Living Out Our Faith Thru Submission Series

Sermon Brief

Date Written: October 13, 2007

Date Preached: October 14, 2007

Where Preached: OZHBC (PM)

Sermon Details:

Sermon Series: A Study in 1 Peter

Sermon Title: Living Out Our Faith Thru Submission!

Sermon Text: 1 Peter 2:18-25

Introduction:

Over the past several weeks in our study here in 1 Peter I have stressed the importance of living our faith out loud in the world around us… tonight I want us to look at living out loud our faith… through being submissive where we are supposed to be submissive!

As believers we are called by God to submit to Him, but also to submit to how He desires us to live our lives. For many of us submission is an ugly word that strips away all of our dignity and self-respect, but when we submit as Christ has called us to submit… just the opposite occurs!

When the believer relents control over his own life and submits to the control of the Holy Spirit and the control of God’s plan and purposes, what really happens is freedom! The paradox of serving as God has called us to serve is that we are freed by our submission!

The believer is called to be holy as Christ in heaven is holy, we are called to live as Christ lived, we are called to obey the commandments of Christ! In Matthew 28:20 (NKJV) Jesus told His disciples, “…teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age…”

You may say, I know all these things pastor, what do they have to do with living my faith out loud through submission! Well Jesus told His disciples that they would have to submit enable to serve in the kingdom.

Here in Matthew, we find Christ teaching them to teach others to observe ALL things that I have commanded you… Observing God’s commandments goes a great deal deeper than merely learning God’s commandments!

We must DO what Christ has commanded. Christ has commanded that we become a living sacrifice, perfect and holy and acceptable to God. For us to do this we have to learn HOW to observe the commandments of Christ…

Paul shares on many occasions that he believed himself to be a bondslave of Christ… a servant… fully submitted to God’s plan! And Paul calls all believers to submit in the same manner as Christ did on the Cross of Calvary! If the perfect Lamb of God can submit to the plan of the Father, surely we can submit to the plan of the Father as well!

After Christ bowed in submission to the will of the Father, we find that He was not debased, but He was exalted and lifted up! He was not put to shame but God gave Him the name that is above all names and that one day at the name of Jesus every knee shall bow and every tongue confess that Jesus is Lord!

So tonight as I begin to teach about submitting to the plan of God, we need to understand that when we submit to God’s plan, God is going to honor and bless our service and submission to Him.

We may suffer here in this world, as Jesus did, but we will be rewarded and exalted one day! So submission is something all believers should be striving for!

So turn with me this evening to 1 Peter 2:18-25 and let us read about what God desires of His children when it comes to living our faith out loud through submission to God’s plan and purposes!

18 Servants, be submissive to your masters with all fear, not only to the good and gentle, but also to the harsh. 19 For this is commendable, if because of conscience toward God one endures grief, suffering wrongfully. 20 For what credit is it if, when you are beaten for your faults, you take it patiently? But when you do good and suffer, if you take it patiently, this is commendable before God. 21 For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps: 22 “ Who committed no sin, nor was deceit found in His mouth”; 23 who, when He was reviled, did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously; 24 who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness—by whose stripes you were healed. 25 For you were like sheep going astray, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.

(v.18-20)

18 Servants, be submissive to your masters with all fear, not only to the good and gentle, but also to the harsh, 19 for this is commendable, if because of conscience toward God one endures grief, suffering wrongfully. 20 For what credit is it if, when you are beaten for your faults, you take it patiently? But when you do good and suffer, if you take it patiently, this is commendable before God…