Submission, Marriage and Jesus Christ

A close friend said that submitting to just even one person in the whole world was too much for her sometimes. I completely related to that that. Ephesians 5:21 says “submit to one another out of reverence for Christ,” and then the next verse is a difficult verse for our culture. “Wives submit to your own husbands as unto the Lord.” The Apostle Paul, under the authority of the Holy Spirit, tells us that we are to submit to one another: that wives are to submit to their husbands: and husbands are to love their wives as Christ loved the church, giving himself for her. All of these are different ways of saying that we are to submit.
Our problem is that we do not like to submit to anyone unless they are already telling us the thing that we wanted to do anyway. We do not like submitting to the government unless the government is telling us to live our lives freely.
What are we supposed to do about submission as Christians? Become open to submission. Begin to agree with God that submission to others and to the Lord is good for us and is God’s will. Do you have someone to submit to in your life? Is there a boss in your life who tells you what to do and you do it without grumbling and complaining?
Someone tonight at Bible study questioned why submission is so important, and I realized that submission is an essential value of our faith: that we would agree with what God says is best for us, and then we would submit to what he wants for us. In Genesis 3 Adam and Eve had one rule and one authority figure in their life, and they didn’t submit. In Christ we have a son who set aside his authority and became obedient (submissive) to death on a cross. Jesus believed in the father’s plan to save the world. Do I? Do you?

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The Finish – Service Recording

Pastor Rich Ellis Luke 21:5-38, 1 Thessalonians 4:15-18

The Destruction of the Temple and Signs of the End Times

5 Some of his disciples were remarking about how the temple was adorned with beautiful stones and with gifts dedicated to God. But Jesus said,

6 “As for what you see here, the time will come when not one stone will be left on another; every one of them will be thrown down.”

7 “Teacher,” they asked, “when will these things happen? And what will be the sign that they are about to take place?”

8 He replied: “Watch out that you are not deceived. For many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am he,’ and, ‘The time is near.’ Do not follow them.

9 When you hear of wars and uprisings, do not be frightened. These things must happen first, but the end will not come right away.”

10 Then he said to them: “Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom.

11 There will be great earthquakes, famines and pestilences in various places, and fearful events and great signs from heaven.

12 “But before all this, they will seize you and persecute you. They will hand you over to synagogues and put you in prison, and you will be brought before kings and governors, and all on account of my name.

13 And so you will bear testimony to me.

14 But make up your mind not to worry beforehand how you will defend yourselves.

15 For I will give you words and wisdom that none of your adversaries will be able to resist or contradict.

16 You will be betrayed even by parents, brothers and sisters, relatives and friends, and they will put some of you to death.

17 Everyone will hate you because of me.

18 But not a hair of your head will perish. 19 Stand firm, and you will win life.

20 “When you see Jerusalem being surrounded by armies, you will know that its desolation is near.

21 Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, let those in the city get out, and let those in the country not enter the city.

22 For this is the time of punishment in fulfillment of all that has been written.

23 How dreadful it will be in those days for pregnant women and nursing mothers! There will be great distress in the land and wrath against this people.

24 They will fall by the sword and will be taken as prisoners to all the nations. Jerusalem will be trampled on by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.

25 “There will be signs in the sun, moon and stars. On the earth, nations will be in anguish and perplexity at the roaring and tossing of the sea.

26 People will faint from terror, apprehensive of what is coming on the world, for the heavenly bodies will be shaken.

27 At that time they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.

28 When these things begin to take place, stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.”

29 He told them this parable: “Look at the fig tree and all the trees.

30 When they sprout leaves, you can see for yourselves and know that summer is near.

31 Even so, when you see these things happening, you know that the kingdom of God is near.

32 “Truly I tell you, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened.

33 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.

34 “Be careful, or your hearts will be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness and the anxieties of life, and that day will close on you suddenly like a trap.

35 For it will come on all those who live on the face of the whole earth.

36 Be always on the watch, and pray that you may be able to escape all that is about to happen, and that you may be able to stand before the Son of Man.”

37 Each day Jesus was teaching at the temple, and each evening he went out to spend the night on the hill called the Mount of Olives,

38 and all the people came early in the morning to hear him at the temple.

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A Call to Give Up Control – Service Recording

Pastor Richard Clingerman

Luke 20:9-18

9 But He began to tell the people this parable: “A man planted a vineyard and leased it to [a]vine-growers, and went on a journey for a long time.

10 At the harvest time he sent a slave to the vine-growers, so that they would give him his share of the produce of the vineyard; but the vine-growers beat him and sent him away empty-handed.

11 And he proceeded to send another slave; but they beat him also and treated him shamefully, and sent him away empty-handed.

12 And he proceeded to send a third; but this one too they wounded and threw out.

13 Now the [b]owner of the vineyard said, ‘What am I to do? I will send my beloved son; perhaps they will respect him.’

14 But when the vine-growers saw him, they discussed with one another, saying, ‘This is the heir; let’s kill him so that the inheritance will be ours.’

15 And so they threw him out of the vineyard and killed him. What, then, will the [c]owner of the vineyard do to them?

16 He will come and put these vine-growers to death, and will give the vineyard to others.” However, when they heard this, they said, “May it never happen!”

17 But [d]Jesus looked at them and said, “Then what is this statement that has been written: ‘A stone which the builders rejected, This has become the [e]chief cornerstone’?

18 Everyone who falls on that stone will be broken to pieces; but on whomever it falls, it will crush him.”

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Seek God and He Will Find You – Service Recording

Pastor Rich Ellis

Luke 19:1-10

Zacchaeus the Tax Collector

19 Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through.

2 A man was there by the name of Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector and was wealthy.

3 He wanted to see who Jesus was, but because he was short he could not see over the crowd.

4 So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree to see him, since Jesus was coming that way.

5 When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today.”

6 So he came down at once and welcomed him gladly.

7 All the people saw this and began to mutter, “He has gone to be the guest of a sinner.”

8 But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount.”

9 Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham.

10 For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”

1 Peter 3:15

15 But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect,

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Redeemer's Church