A Submitted People- Ephesians 5:22-6:9

-The People of God display our reverence for Him through mutual submission to each other.

I was blessed to grow up during one of the golden eras of professional wrestling. Back in my childhood, I watched guys like Hulk Hogan, the Macho Man Randy Savage, Dusty Rhodes, and Jimmy the Superfly Snuka light up the ring. However, there was one wrestler who stood above them all in my estimation: “The Stylin’, profilin’, limousine riding, jet flying, kiss-stealing, wheelin’ n’ dealin’ son of a gun!” He was most famous for the Figure Four Leglock, a submission move that was intended to render the victim immobile and in pain until they submitted. I don’t like anything about submission, but it turns out that this is a critical part of our walk in Christ!

I. In Marriage vv. 22-33

Paul begins this discussion submission with the marriage relationship, but the whole notion of submission takes us back to v. 21

There is a call to submission that is present in the life of every single believer and we participate out of reverence for Christ v. 21

He makes this as a demand on us, but we see that this was His own practice. He “gave Himself up for us” v. 2

What is this?

This is a mutual submission between husband and wife

The wife cedes a measure of authority to her husband; he takes the lead in directing and overseeing the family

While there is always a shared responsibility here, this is a call on the wife to value and listen to her husband’s insight

And yes, it is also a call to follow him as he leads; a divided house cannot stand!

Likewise, there is a call for the husband to cede a measure of priority to the wife

She must come first and the other members of the household come second

Yes, the husband is given authority to lead, yet it must come in the context of sacrifice and humility

Each cedes a measure of their own good for the good of the other

The wife aids and supports the husband as he becomes the leader to the family that God intends

The husband aids and supports the wife as she experiences spiritual health and personal growth, becoming what God intends for her to be

What is it not?

It is not abuse, a behavior never tolerated by the Lord

It is not domination

Men, this is not a call to micromanage every family decision or to manipulate your wife to achieve your vision of family life

This attitude is anti-sanctification and anti-maturity; she must have a measure of freedom to become who Christ intends for her to be.

It is not evil

Any call to submission that leads to destructive patterns of sinful behavior is radically out of bounds

Wives, remember that your first responsibility is to Christ

It is not self-serving

Men, if your understanding of this passage is always for your benefit and is not overwhelmingly for the benefit of your wife and family, you are missing what Paul says here

The pattern of love in the life of a husband is giving away his best for the sake of those he loves

Why does it matter?

This is the pattern of creation: to become one flesh, each must give way to the other. It aligns us with God’s intent for the family

This is an image of Christ and the Church: Christian marriage in ways that are mystical, profound, and imperfect demonstrates to our children, our people, and to the world the sacrificial love of Christ and the gracious submission of His people!

1500 Illustrations for Biblical Preaching (Obedience, Reasons For)

There are many reasons why we may obey someone, including God. What are yours?Fear? Obeying because you have to?Reward? Obeying because you get something out of it?Love? Obeying because you love Christ and your fellowman?926

II. In Parenting vv. 1-4

Next, Paul addresses the relationship between parents and children

What is it?

What he describes is an obedience in the Lord

This relationship between parent and child is foundational to the child’s understanding of the Lord’s authority. As we honor and obey our parents, we learn to honor and obey the Lord

What is it not?

It does not stifle growth

There is a distinction between the child’s obedience to parents and the son’s honor to them

We are always sons and daughters called to honor, but we are not always children called to obey

It does not marked by cruelty or malice

Each parent has a responsibility to discipline with an eye for grace and for instruction

When we miss the mark, we discipline out of anger, for the sake of retribution, driven by a desire for vengeance against our children’s misbehavior and we frustrate any efforts that they might make towards obedience

Why does it matter?

There is a promise that is carried to the parent who brings up their child in the discipline and instruction of the Lord and the child who obeys and honors their parents

It is the promise that things will “go well with you” and it is freedom from the life of exasperation described in v. 4

There is a very serious danger for parents:

We must not drive our children from the Lord by our character

We must not distract our children from the Lord by focusing primarily on lesser goods

750 Engaging Illustrations for Preachers, Teachers and Writers (328: Idolatry)

When does sports as entertainment become sports as idolatry? Consider this banner seen at Lambeau Field in 1996, the season the Green Bay Packers won the Super Bowl in New Orleans and their quarterback Brett Favre was named the most valuable player:Our Favre who art in Lambeau, hallowed be thy arm. The Bowl will come, it will be won, in New Orleans as it is in Lambeau. Give us this Sunday our weekly win. And give us many touchdown passes. But do not let others pass against us. Lead us not into frustration, but deliver us to Bourbon Street. For thine is the MVP, the best of the NFL, and the glory of the cheeseheads, now and forever. Go get ’em!Apparently some fans recognize their team support for what it really is: worship.

III. At Work vv. 5-9

Finally, Paul addresses a particular kind of relationship that we do not experience in the exact same way as his Ephesian audience, but it has important application for us

What it is:

Paul talks to slaves and masters about how they interact; the closest analogy that we have is between employees and supervisors/managers

Paul instructs us as employees to obey those in authority over us with a sincere heart; we do not do the minimum that we must to avoid punishment, but serve them as we are serving Christ

What it is not:

An excuse or argument for chattel slavery. The slavery experienced in the 18th-19th centuries or even today are not justified by this passage. Paul speaks clearly in other places like Philemon to our brotherhood in Christ and in ways that undermine the notion of one person owning another

An excuse for eye-service that only pleases people while offering half-hearted effort

An excuse for threatening, bullying behavior over those under our authority

Why does it matter?

Because God is watching and these relationships mirror our relationship with Him

We serve others as we are serving the Lord

We lead others as though we will be held responsible for them by the Lord

All of this circles us back to the example of Christ:

In whatever position I find myself in, I am called to submit to others

How I submit to others is a reflection of my submission to Christ

750 Engaging Illustrations for Preachers, Teachers and Writers (460: Obedience)

In the eleventh century, King Henry III of Bavaria grew tired of court life and the pressures of being a monarch. He made application to Prior Richard at a local monastery, asking to be accepted as a contemplative and spend the rest of his life in the monastery.“Your Majesty,” said Prior Richard, “do you understand that the pledge here is one of obedience? That will be hard because you have been a king.”“I understand,” said Henry. “The rest of my life I will be obedient to you, as Christ leads you.”“Then I will tell you what to do,” said Prior Richard. “Go back to your throne and serve faithfully in the place where God has put you.”When King Henry died, a statement was written: “The king learned to rule by being obedient.”When we tire of our roles and responsibilities, it helps to remember God has planted us in a certain place and told us to be a good accountant or teacher or mother or father. Christ expects us to be faithful where he puts us, and when he returns, we’ll rule together with him.