Ephesians 5:21
Notes
Transcript
Handout
Can we just be honest for a minute? This book will mess you.
Last week, we noticed that those who are born again of God must pour out that which has been poured into us. We discovered that we are to be “filled with the Spirit.” It something that happens to us and that we allow. How can that be the case? God fills us with His Spirit and we yield ourselves to His power, desires and influence. We don’t just do what comes natural to us even if it feels good to us. We allow what comes natural to Him to pour out of us…things like the fruit of the Spirit.
We pour out our words in song as we sing to one another to build each other up.
We pour out our melodies that our sourced in our hearts and direct the sounds that come out of our mouths to God directly and corporately. Corporate musical worship…what a gift from our God! Let’s not dare complain about what Psalms, Hymns or Spiritual songs we may more may not like. They aren’t for us…they are for other people and for our God.
We pour out our thanksgivings…(your ready for this), always and for everything. We don’t just evaluate things from our finite earthly perspective. If we do evaluate everything we experience with us being in the center of our universe than we will have plenty to always grumble and complain abou and there will be no way to obey this command. But if we put Jesus Christ and all His majesty and glory in the dead center of the universe where He actually is as He holds all things together by His powerful word, then we will have a sluggers chance.
If we recognize that He is indeed there and we know that we are ultimately found in Him as new creations…that is, we have a controlling prevailing identity that anchors everything we experience while living life in a fallen, broken and yet begin redeemed world…than we can be thankful, always and for everything because we are found IN HIM. That means He is with us in our sorrows.
But He must be in the center of the universe in your worldview if you are to pull that type of faith off.
So that was last week. But if you paid attention to the text that was preached last week you will notice that the text didn’t end with a (PERIOD) it ended with a (COMMA). A comma indicates a soft pause between items in a single sentence.
20 giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,
That comma indicates that there is more to the thought of the sentence that needs to come out…but we didn’t preach it. The reason we didn’t preach it is for a few reasons:
…because of time. Sometimes there is just to much in the text to get to…(like every week!) and sometimes it is intentional to only preach part of a passage so that the following week it can be shown how the subsequent passages are connected to the main theme of a previous passage. That is the intention for our passage today and actually for the next number of weeks.
Textual Idea: 21 submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ.
Textual Idea: 21 submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ.
Sometimes preachers and pastor, myself included…try to get artsy and creative when trying to come up with a memorable phrase to help the listeners remember the big idea. Sometimes we take long periods of time mulling over the text and praying asking God to give us that little insight that is needed in order to communicate His truth to His people in a way that is memorable for His people. I started doing that this week and just about 2 minutes into the process. I just kind stopped as I was pouring over the text in prayer and I just did one quick little chuckle and said to myself…the big idea or the textual idea is so plainly stated in the very words themselves. Verse 21 has all the makings of a perfect “Big Idea” or textual idea of a passage. Its all in there! It is short. It is shocking. It is memorable. It IS the point of the the passage. There was no need to doctor it up at all. So, there it is…now you know that I didn’t have to work very hard this week!
Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.
Lets Pray: help us to discover the blessed joy of mutual submission.
What competes against Jesus for the dead center spot of your universe? I know it’s open ended and ambiguous…but maybe something will pop up in your mind!
The only way that you can do this command is if Jesus is indeed at the dead center of your universe. He has to be your all in all. And we also need to notice the context in which this command is located. It is located in a section of Paul’s epistle to the Ephesians where Paul is talking about the ekklesia. These commands are given to those who have been called out of darkness and into the light of Christ. They are commands given to God chosen people so that they can represent Him well to a watching world. So not only do you need to have Jesus in the dead center of your universe to pull this off, you also need to be in a committed community of other believers who have Jesus in the dead center of their universe as well. There is so much at stake with us obey this command. It puts us in a vulnerable position as we consider other interests more important than our own. It leaves us exposed. It can make us feel like sitting ducks and unprotected. But there is actually no better way to represent God than to give yourself away for the benefit of others.
Some of the hymn writers of old beautifully gave us words to express this.
Alas and did my Savior Bleed
But drops of grief can never repay that debt of love I owe, Here Lord I give myself away tis all that I can do.
The Wonderful Cross
...were the whole realm of nature mine. That were an offering far to small. Love so amazing, so divine. Demands my soul, my life, my all.
Living for Jesus
Living for Jesus, a life that is true,
Striving to please Him in all that I do;
Yielding allegiance, glad-hearted and free,
This is the pathway of blessing for me.
O Jesus, Lord and Savior, I give myself to Thee,
For Thou, in Thy atonement, didst give Thyself for me;
I own no other Master, my heart shall be Thy throne;
My life I give, henceforth to live, O Christ, for Thee alone.
These are beautiful expressions of our submission to the cause of Christ above all else. Submission is not a four letter word. It is a beautiful word.
What connotations come to mind when you read the word, “submit?”
The giving nature of our God is displayed most effectively in the way in which we willingly lay down ourselves for the greater good of others. There might not be a more difficult apostolic teaching to stomach for a 21st century American Christian who has had their “inalienable rights” engrained in their thinking since the day they were born. I love this country. I am so blessed to be a part of it. I did not choose to be born here. I have been so graced by God to have spent my whole life here and I don’t want to take if for granted, but I also don’t want to make and idol out of God’s gift to me and worship the gift rather than the giver of the gift. And that comes so naturally to me. So today, lets acknowledge that this verse is very hard to believe and practice…but let’s put our money where our mouths are and actually submit ourselves to the authoritative teaching of the text.
Okay…back to the comma. Last week we pointed out a comma that ended our preaching section. But what proceeds after the comma continues the thought of how to be Spirit filled:
We are to be speaking to one another, singing to God together, giving thanks always and for everything together, and today we see that we are to be submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ.
If you want to be “Spirit filled” than be submitted to one another.
Be submitted to one another.
Be submitted to one another.
If you want to evaluate whether or not you are under the influence of the Spirit, ask yourself the diagnostic question, “How well am I at putting the wants, wishes and desires of others above my own?”
In fact, I would suggest that there is no way that you even ask that diagnostic question of yourself if you aren’t “Spirit filled.” This does not come natural to us.
In order to even consider asking that question of yourself you must be under the influence of the Spirit. The guiding principle on how we are to relate to others in the Body of Christ is summed up in the word...
Analytical Lexicon of the Greek New Testament ὑποταγή, ῆς, ἡ
ὑποτασσόμενοι
That’s fun right? 6 syllables??? It is fitting that it would be a word that is complex because “submitting to another” can get pretty hairy sometimes. Submission isn’t a four letter word. If you look carefully you will notice that it is a 10 letter word…it is rich. And it is a word that everything in our modern culture tells us not to do. If you want to see a clashing of worldviews of seismic proportions ask people how comfortable they are at submission!
You are the King of your castle. It’s my life. Like Frankie said, “I did it my way.” Burger King tells us to “Have it your way.” and we think…I don’t mind if I do. We are so tempted to have everything run through the filter of the preferences or the comforts of the “Almighty Me.” We want everything to break our way. We have desires and that is fine…but when our desires turn into demands and judgements of others…we have a problem.
What is it that bothers you the most when you don’t “have it your way?” When you don’t have “it” your way, what are you tempted to do?
As I was studying this week…I was blown away by the comments that Martin Lloyd Jones had on this text. I am going to invite him to share his thoughts on this text from beyond the grave...
In talking about that word “submit,” Martin Lloyd Jones states:
Life in the Spirit in Marriage, Home and Work: An Exposition of Ephesians 5:18–6:9 Chapter 4: Submission in the Spirit
The idea that he obviously has in mind, in view of the word he uses, is something like this: It is the picture of soldiers in a regiment, soldiers in a line under an officer. The characteristic of a man in that position is this, that he is in a sense no longer an individual; he is now a member of a regiment; and all of them together are listening to the commands and the instructions which the officer is issuing to them. When a man joins the army he is as it were signing away his right to determine his own life and activity. That is an essential part of his contract. When he joins the army or air force or the navy, or whatever it is, he no longer governs and controls himself; he has to do what he is told. He cannot go on a holiday when he likes, he cannot get up at the hour in the morning when he likes. He is a man under authority, and the rules dictate to him; and if he begins to act on his own, and independently of the others, he is guilty of insubordination and will be punished accordingly. Such is the word the Apostle uses; so what he is saying amounts to this—that we who are filled with the Spirit are to behave voluntarily in that way with respect to one another. We are members of the same regiment, we are units in this same great army. We are to do that voluntarily which the soldier is ‘forced’ to do.
How is being part of the Body of Christ like enlisting in an army?
You give up your individual rights for the common good of your brothers and sisters in Christ.
Life in the Spirit in Marriage, Home and Work: An Exposition of Ephesians 5:18–6:9 (Chapter 4: Submission in the Spirit)
The real trouble with selfish and self-centered people is that they never think at all—except, of course, about themselves. But this really means that they are not thinking; they are acting as animals. An animal is always out for itself, it does not think, it acts according to its instincts.
When you are driven by selfishness, Martin said you are acting like an animal. Ouch. When the image of God is restored in us through regeneration we are new creations…its like we become less animal like and more like the way humans were initially made to function. In a sense you become more human and “humane” when you submit yourself to teachings of Jesus.
Life in the Spirit in Marriage, Home and Work: An Exposition of Ephesians 5:18–6:9 Chapter 4: Submission in the Spirit
The Christian, while he is still an individual, must never be individualistic. The moment you are individualistic you are wrong. This principle, this characteristic of being individualistic is impossible, as I say, in an army. That is the first thing that has to be repressed in a man who goes into the army. It can be a very painful process; but he has to realize that he can no longer act as formerly. Perhaps he was a spoilt child at home—the moment he wanted a thing he always had it, he was the ruler. But all that has to stop. In the army he has to submit to others. It would be impossible to run an army if it consisted of a series of people who were individualistic. All that has to be submerged.
Please take time to read and discuss some of the main ideas in this paragraph by MLJ with your life group. “The Christian, while he is still an individual, must never be individualistic. The moment you are individualistic you are wrong. This principle, this characteristic of being individualistic is impossible, as I say, in an army. That is the first thing that has to be repressed in a man who goes into the army. It can be a very painful process; but he has to realize that he can no longer act as formerly. Perhaps he was a spoilt child at home—the moment he wanted a thing he always had it, he was the ruler. But all that has to stop. In the army he has to submit to others. It would be impossible to run an army if it consisted of a series of people who were individualistic. All that has to be submerged.”
Submerged! Buried! Davey Jones Locker! Let up Martin! Wow…what great insight into the human condition! When we are so caught up in ourselves and become hyper sensitive…we are easily offended when things do go our way. But love is one of the core values of believers in Christ and love according to Paul’s letter to the Corinthians is,
1 Corinthians 13:5 (ESV)
5 not rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful;
Ok…we get it…its hard, but we get it. But who must we submit to or be subject to? Well we are to be subject to the orders or directives of “one another.” Well that seems tricky. Is it survival of the fittest in the church? Nope…we cause we aren’t to function as “individuals” in the church. Paul already told us in the previous chapter that…we are members one of another.
25 Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another.
We belong to each other. We corporately make up the “Body of Christ.”
So…you submit to you…you submit to you…you submit to you…Yes it is tricky and nuanced…but we go about finding solutions to our disagreements while our knees are bent in humility and our arms are around each other in unity.
When you submit to each another and we do what Paul says to the Philippians.
Philippians 2:3 (ESV)
3 Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.
How much are we do to from “selfish ambition?” When you adopt the mentality that, everybody else in the Body of Christ is “more significant” than me…you submit to them…I know this sounds contrary to EVERYTHING the world has ever taught you. I realize that! But this is no idle word we are reading…these are the words of the one who made the world and everything in it. But we have been under the tutelage of the one who has been a liar and murderer from the beginning and he loves to perpetuate the lie. So I get that this is hard to stomach…no one said it was easy to follow the teachings of The One who fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah as the “man of sorrows.” I get it…but...
When you as an individual consider others more important than yourselves, and every other born again believer in Christ that walks through the doors of 586 Birch Bay Lynden Road thinks more of you than of themselves…to quote Pastor Mike, “It’s a beautiful thing.”
Look at the next verse.
4 Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.
When this is happening…we are said to be having the, “mind of Christ.” The mind of Christ, that is, the way Christ went about His business and even now goes about His business is being about the business of others. Well whose business was He about?
The Father’s and Our’s.
Ready for an amazing verse about Jesus?
30 “I can do nothing on My own initiative. As I hear, I judge; and My judgment is just, because I do not seek My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me.
He did “nothing on his own initiative.” This is amazing…He did everything according to the agenda of His Father....even when it included Him being nailed to a piece of wood by those who deserved to be nailed to a piece of wood. As He submitted Himself to the Father, He also submitted Himself to our needs. What great humility! We ought to stand in awe of what He has done for us!
Submission to others is only achievable if we have a high reverence for Christ. He has to be the dead center of your universe. If He is there…than that means you aren’t and vise versa. If you are in the center of your universe…it means that Christ isn’t there.
So…you submit to you…submit to you…submit to you…and we all do this out of reverence / (fear) of Christ!
Out of reverence for Christ.
Out of reverence for Christ.
Verse 21 isn’t just hairy…it is heavy as well. Paul says the way that you are able to submit to the directives or orders of one of your brothers and sisters in Christ is by having a healthy amount of “Fear of Christ.” The wellspring of your submission to one another is your reverential fear and subsequent submission to the one who is is the dead center of your universe.
A healthy, reverential fear of Christ can change you perspective on everything you ever do in life. Look at what Paul says to the Colossians.
23 Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, 24 knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ.
Ultimately, “whatever you do” is done to the Lord and for the Lord’s approval and what you have done for Him will be richly rewarded by the Lord Himself. We do all that we do, by faith because...
6 And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.
We established earlier that verse 21 is attached to the main verb found in verse 18…to be filled with the Spirit. The Spirit is alway about diverting attention away from Himself and putting the spotlight on Christ.
Remember when Jesus was teaching on the Spirit in the upper room? He said...
What does it mean to have “reverence” for Christ?
25 “These things I have spoken to you while I am still with you. 26 But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.
So if we are going to be under the influence of the Spirit we are going be reminded of and yield ourselves to the teachings of Jesus.
In closing…let’s just remind ourselves of a handful of teachings from our Messiah.
23 And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.
25 For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.
40 A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone when he is fully trained will be like his teacher.
11 I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.
13 Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.
What areas of your life need to die?
When I read these teachings, I realize the end goal of my relationship with Christ is to be like Him…that means I have a lot of dying to do. And even though that is hard…that is okay because the prevailing desire of my heart is to be like Him. Like another old hymn writer said...
O to be like Thee! blessed Redeemer;
This is my constant longing and prayer;
Gladly I’ll forfeit all of earth’s treasures,
Jesus, Thy perfect likeness to wear. O to be like Thee! O to be like Thee!
Blessed Redeemer, pure as Thou art;
Come in Thy sweetness, come in Thy fullness;
Stamp Thine own image deep on my heart.
This sounds an awful lot like what the Apostle Paul said to the Philippians.
7 But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. 8 Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith— 10 that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, 11 that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead.
Paul must have had a tremendous amount of reverence for Christ. How about you? How about me? How about all of us as we collectively make up the Body of Christ here at Faith Community Church? Do we revere Christ so much that we still have our opinions but refuse to be opinionated? Do we desire to honor Christ so much that we lay aside our preferences and give favorable treatment to others and their desires? Do we want to be like Christ so much that we lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters here?
Let’s pray