WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:10.740 I'm wondering, when we are singing, how many of you ever take the words and think about 00:00:10.740 --> 00:00:15.880 ! how they should be applied practically? Do you ever do that? I'm not talking about how 00:00:15.880 --> 00:00:22.539 ! does a Bible verse fit? And I do that on a fairly regular basis, but we were singing that song, 00:00:22.539 --> 00:00:29.039 I'm thinking of the words, I surrender all to you. That was a great song, wasn't it? I was 00:00:29.039 --> 00:00:37.600 thinking about if all of the people who sang those words let Pastor Saul know that they were in for a 00:00:37.600 --> 00:00:45.039 penny and in for a pound on the nursery, guess what we would have a problem with? We'd have to tell a 00:00:45.039 --> 00:00:52.159 lot of you to wait your turn. Does it make sense? We're not having that problem yet, but since we 00:00:52.159 --> 00:01:01.359 did such a good job singing the song, it just makes common sense to apply it well. Am I right? 00:01:02.359 --> 00:01:11.579 And all God's people said, amen. That was a very, very moderate, temperate, kind of soft amen. You 00:01:11.579 --> 00:01:21.340 don't have to say it, just do it, okay? Another thing is we have been working our way through the 00:01:21.340 --> 00:01:27.099 book of Ephesians. You can turn to Ephesians chapter 5 verse 21, but we've been working our 00:01:27.099 --> 00:01:33.180 way through the book of Ephesians and one of the things that we did earlier was we had a time when 00:01:33.180 --> 00:01:39.860 people would recite one chapter at a time. Remember that? It was fantastic. We're coming back to that, 00:01:40.460 --> 00:01:46.700 and so I'm making a public announcement that Tish Sheck is going to recite chapter 5, 00:01:47.060 --> 00:01:52.060 and we're going to give her a little bit of time to dial up and come up to speed because 00:01:52.060 --> 00:01:57.020 I'm catching her on the moment here in however many weeks she needs. But then when we start with 00:01:57.019 --> 00:02:05.819 chapter 5, then Michael Danielson, am I right? Did I say Stephen? I didn't say Stephen, did I? No. 00:02:06.219 --> 00:02:12.780 The dad is going, no, no, no. Michael Danielson is going to recite chapter 6, and then after 5 and 6 00:02:12.780 --> 00:02:21.759 are done, guess what? We have an opportunity for six other individuals to say, I will be part of 00:02:21.759 --> 00:02:28.259 public recitation of one of the chapters in the book of Ephesians, and we've had all different 00:02:28.259 --> 00:02:33.000 kinds of people. We've had families do it. Wasn't that great? All the different ways in which it's 00:02:33.000 --> 00:02:41.459 been done. Now, I'm not going to pigeonhole you. I'm not going to manipulate you, but I am asking the 00:02:41.459 --> 00:02:47.639 Lord to provide for a wide diversity of people who will take one chapter. You may want to do three or 00:02:47.639 --> 00:02:51.399 four verses and then ask somebody else in your family or a friend to do it, but we're going to 00:02:51.399 --> 00:02:56.679 work our way back through the book of Ephesians because we are in the latter part of Ephesians 00:02:56.679 --> 00:03:02.799 chapter 5, and there's a probability that we'll finish this book this year. That's a chance. 00:03:03.719 --> 00:03:08.399 And how many of you know where we're going next should the Lord tarry, and it is my privilege to 00:03:08.399 --> 00:03:13.819 be a shepherd in this congregation. Where are we going? We're going to the book of John. I got a text 00:03:13.819 --> 00:03:18.039 yesterday evening that it was a blessing to me. Someone texted me and said, all right, all right, 00:03:18.340 --> 00:03:21.620 which chapter? It was one of the young people who said, which chapter are we going to be in? 00:03:21.759 --> 00:03:27.539 I want to read it. I want to prepare. I love that. And I texted him back and said, we're going to be 00:03:27.539 --> 00:03:34.539 in Ephesians chapter 5. In fact, we're going to be in verse 21. That's where we are. Let's pray. 00:03:38.780 --> 00:03:41.780 Father God, this morning, as we as your people come into your presence, 00:03:41.780 --> 00:03:51.020 we're reminded of what you told the prophet when you said, not by might nor by power, but by my 00:03:51.020 --> 00:03:59.900 spirit, saith the Lord. We're mindful of also what it says in 1 Corinthians chapter 2, that it is the 00:03:59.900 --> 00:04:08.000 spirit that enables us to understand the deep things of God. And so this morning, while we recognize that 00:04:08.000 --> 00:04:15.240 you want our intellect, our mind engaged, nevertheless, we would not be so foolish as to 00:04:15.240 --> 00:04:21.879 take up this passage of Scripture and not ask with all humility that the Spirit of God 00:04:21.879 --> 00:04:30.259 would do a work in us, that the Word of God would have free course and bear fruit among us, 00:04:30.259 --> 00:04:39.420 that as we study, that we would also follow up and apply it, that the Lord Jesus Christ, who has 00:04:39.420 --> 00:04:45.719 glory and honor in heaven, would also have glory and honor in our lives and our congregation as we 00:04:45.719 --> 00:04:53.560 are a people who are governed and gladly obedient to the Word. And we ask this in Jesus' name and for 00:04:53.560 --> 00:05:03.800 His glory. Amen. One of the easy things that happens really in a process of preaching through a book is 00:05:03.800 --> 00:05:10.439 because we take small pieces of it for the sake of understanding and for the careful exposition of 00:05:10.439 --> 00:05:18.060 Scripture, it's kind of fairly easy to sometimes miss the larger flow of the logic of a passage and 00:05:18.060 --> 00:05:24.680 fail to see in which all of it fits together for God's glory. And while there are parts of God that 00:05:24.680 --> 00:05:29.920 are ultimately completely beyond our comprehension, in fact, there are a number of different passages 00:05:29.920 --> 00:05:36.819 that remind us that God is larger than any one of us or all of us together can imagine. Nevertheless, 00:05:37.360 --> 00:05:44.319 there are things that He has given to us for our benefit and for our blessing, and it does us good 00:05:44.319 --> 00:05:52.920 to see the logic and the order of God in His revelation to us. I would imagine that every one 00:05:52.920 --> 00:06:00.040 of you here on one occasion or another have stopped and kind of pondered one aspect or another of natural 00:06:00.040 --> 00:06:06.180 creation, and you look at the order and the structure with which things are put together, and you kind of 00:06:06.180 --> 00:06:12.819 marvel and say, wow, God is amazing in His infinite wisdom and the way He crafts things. 00:06:12.819 --> 00:06:21.560 That is also true with the Word of God. And sometimes it's good for us to step back a little bit and see 00:06:21.560 --> 00:06:28.199 the larger picture so that we have it in mind as we kind of drill down and get down to the particular 00:06:28.199 --> 00:06:34.339 subject that we're going to look at. And today I want to start with a broad view of the book of Ephesians, 00:06:34.560 --> 00:06:40.680 just a minute or so, frame it for you, and then come down into the passage that we're going to look at. 00:06:40.680 --> 00:06:46.660 You remember that the Holy Spirit takes three chapters in the book of Ephesians to tell us about 00:06:46.660 --> 00:06:54.180 the wonderful salvation of the Lord Jesus Christ. In my prayer this morning, I recited that passage in 00:06:54.180 --> 00:06:59.720 Ephesians chapter 1 verse 3 where the apostle says, blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ 00:06:59.720 --> 00:07:06.300 who has blessed us with all spiritual blessings in the heavenlies. We are incredibly blessed in the 00:07:06.300 --> 00:07:13.900 Lord Jesus Christ. In particular, we who know the Lord Jesus, man, we are blessed because of what He has done for us. 00:07:14.660 --> 00:07:21.580 And as the book of Ephesians kind of plays out in those first three chapters, it explains that salvation is much 00:07:21.580 --> 00:07:30.100 more than just some fire insurance. Now it is true that those who know the Lord Jesus Christ are not going to hell. 00:07:30.100 --> 00:07:36.040 And God, can I tell you, I want to thank you as a congregation for your prayers for me as I had the 00:07:36.040 --> 00:07:41.939 privilege of doing a funeral service on Friday. And I got to tell you, when I stood up, one of the 00:07:41.939 --> 00:07:48.379 things that I reminded myself, standing up in front of many people who probably had not come expecting to 00:07:48.379 --> 00:07:54.820 hear some plain Jane Baptist pastor give the gospel, I had the privilege of standing there knowing many of 00:07:54.819 --> 00:08:01.659 you were praying. And I had liberty of spirit to make the gospel clear and to do it joyfully and 00:08:01.659 --> 00:08:07.480 powerfully. And that was because you were praying. And so, as we gather together this morning, we're 00:08:07.480 --> 00:08:14.500 reminded that salvation is more than fire insurance. It is a blessing that God has put us together into a 00:08:14.500 --> 00:08:23.459 family. He's made us part of His body. In fact, I think it would be fair to say if we were to read the 00:08:23.459 --> 00:08:29.399 Bible and trust it to be accurate and authoritative, that being part of the body of Christ is one of the 00:08:29.399 --> 00:08:34.679 most significant things in all of our life. Take a second, if you would, and look at Ephesians. You're 00:08:34.679 --> 00:08:43.819 in chapter 5, but go back to Ephesians chapter 1, verse 20 and 21. He says that He worked in Christ, 00:08:43.919 --> 00:08:49.319 talking about salvation, when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him, actually talking about His 00:08:49.320 --> 00:08:54.379 resurrection, and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority 00:08:54.379 --> 00:08:59.420 and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age, but also in the one to 00:08:59.420 --> 00:09:05.960 come. And He put all things under His feet and gave Him as head over all things to the church. 00:09:06.500 --> 00:09:16.360 Christ is the head of the church. Now, verse 23, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills 00:09:16.360 --> 00:09:22.899 all in all. Do you know what that's saying? It's saying that Christ is supremely glorious, 00:09:24.000 --> 00:09:33.419 and we who are part of His body are the visible manifestation and the visible representation of 00:09:33.419 --> 00:09:41.180 His glory. That's significant. That's supremely important. You being part of the body of Christ, 00:09:41.179 --> 00:09:47.919 the bride of the Savior, are more important than you sometimes imagine, and in particular, 00:09:48.439 --> 00:09:55.219 than our evangelical culture today tends to think about the church. Very interesting. Earlier last 00:09:55.219 --> 00:10:01.279 year, I had the privilege, along with Pastor Saul, to go listen to several different individuals 00:10:01.279 --> 00:10:09.139 preaching. Dr. Greg Gilbert, actually, it was at the OERBC conference, and a godly pastor, teacher, 00:10:09.139 --> 00:10:15.399 and he was talking about the blessing he had had of spending some time in China where he had been 00:10:15.399 --> 00:10:22.360 teaching the Bible. And as he was there in China teaching the Bible, some of the Chinese Christians 00:10:22.360 --> 00:10:26.899 said, hey, come with us. We want to show you something. And so they went into a Chinese bookstore, 00:10:27.399 --> 00:10:34.860 and in the Chinese bookstore were all kinds of Bibles. Now, some of us here that are older remember 00:10:34.860 --> 00:10:39.580 in the good old days, the Chinese wouldn't let Bibles into China. Remember that? I remember when 00:10:39.580 --> 00:10:46.600 my dad went over to China, and he took a suitcase full of Bibles over there. It was rare, and getting 00:10:46.600 --> 00:10:51.419 in with Bibles was difficult. Now you go over to China, you can buy Bibles over in China. In fact, 00:10:51.480 --> 00:10:57.019 they're printing them. And not only that, but you could walk up and down, and that's what those Chinese 00:10:57.019 --> 00:11:02.200 believers, along with Dr. Gilbert, did. They walked up and down the aisles, and he pointed out the titles, 00:11:02.200 --> 00:11:08.300 the Chinese friend did. This title is this one, and this title is that. And they were going all over 00:11:08.300 --> 00:11:15.320 the different kind of titles that were available there in China. And then he said, is there anything 00:11:15.320 --> 00:11:25.420 you see that is missing in all of these books that are available in China? Huh. Well, Dr. Gilbert didn't 00:11:25.420 --> 00:11:31.300 figure it out. There were books on how to be a better husband. There were books on how to be a better 00:11:31.299 --> 00:11:35.359 wife. There were books on how to be a good parent. There were books on how to manage your money as a 00:11:35.359 --> 00:11:38.599 Christian. There were books on how to get along with your neighbors. There were books on books, 00:11:38.679 --> 00:11:45.919 all kinds of books. And the Chinese Christian said, there's one kind of book that never shows up here. 00:11:48.059 --> 00:11:52.899 It's books about the church and its significance. 00:11:52.899 --> 00:12:00.620 You see, the Chinese government is not afraid of individual Christians. 00:12:02.779 --> 00:12:10.659 They're very afraid of the corporate body of Christ and believers that are linked together 00:12:10.659 --> 00:12:16.480 for the glory of Christ. That's interesting, isn't it? 00:12:16.480 --> 00:12:29.779 Ephesians chapter 1 through 3 explains salvation. And it explains that we who have come to faith 00:12:29.779 --> 00:12:35.960 through the ministry of the Spirit of God and drawn to the cross by His power and His grace 00:12:35.960 --> 00:12:43.139 and His convicting authority, He puts us then into a family of believers and He makes us a team. 00:12:43.139 --> 00:12:52.519 Chapters 4 and chapters 5 and chapters 6 are really all about how the team is to operate. 00:12:56.539 --> 00:13:03.100 Coming back to the flow of Ephesians, what we find then in Ephesians chapter 5 in particular, 00:13:03.279 --> 00:13:08.439 in the passage that we're dealing with, if you put your finger on Ephesians chapter 5 verse 18, 00:13:08.440 --> 00:13:17.880 the apostle is explaining there in verse 18 that the characteristic or the energizer of the believer's 00:13:17.880 --> 00:13:25.360 life in this unit, in this team, is not just his sweet and affable personality, 00:13:26.160 --> 00:13:34.940 but it is being controlled and empowered by the Spirit of God. 00:13:34.940 --> 00:13:42.020 Ephesians chapter 5 verse 18 says, don't be drunk with wine in which is dissipation or excess, 00:13:42.460 --> 00:13:48.680 but it says what? Be filled with the Spirit. Be filled with the Spirit. And by the way, 00:13:48.960 --> 00:13:57.280 can your wife tell when you are Spirit-filled? What's the answer? Not for sure. Not for sure 00:13:57.279 --> 00:14:04.659 until you open your mouth. And when you open your mouth, everybody smile because we're all family here. 00:14:04.659 --> 00:14:13.100 If you're grumpy, what can she say? You're not Spirit-filled. Or if you're sitting there while we 00:14:13.100 --> 00:14:18.720 are singing our hearts out and John is up here just blowing us out with a good song and you're sitting 00:14:18.720 --> 00:14:28.700 there like here, that's not my song. And I'm not singing until they sing my song. You know, there's 00:14:28.700 --> 00:14:36.120 a probability, there's a small chance that you're not what? Say it with me. Spirit-filled. 00:14:36.120 --> 00:14:46.240 I made the statement as we were working through the passage earlier that actually, for me, I don't 00:14:46.240 --> 00:14:52.139 have that much problem speaking the Scriptures and I don't have that much problem singing enthusiastically 00:14:52.139 --> 00:14:58.120 or joyfully. But when it really comes down to being thankful always, that's where it's a real test of 00:14:58.120 --> 00:15:06.639 being Spirit-filled. Do you follow that? Ephesians chapter 5 verse 18 through 21 gives us a broad 00:15:06.639 --> 00:15:15.200 overview of what it means to be a Spirit-filled Christian. And where we are today is we are looking 00:15:15.200 --> 00:15:21.899 at the fact that having made that statement, Ephesians chapter 5 verse 18, that the believer is to be 00:15:21.899 --> 00:15:30.579 Spirit-filled. Paul then goes into explaining five different areas in which Spirit-filled people 00:15:30.579 --> 00:15:38.860 behave or how they behave. And if you're looking for a little clue, all those five things end with 00:15:38.860 --> 00:15:49.759 I-N-G. Do you follow that? Ephesians chapter 5 verse 19, addressing. So when you're Spirit-filled, 00:15:49.759 --> 00:15:55.379 you address one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs. When you're Spirit-filled, 00:15:55.519 --> 00:15:59.700 you're singing. When you're Spirit-filled, you're making melody. When you're Spirit-filled, 00:15:59.840 --> 00:16:12.679 you're giving thanks. And then we come to verse 21, submitting yourself to one another in reverence 00:16:12.679 --> 00:16:21.559 to Christ. I want us to think this morning now as we take this passage up, what the Bible tells us 00:16:21.559 --> 00:16:29.159 is the biblical duty of submission. First of all, I want you to understand that being submissive to 00:16:29.159 --> 00:16:36.620 one another, or for that matter to anyone at all, is not something that is natural to the fleshly mind. 00:16:36.620 --> 00:16:42.840 I'll say that again slowly. It is not natural to the fleshly mind. If you're sitting here struggling 00:16:42.840 --> 00:16:49.000 a little bit with the idea of submission, recognize that in the flesh or in the normal sense, 00:16:49.200 --> 00:16:54.639 that's the way it normally is. If you have any question about this, you need to go into the nursery 00:16:54.639 --> 00:16:58.399 and look at the little munchkins that all of us have contributed to genetically, 00:16:58.740 --> 00:17:02.120 and what you can see is that they struggle with submission. 00:17:02.120 --> 00:17:06.799 You tell them to hang their coat up, and guess what they don't want to do? 00:17:07.519 --> 00:17:11.579 I mean, they don't want to hang it up. You tell them to share toys. You tell them to take, 00:17:11.759 --> 00:17:16.920 and one thing after another, as much as you as a parent have worked to try to help them understand 00:17:16.920 --> 00:17:21.240 that somebody else is in charge, guess what they're thinking in their heart? 00:17:22.640 --> 00:17:31.279 They're thinking, if I had my way, I would be king. And it's not just your children, 00:17:31.279 --> 00:17:37.700 and it's not just a problem of youthfulness or childishness. We all struggle with that, 00:17:37.740 --> 00:17:43.220 and it's part of the character of the heart. So let's remember that submission is seen here in 00:17:43.220 --> 00:17:49.279 this passage as a spiritual behavior. Let me say that again so you don't miss it. Really, 00:17:49.460 --> 00:17:56.500 submission is a spiritual behavior, and it is one that flows out of a person that is spirit-filled. 00:17:56.500 --> 00:18:04.160 Submission is the outcome or the outworking of a person who is spirit-filled. 00:18:05.380 --> 00:18:13.339 To put it another way, in one sense, it is actually impossible to be submissive in a spiritual and 00:18:13.339 --> 00:18:19.960 Christ-honoring way apart from being spirit-filled. Now, can we, on the outside, play the part? 00:18:19.960 --> 00:18:28.140 How many of you have been at work and had your boss, who is a wicked, perverse person and never is 00:18:28.140 --> 00:18:35.880 rational in any of his expectations, give you an order and you decide to do it? Only because payday 00:18:35.880 --> 00:18:43.000 is on Friday. And on the outside, you have even smiled. But inside, what are you thinking? 00:18:43.000 --> 00:18:49.220 Things like, that jerk. I hope he's struck by lightning. You know, there are different things, 00:18:49.359 --> 00:18:55.779 ungodly thoughts. And so, truth of the matter is, is that apart from the Spirit of God working, 00:18:55.960 --> 00:19:02.380 we are not going to be individuals who submit to anyone or anything, particularly to one another 00:19:02.380 --> 00:19:10.900 in the body of Christ. Now, let me explain that what I believe is happening in Ephesians 5, 00:19:10.900 --> 00:19:17.880 verse 21, is kind of a two-fold thing. Number one, God is giving us a general principle of what 00:19:17.880 --> 00:19:24.320 submission involves, and then He is going to illustrate it in the remainder of the larger part 00:19:24.320 --> 00:19:29.240 of what follows in Ephesians chapter 5. He's going to talk about the role of the wife to the husband. 00:19:29.600 --> 00:19:34.560 He's going to talk about the role of children to parents. He's going to talk about the role of 00:19:34.560 --> 00:19:39.580 employee to employer. And He's going to deal with a number of different areas of the matter of 00:19:39.579 --> 00:19:48.099 submission. I do want you to understand that submitting means being under authority and under 00:19:48.099 --> 00:19:55.939 orderly arrangement. Submitting means being under authority and under orderly arrangement. It's a 00:19:55.939 --> 00:20:02.980 term that comes to us from the military, where troops were lined up in row for battle. In fact, 00:20:03.079 --> 00:20:09.500 that's part of what the word means in the Greek, the idea of being lined up in a row according to a 00:20:09.500 --> 00:20:15.740 certain structure, a set plan. But not only is it a matter of being lined up in rows, 00:20:16.160 --> 00:20:21.480 it is also a matter of being under the explicit authority of another person. 00:20:22.980 --> 00:20:29.039 I remember many, many years ago watching one of those little military channel things. If you want 00:20:29.039 --> 00:20:32.759 to know what my favorites are, it's a history channel, it's nature channel, and it's sports. 00:20:32.759 --> 00:20:42.180 Beyond that, I find myself challenged a great deal by what's on TV. But I remember the military tactic 00:20:42.180 --> 00:20:47.700 that was introduced of stabbing sideways. That's something all of you really did need to know, 00:20:47.799 --> 00:20:55.640 and so I'm explaining this to you. But what happened in a battle, this small contingent lost 00:20:55.640 --> 00:21:02.220 to a much larger army, and in the good old days, everybody stabbed forward, okay? Shield, stab, 00:21:02.600 --> 00:21:07.360 shield, stab. Now, when you're stabbing the other guy's shield, it really doesn't do much good. You 00:21:07.360 --> 00:21:13.940 know, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding. And so one brilliant strategist decided that instead of 00:21:13.940 --> 00:21:21.520 stabbing forward, they would stab, guess what? Sideways. Shield in front, stab sideways. Guess what 00:21:21.519 --> 00:21:28.259 happens to the guy over here? He gets stabbed, not in the shield, but in the gut. Bad news. 00:21:29.599 --> 00:21:36.539 And it took a long time to teach all those soldiers, don't stab straight in front to the guy who's 00:21:36.539 --> 00:21:41.680 trying to stab you right here. Stab sideways. It will work. Your friend is going to be stabbing 00:21:41.680 --> 00:21:47.000 sideways. He will stick the guy who's trying to stick you, and you stick the guy over here to the 00:21:47.000 --> 00:21:53.000 side that's trying to stick your friend. It took a lot of practice because it went against the order 00:21:53.000 --> 00:22:01.339 of stick the guy in front. Do you follow that? That is following orders. And can I tell you that 00:22:01.339 --> 00:22:07.920 in the military science, it's still about following orders. Your superior gives you a command, a lawful 00:22:07.920 --> 00:22:13.319 command, and guess what you do? You do not discuss it with him to find out if there are other options. 00:22:13.319 --> 00:22:20.259 Yes, sir. I got it. And you want that done right now. Yes, sir. That's the way it is. 00:22:21.059 --> 00:22:27.859 Submitting means being under authority and being orderly arranged. The Bible actually speaks about 00:22:27.859 --> 00:22:35.319 submission in six different areas. In James chapter 4, verse 7, it says we're to submit to God. 00:22:35.319 --> 00:22:46.700 We're to submit to God. In Ephesians chapter 5, verse 22 through 6, chapter 4, we find that the wife 00:22:46.700 --> 00:22:51.960 is to submit to the husband and children are to submit to their parents. In Romans chapter 13, 00:22:52.039 --> 00:22:57.799 verse 1 through 7, we are to submit to our government. You may not think the speed limit 00:22:57.799 --> 00:23:09.079 on Trebu is really reasonable. In fact, you may exercise your dispute, but when the authority pulls 00:23:09.079 --> 00:23:14.779 you over to the side to discuss your personal preferences, guess what? The argument is ended, 00:23:15.639 --> 00:23:21.419 and God is the one who has ordained those civil authorities. We are to submit in Ephesians chapter 6, 00:23:21.420 --> 00:23:30.440 verse 5 through 9, we're to submit to our employers. In Hebrews chapter 13, verse 17, we're to submit 00:23:30.440 --> 00:23:36.860 to spiritual leadership in the church, and we are, as we find here in verse 21 of Ephesians chapter 5, 00:23:37.160 --> 00:23:43.680 we are to submit to the people who are part of the body of Christ. Now, our focus this morning is on 00:23:43.680 --> 00:23:49.940 the larger issue of submission within the body of Christ, and so let me say that by extension, 00:23:49.940 --> 00:23:57.240 a Spirit-filled believer is subject or is submissive to other people's agendas, 00:23:58.660 --> 00:24:07.640 to other people's interests, to other people's needs. Submission means that we are willing to help 00:24:07.640 --> 00:24:14.420 with a move, even when doing so goes contrary to what our agenda was for the day. And one of the 00:24:14.420 --> 00:24:21.860 things that I was so blessed with, right around Christmas time, one of the families in our fellowship 00:24:21.860 --> 00:24:27.840 had their home sale. We've been praying about that home selling for, I mean, I think it's almost before 00:24:27.840 --> 00:24:32.900 the flood, am I right? A long time we prayed for, am I right? It was a couple, how many years? 00:24:32.900 --> 00:24:37.900 Six months. Well, God chose to have that... 00:24:37.900 --> 00:24:40.360 Details. 00:24:42.500 --> 00:24:46.840 But God chose to have that house sell right around Christmas. 00:24:47.500 --> 00:24:50.360 What day was it that we moved? 00:24:51.519 --> 00:24:57.000 The weekend before Christmas. And there were, I think I counted, 14 people out there in the rain 00:24:57.000 --> 00:25:04.039 and in the snow, helping the rices move. When Steve went into work and said, well, we had this 00:25:04.039 --> 00:25:08.859 big crowd helping, someone said, I can't believe you found that many people that were sober the week 00:25:08.859 --> 00:25:17.140 before Christmas. Hey, why do we help do things with one another? We are submissive to the needs of 00:25:17.140 --> 00:25:24.140 one another. Isn't that right? When the call went out earlier in the week, last week, for something for 00:25:24.140 --> 00:25:31.340 the funeral dinner for the Jones family, as they had the funeral for Tim's brother, I mean, one of the 00:25:31.340 --> 00:25:36.259 things that I got the biggest kick out of was watching on Facebook and watching on emails, one 00:25:36.259 --> 00:25:41.500 little ping after another coming in. I've got the salad, I've got this, I've got that. And I have no 00:25:41.500 --> 00:25:46.940 doubt, Jack and Grace working with that, you said, that's enough, am I right? We're good. No, no, no, 00:25:46.940 --> 00:25:53.620 we're all right. Where there is a submissive spirit, we're willing to help one another, 00:25:53.920 --> 00:25:58.860 and we want to be involved in the ministry of what is good for other people. 00:26:00.400 --> 00:26:06.640 Submission means being ready to help with someone else's problems and needs. I can tell you, yesterday, 00:26:07.519 --> 00:26:15.059 I had an individual walk up to me and with a good spirit said, hey, I have a question about a car. 00:26:15.059 --> 00:26:23.799 You know, it's smoking. Well, it should stop. But I said, you're asking the wrong person. 00:26:24.799 --> 00:26:31.579 My grasp of auto mechanics is really, I know where the key goes, and I know how to put air in a tire 00:26:31.579 --> 00:26:39.319 and gas in the tank, and beyond that, I know who to call. And so, here's what I said. I said, let me 00:26:39.319 --> 00:26:46.139 throw a couple names out. Well, the individual then called someone else, and that person spent part 00:26:46.139 --> 00:26:50.559 of the day helping them get, and it was something like a thermostat, $30 thermostat. Can you believe 00:26:50.559 --> 00:26:56.419 that? It wasn't complicated for the person who knew, but there's a willingness to serve. 00:26:58.159 --> 00:27:02.619 A submissive person doesn't always get their way, their choices. 00:27:02.619 --> 00:27:11.539 A submissive person doesn't always have to be heard. Have you ever been around people who, 00:27:11.719 --> 00:27:15.839 every time you take a breath, they want to launch in a different path than you were on or the 00:27:15.839 --> 00:27:23.299 conversation was on? That's not a submissive person. A submissive person is not full of their 00:27:23.299 --> 00:27:29.239 own preferences and insistent upon those things. Now, let's take a look at the passage and understand 00:27:29.240 --> 00:27:37.720 what Paul means by that little phrase, be submissive to one another. The Spirit is not calling us to an 00:27:37.720 --> 00:27:44.420 exact and reciprocal or kind of back and forth with each other's submission. Here are two proofs. 00:27:44.460 --> 00:27:49.319 Number one, if a husband and wife were in a car and the question was asked, where should we go to 00:27:49.319 --> 00:27:56.519 dinner? If we took this verse at literal terms, guess what would happen? The husband would say, 00:27:56.519 --> 00:28:01.960 you pick. She would say, no, you pick. And he would say, no, you pick. And guess what would happen? 00:28:03.000 --> 00:28:11.099 They would never go to dinner. Okay. Now, when I was younger and all four of my children were in the 00:28:11.099 --> 00:28:15.480 same car and I'd say, where do we want to go for dinner? Guess what would happen? They wouldn't say, 00:28:15.480 --> 00:28:24.059 you pick, no, you pick. Everyone had an opinion. Not only did everyone have an opinion, 00:28:24.059 --> 00:28:31.240 but everyone had a logic for why their opinion was the God-approved one. And so we as parents 00:28:31.240 --> 00:28:36.240 stepped in to provide a little bit of adult supervision, you know, and here's how we worked 00:28:36.240 --> 00:28:41.799 it out. But let me explain that this business of being submissive to one another is larger than just, 00:28:41.799 --> 00:28:47.359 no, you go, you go. Turn over in your Bible. You're in Ephesians. Let's go back just a little bit 00:28:47.359 --> 00:28:57.259 to Galatians chapter 6, verse 2. This is a passage where we see this one another idea used, 00:28:57.359 --> 00:29:03.359 and Paul says, bear one another's burdens and so fulfill the law of Christ. Incidentally, 00:29:03.359 --> 00:29:07.259 what is the law of Christ? Does anybody know? Offhand, you can say, I know, I know. It's 00:29:07.259 --> 00:29:15.359 what? It's love one another. Isn't that right? Remember Jesus said, a new commandment I give to you, 00:29:15.359 --> 00:29:20.139 that you love one another. So in Galatians chapter 6, verse 2, it says, bear one another's burdens. 00:29:20.259 --> 00:29:27.539 Is that saying that you trade mortgages? Huh? What do you think? Well, I wish. 00:29:29.119 --> 00:29:35.419 That's what you're thinking. No. No, that's not what it's saying. It's saying that you be sensitive 00:29:35.419 --> 00:29:43.319 to the needs that the other individuals have and be responsive to those. You're in this team. You're in 00:29:43.319 --> 00:29:50.500 this family, and you're paying attention to what is going on in the family, and you're there to meet 00:29:50.500 --> 00:29:57.779 needs in relationship to that unit that you're part of. And incidentally, let me explain. It's very, 00:29:57.919 --> 00:30:05.059 very important to the productivity and the health of the body that there is this interdependent 00:30:05.059 --> 00:30:10.019 and sensitive spirit towards where one another are. 00:30:15.759 --> 00:30:21.379 I do want you to understand that when it says be submissive to one another, it doesn't mean that 00:30:21.379 --> 00:30:28.220 we are going to be in perpetual process of just bowing and scraping to one another at the front door 00:30:28.220 --> 00:30:35.100 saying you first. But it does mean that we are sensitive to the needs that others have, 00:30:35.100 --> 00:30:41.880 and we are laying aside our personal preference and some of our idiosyncrasies to say, 00:30:42.380 --> 00:30:45.480 I'm about helping what is important to you. 00:30:48.059 --> 00:30:53.640 Being submissive to one another announces that when the spirit is at work in a church, 00:30:53.640 --> 00:31:04.420 there is humility and grace in our dealings. It means that we are not all bristly. You know what 00:31:04.420 --> 00:31:11.940 bristly is? It's the people that are highly offendable. And really, when you think about 00:31:11.940 --> 00:31:16.840 that individual, you just wonder when the next issue is going to be that's going to light their 00:31:16.839 --> 00:31:25.099 candle and get them kind of sputtering like a fuse. That's not a person who's submissive. 00:31:27.199 --> 00:31:31.959 When you see a church that is governed, and I want you to understand that Ephesians chapter 5 is 00:31:31.959 --> 00:31:40.619 actually a church verse. When you see a church that is governed by a submissive spirit, you see a 00:31:40.619 --> 00:31:49.419 lack of rancor or divisiveness or disputatious spirit. You see a humble attitude that is willing 00:31:49.419 --> 00:31:58.619 to defer to the common good. You see a fellowship that is interested in seeing that the well-being 00:31:58.619 --> 00:32:06.819 of other people are cared for. Now, the spirit hammers home the issue of submission with a very 00:32:06.819 --> 00:32:11.899 powerful point. So, I want you to look at the latter part of Ephesians chapter 1. It says, 00:32:11.899 --> 00:32:16.000 submitting to one another because you're a nice person. 00:32:19.599 --> 00:32:23.839 Submitting to one another because you're afraid you're going to be brought up on charges. 00:32:25.419 --> 00:32:31.700 Now, in the military, guess why people submit? They signed a contract saying, basically, 00:32:31.700 --> 00:32:37.200 I am going to put myself under the authority of the Constitution and this organization. 00:32:38.360 --> 00:32:42.740 And they raise their right hand and they take an oath. And if they don't follow through on their 00:32:42.740 --> 00:32:48.120 oath, guess what can happen to them? A couple different things can happen. One is they could 00:32:48.120 --> 00:32:53.039 be brought up on charges and spend time in the brig. Or they could be dishonorably discharged. 00:32:53.120 --> 00:32:56.640 How many of you filled out paperwork and seen the little box that says, check here, 00:32:56.980 --> 00:33:00.240 dishonorably discharged? I can tell you, you don't want to check that box. 00:33:00.240 --> 00:33:06.240 Now, the reason we are submissive to one another is not because we're afraid 00:33:06.240 --> 00:33:13.799 of one another, but because of our reverence for Christ. And so, let's come to why we are to be 00:33:13.799 --> 00:33:23.200 submissive. We are to submit because of Christ. Most of us here, or many of us here, probably have the 00:33:23.200 --> 00:33:29.700 English Standard Version, ESV. And we may have the phrase there in verse 21, it says, submitting to one 00:33:29.700 --> 00:33:41.700 another out of reverence for Christ. The Greek word that is used here is the word phobeo, from which we 00:33:41.700 --> 00:33:50.920 get phobia. How many of you know what phobia is? Huh? Some of you have a phobia when you're dark. 00:33:50.920 --> 00:33:58.980 How many of you remember growing up with a phobia of the dark? And when the lights went off, monsters 00:33:58.980 --> 00:34:05.140 began to kind of manufacture themselves under your bed, and there was no resolution for that phobia 00:34:05.140 --> 00:34:10.700 except for a night. Some of you are still sleeping with an eye. That's what I've heard. Okay? 00:34:10.699 --> 00:34:22.539 Phobia is talking about having a fear. And I have to say that while there is something to the idea of 00:34:22.539 --> 00:34:31.119 reverence, I think it's fair to say we are to submit because we fear Christ. We are to submit because we 00:34:31.119 --> 00:34:38.639 fear Christ. By the way, the idea of reverence is one that our culture just doesn't get. 00:34:38.639 --> 00:34:52.119 Do you follow that? Now, we do understand irreverence. And we see irreverence in sarcasm. We see irreverence 00:34:52.119 --> 00:35:01.319 in a lot of humor. But the idea of having reverence is not on our page. And I got to tell you that 00:35:01.319 --> 00:35:08.480 when the scriptures encourage us to be submissive to one another because of our fear for Christ, 00:35:08.639 --> 00:35:15.279 I don't think it's necessary to soften that down to where Jesus is your good bud and you happen to 00:35:15.279 --> 00:35:22.559 like him. And so, because you reverence him, you're going to do it. I remember three, four weeks ago, 00:35:22.599 --> 00:35:29.599 I had the opportunity of being in a home. Individual was explaining how things were changing in their life. 00:35:29.599 --> 00:35:35.579 And they pointed to one of those pictures of Jesus. 00:35:37.679 --> 00:35:42.519 And they said, well, my good bud, he's the one who's helping me be different. 00:35:43.360 --> 00:35:48.019 And I mean, he made reference about three or four times. And this was one of those paint by numbers 00:35:48.019 --> 00:35:49.839 pictures. How many of you remember paint by numbers? 00:35:49.840 --> 00:36:00.840 And about the fourth pass on this, my good bud, I said, do you mind if I say that he's really my 00:36:00.840 --> 00:36:07.900 savior and I have a much higher respect for him than just a good bud? And that kind of changed the 00:36:07.900 --> 00:36:13.180 temperature in the house. But I just couldn't go there. You know, it's like my good bud. 00:36:13.179 --> 00:36:18.839 You know, it says, hey, we are to be, we're to be submissive to one another because of our fear 00:36:18.839 --> 00:36:26.500 for Christ. Well, yeah, but this is Jesus. Oh, let me have you look at a passage. We're going to do 00:36:26.500 --> 00:36:34.980 with the passage thing. Turn over to Mark chapter four, Mark chapter four, verse 35 through 41. 00:36:38.259 --> 00:36:42.599 Mark chapter four. Let me just tell you the story briefly. 00:36:43.179 --> 00:36:47.819 On that day when evening had come, he said to them, let's go across the other side. 00:36:48.199 --> 00:36:54.099 And leaving the crowd, they took him with them in the boat, just as he was, and others were in the 00:36:54.099 --> 00:37:01.779 boat with him. A great storm comes up. How'd the disciples, veteran fishermen, handle that storm? 00:37:04.879 --> 00:37:11.279 Do you remember how they handled it? They noticed Jesus snoozing in the bottom of the boat. 00:37:11.280 --> 00:37:18.080 What's the deal with you? Now look at verse 40. He said to them, 00:37:19.740 --> 00:37:28.760 duh, why are you so afraid? Do you still not have faith? And by the way, when he did awaken, what did 00:37:28.760 --> 00:37:38.260 he do? He just calmed the wind. And do you know how he did it? Look at verse 39. He rebuked. He said, 00:37:38.260 --> 00:37:44.460 that's enough wind. Like that. And the winds all quieted down. And here's what happened. 00:37:45.880 --> 00:37:54.520 The fishermen who had been afraid of the storm and the prospect of drowning, look at verse 41. 00:37:54.519 --> 00:38:01.579 And they were filled with what? Great fear. Do you know why they were filled with great fear? 00:38:03.159 --> 00:38:09.400 Because it suddenly dawned on them that that same Jesus who had been snoozing in the boat 00:38:09.400 --> 00:38:15.420 was the Lord of creation and in absolute power over everything, and it terrified them. 00:38:15.420 --> 00:38:25.960 They got some inkling of the person that was sleeping in the boat, and they realized that 00:38:25.960 --> 00:38:32.579 he was more than just some carpenter from Galilee. I got to tell you that fearing Christ means 00:38:32.579 --> 00:38:41.159 being deeply affected by his glory and his person. Fearing Christ means being deeply affected 00:38:41.159 --> 00:38:55.899 by his glory and his person. It means loving him so much that you don't want to disappoint him. 00:38:57.739 --> 00:39:08.219 It means having a fear of his disapproval and his dealings so that you do not become a self-centered 00:39:08.219 --> 00:39:22.559 and self-indulgent person. It means sensing his presence and his infinite worth. 00:39:24.179 --> 00:39:32.699 When was the last time that you found yourself in traffic and it was really getting frustrating? 00:39:32.699 --> 00:39:41.919 The other day I was driving and the person in front of me really should not have had a driver's license. 00:39:42.759 --> 00:39:44.399 I'm persuaded of that. 00:39:47.099 --> 00:39:55.859 And I found myself in just a moment beginning to ponder, you know, just the irrationality of this person 00:39:55.859 --> 00:39:58.079 being allowed to drive at least in front of me. 00:39:58.079 --> 00:40:03.980 And then, honestly, the Spirit of God got a hold of me and said, 00:40:04.400 --> 00:40:07.299 what are you thinking? You're full of yourself. 00:40:10.539 --> 00:40:13.019 When we fear Christ, 00:40:14.299 --> 00:40:16.480 our thoughts 00:40:16.480 --> 00:40:20.059 are governed by who he is 00:40:20.059 --> 00:40:21.940 and what he said 00:40:21.940 --> 00:40:23.880 and what he wants. 00:40:23.880 --> 00:40:28.539 Does it make a difference in the decisions that we make? 00:40:28.599 --> 00:40:29.400 And the answer is what? 00:40:30.360 --> 00:40:30.780 Yes. 00:40:33.460 --> 00:40:34.940 Does it make a difference in 00:40:34.940 --> 00:40:38.019 whether or not we get our way in every case? 00:40:38.160 --> 00:40:38.800 What's the answer? 00:40:39.119 --> 00:40:39.480 Yes. 00:40:42.140 --> 00:40:43.579 Does it make a difference 00:40:43.579 --> 00:40:47.280 if we fear Christ? 00:40:48.420 --> 00:40:49.200 It does. 00:40:49.199 --> 00:40:53.799 And when we fear Christ properly, 00:40:54.839 --> 00:40:55.960 we submit 00:40:55.960 --> 00:40:59.139 to one another 00:40:59.139 --> 00:41:00.399 in the body. 00:41:01.359 --> 00:41:02.859 So let me ask you a question in closing. 00:41:03.799 --> 00:41:04.559 Do you fear him? 00:41:07.159 --> 00:41:08.599 Does the person 00:41:08.599 --> 00:41:10.259 and the glory of Christ 00:41:10.259 --> 00:41:12.899 have a front and center place 00:41:12.899 --> 00:41:14.179 in your thinking 00:41:14.179 --> 00:41:16.359 and your conduct? 00:41:17.599 --> 00:41:18.679 Let's close in prayer. 00:41:19.199 --> 00:41:20.199 Amen. 00:41:25.480 --> 00:41:27.000 Our precious God and Father, 00:41:27.119 --> 00:41:27.599 this morning, 00:41:27.699 --> 00:41:29.199 as we have studied this passage, 00:41:29.359 --> 00:41:31.419 we recognize that its application 00:41:31.419 --> 00:41:33.519 is first of all to us 00:41:33.519 --> 00:41:34.199 who are believers 00:41:34.199 --> 00:41:35.259 and its instruction 00:41:35.259 --> 00:41:37.599 that helps us understand practically 00:41:37.599 --> 00:41:39.960 that people that are Spirit-filled 00:41:39.960 --> 00:41:43.379 are submissive to one another. 00:41:44.919 --> 00:41:46.559 We're thankful that you put this here 00:41:46.559 --> 00:41:47.419 for our sake 00:41:47.419 --> 00:41:48.639 and for your glory. 00:41:49.199 --> 00:41:51.319 And we want you 00:41:51.319 --> 00:41:53.139 to be honored. 00:41:54.399 --> 00:41:56.059 I can't help but think also, 00:41:56.339 --> 00:41:56.399 Father, 00:41:56.480 --> 00:41:57.239 this morning of 00:41:57.239 --> 00:41:59.119 those who are in our fellowship 00:41:59.119 --> 00:42:00.139 that are here today 00:42:00.139 --> 00:42:01.599 that do not know Christ 00:42:01.599 --> 00:42:02.960 as their personal Savior, Lord, 00:42:03.019 --> 00:42:04.579 that as we have been studying 00:42:04.579 --> 00:42:05.359 this passage 00:42:05.359 --> 00:42:07.019 that applies to people 00:42:07.019 --> 00:42:08.299 who know Christ, 00:42:08.300 --> 00:42:12.360 that for them, 00:42:12.360 --> 00:42:13.380 their fear of Christ 00:42:13.380 --> 00:42:14.640 is the terror of judgment. 00:42:17.519 --> 00:42:18.900 And I pray this morning 00:42:18.900 --> 00:42:20.380 that your Spirit 00:42:20.380 --> 00:42:21.800 would draw them to the cross 00:42:21.800 --> 00:42:23.600 and that they would see 00:42:23.600 --> 00:42:24.560 there is no hope, 00:42:24.680 --> 00:42:25.620 there is no forgiveness, 00:42:26.019 --> 00:42:27.240 there is no remedy 00:42:27.240 --> 00:42:28.840 for the darkness of their soul 00:42:28.840 --> 00:42:31.440 apart from the Lord Jesus Christ. 00:42:31.440 --> 00:42:35.079 help us 00:42:35.079 --> 00:42:36.460 who know Christ 00:42:36.460 --> 00:42:38.840 to be submissive. 00:42:39.980 --> 00:42:41.700 Help those who need Christ 00:42:41.700 --> 00:42:43.780 to be drawn to the cross. 00:42:44.659 --> 00:42:46.519 We ask this in your precious name. 00:42:46.940 --> 00:42:47.240 Amen. 00:42:47.679 --> 00:42:47.679 00:42:47.679 --> 00:42:47.679 00:42:47.679 --> 00:42:47.679 00:42:47.679 --> 00:42:47.679 00:42:47.679 --> 00:42:47.679 00:42:47.679 --> 00:42:47.679 00:42:47.679 --> 00:42:47.679 00:42:47.679 --> 00:42:47.679 00:42:47.679 --> 00:42:47.679 00:42:47.679 --> 00:42:47.679 00:42:47.679 --> 00:42:47.679 00:42:47.679 --> 00:42:47.679 00:42:47.679 --> 00:42:47.679 00:42:47.679 --> 00:42:47.679 00:42:47.679 --> 00:42:47.679 00:42:47.679 --> 00:42:47.679 00:42:47.679 --> 00:42:47.679 00:42:47.679 --> 00:42:47.679 00:42:47.679 --> 00:42:47.679 00:42:47.679 --> 00:42:47.679 00:42:47.679 --> 00:42:47.679 00:42:47.679 --> 00:42:47.679 00:42:47.679 --> 00:42:47.679 00:42:47.679 --> 00:42:47.679 00:42:47.679 --> 00:42:47.679 00:42:47.679 --> 00:42:47.679 00:42:47.679 --> 00:42:47.679 00:42:47.679 --> 00:42:47.679 00:42:47.679 --> 00:42:47.679 00:42:47.679 --> 00:42:47.679 00:42:47.679 --> 00:42:47.679 00:42:47.679 --> 00:42:47.679 00:42:47.679 --> 00:42:47.679 00:42:47.679 --> 00:42:47.679 00:42:47.679 --> 00:42:47.679 00:42:47.679 --> 00:42:47.679 00:42:47.679 --> 00:42:47.679 00:42:47.679 --> 00:42:47.679 00:42:47.679 --> 00:42:47.679 00:42:47.679 --> 00:42:47.679 00:42:47.679 --> 00:42:47.679 00:42:47.679 --> 00:42:47.679 00:42:47.679 --> 00:43:17.659 Thank you.