the picture a refocus of priorities? What's wrong with that picture you tell me? You tell me Shane. I'm upset over that statement good. You need to hear that statement. Listen, I may deal with God many many years ago.

I don't know if you should do this or not, but I don't care if there's 50 or 500 or 5 ,000. I'm preaching what you'd called me to preach. If I can't do that if I can't preach what God calls us to preach.

I don't even want to show up. I don't have time for social clubs. I Don't have time just enough fellowships good social clubs are good. Don't get me wrong, but who comes to church to play church. Listen it's cute when you're done when your kids play with their little doll houses and stuff.

But when you come to church, we can't play church. We've got business to do. We've got to strengthen the believers to equip the Saints to encourage them to go and fight the good fight. Everybody thinks that church is it.

No church is the pep rally. Churches when we come and we remember what Christ has done. We are strength and we worship and then we go out and fight the enemy. We take down those strongholds. We pull back our children that are our dad.

I know kids right now. Teenagers addicted on everything from Xanax to heroin to to alcohol to every crystal myth to crack crank, whatever. And we're gonna come to church and play church. Are you kidding me?

The enemy just laughs. He laughs go to church. You're not doing nothing. Oh, wait a minute. You're worshiping. You're on the altar. You're fasting you're praying. Now you've now you've created havoc in this kingdom and then number five.

Justification, the Law, and Condemnation

Only the truth will set you free. Only the truth will set you free. Romans 5 therefore is through one man's offense judgment came to all men. Resulting in condemnation that scripture you're not going to ever hear Joel Steen read.

Ever ever. Well, I think I hope you send me a clip ever if it happens. I'm not bashing. I'm just saying most TV, but you won't you're not gonna hear that. Because what happens with the remote? You know, they engage.

How many viewers? If I did I'd be in trouble if you have okay 12 million viewers. 100 ,000 viewers. What happened? What happened because we don't want to hear this but this is the truth if this is the truth.

Wouldn't we want to hear it. Adam and Eve aren't a fairy tale. It's true. So through the what the theologians called the Adamic nature through Adam's fall that condemnation has rested on us all. Even even through one man's righteous act the free gift came to all men.

So this free gift came to all men through Christ so you have Adam. Condemning the Adamic nature and in us Christ comes and frees us from that condemnation. So that's why you have the old man the new man.

This is this metaphor that that sometimes people use. Then the law entered. Oh goodness. Here we go The Ten Commandments because I I think everybody's doing fine, right? They don't know what bad really is bad and good.

I mean conviction you have but then now there's a Ten Commandments. Thou shalt not and now you have the law coming. Is the law bringing freedom and and joy or is a law bringing Condemnation if you read those things, right?

Does it bring? Oh, look at that. That's wonderful. No, it brings condemnation and conviction. Why in the world do you think what used to be in every single courthouse in America is now being removed? The Ten Commandments.

Used to walk into schools Ten Commandments public buildings Ten Commandments Ten Commandments Ten Commandments. God's work conviction conviction. People say get rid of the conviction and they say shame.

But we need to be completely correct. No, we don't we need to be biblically correct. I don't care people. You know, I better not say it. I'm just gonna get to the next point if people don't like the fact that there was Christianity and Ten Commandments and all these things separation of church and state is bogus.

You move to a different country and you allow those who want to honor God who built the nation on God the court system on God everything on God you allow them to worship God freely if you don't like it you don't try to change it you leave and That's what happened.

Judgment and Famine for the Word of God

We if you think we're safer removing God from everything then then they talk to me after the service. If you think it's wise if you think God is honored by that. Actually what happens when a nation does that God judges them and people walk around.

I don't see any there's no big earthquakes. There's no big things. It's funny one of the prophets wrote there's famine in the land not a famine of drink and a food. But a famine of hearing from the Lord.

Has anyone stopped to consider that there might be a judgment already underway. Judgment from here and you can look at you can look at the prophets Judah and Israel and they split up there financially successful.

But they're under the judgment of God. Jeremiah even rebuked the priests. He said they they speak. But it's not my name. They have dreams, but I don't give them these dreams. They do different things, but it's not in my name according to what I've done according to the council I've given them who sent these false prophets.

They ran. I didn't send them. God says who sent them. I didn't send these false prophets. I didn't send these people they spoke but not in my name not under my authority. So when God is God judges sometimes he removes his spiritual influence and you have teachers and that come in and tell people what they want to hear and that and There's a famine of the Word of God.

Do you know the number one email we get you will not believe this from all over the United States the number one? Email a bar none. Not nothing. There's nothing even second is Find a church like we're watching where can we.

I'm in Pennsylvania? I'm in Texas. Is there a church that preaches the whole Word of God? San Diego, I mean there are of course there. I'm not silly. There's there's tons out there. I can name a few but very few.

That's the number one request. I'm in North Dakota. I'm in Alaska. I'm in here. I'm here. I can't find a church. Now you can find a church. Right, but it's the Spirit of the Lord departed. There's a there's a famine for the Word of God.

There's no famine of food and drink, but there's a famine of hearing from the Word of God. See again, I don't come to play church guys. We can't come to play church. We've got to hear from God as a matter of fact, if we don't hear from God, why are we here now?

Grace Abounding Over Sin

This is really encouraging the law entered offense increased Verse 20, but where sin abounded where sin abounded grace abounded much. So we're sin abounded grace abounded much more. So that as sin reigned in death even so grace might reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Here's the key the love of God will always supersede and go beyond our sin. See sometimes the sin and God and oh, it's not equal. That's why their sin grace abounds more grace abounds more the more the sin the more the grace.

But Paul would say but don't sin more and this is a funny argument for me because people say Oh Shane. You're just giving permission to sin. No, I'm not when you draw closer to Christ. You love Lord all your heart.

You don't want to sin you live under a higher standard not a lower standard. You don't have to tell me to obey the Ten Commandments and force in my face. My heart cries all the father father help me. I want to serve you.

I want to love you. I want to follow you. How are you giving somebody a license you give people a license who don't know the Lord or they're very carnal in their nature. Those you will give a license to because they're already looking for an opportunity.

James, I think it is says or Peter one of them that we actually Use license as a cloak for our vice a Cloak of covering so we continue in a sin, but we say I have a license. I have Liberty and we covering.

Those kind of people don't understand grace. Anybody that would take away from this? The thought that I can sin more so grace would abound more has a perverted view of the gospel. They don't have a deep think about you guys.

Come on. Shake your heads. Yes, if you agree with this If you're following the Lord you're loving him you're filled the spirit. Do you you go and just say I just want to send some more so grace can abound.

I mean, well, it's it doesn't even make sense. It doesn't even make sense. So grace abounds basically grace wins grace pursues grace covers. Do you know grace pursues you? If it what I would just take it without pursuing me, right?

I'll just but it grace pursues you. Did the father did the father of the prodigal son? Did he see when he saw his son coming? Did he see the sinful disgusting failure of his son? Think about when the father saw the son coming the prodigal son coming home.

Was he sitting at home and Going on. I can't believe you look like a pig. You smell like a pig too. You smell like a pig. I knew it you blew all of our inheritance. I know dad if you just let me live in that side house I guess he'll go on go live in that side house.

No, the father actually came running to the son. He was waiting for the son. He was watching for the son grace pursued him. It grabbed him it held him and it pulled him back. He said you are my son where sin abounds.

Grace abounds much more. He pulled that prodigal son home. God's faithfulness think about this. You name one person one person come up and tell me after the service who can fit even one of these qualities.

God is faithful his faithfulness his steadfastness his unwavering this if that's a word. He's constant. He's dependable. He's enduring. He's unfaltering. He's relentless. That is the God you serve. So why is sin gonna keep beating you up be encouraged the gods you serve is faithful.

He's steadfast. He never lets us down. Steadfast he holds the ground. He's not going. Well, this is good this week. Well next week though you guys here's what I want you to do what God people do that to you don't they oh, come on.

Come on Hosanna one day crucify him the next. It always concerns me people come home. We just left the church and stuff. We've been coming a month. Okay, give it another month. We'll see if you're still here.

Right. Oh praise and then the next thing you hear it's a gossiping outside. Oh that guy yells too much. Is it yelling or is it passion? Because I can tell you yelling there's a deer I I can yell right.

Yelling is you're upset passion is you're excited many of you don't know this but there are people that come here. I leave with that burden. I leave with that burden knowing they're on their way to hell.

You live with that. I know I can't work it up. I know I can't Hit it into them. But my god, if that doesn't touch your heart something's wrong. I also believe we've lost our heart of compassion. Nothing bugs us anymore.

We're not broken over anything. Heck we'll run a homeless person almost over and think it's no big deal abortion. Whatever. Why don't you go listen to silent screams for a week? Oh, you'll change. Oh, you'll change you'll become an intercessor.

You'll have compassion. God wants to give us that compassionate heart compassionate heart. Unwavering or is anybody, you know unwavering are they constant? Are they dependable? Are they enduring? Are they unfaltering?

Are they relentless? Think about this. God is relentless. He's convicting you. I mean, can you imagine God this blew my mind this weekend? Can you imagine God? Convicting you at 12 years old you say no and he says goodbye and you're done.

But you won't relent you pull and you pull and you Convict and you convict you bring sermons you bring articles you bring friends you do whatever you can in the Word of God. He's relentless, but he's not a puppet master.

You have to make a decision. Do you repent and believe or ignore the gospel? He's relentless. He's unfaltering and Then grace, of course abounds it redeems it sets free one of the most powerful words in the New Testament's a Greek word they in Greek it's.

“It Is Finished” and the Finished Work of Christ

To tell us die it is finished to tell us die. Jesus said after 4 ,000 years of sin. From Adam to Jesus 4 ,000 years. That's a lot of sin. How many people can sin how many people billions or I mean, I don't have time to figure out but you know 4 ,000 years all the sin and all the sin that's coming.

I Mean, that's a weighty. That's a I don't know how that much that would weigh all of that this point in history. Everything everything groans for this point in history, right? The enemy is cheering 4 ,000 years.

It comes to this point of history on the cross of Calvary. Jesus says it is finished. It's done that just one sacrificial act one one one one act of taking the wrath of God. It's finished. It's over. It's been paid.

It's amazing grace how sweet the sound. That saved a wretch like me if you sin you have an advocate if you sin you have an advocate. And one of God's names is victory. His name is victory and that's why there's a song.

I love the lyrics. It says my resurrected King is resurrecting me. So you get encouraged when you if or when or whatever? How you when you sin if you sin is the Bible term if you sin you have an advocate to go the father.

Invitation to Repent, Worship, and Pray

So I'm talking to two groups. I'm going to conclude with this. If you don't know him this morning if you don't know him I want to encourage you to repent and believe that's all the Bible says repent and believe.

Basically saying God I need you. I need you. I repent and believe and if you're a believer, but you've been struggling this area I'm gonna have the worship team come up right now, and we're just going to worship.

We're not gonna be in a hurry. We're gonna worship. We're gonna pray and just take it to the cross and I'm serious when I say this. Five minutes at the altar or ten minutes back there with prayer will do more for you.

More for you than then than a year's worth of prayers next door. It'll do more for you than driving and going home and going to eat, right? Okay, I got my worship in here's what most people do. I got my worship in I Got my church in message.

I checked it off now. What's next? Costco Target what's next on my list see that will get us nowhere. That's why we come in dead to the things of God the walking dead. Right, we go to church here. I'm going to church and now I gotta go do my thing.

No, it's supposed to be a living vibrant fellowship of people repenting and getting their hearts right with God and being encouraged. Oh how he loves us, right? Can you really see I mean I wonder how many people are really singing and worshiping and their hearts are breaking.

Oh how he loves us will love the Eagles will love the sports will love all of our things. But oh you realize how he loves us. He's pursuing you even right now. What in the world do you think I'm doing?

What in the world do you think I'm doing? You think I'm coming here just to show up. Or is God using the Word of God to go and pierce? And divide and break and shatter our hardness. So with that said you can go ahead and stand.

If you need prayer you can make yourself up wake up make your way over to the prayer room. There's prayer teams that would love to pray with you. Or just stay in worship. We're not in a hurry if you need to exit you can exit out the back exit.

But I would encourage you the more you press in the more you seek him the more you find him. Did you know that the more you seek God the more you find him? And I keep joking about the Super Bowl, but this this impacted me greatly.

It's not I'm not saying don't watch her. But I'm just saying this we have three hours. We scheduled that bad boy in a year ago. Right that three hours, maybe four it's been on the calendar right it's been on the calendar.

I gotta see this Justin Timberlake. Are you kidding me? Oh my god. I would die for that. I've been seeing people post on Facebook who don't even go to church. They'll have time to sit down and watch this but when it comes to serving and worshiping the Living God.

They're too busy. Well. I'm tired. I'm coming to wreck it Ralph. I'm wrecking shame. I'm telling you We gotta wreck it we gotta wreck our lives. It's a beautiful mess when we humble ourselves when we repent we see God.

That would fix half of our problems. Marriage counseling. Let's take them off the calendar. Division in the church, it's over all these silly stuff. It'd be over if We're at the foot of the cross worshiping.

Can you imagine everybody at the altar who has offenses against each other? They will be gone. They will be gone. But we allow that sin to come in and harden our hearts and We think just coming and sitting in a pew.

Is going to going to fight they're going to win this battle. Or as we seek you this morning God as we seek you I pray you just open hearts. People have come with hard rigid hearts don't even want to worship that you would show them.

The are worthy to be worshipped you are to be praised. Your name will be exalted the Christ the name of Christ Will be exalted. Every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Christ is. So Lord give us a passion for loving you show us what you did on that cross how you endured temptation how you endured the cross.

Prayer for Passion and the Cross

You were mocked by your creation Lord your creation beat you. They spit in your face. They nailed you to a cross and you said father forgive me for they know not what they do. God give us a passion for you.

We pray this in Jesus name.