Practicing Submission part 6 – The suffering of Christ
Scripture Reading: Romans 5:1-5
Title: Practicing Submission part 6 – The suffering of Christ
Introduction: My brother is a forward observer for the United States army. His primary responsibility is to call in heavy fire support in the event that the infantry line comes under fire. In January he took me on base and showed me some of the weapons that are at his beacon call when he is on the field. These are big guns and each one takes a specially trained unit to operate. My brother has to give good coordinates in order to hit the intended target. And so I ask him what his greatest fear was, expecting him to say bad communication or wrong directions. His answer surprised me when he said “silence.” What he meant was not silence on the battle field but silence from the expected fire support. When the guns are silenced the battle suddenly becomes much more dangerous.
In our study of submission we have learned that submission is a powerful weapon of sharing the gospel, but in large part the weapon has been silenced. But Peter is intent on making sure that guns are ready to fire once again.
Central Idea: Christ’s sufferings provide a clear purpose and practice of submission to God.
Main Transition: Peter is taking us from the telling aspect of show and tell to the showing. Last week Peter told us what submission should look like in the believer’s life. Now he focuses on the showing, He is going to show us an example to consider. The telling was difficult enough but now the example should cause us to fall on our knees in recognition of who we follow and what He did for us. As we learn to practice submission we stand at the feet of our True master and watch as He demonstrates it for us. So we begin with the truth that Christ suffered for us in submission to the Father, Christ secured victory over Satan and finally Christ saved us in His resurrection.
I. Christ suffered for us in submission to the Father (18)
A. Jesus suffered, “once for all”
1. As Peter finishes this section on submission and suffering he reminds those that have suffered that Christ even suffered.
2. But notice who Christ suffered for, once for all and the just for the unjust. Christ submission to the Lord was in the face of evil wicked people, that His sacrifice would provide salvation to even those that hung Him on the cross if they would only trust in Him as Savior.
3. Peter is also very clear that the death of Christ cannot be added to nor can it be diminished.
B. Jesus suffered for a purpose
1. Jesus suffering was not selfish, as our lack of submission often causes, Jesus’ submission was not selfish, his purpose was to deliver you and I and as many as would receive Him to the foot of the throne of God.
2. Jesus prepared the way for vile, evil, and wicked mankind to be washed pure and able to enter the throne room of God
3. Jesus submits to the Father giving His life away, dying in the flesh,
Illustration: There are two events in Jesus’ life that people refuse to believe, one that He was virgin born and two that Jesus died and rose again, many say He wasn’t dead and so therefore could not rise again, but Peter is clear, Jesus was dead, His flesh sustained no life, but His spirit lives and completed the victory.
Transition: Peter’s illustration of submission takes us right back to our state before we came to know the Lord. At our most vile and disgusting, Christ suffered for you, in His submission to the purpose of the Father, that you might enjoy eternal life. But the submission does not stop there, because the victory is not yet complete.
II. Christ secured victory over Satan (19-20a)
A. The Spirit of Christ goes to the abyss
1. After the physical death of Christ, not all was complete, Christ goes to the abyss, not as a captive, but victorious over the demons and crushing the rebellion that started long before.
2. You and I serve the conquering king, who crushes the rebellion of Satan and his minions in their very own den. This is the crushing blow that was promised in the garden.
Illustration: Except for Friday night and yesterday, it is time again for the rattle snakes to return above ground. Something that you notice about rattle snakes is that when they are alerted to your presence they coil up and drop their head so you can’t get a good shot at killing them, in order to kill them you have to move into the most dangerous place he can make. You are not victorious until you have crushed the head.
B. The depth of depravity
1. As the victory of Christ is described the depravity of these demons is revealed.
a. These are the very ones who were roaming the earth before the flood, and now doubt played a large role in the complete rejection of the message Noah preached for 120 years.
Illustration: We look at the ministry of Noah and by the worlds standards he failed. 120 Years to preach the saving truth that was the ark being built and not one convert, but we understand more about why when we realize that the demons were working in such a way that God locks them away during the flood to keep them from harming the 8 who survive the flood.
2. Once again the word disobedient comes up, before it was used in the condition of the husbands who did not know the Lord, now it is in reference to the demons and their fallen state.
C. Christ triumphed over the demons
1. As we consider the cost of this type of submission we realize the price that was paid. In order for you to be bought, you hade to be won, Christ goes right for the head and crushes it.
2. We need to understand that Christ’s victory was in order that you and I are able to be free from the wages of sin, free from the consequences of sin and in order to do that forces of Satan had to be defeated.
Transition: We try to stay away from talking to much about Satan, he is not a pleasant conversation topic. But we need to realize what it took to pardon our sins and to free us. Christ paid the price and fought the battles because he was in submission to the will of Father. You and I will never be asked to submit exactly like Christ, but you maybe required to submit when it is difficult and the battle hard, keep the submission of Christ in mind. You must practice submission, now you have an example you can follow.
III. Christ saved us in His resurrection (20b-22)
A. Noah’s 8 saved from the flood
1. Having understood the depravity and sin of men during the days of Noah, Peter begins a very fascinating exhortation
a. In Bible study we need to understand a hermeneutical concept that involves types (or orginal) and antitypes
1. A type is a method or pattern that God uses in the Old Testament to reveal His work in the New Testament.
2. The antitype is not the opposite but rather the completed pattern started from the Old Testament and finished in the New. Such as Adam is a type and Christ the Antitype.
b. Peter is using this concept to help us understand better the work of Christ.
2. Peter equates the flood with baptism and this is how,
a. The water in the flood as one part of the type corresponds to the water of baptism. The ark as another part of the type corresponds to the completed work of salvation finished at the resurrection of Christ. And the 8 on board the ark finish out the type correspond to believers today.
b. The water represents the price or the penalty of judgment. Water brought devastation to the world of Noah’s time in judgment for the rebellion of all but 8. Water signifies Christ’s tomb, or more specifically the death of Christ, which Christ rose from which, through His resurrection provides salvation the antitype of the ark, as the ark the type brought 8 safely through.
3. The ceremony of baptism is not the work that saves, but rather it is a testimony of the work that is finished in use through the submission of Christ to the Father in his death and resurrection.
B. Christ resurrection provided salvation
1. In order that understand properly what he is getting at Peter, instructs that he is not referring to washing with water, but rather a change of the mind, a good conscience
a. This takes us back to last week as we studied that this means that we are to have a pure conscience, one in which nothing can be held against us that is against the Lord.
2. This good conscience is only achieved through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.
a. Peter is revealing the ceremony of baptism does not save, but rather points to the event in ones life where they publicly testify what has already been accomplished in their life that which was accomplished because of the submission of Christ
b. And that resurrection day.
C. Christ’s lowly submission makes Him Ruler of all (22)
1. Throughout this short series within a series I have said many times that the pattern of the Word of God is that the lowly become great, while the prideful fall. Jesus said to His disciples, “the least shall become the greatest among you.”
2. Jesus’ completed, finished work of suffering submission placed Him in highest honor and prominence, giving Him majesty, authority, and power.
3. Peter finishes his emphasis on submission by proving that the word of Christ are true, the least does become the greatest.
a. We must be willing to pull our minds out the gutter of this world and look up, this is not all there is
b. And so the theme Peter is driving home is this stand firm knowing that eternity is on its way and soon we will be home.
Conclusion: As we bear down onto the heart of the letter, Peter intensifies his exhortation. He is being used of God to reveal to us the need of a radical change in our lives. Submission is hard. Believer we submit and we practice submission because Christ demonstrated it and we are benefactors of it. We practice submission because we recognize that God is indeed in control, He is indeed our Lord and Master. We also recognize that Christ’s submission was to redeem us, when we were unlovable and unwilling to love. Our submission is to Christ who took that first step who has already proven His love for us. Believer this is not all there is, the rest of eternity awaits us, lets not subscribe to the world’s philosophy of, “life for today.” Let’s live for eternity.
I fear that the most terrible result of Satan’s lie of tolerance is the slaughter of submission, it is a vital tool against the forces of Satan and in our world the guns of submission have been silenced. It is high time we man the guns. This means that we make it personal, we adjust our lives to conformity with the Word of God and we live as Christ did, willing to submit in the worst situation that God in His infinite understanding places us in. Then by God’s grace we who humble ourselves will be exalted by God. Man the guns and keep them clean and ready to fire off the most powerful round in our arsenal, practice submission.