Christ Centered Submission

Pt. Dave Kenney
Eph 5:12-21 (NIV)

Paul is a very practical guy.

Live (our live) wisely

• Don't be foolish : Understand the system of the world is against you, you need to reject it.
• Take every opportunity : to grow and to be more like Him, this is God's purpose.
  Act wisely, what to choose : temptation or God? You will never overcome the temptation when you always says Yes to it.

• Know the world around you is evil!

Understand God's will

• Don't be led by wine
• Be led by the God's Spirit

Why did Paul contradict this?
People inspired / intoxicated by the spirit are always in control.
God doesn't posses you, but instead will inspire you.

God's spirit leads you to :

• Speak to each other in songs
• Sing and make music to the Lord
• Give thanks for everything
• Submit to each other because of our reverence for Christ - We don't submit to each other bot because of what the other person are.

Christ-centered submission is

• an act of worship to Christ
• not inferiority
• by both parties in a relationship

Christ-centered submission requires acting like Christ

• husbands sacrificing themselves for their wives - if you love your wife, you became more like Christ.
• fathers training and loving their children - God wants to teach man how to become a father by giving them children. By being a good father, you will imitating God.
• masters treating their slaves with the fear of the Lord

Christ-centered submission begins with being filled with the Holy Spirit
We should be filled with it everyday. That should be our goal. Doesn't matter how!

• our carnal nature will fight against Godly submission
• the world will encourage us to rebel
• demonic forces are in constant rebellion against God
• only by the Holy Spirit can we practice Christ-centered submission

Consider submitting to one another an act of worship to Christ.

• Husbands love your wives - be caring and putting her as priority is required.
• Wives submit to your husbands

democracy doesn't work in : military and marriage.
God says, the man break a vote. Not because he is smarter, but a decision need to be made.
Maybe God made women more easier to submit.
Women, you submit because you are bowing to Christ and your reverence for Christ.

• Children, obey your parents in the Lord

not because you are children and they are parents, but because you are bowing and worshiping Christ.

• Fathers train and teach instead of frustrate
• Employees (slaves) follow your boss whole hearted
• Employers treat your employees as brothers

Act like Christ in all our relationship

Be filled with the Holy Spirit

We are challenge by Paul:
"Do not be intoxicated..
say yes to Jesus, and not to the world"

Ephesians 5:22-6:9 (NIV)