Submission
by David Lazarus

Intro

Importance of relationships
World moving away from relationships
divorse, living together without marriage
rare to find meaningful relationship at any level
This is cause of much pain and confusion in our world.
 
Read Eph. 5:21-6:9
 
SUBMISSION MISUNDERSTOOD
 
NOT EXPLOITATION
 
Women, children, slaves exploited throughout history
 
Is not Yeshua the one who gives w, c, s, true freedom?
Didn’t Yeshua respect and love at a time these were despised?
 
Didn’t Yeshua say “come unto me little children” at a time when babies thrown into rubbish or left for the Forum or Slavery or Prostitution?
 
Didn’t Yeshua honor workers and slaves?
He worked as a carpenter. He washed the disciples feet as a servant.
He said, “I am a slave amongst you.”
 
Women came to Yeshua and he gave them special respect.
 
When we talk about submission, we are not talking about exploitation
  
SUBMISSION IS NOT INEQUALITY  
 
We do not submit because we are inferior
Bible teaches that all human beings are created equal
Read Eph.6:9
No race, class, culture, sex, age, color. In God’s sight all equal.
Gospel that brought about freedoms for slaves. Martin Luther King.
 
Submission cannot mean inequality.
  
SUBMISSION IS NOT PASSIVITY
 
You do not give up your will to submit.
You do not lie down like a door mat for others to walk on.
 
Submission is a free choice of the will.
No one is forced to submit.
  
So, why Submit?
Submission is not passivity, not exploitation, not inequality. What is it?
 
1. SUBMISSION is to THE LORD
 
5:21,22,25 6:1,4,5,6
Foundation is obedience to God. Listening. We don’t know everything. Trusting.
Yeshua puts high value on humility.
 
 
2. SUBMISSION IS OBEYING THOSE GOD PUT OVER US
 
To submit means to acknowledge God’s order over us.
Parent, husband, boss at work, pastor, friend.
Humility to receive council from those who care for us.
Teachable spirit. Why Paul loved Timothy so.
 
Most people today see submission as something no good.
Submission is actually God’s design for blessing.
God’s order for us.
 
All of us are in submission to someone.
God’ s blessing will come to us as we learn to walk in humble submission to God, and to those he has given to be over us.

Abuses of Submission/Authority
 
The authority of Husband, parent, boss is not unlimited.
 
If someone abuses God’s authority by commanding what God forbids, or forbidding what God commands, then it is no longer our duty to submit. To submit in this case would be to disobey God.
Example apostles before Sanhedrin.
Yeshua as youth at Temple

Submission intended to be mutual
Instructions given to Husband - wife, Parent – child, slave – owner
 
What to do When there is only one side in submission to God mixed marriages, rebellious children, difficult bosses
 
I Peter 2:11-3:8
Then we are to submit as a witness to them to the proper ways of the Lord
 
So important, that we should be willing to even suffer in order to do God’s will in submission to authorities.

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