Submit to One Another

Stronger Together (Part 18)

Intro

Today we’re going to deal with a topic that fights directly against the old human nature.

This passage of scripture is often hated on by those outside the church, and even some in the church.

What is it that is so offensive about what the Bible has to say about submission?

Well the simple answer is that the Bible requires a denial of self to benefit others.

The world is about about me and what I want. denying oneself is an absolute foreign subject for many.

But for the believer, Jesus gave us the ultimate example to follow.

He took the lead and expects us to follow.

Today we are going to talk about submitting to one another.

another core principle in raising up a supportive commmunity in Jesus name!

In Paul’s letter to the Ephesians, he begins in the 1st 3 chapters with focusing on identity so that they will understand what is their identity in Christ

In the next 3 chapters He ties together how their walk should reflect their identity

Ephesians 5:15–17 NASB95

15 Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise, 16 making the most of your time, because the days are evil. 17 So then do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.

Paul challenges his readers to walk in wisdom,

understanding what God wills for believers’ lives

He deals with such things as

Ephesians 5:18 NASB95

18 And do not get drunk with wine, for that is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit,

They should be filled with Holy Spirit, who already dwells within them.

Ephesians 5:19 NASB95

19 speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody with your heart to the Lord;

They should be singing , always filled with thankful prayer, and should “submit to one another” .

Ephesians 5:20 NASB95

20 always giving thanks for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God, even the Father;

Then we get to our subject for today

Ephesians 5:21 NASB95

21 and be subject to one another in the fear of Christ.

Let’s pray.

Main Idea

What is Submission?

some modern translations like to use the word “subject “ in place of submit

The word translated in the original greek is Ὑποτασσόμενοι (upotassomenoi) It means to place or rank under, to subject, mid. to obey

(potassemeny)

It literally descibes one of higher rank lowering themselves to do something expected of a lower rank.

I can think a several examples of Jesus demonstraing this for us.

John 13:4–5 NASB95

4 got up from supper, and laid aside His garments; and taking a towel, He girded Himself. 5 Then He poured water into the basin, and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the towel with which He was girded.

Jesus was the master, they were His disciples

He was the teacher Rabbi, foot washing was the job for the lowest slave.

even Peter objected to Jesus doing this.

John 13:8 NASB95

8 Peter said to Him, “Never shall You wash my feet!” Jesus answered him, “If I do not wash you, you have no part with Me.”

Jesus demonstrated potassemeny by washing His disciples feet.

But an even greater example is found in Phillipians 2

Philippians 2:6–11 NASB95

6 who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. 8 Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. 9 For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

None of can imagine what its like to be God

So its impossible for us to related to what Jesus gave up when He submitted himself and became one of us!

Jesus demonstrated potassemeny by becoming one of us to die in our place .

So with this is mind, it helps us to understand why Jesus wants us to submit to one another.

because Jesus submitted Himself most of all!

to be like Jesus means we submit ourselves to each other.

Fear of Christ

Ephesians 5:21 NASB95

21 and be subject to one another in the fear of Christ.

The Greek word translated as fear φόβῳ (phobō) means panic flight, fear, the causing of fear, terror

Its were we get the word phobia from.

Many translations render it as “reverence” or “respect”, but i don’t beleive that isn’t strong enough.

In a kingdom perspective, fear of Christ displaces every fear.

in other words if you learn to fear Christ, you will have no other fears!

we is helpful to disguish the difference between ungodly and godly fear

ungodly fear, make you want to run away from that which you are afraid of

you’ve all heard of the fight or flight response?

ungodly fear compels you to run away from that which you fear.

Godly fear does the opposite

for the Godly...

When you have Godly fear it drives away the evil and compels you to want to be closer to God.

Luke 8:25 NASB95

25 And He said to them, “Where is your faith?” They were fearful and amazed, saying to one another, “Who then is this, that He commands even the winds and the water, and they obey Him?”

Luke 5:10 NASB95

10 and so also were James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. And Jesus said to Simon, “Do not fear, from now on you will be catching men.”

Mark 5:33 NASB95

33 But the woman fearing and trembling, aware of what had happened to her, came and fell down before Him and told Him the whole truth.

Godly fear glorifies God and leads to worship

Luke 7:16 NASB95

16 Fear gripped them all, and they began glorifying God, saying, “A great prophet has arisen among us!” and, “God has visited His people!”

Mark 9:4–6 NASB95

4 Elijah appeared to them along with Moses; and they were talking with Jesus. 5 Peter said to Jesus, “Rabbi, it is good for us to be here; let us make three tabernacles, one for You, and one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” 6 For he did not know what to answer; for they became terrified.

Mark 10:32 NASB95

32 They were on the road going up to Jerusalem, and Jesus was walking on ahead of them; and they were amazed, and those who followed were fearful. And again He took the twelve aside and began to tell them what was going to happen to Him,

John 12:15 NASB95

15 “Fear not, daughter of Zion; behold, your King is coming, seated on a donkey’s colt.”

Matthew 28:8 NASB95

8 And they left the tomb quickly with fear and great joy and ran to report it to His disciples.

Luke 24:37 NASB95

37 But they were startled and frightened and thought that they were seeing a spirit.

Did you see? Not a single case of being terrified of what Jesus might do to them,

yet they were all full of fear at the authority Jesus carries.

These people were accustomed to fearing Herod because Herod had imperial authority to subjugate them to himself and to kill them if they refused.

But Jesus had greater authority over sickness and the natural world, over evil spirits and human rulers.

Most frightening of all, he received power over death.

But for the ungodly

Fear can cause them to evil things

Mark 11:18 NASB95

18 The chief priests and the scribes heard this, and began seeking how to destroy Him; for they were afraid of Him, for the whole crowd was astonished at His teaching.

fear can make them want God to leave them alone

Luke 8:37 NASB95

37 And all the people of the country of the Gerasenes and the surrounding district asked Him to leave them, for they were gripped with great fear; and He got into a boat and returned.

Authority

John 19:8–10 NASB95

8 Therefore when Pilate heard this statement, he was even more afraid; 9 and he entered into the Praetorium again and said to Jesus, “Where are You from?” But Jesus gave him no answer. 10 So Pilate said to Him, “You do not speak to me? Do You not know that I have authority to release You, and I have authority to crucify You?”

Here’s the difference between Jesus’ authority and other authorities.

Pilate was the highest ranking and most feared authority in Jerusalem.

Behind him stood the armies of the Empire.

Before him stood Jesus, accused of being the Son who carried God’s authority on earth.

Who was afraid?

Pilate’s fear revealed the source of his authority — his power to kill.

This power fell when Jesus rose from the grave — the Christ, with all authority in heaven and on earth.

Christ’s power is terrifying!

But He is not a terror.

He is the restoration of the world — out of its fearful oppression, into the reign of God’s anointed.

Christ’s fearfulness is not a sword; it’s a decree —

a word from his mouth calms the storm,

releases the slaves,

restores the earth,

defeats every enemy (even death).

Fear of Christ is not a threat; it’s a promise.

It doesn’t petrify us into inaction or servitude;

it stimulates us to spend our lives for the community of God’s appointed ruler.

Like shadows fleeing from the light, every other fear vanishes in the fear of Christ.

Submit to one another

The idea that we need to submit to one another is the most important principle undergirding every relationship a believer might have.

Paul gives instructions for various familial and societal roles all based on the principle that believers submit to one another.

Wives are to align themselves under their husbands to illustrate the response of the church to Christ

Husbands are to align themselves under their wives by loving them selflessly for their sanctification, illustrating Jesus’ love for His church

Children ought to align themselves under their parents in honor and obedience

Fathers need to align themselves under their children by not provoking them to anger and by training them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord

Next, Paul addresses slaves and masters.

In the culture of Paul’s day, slavery was generally much like employment is in today’s culture.

Slaves should align themselves under their masters with sincere obedience, knowing that they are serving Christ

Finally, masters should submit to their slaves by treating slaves “with respect and fear, and with sincerity of heart”

In this final example,

it is evident that all of these people are equals in Christ, and even in those familial or societal roles where there may be rank or hierarchy, each person should submit to one another as if he or she were of lower rank.

At first glance it may seem difficult to submit to one another or to treat others as greater than oneself, because it makes the submitting person vulnerable to the other.

However, when both parties are treating the other as worthy of more honor than themselves,

the needs of both are met wonderfully.

In this approach no one person is independent of the other; rather, both are serving the other.

It seems this is God’s beautiful design to illustrate the roles He has put in place and to ensure that each one’s needs are met.

This passage in Ephesians is just one place the Bible tells us to submit to one another

Young people submit to your elders

1 Peter 5:5 NASB95

5 You younger men, likewise, be subject to your elders; and all of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, for God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble.

Submit to your leaders

Hebrews 13:17 NASB95

17 Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they keep watch over your souls as those who will give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with grief, for this would be unprofitable for you.

conclusion

“submit to one another” is not based on the merits of the other person; rather, they are to submit to one another in the fear of Christ.

submitting is focusing on the needs of others rather than your own.

Every Beleiver is called to mutually submit to one another in way or another.

Its not about power or control, but recognizing the authroity of Christ in the Life of every believer

Let’s pray