Week Twelve (Submission) - Sunday

Submission

The last discipline that we are going to consider making a holy habit is one that seems to be most obscure, yet is actually the basis of our faith – submission.  Within Christian circles, if you were to mention that you practice submission, I would dare say that most would assume that you were referring to Paul’s instructions to the church at Ephesus.  In Ephesians 5:22, he wrote, “Wives, submit to you husband.”  That is not what this discipline is about though.  The submission that we should incorporate as a daily practice is submission to Jesus as Lord.

Submission requires us to come to terms with exactly who Jesus is.  If we truly believe what we so often say, that Jesus Christ is Lord, then our lives must reflect that we submit to his rule and authority.  If we cannot do this, then our words, our actions, even our faith are nothing more than a worthless sham.

Submission to Christ is not a relinquishing of our identity or free will.  We have been created by a loving God who took the time to create us to be very special and unique.  We each are God’s wonderful creation.  This same God, who painstakingly created us also loved us enough to allow us to have free-will, the freedom to choose right or wrong, even the freedom to choose or reject our Creator.  If we choose to reject God, then we must accept the consequences of that decision – eternal separation from Love.  If we choose to accept God, then we must also accept that God has given rule over all of creation, including your life and mine, solely to Jesus.  No other has that right or authority.

Most people fear having someone else in control of their lives.  To an extent, I am no exception.  Several years ago, I flew on an airplane for the first time in twenty-eight years.  I have to be honest; I was nervous about it.  I was confused about why I was so nervous, because I have been in far more dangerous situations than flying.  I also know that flying is far safer than driving.  So why was I so nervous.  About halfway to my destination, as I had my face glued to the window, I realized that my uneasiness was because I knew I had absolutely no control!  Not only was I not flying the plane (which was a good thing!) but I also had no knowledge of what was ahead of us or what was about to happen.  I was being forced to put all of my trust in some unseen pilot and his ability to get me to my destination, without my help!

Submitting ourselves to Jesus is much like that.  We have to let go of our selfish need to control our destiny and relinquish it to the only One who knows how to get us there.  Jesus is the only one who is qualified to save us and the only one who is acceptable unto God.  Friends, you and I totally unqualified and completely unable to save ourselves, so we must submit to the only one who is – Jesus.

So, how can we submit to Jesus to be Lord and Saviour?  First, strengthen your relationship with him.  Talk with him often and journal your thoughts and revelations daily.  Next, study what he said and taught by reading the Bible.  Next, surround yourself with others who are striving to submit their lives to him too.  Also, let your life emulate his by offering yourself in service to others…  Maybe you are beginning to see the trend here – all of the previous holy habits help lead to a life of submission.

It is my prayer that your life is being transformed as you submit your life to Christ through these holy habits. 

Godspeed.


JOURNAL QUESTIONS

1. Reflect on your sermon notes and journal reading from today.


GROUP EXERCISE

10 minutes - Community Building (informal time of gathering)
10 minutes - Sharing of Concerns and Praises
  5 minutes - Prayer for One Another
30 minutes - Discussion of Topic
                     - What journal entry would you like to share?
                     - What titles do you sometimes attribute to Jesus (ie. Christ, King, Lord,...)? Define 
                        these titles.
                     - How serious do we take the Lordship of Jesus?
                     - How can we demonstrate that Jesus is truly Lord?
  5 minutes - Wrap Up/Closing Prayer