Ephesians 5:18-21 “Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.”
Today, our pastor continued in their Sunday sermon series through the Epistle of the Apostle Paul to the Ephesians. Submission isn’t a word used much these days. You may have heard of a wrestler or MMA fighter surrendering the match when they find themselves in a “submission hold” by their opponent and cannot continue. The 1828 Webster’s dictionary defines “Submission” as: The act of submitting; the act of yielding to power or authority; surrender of the person and power to the control, or government of another. Obedience; compliance with the commands or laws of a superior. Resignation; a yielding of one's will to the will or appointment of a superior without murmuring. But ultimately, entire and cheerful submission to the will of God is a Christian duty of prime excellence.” This means surrendering our flawed will, which is corrupted by the sin-nature of the fallen flesh inherited through Adam in the Garden of Eden, and in doing so we take God’s righteous will as our own, so that our will is now aligned with His perfect, sinless, and holy will in a heart of reverence, respect, praise and honor. The Christian has been saved unto “good works” for God which were planned in advance, and they are no longer a slave to sin.
Ephesians 6:5-8 “Bondservants, be obedient to those who are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in sincerity of heart, as to Christ; not with eyeservice, as men-pleasers, but as bondservants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart, with goodwill doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men, knowing that whatever good anyone does, he will receive the same from the Lord, whether he is a slave or free.”
The Hebrew word for bondservant” is ‘ebed’. The Mosaic Law allowed an indentured servant to become a bondservant voluntarily out of love for his master. In making this choice, then he will be his master’s servant for life. Jesus’ earthly visitation from heaven was as a “suffering servant” being about His Father business. As He served His Heavenly Father and was about His Father’s godly purposes and works in the world, this is the model for our serving the Lord, attuned to the Holy Spirit, with a loving and willing heart. The Word of God communicates our Creator’s standards for life and living in godly purity, devout sacredness, devoted consecration within a biblical worldview, so that nothing depraved, debauched, evil, immoral, unethical, or sinful in the yes of the Lord corrupts our days on this side of eternity and promotes unity in the Spirit which produces a love that serves God and our fellow man in community.
The sin nature of the fallen flesh serves “self” first and foremost with pride, looking for the next easure, position of power and material wealth. The submissive nature of the repentant, redeemed Believer serves God first always with gratitude, having the fruit of the Spirit, obediently serving the Lord, advancing the kingdom and blessing others in Gospel truth. The born-again children of God has gotten off of their egocentric throne of control and allowed Jesus to take His rightful seat there and reigning in majesty daily and forever more.
The first verse of Judson W. Van DeVenter’s 1896 Hymn “I Surrender All” says: “All to Jesus I surrender, All to Him I freely give; I will ever love and trust Him, In His presence daily live.” And the familiar refrain: “I surrender all, I surrender all; All to Thee, my blessed Savior, I surrender all.” Also, In the much beloved Christian hymn by Fanny Crosby "Blessed Assurance" written in 1873 to the music by Phoebe Knapp, the final verse says: “Perfect submission, all is at rest. I in my Savior am happy and blest. Watching and waiting, looking above, Filled with His goodness, lost in His love.” And the familiar refrain: “This is my story, this is my song, Praising my Savior, all the day long.”
Life is not about: What’s in it for me? It’s not about where I used to be, either. It is about where I need to be and what the Lord wants me to be doing as I grow and mature in faith, by the grace of God. Submit to Christ, get on the “right” path and invest in the kingdom of God. Give it everything you have! Go in peace and serve the Lord.
In Christ, Brian
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