"Learning Submission"

Learning to submit is not easy in a world that teaches us to climb the ladder of success. How does one submit to bad leadership? As we take a look at our call to submit to leaders of our country and workplace, we see Jesus as one submitted in face of evil.

Learning Submission

(1 Pet. 2:13-25)

Intro:

A.  Most of us have done things we didn’t really want to do.  It happens in the family, at work, and even in the church.  We do things we don’t really want to do, but we think we should.  Maybe we tell ourselves it is for the best.  Maybe we tell ourselves, we don’t have a choice.  Maybe we do it because we love the person and want to make them happy even if it doesn’t really bring us personal joy.  Sometime, we do things simply out of respect for the other person – not personal emotional attachment, but we respect their position.

B.  I want to give you another reason.  Peter says to “submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake.”  That phrase caused me to stop and think.  I can obey the laws of the land because I don’t want to suffer the consequences.  If I speed, I might get a ticket, so I don’t speed.  I am not following the laws because I like them, agree with them or because of God, but because I fear the consequences.  Peter comes along to challenge my modus operandi.  Peter says the reason I submit myself is for the sake of the Lord.

I.  Submit To The Government and Masters

A.  Peter talks about how we are aliens and strangers in this world, and then the next thing he does is call us to submit to the government.  Why should I, who am free in Christ submit to powers and authorities that are God?  Could you imagine being told to submit to someone like Emperor Nero?  He was a man who about this time was bringing great persecution upon Christians.  He was a person who set himself up as a god, blamed Christians for thing that were not true and eventually would be willing to kill them by publically burning them to death.  It was to someone like that Peter tells this Christians to submit.  How?

B.  We are fortunate to live in a democracy.  You may not like all of our elected officials, but you have to admit we live under a much better government than the Caesars of the first century.  You see, only a Christian could submit to an evil government.  Others would rebel or cause anarchy.  Yet, with the limited freedoms in the Roman world or with ours today, Christians are called to live free.

C.  Live as free people.  Free from the bonds of sin.  Free from the bonds of hatred and bitterness.  Free from the bonds of materialism.  Brethren, live free.  I love this country.  I am thankful for the men and women who serve to protect my freedoms.  Douglas MacArthur began his farewell speech to the cadets at West Point with three words:  Duty, Honor, Country.  In that moving speech he reminded those cadets of the high cost of loyalty in a democracy.  Patriotism is a great thing, but Peter’s call is for us to know that even though we are living stones in God’s house and aliens in this world, we are called to love, fear and honor.  Love the brotherhood, fear God, honor the king.  I can submit when I understand I do this “for the Lord’s sake.”

D.  We may not be slaves but Peter talks about submitting to masters.  The closest that comes today is an employer who does not treat you with respect or fairly.  Instead, knowing your situation he seeks to take advantage of you because you can’t just quit your job.  God commends the Christian who in the face of injustice continues to serve for the Lord’s sake.  You are God’s living testimony to an unjust world.  Therefore when boss is taking advantage of you and instead of complaining you simply submit and in kindness and work hard, God is seen.

E.  When Joseph was lied about by Potiphar’s wife, left in jail by the cupbearer and finally lifted up to the second highest person in Egypt he could tell his brothers, what you did for evil, God has turn to good.  I can face suffering when I submit myself for the Lord’s sake.

F.  Paul says in Rom. 8:18, “I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.”  2 Cor. 4:16-18 “Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.”

G.  Is this even possible?  Who would really submit to evil authorities and be a testimony for God even if it meant death?  We don’t like to suffer.  How do willingly give myself up for the glory of God?  God said, “I’ll show you how to live like this.”

II.  In His Steps

A.  Read verses 21-25.  Jesus shows us how we can submit to political authority even when we are in the right.  He left you and me an example to follow in his footsteps.  It is a path that many of us choose to avoid.  Suffering and submission are not high on our spiritual “to do” list.  Yet, Jesus gave us an example of what it means to submit.  I learn submission from him.  Jesus is the reason that Peter begins our passage by saying, “submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake.”

B.  Suffering screams the question, “Why?”  Why would a just God let this happen to me?  Why am I called upon to suffer when so many ungodly people have no problems?  Why?  Jesus comes to earth, leaving the throne of heaven, not to tell us why, but to show us how.  He submitted and suffered willingly “because he entrusted himself to him who judges justly.”  Jesus understood that a spiritual judgment is of far greater worth than a human judgment.  Jesus understood that the Father’s commendation is of more value than man’s.  And brethren that is a lesson we need to learn.

C.  When submission brings about suffering several things often happen.  We draw closer to God in our suffering, we mature as Christians because of it, God’s purpose is being played out in some fashion and God suffers along with us.  Don’t tell me the cross is not about the greatest act of submission and suffering.  Life is not fair according to our standards.  But submission is not about fairness, it’s about willingness.  It is something I choose to do for the most part.

Conclusion:

A.  To this you were called.  You have been called to submit and sometimes to suffer, and the example is Jesus who submitted and suffered for you.  He died for you.  He went to the cross to bear you sins in his body on the tree.  So that we might live for righteousness.

B.  How are you living this day?  The example to follow is Jesus, but how are you living?  I have so much to live up to when it comes to walking in the steps of Jesus.  You might say it is impossible, but for many that is a cop-out answer to really saying, “I don’t want to.”  The steps you take my followed by the children sitting in this building today.  When my children follow me, I better make sure I am following Christ.