ASK BIG
- He can do it all
- He wants to do it all
It’s always interesting to hear what little kids ask for when their birthdays come around. And when I say “little kids” I mean 3, 4, maybe 5 years old. Because when kids are that age they’ll ask for anything, right? Whatever they want, whatever is on their mind at the time, they ask for – no matter how big of a request it may be. A bright red pony with a purple mane, an actual full-sized spaceship, a baby elephant! They come up with some of the most outrageous gift ideas because they don’t consider if their parents can afford it, they don’t worry whether it’s practical or not, and it doesn’t even cross their minds that they might not get it! They simply assume they will get what they ask for and so they ask big.
We can learn something from children who ask big. Because that is the same attitude we should have in our prayers to God. Whatever we want, whatever is on our mind at the time, we should ask for – no matter how big of a request it may be. Because this is God we’re talking about here! He is actually able to give us those things we want that seem impossible. He is actually powerful enough to grant us whatever we ask for and more. He can do it all. And he wants to do it all. He wants to give us everything we ask for just like parents want to give their kids everything. He cares for us, he looks out for us, and he wants us to know that he will listen to every prayer that we pray. He can do it all and he wants to do it all. So ask big.
The group of friends in our text today asked big. “Some people brought a man to Jesus who was deaf and could hardly talk, and they begged him to place his hand on the man.” They asked big because they knew Jesus could do it all. Jesus, at that time, was in the area of the Decapolis – a group of 10 cities. But this was not the first time he had been there. Matthew records for us that “People brought to him all who were ill with various diseases, those suffering severe pain, the demon-possessed, those having seizures, and the paralyzed, and he healed them. Large crowds from Galilee, the Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea and the region across the Jordan followed him.” The people in the Decapolis had seen Jesus do all of these wonderful things before to many different people. And that includes the demon-possessed man we read about two chapters before our text.
As Jesus was traveling through the country, a demon-possessed man fell on his knees in front of him. When Jesus asked him what the demon’s name was, he replied, “My name is Legion, for we are many.” Jesus then sent the evil spirit out of the man and into a herd of pigs. The man, now that he had been healed, “went away and began to tell in the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him.”
These are two instances recorded for us in Scripture where Jesus did miraculous signs in the Decapolis area. And so the friends of the deaf and mute man knew what Jesus could do. They heard about him and they possibly saw him perform miracles before. So when they finally did get a chance to bring their ailing friend to the Lord they did not hesitate to ask big. Because they not only knew Jesus could do it all, but they believed he actually would.
I don’t think we always ask big, nor do I think we always ask for the right person. Sure, we ask for things all the time, don’t we? Our prayers are filled with requests to the Lord. But a lot of times we end up praying just for ourselves and we don’t ask as big as we could anyway. Look at the request of the friends in our story. I’m sure they had things in their lives that they would have liked Jesus to fix. All of us do, don’t we? We all have things about ourselves or about our lives that we would like to see improved. But the friends didn’t ask for anything for themselves – they asked for their friend in need. And they asked big. They were not selfish and they were not timid. They didn’t ask just for their friend to hear or just for him to speak, they asked for the whole thing and they did not hesitate to request just that.
We need to work on asking big and we need to work at not being selfish. Do you prayer for the people in this room? And I’m not talking about your friends, I’m talking about those who aren’t necessarily as close to you. Do you pray for them? Each of you has a membership list now. Use that membership list as a prayer list. Every night take a small group of names and pray for each one of them. Pray for each other. Pray for me. And pray big.
Don’t settle for things that you think might be possible. Because “nothing is impossible with God!” Ask him for big things, ask him for great things, ask him for things that no one can humanly do. Do you know someone who is sick or suffering? Don’t just ask that the person is restored to his or her former health, ask for that person to be better than they were before! Why not? Why not ask big? This is God we’re talking about! He can do it all! Do you pray for this congregation? Don’t just pray that we don’t lose any more members, pray that the Lord blesses us so much that we are able to open up another church in Delta! Why not? Why not ask big? This is God we’re talking about! He can do it all! Do you pray for somebody to be brought to faith in Christ? Don’t just pray that that person be brought to faith, but that the Holy Spirit works in that person’s heart in such a way that they not only are brought to faith but that they become an unshakable Christian, a beacon of light to unbelievers and a tireless worker for the kingdom. Why not? Why not ask big? This is God we’re talking about! He can do it all.
And he wants to do it all. He wants to give us what we ask for because look at what he’s given us already. “God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him will not perish but will have eternal life.” But God the Father is not the only one who gave, so did the Son: “Christ loved us, and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.” Of course, we cannot leave out what was given us by the third person of the Trinity: Scripture says that when you were baptized you received “the gift of the Holy Spirit,” which is the gift of faith. God has given you forgiveness, he has given you eternal life, he has given you salvation – all without your asking, all before you were ever conceived.
And so now, now that you are a living child of God, he wants to give you more! And he does, doesn’t he? He gives you things everyday that you don’t ask for. An inordinate amount of clothing, more than enough food, family members, a solid church to attend, a vehicle to drive, a mind to understand… need I go on? The Lord takes care of you, his children, better than any parents who have walked the face of this earth. “He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all – how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?” God cares for you. And he wants to do what is best for you at all times. So he asks you to ask big.
“Ask and it will be given to you. Seek and you will find. Knock and the door will be opened to you.” This is what God wants from his children. He wants you to ask big. Because he promises, “If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask for whatever you wish, and it will be given to you.” What an invitation! The Lord is opening the door for us to ask him for anything! Now, that doesn’t mean he’ll give us everything we ask for. If a child asks his mother for an ice cream cone, the mother may say, “No, it’s 5 O’clock and I don’t want you to spoil your supper.” Although she wants to give her child whatever he asks for, she knows it would be better for him if she did not. The Lord treats our requests in the same way. He listens to every one of our prayers and he makes sure that we get what is best for us. That means that God will give us what we ask for, or something better. God will give us what we ask for, or something better. God does not leave us empty handed. He will accomplish what we need in one way or another.
“After he took [the deaf and mute man] aside, away from the crowd, Jesus put his fingers into the man’s ears. Then he spit and touched the man’s tongue.” Is that what his friends asked of the Lord? No, they simply asked for the Lord to heal him by placing his hand on him. And I’m sure they wanted to see him do it and not have Jesus take the man aside. But what they prayed for happened anyway, even though it wasn’t the way they had planned.
So do not become discouraged. If your prayers are not being answered in the way you imagined them to be, don’t worry. The Lord will accomplish what is best for the ones he loves in his own way and his own time. Pray to the Lord and leave it in his hands. He can take care of it. And he doesn’t need to consult you before he does.
Never underestimate the Lord. He can do it all and he wants to do it all for you. So ask him for it all. Ask him for whatever you want because he’s really already given you the ultimate gift. He’s given you eternal life in heaven, anything else you ask for is simple compared to that. Ask him for help, ask him for guidance, ask him for others. But whatever you do, ask big.
Amen.
“Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.
- Ephesians 3:20-21
Sunday, March 22, 2009
9/17/09 - Pentecost 15 - Deut. 4:1-2,6-8
WHAT ARE WE KNOWN FOR?
- God's truth
- God's love
What are we known for? What are we as Living Word Lutheran Church known for? What do you want us to be known for? Because, let’s face it, there’s a lot of competition out there! Thursday I counted all of the churches listed in the Montrose Daily Press. Any idea how many churches are listed in the surrounding area? 57. 57 churches in the area we are living in – and each one wants to boost their membership! Each one is trying to find ways to attract people to their church. Special programs, guest speakers, free concerts… there are countless ways that churches try to get their names out into the community and there are countless gimmicks for which they want to be known.
So what are we known for? What makes us different than any of the remaining 56 churches in this area? Why should anyone and why would anyone want to visit us and become a member here? What are we known for that could possibly draw unchurched people to this congregation and actually make them want to stay? Well, the answer to that question is in our text for today. We are known for the very same things the Israelites were known for in Deuteronomy chapter four: God’s truth and God’s love.
In our text, the Israelites are about to enter the Promise Land. But they were an unknown nation at that time. People in the land of Canaan hadn’t heard of the Israelites before. I’m sure the Israelites were a little apprehensive and a little nervous about going into a land filled with other nations who were a lot bigger and who seemed a lot more powerful than the Israelites were at the time.
Moses knew this, and so he stood up and addressed the Israelite people before they crossed the Jordan River and stepped into the land. This is really what the book of Deuteronomy is all about: Moses’ farewell speech to his people. And in chapter four he not only encourages them to remain faithful to the Lord, but he also reminds them about the two things they had that no one else did. Moses said to them, “What other nation is so great as to have such righteous decrees and laws as this body of laws I am setting before you today?” This was a reminder that they had been blessed with the very words of the Lord! They had what no other nation had: God’s truth. And “What other nation is so great as to have their gods near them the way the Lord our God is near us whenever we pray to him?” This was reminder to the Israelites that they had been blessed with a kind and compassionate God. They had what no other nation had: God’s love. These two blessings, God’s truth and God’s love, are what the Israelites carried with them over the Jordan River and into Canaan. God’s truth and God’s love are what gave the Israelites the strength and the courage to face those bigger and stronger nations. God’s truth and God’s love are really what the Israelites became known for.
When each one of us walks out this door today we are crossing our own Jordan River in a way. We will be entering a land that is filled with many different people. When we walk out this door today we will be representing a congregation that is not only relatively unknown to the people who live here, but it is also one congregation among a variety of others. But most importantly, when we walk out this door today we will meet souls who do not know their Savior. What do we have to offer? What will we be known for? Consider this: we have something no other church does: God’s truth.
Out of all these congregations in this area, we have been blessed through the years with the absolute truth of God’s word. Now, I’m not saying that we are the only people going to heaven. I’m not saying that Christ is not preached at other churches around here. But you know as well as I do, that no matter what another church teaches, they will inevitably teach some things that are false. Why we can say that? Because we can look at their confessions of faith. We can read what that particular church body officially teaches on any doctrine of the Bible. And whether someone considers it a “minor” or a “major” difference, it’s still false. It is still not God’s Word in its truth and purity. That’s why I am saying that we have God’s truth to offer – in its entirety, an offer no other church can legitimately make.
And believe me: people want the truth. People look for the truth. They don’t want to be fed lies, or theories, or guesses, or errors. They want to know that what they are being taught is the truth and nothing but the truth. That’s what you want, right? That’s why we’re here at Living Word – because Living Word preaches the truth, teaches the truth, lives in the truth of Scripture. And if you want the truth that badly, don’t you think there are others out there with the exact same mindset? We have God’s truth in every aspect of Scripture. Don’t hesitate to offer that to people – and thank God that we do.
Thank God that we have the truth. Because we can’t take credit for it. He has blessed us with men and women who have gone before us in this congregation and in this Synod, who have preserved the absolute truth of God’s Word so that we can learn it and spread it. What a priceless blessing that is. A blessing that we all too often take for granted. A blessing that we have to be careful not to abuse.
After all, the Lord tells us, “Do not add to what I command you and do not subtract from it, but keep the commands of the Lord your God.” We have God’s truth, let us not add or subtract from it in any way. How might we do that? Well, think of those teachings of God’s truth that you like to avoid when talking to others. I can think of some things that I struggle with sometimes: What the Bible says about the role of men and women; what the Bible says about baptism; what the Bible says about communing with others at the Lord’s Supper. Sometimes you just don’t want to bring up those subjects with other people, do you? You want to avoid them at all costs because people misunderstand you and get mad at you and you don’t know how to explain it in the first place! But the bottom line is: those teachings are right out of Scripture. They are God’s truth just like anything else in the Bible is. Don’t subtract from God’s word by leaving out subjects that you don’t want to talk about. God isn’t embarrassed to talk about his truth. And if God thought those things were important enough to place in Scripture, don’t you think we should consider them important enough to tell others – regardless of how they take it? It’s a terrible sin to think we can be editors of God’s Word, to think we can pick and choose what to say and what not to say to others. We have no right to do that. “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness.” All Scripture is worth talking about. And when we fail to do that, we must repent.
But the beauty of it is: we can. We can repent to the Lord because he wants us to and asks us to and promises to hear us! Remember what Moses said, “What other nation is so great as to have their gods near them the way the Lord our God is near us whenever we pray to him?” And that is the second thing we are known for: God’s love. God hears us when we pray because we are his children. We are his children because he adopted us. He adopted us because he sent his Son Jesus to die for our sins. He sent Jesus to die in our place because he loves us. God loves you. For free. That is something no one else can offer.
Sure, there are plenty of churches that stress God’s love. But it’s not the love of God we find in Scripture. Not only do non-Christian churches teach a false love of God, but even many so called “Christian” churches mess it up. Because God’s love is not earned. God’s love is not deserved. You don’t have to do anything for it, you don’t have to work for it, you don’t have to pay him back. God “has saved us,” 2 Timothy says, “not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace.” That is the love of God the Scripture teaches. That is the love of God we are blessed to teach. That is the love of God we are known for.
Don’t you think people want to hear about that true love of God? Think of how many people in our own community are weighed down by the guilt and the pressure of not measuring up to God’s perfection! Because if they are being completely honest with themselves, they know they can’t earn God’s love, just like we know that we can’t earn it. Think of how miserable a life that must be! Completely unsure of what will happen to them when they die. Offer them God’s love for free. Tell them exactly what we are known for. Because that is exactly what they need.
Each month we pay to receive a list of new families that move into the area. And we are allowed to send them one mailing. And I know many other churches do the same thing because I received a couple letters when I moved here. There are churches around here that can advertise a brand-new facility. Others: a preschool. Others boast about an acceptance of any denomination no matter what you believe. Others claim a membership of hundreds with children’s activities in the dozens. What do you think our letter says? We don’t have a new church building or a preschool. We don’t accept someone into membership from any denomination no matter what they believe, and our little flock is a mere 50 people. What can we possibly be known for compared to that? We preach and teach “the word of God in all its truth and purity.” That is the most important line in our simple letter. We preach God’s truth and therefore, we also preach God’s true love. There is nothing more important than that. And there is nothing else that will motivate a person to stay with us and grow in the faith.
Don’t wait. Don’t wait to speak about God’s truth and God’s love to others. I know that some of you are thinking: I’ll wait until we have a new church building, then we'll have a place where I can invite someone. And I can see where you’re coming from. Humanly speaking, a new church building is more attractive than a store front. But does God promise that people will flock to us if we have a church building of our own? No. He doesn’t promise that at all. What he does promise is that his word is “living and active, sharper than any double-edged sword.” He promises his word will work. So don’t wait. Don’t wait. Right now we have all we need. Right now we have God’s truth and God’s love. Right now we are known for everything we could ever want to be. Tell others. Bring them to the place where you receive true peace and comfort every week. Share with them your salvation.
Amen.
“May the Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word.”
- 2 Thess. 2:16-17
- God's truth
- God's love
What are we known for? What are we as Living Word Lutheran Church known for? What do you want us to be known for? Because, let’s face it, there’s a lot of competition out there! Thursday I counted all of the churches listed in the Montrose Daily Press. Any idea how many churches are listed in the surrounding area? 57. 57 churches in the area we are living in – and each one wants to boost their membership! Each one is trying to find ways to attract people to their church. Special programs, guest speakers, free concerts… there are countless ways that churches try to get their names out into the community and there are countless gimmicks for which they want to be known.
So what are we known for? What makes us different than any of the remaining 56 churches in this area? Why should anyone and why would anyone want to visit us and become a member here? What are we known for that could possibly draw unchurched people to this congregation and actually make them want to stay? Well, the answer to that question is in our text for today. We are known for the very same things the Israelites were known for in Deuteronomy chapter four: God’s truth and God’s love.
In our text, the Israelites are about to enter the Promise Land. But they were an unknown nation at that time. People in the land of Canaan hadn’t heard of the Israelites before. I’m sure the Israelites were a little apprehensive and a little nervous about going into a land filled with other nations who were a lot bigger and who seemed a lot more powerful than the Israelites were at the time.
Moses knew this, and so he stood up and addressed the Israelite people before they crossed the Jordan River and stepped into the land. This is really what the book of Deuteronomy is all about: Moses’ farewell speech to his people. And in chapter four he not only encourages them to remain faithful to the Lord, but he also reminds them about the two things they had that no one else did. Moses said to them, “What other nation is so great as to have such righteous decrees and laws as this body of laws I am setting before you today?” This was a reminder that they had been blessed with the very words of the Lord! They had what no other nation had: God’s truth. And “What other nation is so great as to have their gods near them the way the Lord our God is near us whenever we pray to him?” This was reminder to the Israelites that they had been blessed with a kind and compassionate God. They had what no other nation had: God’s love. These two blessings, God’s truth and God’s love, are what the Israelites carried with them over the Jordan River and into Canaan. God’s truth and God’s love are what gave the Israelites the strength and the courage to face those bigger and stronger nations. God’s truth and God’s love are really what the Israelites became known for.
When each one of us walks out this door today we are crossing our own Jordan River in a way. We will be entering a land that is filled with many different people. When we walk out this door today we will be representing a congregation that is not only relatively unknown to the people who live here, but it is also one congregation among a variety of others. But most importantly, when we walk out this door today we will meet souls who do not know their Savior. What do we have to offer? What will we be known for? Consider this: we have something no other church does: God’s truth.
Out of all these congregations in this area, we have been blessed through the years with the absolute truth of God’s word. Now, I’m not saying that we are the only people going to heaven. I’m not saying that Christ is not preached at other churches around here. But you know as well as I do, that no matter what another church teaches, they will inevitably teach some things that are false. Why we can say that? Because we can look at their confessions of faith. We can read what that particular church body officially teaches on any doctrine of the Bible. And whether someone considers it a “minor” or a “major” difference, it’s still false. It is still not God’s Word in its truth and purity. That’s why I am saying that we have God’s truth to offer – in its entirety, an offer no other church can legitimately make.
And believe me: people want the truth. People look for the truth. They don’t want to be fed lies, or theories, or guesses, or errors. They want to know that what they are being taught is the truth and nothing but the truth. That’s what you want, right? That’s why we’re here at Living Word – because Living Word preaches the truth, teaches the truth, lives in the truth of Scripture. And if you want the truth that badly, don’t you think there are others out there with the exact same mindset? We have God’s truth in every aspect of Scripture. Don’t hesitate to offer that to people – and thank God that we do.
Thank God that we have the truth. Because we can’t take credit for it. He has blessed us with men and women who have gone before us in this congregation and in this Synod, who have preserved the absolute truth of God’s Word so that we can learn it and spread it. What a priceless blessing that is. A blessing that we all too often take for granted. A blessing that we have to be careful not to abuse.
After all, the Lord tells us, “Do not add to what I command you and do not subtract from it, but keep the commands of the Lord your God.” We have God’s truth, let us not add or subtract from it in any way. How might we do that? Well, think of those teachings of God’s truth that you like to avoid when talking to others. I can think of some things that I struggle with sometimes: What the Bible says about the role of men and women; what the Bible says about baptism; what the Bible says about communing with others at the Lord’s Supper. Sometimes you just don’t want to bring up those subjects with other people, do you? You want to avoid them at all costs because people misunderstand you and get mad at you and you don’t know how to explain it in the first place! But the bottom line is: those teachings are right out of Scripture. They are God’s truth just like anything else in the Bible is. Don’t subtract from God’s word by leaving out subjects that you don’t want to talk about. God isn’t embarrassed to talk about his truth. And if God thought those things were important enough to place in Scripture, don’t you think we should consider them important enough to tell others – regardless of how they take it? It’s a terrible sin to think we can be editors of God’s Word, to think we can pick and choose what to say and what not to say to others. We have no right to do that. “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness.” All Scripture is worth talking about. And when we fail to do that, we must repent.
But the beauty of it is: we can. We can repent to the Lord because he wants us to and asks us to and promises to hear us! Remember what Moses said, “What other nation is so great as to have their gods near them the way the Lord our God is near us whenever we pray to him?” And that is the second thing we are known for: God’s love. God hears us when we pray because we are his children. We are his children because he adopted us. He adopted us because he sent his Son Jesus to die for our sins. He sent Jesus to die in our place because he loves us. God loves you. For free. That is something no one else can offer.
Sure, there are plenty of churches that stress God’s love. But it’s not the love of God we find in Scripture. Not only do non-Christian churches teach a false love of God, but even many so called “Christian” churches mess it up. Because God’s love is not earned. God’s love is not deserved. You don’t have to do anything for it, you don’t have to work for it, you don’t have to pay him back. God “has saved us,” 2 Timothy says, “not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace.” That is the love of God the Scripture teaches. That is the love of God we are blessed to teach. That is the love of God we are known for.
Don’t you think people want to hear about that true love of God? Think of how many people in our own community are weighed down by the guilt and the pressure of not measuring up to God’s perfection! Because if they are being completely honest with themselves, they know they can’t earn God’s love, just like we know that we can’t earn it. Think of how miserable a life that must be! Completely unsure of what will happen to them when they die. Offer them God’s love for free. Tell them exactly what we are known for. Because that is exactly what they need.
Each month we pay to receive a list of new families that move into the area. And we are allowed to send them one mailing. And I know many other churches do the same thing because I received a couple letters when I moved here. There are churches around here that can advertise a brand-new facility. Others: a preschool. Others boast about an acceptance of any denomination no matter what you believe. Others claim a membership of hundreds with children’s activities in the dozens. What do you think our letter says? We don’t have a new church building or a preschool. We don’t accept someone into membership from any denomination no matter what they believe, and our little flock is a mere 50 people. What can we possibly be known for compared to that? We preach and teach “the word of God in all its truth and purity.” That is the most important line in our simple letter. We preach God’s truth and therefore, we also preach God’s true love. There is nothing more important than that. And there is nothing else that will motivate a person to stay with us and grow in the faith.
Don’t wait. Don’t wait to speak about God’s truth and God’s love to others. I know that some of you are thinking: I’ll wait until we have a new church building, then we'll have a place where I can invite someone. And I can see where you’re coming from. Humanly speaking, a new church building is more attractive than a store front. But does God promise that people will flock to us if we have a church building of our own? No. He doesn’t promise that at all. What he does promise is that his word is “living and active, sharper than any double-edged sword.” He promises his word will work. So don’t wait. Don’t wait. Right now we have all we need. Right now we have God’s truth and God’s love. Right now we are known for everything we could ever want to be. Tell others. Bring them to the place where you receive true peace and comfort every week. Share with them your salvation.
Amen.
“May the Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word.”
- 2 Thess. 2:16-17
9/10/06 - Pentecost 14 - Eph. 5:21-31
IN THE SAME WAY
- As the Church submits to Christ
- As Christ loves the Church
This last week I spent hours trying to get a mass mailing ready to send out to the community for Sunday school. Part of that preparation process was trying to figure out exactly how the mailing side of the postcard was supposed to look: what was the address supposed to be, what else did I need besides a permit number, did it have to be stamped, did I need labels, were the exact proportions required… And the post office gave me a booklet on how to figure it all out. The problem was: there were a lot of words and phrases I didn’t understand. And I was thinking: All I need is one big example. If they would just put one big example in this book that labeled everything that was there and why it was there, I then could start from that example and figure it out. Now I eventually did get it all taken care of, but if they would have given me one example, the whole process could have gone a lot quicker.
It’s nice to have examples. Then we have something to compare to and measure with. That’s why our text today is so important to understand. Ephesians 5 gives us two striking examples on how we as Christians are to live our lives. The first example is how the Church submits to Christ, and the second example is how Christ loves the Church. And in both instances Paul says that “in the same way” we are to carry out our roles and responsibilities in which the Lord has placed us. And all of us fit into both categories. In one way or another we all are to act like the Church submitting to Christ, and in one way or another we all are to act like Christ loving the Church. It just depends on the situation we are in at the time. So let’s deal with both of them in the order Paul does: “Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands.”
Paul is specifically dealing with husbands and wives in this section. But then he moves on to children and parents, and then slaves and owners. And in the book of Romans he speaks the same way about citizens and government. So although Paul makes a specific application in our text, the principle applies to all of us. All of us in this building can fit into this category. In the same way as the Church submits to Christ, you are to submit to others.
Now there are two words we have to deal with here. The first word is “Church.” Paul isn’t talking about a congregation here, or a physical church building. When Paul says that the Church submits to Christ he is talking about all believers. So in the same way as all believers submit to Christ, we are to submit.
And there’s the second word we have to deal with: submit. When we hear that word in our society today we think of it as a dirty word, don’t we? “Submit means subjection, submit means slavery, submit means being forced to do something that I don’t want to do!” No it doesn’t. Submit doesn’t mean any of those things. Paul is asking wives to submit to their husbands, children to submit their parents, employees to submit to their employers, citizens to submit to their government. Paul doesn’t say: husbands force your wives into submission, or parents force your children into submission, or government officials force your citizens into submission. Paul tells you to do the submitting. It’s something you do! Submit means willingly, willingly giving way to someone else’s decision. And in a Christian context we willingly give way to someone else’s decision out of love.
Now remember, the example for us to follow is believers submitting to Christ. And we can find a number of those cases in Scripture. In the OT, a young boy named Samuel was working in the house of the Lord under the supervision of Eli the priest. One night God spoke to Samuel and told him about the judgment he was going to bring on Eli’s family. The judgment would ultimately consist of both Eli’s sons dying and the ark of the Lord being taken by their enemy on the same day. When Samuel told Eli what the Lord had said the next morning, Eli didn’t complain nor did he fall down in despair. Instead Eli replied, “He is the Lord; let him do what is good in his eyes.” Eli submitted to the Lord, he willingly gave way to the Lord’s decision even though it certainly wasn’t a decision Eli himself would ever make.
Many years later, King David spoke in a very similar way. At the time, David was fleeing for his life from his son Absalom. When they reached the desert David sent the ark of the covenant back to Jerusalem with the thought, “if the Lord wants me alive, I’ll see the ark of the covenant again.” And then he added, “Let him do to me whatever seems good to him.” David submitted to the Lord, he willingly gave way to the Lord’s decision even though he didn’t know what it would be!
And that was the same attitude of the believers in the NT. At the end of Paul’s 3rd missionary journey, he made it clear that he wanted to go back to Jerusalem. But the other missionaries who were with him didn’t want him to go back because his life would be in danger. Paul, however, was not to be deterred from this course of action. And so the disciples there with him finally agreed to let him go, but not without saying these words, “The Lord’s will be done.” Those early missionaries of the NT era submitted to the Lord, they willingly gave way to the Lord’s decision even though they knew it could possibly lead to Paul’s death.
These are three instances of the one example: as the Church submits to Christ. Now my fellow Christians, submit to others in the same way. Wives submit to your husbands in everything. Willingly give way to their decision as any believer would to Christ. And it really doesn’t matter if the decision is good or bad. God doesn’t say submit to your husbands except if they sin, or except if they are wrong, or except if you know better than they do! Those things have no bearing on your attitude towards him. You are responsible to fulfill your own role, whether or not he fulfills his. Of course, if he tells you to sin in one way or another, you are to follow God rather than anyone else – even if he is your husband.
Kids, it goes the same for you. Listen to your parents as you would listen to Jesus himself. It doesn’t matter if your parents are wrong, it doesn’t matter if they are being unfair, it doesn’t matter if you think their rules are stupid. God wants you to listen to their decisions and to follow them out of love for Christ.
Employees, the same principle applies to you. Submit to your employer as you would submit to Christ, regardless of how your employer treats you. Everyone here, the same goes for you. Submit to the government you are living under as you would submit to Christ. It doesn’t matter if you like the people in those positions or not. It doesn’t matter if you voted for them. It doesn’t matter if you think you could do a better job! Paul says that we are to “submit ourselves to the governing authorities” because they have been placed there by God.
We are all to submit to those who have a position of leadership among us. Now wives, kids, employees, citizens, don’t get the wrong impression. Just because a person has a position of leadership and you are to submit to that person, doesn’t mean that the person is better than you in any way, shape, or form. They simply have different roles and responsibilities. We can’t all be leaders in every situation we are in. That would just create chaos. So God in his wisdom has already set responsibilities for us so we don’t need to figure out who is always in charge in a given situation.
Let me give you this example: during a basketball game, five guys on the same team play at a time. The coach designates the point guard, the one who brings the ball down the floor, to call out the plays to his other four teammates. Now, does that make the point guard more important than another player? No! He simply has been given a different responsibility. There is equal standing among all of the players just as there is equal standing among us. Your role at some points in your life is to submit. Submit to those in leadership positions in the same way as the Church submits to Christ.
Now although Paul does address those who should submit to those who have been given the responsibility of leadership, he spends twice as many verses on those who have that responsibility. “Husbands, love your wives just as Christ loved the Church and gave himself up for her.” Again, Paul makes the specific application to husbands and wives in these verses, but he carries this concept out in other places for anyone that has the responsibility of leadership. That, of course, includes husbands to wives, parents to children, older brothers and sisters to younger brothers and sisters, employers to employees, and so on. If you possess any sort of leadership in any part of your life, you are to love those you lead as Christ loved the Church – as Christ loved us.
That is a tall order. Do you realize what that means? Christ gave himself up for us. He sacrificed his own life so that we could be saved! “This is how we know what love is:” John says, “Jesus Christ laid down his life for us.” That is the ultimate sacrifice of unselfish love. That is taking our best interests into consideration without even worrying about his own. That is the love you are to show to those you lead. A love that loves despite what they do to earn it. A love that loves even if there is nothing they do to love.
If you wife nags you and complains and is controlling, it doesn’t matter. Love her like Christ loves you. If your children never listen to you, talk back, and throw fits, it doesn’t matter. Love them like Christ loves you. If your younger brothers and sisters or your employees or those you are in charge of make fun of you and make your life more difficult than it should be, it doesn’t matter. Love them like Christ loves you.
Can you do it? Are you, you who have been given the responsibility to lead, are you up to the challenge? Can you love them as Christ loves you? I can’t. I cannot love as Christ loves. I’ve tried and I can’t do it. No one can love perfectly as Christ loves perfectly. Because we are too selfish. We would rather care about our own interests instead of others. And as far as that goes: we can’t submit to one another as we should either. We can’t submit like we should because we are too selfish. We would rather care about our own interests instead of others. We have all sinned on both sides. We have those two wonderful examples of which Christ is the center, but we fail to live up to them every day.
Yes, we fail at following those examples. But look again at who is in the center of them. “Christ loved the Church and gave himself up for her… to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain, or wrinkle, or any other blemish, but holy and blameless.” Christ, the center of those two examples, the center of our lives, has washed our sins of selfishness away. He has purified us so that we are without the stain of sin, so that we are without any wrinkle of unrighteousness, so that we are without any of the blemishes of blame that we so deserve. And even though we are selfish, and have proved ourselves to be over and over again, he will present us on the last day as holy and as blameless. He will present us before the judgment throne not as people who could not keep the examples he set, but people who believe in the one who made them. Christ has cleansed us, he has made us holy, and he has given us a new life.
Use this life to live as Christians. And do you see how well Christ’s plan works if it is followed? If those who are being led look out for the interests of the leader because they ought to submit, and at the same time the leaders look out for the interests of those they lead because of love, than that would be a wonderful relationship, wouldn’t it? Each would be looking out for the other’s best interests – and that’s the way it should be. That’s theoretically the perfect relationship. Whether it’s with your spouse or children or parents or employer or people. In the same way as the Church submits to Christ, we are to submit to others. In the same way Christ loves the Church, we are to love others. May God help us in this way of life. And he will. He will feed us and will care for us in every way, after all, Paul says that “we are members of his body.” May the Lord help us to treat each other in the same way.
Amen.
- As the Church submits to Christ
- As Christ loves the Church
This last week I spent hours trying to get a mass mailing ready to send out to the community for Sunday school. Part of that preparation process was trying to figure out exactly how the mailing side of the postcard was supposed to look: what was the address supposed to be, what else did I need besides a permit number, did it have to be stamped, did I need labels, were the exact proportions required… And the post office gave me a booklet on how to figure it all out. The problem was: there were a lot of words and phrases I didn’t understand. And I was thinking: All I need is one big example. If they would just put one big example in this book that labeled everything that was there and why it was there, I then could start from that example and figure it out. Now I eventually did get it all taken care of, but if they would have given me one example, the whole process could have gone a lot quicker.
It’s nice to have examples. Then we have something to compare to and measure with. That’s why our text today is so important to understand. Ephesians 5 gives us two striking examples on how we as Christians are to live our lives. The first example is how the Church submits to Christ, and the second example is how Christ loves the Church. And in both instances Paul says that “in the same way” we are to carry out our roles and responsibilities in which the Lord has placed us. And all of us fit into both categories. In one way or another we all are to act like the Church submitting to Christ, and in one way or another we all are to act like Christ loving the Church. It just depends on the situation we are in at the time. So let’s deal with both of them in the order Paul does: “Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands.”
Paul is specifically dealing with husbands and wives in this section. But then he moves on to children and parents, and then slaves and owners. And in the book of Romans he speaks the same way about citizens and government. So although Paul makes a specific application in our text, the principle applies to all of us. All of us in this building can fit into this category. In the same way as the Church submits to Christ, you are to submit to others.
Now there are two words we have to deal with here. The first word is “Church.” Paul isn’t talking about a congregation here, or a physical church building. When Paul says that the Church submits to Christ he is talking about all believers. So in the same way as all believers submit to Christ, we are to submit.
And there’s the second word we have to deal with: submit. When we hear that word in our society today we think of it as a dirty word, don’t we? “Submit means subjection, submit means slavery, submit means being forced to do something that I don’t want to do!” No it doesn’t. Submit doesn’t mean any of those things. Paul is asking wives to submit to their husbands, children to submit their parents, employees to submit to their employers, citizens to submit to their government. Paul doesn’t say: husbands force your wives into submission, or parents force your children into submission, or government officials force your citizens into submission. Paul tells you to do the submitting. It’s something you do! Submit means willingly, willingly giving way to someone else’s decision. And in a Christian context we willingly give way to someone else’s decision out of love.
Now remember, the example for us to follow is believers submitting to Christ. And we can find a number of those cases in Scripture. In the OT, a young boy named Samuel was working in the house of the Lord under the supervision of Eli the priest. One night God spoke to Samuel and told him about the judgment he was going to bring on Eli’s family. The judgment would ultimately consist of both Eli’s sons dying and the ark of the Lord being taken by their enemy on the same day. When Samuel told Eli what the Lord had said the next morning, Eli didn’t complain nor did he fall down in despair. Instead Eli replied, “He is the Lord; let him do what is good in his eyes.” Eli submitted to the Lord, he willingly gave way to the Lord’s decision even though it certainly wasn’t a decision Eli himself would ever make.
Many years later, King David spoke in a very similar way. At the time, David was fleeing for his life from his son Absalom. When they reached the desert David sent the ark of the covenant back to Jerusalem with the thought, “if the Lord wants me alive, I’ll see the ark of the covenant again.” And then he added, “Let him do to me whatever seems good to him.” David submitted to the Lord, he willingly gave way to the Lord’s decision even though he didn’t know what it would be!
And that was the same attitude of the believers in the NT. At the end of Paul’s 3rd missionary journey, he made it clear that he wanted to go back to Jerusalem. But the other missionaries who were with him didn’t want him to go back because his life would be in danger. Paul, however, was not to be deterred from this course of action. And so the disciples there with him finally agreed to let him go, but not without saying these words, “The Lord’s will be done.” Those early missionaries of the NT era submitted to the Lord, they willingly gave way to the Lord’s decision even though they knew it could possibly lead to Paul’s death.
These are three instances of the one example: as the Church submits to Christ. Now my fellow Christians, submit to others in the same way. Wives submit to your husbands in everything. Willingly give way to their decision as any believer would to Christ. And it really doesn’t matter if the decision is good or bad. God doesn’t say submit to your husbands except if they sin, or except if they are wrong, or except if you know better than they do! Those things have no bearing on your attitude towards him. You are responsible to fulfill your own role, whether or not he fulfills his. Of course, if he tells you to sin in one way or another, you are to follow God rather than anyone else – even if he is your husband.
Kids, it goes the same for you. Listen to your parents as you would listen to Jesus himself. It doesn’t matter if your parents are wrong, it doesn’t matter if they are being unfair, it doesn’t matter if you think their rules are stupid. God wants you to listen to their decisions and to follow them out of love for Christ.
Employees, the same principle applies to you. Submit to your employer as you would submit to Christ, regardless of how your employer treats you. Everyone here, the same goes for you. Submit to the government you are living under as you would submit to Christ. It doesn’t matter if you like the people in those positions or not. It doesn’t matter if you voted for them. It doesn’t matter if you think you could do a better job! Paul says that we are to “submit ourselves to the governing authorities” because they have been placed there by God.
We are all to submit to those who have a position of leadership among us. Now wives, kids, employees, citizens, don’t get the wrong impression. Just because a person has a position of leadership and you are to submit to that person, doesn’t mean that the person is better than you in any way, shape, or form. They simply have different roles and responsibilities. We can’t all be leaders in every situation we are in. That would just create chaos. So God in his wisdom has already set responsibilities for us so we don’t need to figure out who is always in charge in a given situation.
Let me give you this example: during a basketball game, five guys on the same team play at a time. The coach designates the point guard, the one who brings the ball down the floor, to call out the plays to his other four teammates. Now, does that make the point guard more important than another player? No! He simply has been given a different responsibility. There is equal standing among all of the players just as there is equal standing among us. Your role at some points in your life is to submit. Submit to those in leadership positions in the same way as the Church submits to Christ.
Now although Paul does address those who should submit to those who have been given the responsibility of leadership, he spends twice as many verses on those who have that responsibility. “Husbands, love your wives just as Christ loved the Church and gave himself up for her.” Again, Paul makes the specific application to husbands and wives in these verses, but he carries this concept out in other places for anyone that has the responsibility of leadership. That, of course, includes husbands to wives, parents to children, older brothers and sisters to younger brothers and sisters, employers to employees, and so on. If you possess any sort of leadership in any part of your life, you are to love those you lead as Christ loved the Church – as Christ loved us.
That is a tall order. Do you realize what that means? Christ gave himself up for us. He sacrificed his own life so that we could be saved! “This is how we know what love is:” John says, “Jesus Christ laid down his life for us.” That is the ultimate sacrifice of unselfish love. That is taking our best interests into consideration without even worrying about his own. That is the love you are to show to those you lead. A love that loves despite what they do to earn it. A love that loves even if there is nothing they do to love.
If you wife nags you and complains and is controlling, it doesn’t matter. Love her like Christ loves you. If your children never listen to you, talk back, and throw fits, it doesn’t matter. Love them like Christ loves you. If your younger brothers and sisters or your employees or those you are in charge of make fun of you and make your life more difficult than it should be, it doesn’t matter. Love them like Christ loves you.
Can you do it? Are you, you who have been given the responsibility to lead, are you up to the challenge? Can you love them as Christ loves you? I can’t. I cannot love as Christ loves. I’ve tried and I can’t do it. No one can love perfectly as Christ loves perfectly. Because we are too selfish. We would rather care about our own interests instead of others. And as far as that goes: we can’t submit to one another as we should either. We can’t submit like we should because we are too selfish. We would rather care about our own interests instead of others. We have all sinned on both sides. We have those two wonderful examples of which Christ is the center, but we fail to live up to them every day.
Yes, we fail at following those examples. But look again at who is in the center of them. “Christ loved the Church and gave himself up for her… to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain, or wrinkle, or any other blemish, but holy and blameless.” Christ, the center of those two examples, the center of our lives, has washed our sins of selfishness away. He has purified us so that we are without the stain of sin, so that we are without any wrinkle of unrighteousness, so that we are without any of the blemishes of blame that we so deserve. And even though we are selfish, and have proved ourselves to be over and over again, he will present us on the last day as holy and as blameless. He will present us before the judgment throne not as people who could not keep the examples he set, but people who believe in the one who made them. Christ has cleansed us, he has made us holy, and he has given us a new life.
Use this life to live as Christians. And do you see how well Christ’s plan works if it is followed? If those who are being led look out for the interests of the leader because they ought to submit, and at the same time the leaders look out for the interests of those they lead because of love, than that would be a wonderful relationship, wouldn’t it? Each would be looking out for the other’s best interests – and that’s the way it should be. That’s theoretically the perfect relationship. Whether it’s with your spouse or children or parents or employer or people. In the same way as the Church submits to Christ, we are to submit to others. In the same way Christ loves the Church, we are to love others. May God help us in this way of life. And he will. He will feed us and will care for us in every way, after all, Paul says that “we are members of his body.” May the Lord help us to treat each other in the same way.
Amen.
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