Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake…
Peter is asking us to do something none of us want to do. Now he tells us why we should want to: Because of Jesus.
How does that work?
What I hear Peter saying is:
Jesus gave his life as a ransom for you and me. (Mark 10:44) For his sake, show some gratitude.
Jesus came to earth not to be served, but to serve. (Mark 10: 45) For his sake, appreciate what he has done.
Jesus teaches, “Anyone who wants to be first must be the very last, and the servant of all.” (Mark 9: 35 (b)) (That sounds an awful lot like the definition of “submit,” doesn’t it?)
To flip this around, let’s do the opposite for a moment. If we don’t submit, if instead, we put ourselves first, how does that reflect on Jesus?
Yeah. Not very well.
Application: Practice submitting today. First to God, then to Jesus, the Holy Spirit, the Word of God…
Food for Thought: How does it feel to submit to God’s will?
Good question on how does it feel. We often gravitate to what feels better in a moment. But feelings can deceive us. Sin can feel good in the moment. The addict who wants a hit in the moment will tell you it feels good and if they don’t because they are obeying Christ, that doesn’t necessarily feel good. Of course, the consequences of not obeying God feel terrible in the long run.
If we trust God we will operate in faith by obedience. The fruit that comes from that and the protection from the pain of consequences of sin pay off in the long run. Hearing well done thy good and faithful servant will also feel good. (See Romans 6: 15 – 23). (Also: Psalm 128; Zechariah 3: 7 – 8; Deuteronomy 5: 33).
Rich,
What I appreciate most about your comment is the perspective – God’s eternal perspective. It is so easy to lose sight of the BIG PICTURE. You have helped us keep that in focus. Thank you!
I have been praying for my relationship spiritually to grow and for understanding of his word. So when your in a relationship it has to be mutual and you have to be happy about what the other is happy about. Even if it’s something odd like board games, or bird watching but you do those things out of love for the other I dont see it in terms of today’s submit but I see it as love for eachother wanting the same as eachother doing things not out of your own pleasure but doing things even if you dont know why or want to but still doing it because you love the other so much you do it with enthusiasm. I dont know all my bible verses by heart but I’m learning more and more because it makes him happy and I Love Him.
Tim,
There was a lady who used to come to Bethel whose name was Louise. She was a sort of Bible Rock Star at the church. Everybody loved her! Louise was 97 or 98 when she passed away recently. Even at that age she would get up to do the Bible readings for the church services every now and then. I remember laughing when someone pointed out that she almost never looked at the Bible when she read. It didn’t matter which passage it was. So be patient. You have lots of time to get to know the Word. It is a bottomless well of wisdom, knowledge, insight, and guidance.
Well said Tim.
I can imagine back then all the disciples being persecuted for teaching the words of Jesus,..so by submitting to the authority instituted among men would only be wise to save ones life,..and so therefore the preaching of Jesus words can move forth,..His words are life and transform even the vilest of hearts,..He did mine
Hi John!
Thanks for sharing today!! It is great to hear from you! And yes, life is a treasure that we don’t want to throw away. Especially since it allows us to share our Lord with others! Blessings!
How does it feel to submit to God’s will?
We all begin as prisoners, slaves to sin, controlled by our human desires for money, power and the approval of corrupt people who require we meet their ever-changing standards of success. At the same time we are being called by God to fulfill His righteous purpose for each of us. This internal conflict beings stress, bitterness, and separation from God who is Holy.
Rather than give each what we deserve, God extends His priceless grace and mercy. He does not call us to earn His favor which we cannot. Instead, He calls us to simply receive what His Son has given His life for, His sacrifice for “our sins”. When we confess our sins God removes all past, present sin and the power of sin for all time. We are no longer chained to sin. This is where the fun begins. First there is the immediate freedom from the weight of all past sins as well as the future enslaving power of sin. Second we begin the process of parting company with our old habits which prevent our having a relationship with God, and are transformed by the renewing of our minds, to become effective disciples for Gods glorify. Third we begin to enjoy our new freedom and relationship with God as He uses us as light to this dark world. As we trust in Him, commit ourselves to serving Him, we will at last enjoy our relationship with our creator God who will give each the desires of their heart.
John 3:16, 1 John 1:9, Romans 12:1-2, John 15:8, Psalms 37:4-5
We all just submitted our 3 minutes to the three minute Bible out of love for Jeff.
Punny…
Thank you for pointing that out! I do feel loved. Being in the family of Christ is amazing!
👍🏻