SUBMISSION

Ephesians 5:21-6:9 concludes Paul's teaching on what the Spirit-Filled life looks like

The Spirit filled life isn’t measured by personal spiritual experience. Your attitudes and actions toward other people is the real indicator of being Spirit-filled.

• Wives and Husbands

In our culture, the roles of men and women are on a constant state of flux, but God’s design has not changed and will not change.

God’s will for your family is simple:

• wives submit to your husbands

• husbands love your wives sacrificially

as you both look to Christ for the example

• Children

Children - these instructions are mandatory

Parents - you need to teach this to your children

Obedience is about actions

Honor is about attitude

In the Lord - when you honor and obey your parents, you are honoring and obeying the Lord.

Disobeying your parents is disobeying God

Outside of your parents commanding you to sin - to disobey God (not going to happen here), you simply must obey them. 

Parents are responsible for three things: 

1. Don’t Provoke

Provoke - a repeated, ongoing pattern that causes anger and resentment to build up.

How you provoke your children:

1. Be overbearing

2. Show Favoritism

prefer one child over another

Compare them - why can’t you be more like your sister!

3. Have Unreasonable Expectations

It’s never good enough

4. DIScourage - never encourage

only point out what they do wrong

5. Don’t Sacrifice for them

Do the bare minimum: food/clothing/shelter

6. Don’t let them grow at a normal pace

Don’t allow them to be their age. 

7. Use your Love/Affection as a tool

Reward good punish bad with your love, time, etc. 

8. Abuse

whether physical, verbal, emotional, etc. sbuse is never 

acceptable

Do Four things:

A Harvard study points out that when families do four things, there’s a 90% chance that the children will not grow up to be delinquent. Obviously this isn’t a guarantee, but it’s reflective of biblical principles:

• Dad: firm, fair, consistent discipline

• Mom: supervise and be their companion

• Mom & Dad: Love one another - affectionate

• Spend time together as a family

2. Discipline

Training in the rules of life, how to behave in all situations, education, correction/punishment Proverbs is full of instruction on Training

3. Instruction

To insert into the mind. Starting with information and pointing toward right attitudes and behaviors.

The key is of the Lord

According to Scripture

Through the Spirit

In the name of Jesus

To the glory of Jesus

• Employees/Bosses

In every aspect of our lives, God ordains authority - and requires submission

HOME - WORK - CHURCH - SOCIAL - ETC.

Do your job well - to the best of your ability

Don’t brag

Don’t complain

Don’t criticize

Be the best employee you can be. 

1 Peter 2:18-20 – [Slaves], be subject to your masters with all respect, not only to the good and gentle but also to the unjust. ¹⁹ For this is a gracious thing, when, mindful of God, one endures sorrows while suffering unjustly. ²⁰ For what credit is it if, when you sin and are beaten for it, you endure? But if when you do good and suffer for it you endure, this is a gracious thing in the sight of God.

• The Motive: Christ

Out of love for Christ (He commands, you obey)

Bby the power of Christ (He enables you)

To the glory of Christ (this adorns the gospel)

Bosses - you’re called on to express the same kind of humility and love toward those who work for you as they do to you. 

The bottom line about submission:

Submission points inward not outward. 

Submission is willing and gladly giving up your rights to another’s authority.

If your submission is begrudging,

It’s not submission - It’s pride

EVERYONE has SOMEONE they are to submit to. 

(probably more than one)

Jesus Christ is the ultimate example of humility

He Is God, And He did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, ⁷ but emptied himself, by taking the form of a [slave], being born in the likeness of men. ⁸ And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. (Philippians 2)

Jesus modeled this in His incarnation, life, and ministry. The cross was the culmination. 

The resurrection brought the ability to submit.

In Christ - we CAN joyfully submit!

WE can because He did

Submission is one of the primary ways you demonstrate the change that has happened in you because of the gospel.

Submission and humility go hand in hand and are one of the primary evidences of the change that the gospel brings in your life

Quarantine Lessons and Livestream Worship

So this past week, Amy and two of the three kids were sick. For families with young children, this isn’t unusual. What is unusual is the whole Coronavirus thing going on. Normally, when your kids are sick, you just  stay home with them, but it’s not so simple these days.

After a couple of conversations with our doctor, we headed out Thursday afternoon to get tested for the virus. We were told only one family member needed to be tested because “if one of us has it, we all have it” (ask Amy how fun it was to get tested).

They told us that they’d call Saturday or Sunday and that we’re all in quarantine until we find out. So that meant that unless we get a “negative” on Saturday, no church for me on Sunday. I’m thankful for Ed Willoughby and his willingness to step in and be ready to preach for me. (it’s after Noon on Sunday and still no word…)

So here we are - Sunday morning - a few minutes before church starts. Trying to get the kids settled in to join the livestream. I’m headed to the living room - I’ll finish this after the service is over….

Just finished the service - and it’s certainly a whole different experience. During the “lockdown,” my Sunday routine stayed pretty much the same.

• Wake up at 5:00 a.m. - final sermon run-through - then head to church

• Gather for worship (only nine other people, but still in the sanctuary)

• Preaching in the same room with the same pulpit, just to the camera, not a live congregation.

Until today…

So while preparing for the worship service this morning, I thought through some things I’ve learned through all this:

1. The importance of routine & rhythm.

I’m a creature of habit. I need routine. I like my rhythm. Just knowing that I wouldn’t be able to go to church threw me off a bit. I’m absolutely thankful for the livestream, but I’m already longing for routine and to be back physically present with my church family. 

2. Distractions abound

Being physically at church is not just routine - it’s singularly focused. There for one purpose. Only one thing going on. Only one option. At home, there are 1,000 distractions and you really have to be ready to begin. 10:30 comes much faster than you expect. It’s hard to stay focused in the living room.

3. Singing is congregational! 

It’s weird to sing at home in my living room while watching the service. Even streaming through our TV with the volume up, it was just strange. It certainly highlights for me the joy of congregational singing. No wonder God commanded us to sing together! I’m already looking forward to singing with everyone again. 

4. There’s no Substitute for Gathering

I’m very thankful for the livestream, but it’s clearly no substitute for gathering with my brothers and sisters for church. In one sense, I’m glad that we had to do this because now I have a better grasp of what it’s like for those who still aren’t able to join us. Just one week and I’m already longing to see everyone. Those that are in week 15 of all this - I can only imagine the longing you have to gather. 

The Bottom Line:

Let’s all be intentional to pray for and reach out to those that are still unable to join us in person. While I’m sure it becomes more “normal” to do church like this - it’s not what we were designed for - it’s not what we need. We’re made for relationship. We’re made for face-to-face interaction. 

I’ll certainly let everyone know what the test results are when we get them (hopefully sometime today). In the meantime, let’s redouble our efforts to pray for and connect with one another. Let me know if you want a one-page printout of all our church members to keep in your Bible as a prayer list. I’ll email you a PDF. 

I love you all and can’t wait to see you again!

Soli Deo Gloria!

Pastor Rob

P.S. – if you haven’t signed up for a Home Group - get in touch with me and I’ll get you in a group. We have room in several groups, including one that with a huge living room where you can participate and social distance at the same time. 

What is "Filled with the Spirit"

Walking Carefully

Ephesians 5:15-20

Three elements of our walk

We should be Care-Full, not Care-Less.

1. Walk with Wisdom (vv 15-16)

Wisdom is the practical application of acquired knowledge.

How you spend your time? Not so much hours-minutes-days, but How you respond to the opportunities that the Lord brings to you?

You need to look for, see, acknowledge and take them.

2. Walk with Understanding (v. 17)

This further expands wisdom. Go to Proverbs and look for all the wise/foolish references. 

Only in the Lord’s will can we accomplish anything good, and lasting. His will is found in the Bible.

1. Know Jesus - be saved

2. Be Filled with the Spirit 

3. Pursue Sanctification

4. Suffer for His sake

5. Be Thankful

6. Be Submissive to Others (next week)

3. Walk in the Spirit (vv. 18-20)

Do not be drunk with wine - is a reference to pagan worship, which involved drinking anddepraved, immoral behavior. 

For us today, the prohibition is about not seeking fulfillment or joy in things other than God.

It’s vital to know what it means to be filled

Be filled - completely full

With - pointing to the cause

Spirit - the third person of the trinity

What being filled is NOT

• An Ecstatic, emotional experience. 

If it looks like something a drunk person might do, it’s NOT being filled with the spirit. The charismatic movement is a good example of what filled is not.

• A Second blessing - later in Christian life

  Speaking in tongues as evidence is false teaching.

• Bland checklist obedience void of emotion.• Something only a select few “spiritual elites” receive.

All believers are commanded to be filled.

What being filled IS

• A command

• A conscious, intentional pursuit

It won’t happen on its own. 

• Moved along - wind in sails. Active and moving.

• Permeated - like marinated meat

• Total control

2. How to Be Filled

First, have a right attitude:

John 3:30 – He must increase, but I must decrease.” 

To be filled with the Spirit

you must be filled with the Word

Notice parallel elements in Ephesians 5:18-20 and  Colossians 3:16-18.

Galatians 5 parallels led, walk, and living in the Spirit. 

You must:

• be open to filling.

• seek filling.

• empty your life of wrong pursuits.

• fill yourself with the Word.

• obey the Word. 

Psalm 37:4 - Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart. 

When you’re doing all of this, and seeking to delight in the Lord, His will and your will merge into one will as He not only places right desires toward His will in your heart, but also fulfills those desires.

3. What It Looks Like to be filled with the Sprit. 

(vv. 18-20)

Do you see these things in your life?

Pursue these things:

• Horizontal Edification

It’s not a solo pursuit. Then Christian life is mean to be pursued with others. (Ephesians 4:29)

• Sing and making Melody

“From the heart” - Your heart should overflow with joy. 

• To the Lord

Don’t focus on yourself, your needs, desires, wants, or preferences. Our focus is the Lord. 

Finally: 

Thankfulness

Not thankful = not filled with the Spirit.

When should we be thankful? ALWAYS

For what? For Everything!
That’s impossible if you’re not filled with the Spirit.

Thankful to God the Father.

He is our Audience of One

We are to thank Him!!

In the name of our Lord Jesus

Reminding us of the cross. Pointing us to the gospel.

497 Words for Fathers

Faithful husbands & Fathers

To be a faithful father you need to put your love for Jesus on display. The most practical way to show your love for God is how love your wife. 

Ephesians 5:25-33 lays out how husbands should love their wives.

(These principles are also good for everyone in all of their relationships, so even if you’re not a husband or father - this is the kind of love you should show to others.)

Husbands, love your wife with a:

1. Sacrificial Love

Love her sacrificially - as a reflection of Christ’s love for us.

You’ll never see a better picture of sacrificial love than when you look to the cross..

2. Sanctifying Love

The main goal of the Christian life is: 

The pursuit of sanctification. 

Jesus desires us to be holy (Ephesians 1:4, John 17:17, 1 Peter 1 :15)

One of your goals in marriage must be that your wife is growing in holiness

A Word-Focused Family is Dad’s responsibility.

3. Caring Love

Do you care for her as much as you do for yourself? 

Put as much energy into her wants and needs as you do into your own

4. Permanent Love

Hold fast - means permanent

Again: a reflection of the gospel. 

There is literally nothing a believer can to to cause Jesus to stop loving them. 

Your commitment to your wife should be the same as the commitment Jesus has to all Christians.

5. Gospel Love

Your love for your wife should be a living picture of the gospel. 

Jesus is the Groom - we are His bride.

(click here for an explanation of the gospel) 

When you talk with your children about the gospel - about sacrificial love.  About how our Father in Heaven loves us. How Christ loves His bride. They should be able to understand all of that because they’ve watched how their Father loves their Mom - His bride.

Memorize this Acronym:

You’ll be blessed when you love your wife B.E.S.T.

B - Blessing Her

• speaking good words

both to her & about her (never speak poorly of her ever)

• behavior

show kindness in both big, grand gestures and in the little things

• be thankful and appreciative (words again)

• prayer to God on her behalf

Constantly think of ways to bless you wife

E - Edifying her

Building her up - Cheering her on

Always encouraging her

When you build up your wife in every way you can - you are literally building up your family

S - Sharing with Her

Sharing time, activities, interests, concerns, resources , money, ideas, deep thoughts, goals, and your spiritual walk

You’re One Flesh - that means sharing everything. 

T - Touching Her

(More than the bedroom)

Start by holding her hand whenever possible.

Touching will foster an affectionate closeness in your marriage. 

When you keep these “BEST” practices in mind, it will help you love your Bride as Christ loves the church! And God will be honored in your marriage.

Soli Deo Gloria!

Pastor Rob

Being Imitators of God

A Faithful Church

Part 9 - Imitating God

Ephesians 5:1-2

To listen to the sermon on this passage, click here.

Ephesians 5:1 stands as the centerpiece of the second half of Ephesians. 

First half - a beautiful explanation of the gospel.

Second half - how we live in response.

There are two words that summarize Ephesians 4, 5, & 6, and the central activity of the Christian Life:

• Pursue Sanctification

It’s both a command and a description of living as a follower of Jesus.

The passage begins:

Be Imitators of God

a startling command.

there is no higher standard

no more lofty goal that could be pursued

We CAN do it because we are His dearly loved children. And that’s what children do - they imitate their parents

The primary way we imitate God is laid out in the next verse

Walk in Love

…as Christ loved us and gave Himself up for us

The entire Christian life is contained within this:

• imitating God

• as He is revealed in Jesus Christ

To know Jesus is to know His forgiveness

To imitate God and Jesus means first and foremost - to be forgiving. 

Nothing highlights a heart of stone more than a lack of forgiveness.

Set in your now that you will forgive, it won’t be instant in every situation, but it must be a foregone conclusion. 

Jesus Christ paid the penalty for sin on the cross, so how can we hold any sin against any person?

This is one way the gospel changes us and catalyzes godly living. 

One final detail:

Jesus’ offering was called:

a fragrant offering and sacrifice

This is a beautiful insight into the gospel

To be an imitator of God you must also be an imitator of Jesus Christ. Your life should also be a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

This happens in two ways:

1. You bring something - an offering

there must be tangible personal investment

2. There is Sacrifice - dying

It’s tempting to talk about the Christian life in terms of the benefits:

life will be better

have true meaning & fulfillment

there’s certainly truth to that

beware though - the prosperity gospel….

If you would be like Jesus,

you must offer yourself like Jesus did

there must be sacrifice - like Jesus did

Martin Luther said: if we are to truly imitate Christ, then we must also suffer for others in some way

A full-on pursuit of Jesus will hurt. 

There will be pain. 

You will be tempted. You’ll struggle, You’ll suffer. It will be hard. No pain probably means no sacrifice. 

BUT - remembering our identity in Christ, that we are God’s children gives me the strength to endure.

Suffering, difficulty, and pain should be a reminder of Christ’s sacrifice for us. 

Ultimately the Christian life is not about pleasing myself or being satisfied and fulfilled

It’s about pleasing God

And in that - we also point others to His majesty and beauty and grace and mercy and forgiveness and kindness…..

that leads to repentance

2 Corinthians 2:14-16 – But thanks be to God, who in Christ always leads us in triumphal procession, and through us spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of him everywhere. ¹⁵ For we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing, ¹⁶ to one a fragrance from death to death, to the other a fragrance from life to life.

May your life be a living sacrifice to God!

Pastor Rob

Family Reunion May 10

Worship Gathering Guidelines

We’re so excited to come together and worship as a family again on May 10. 

As we resume meeting together, while Romans 13 does speak into our situation, our guiding biblical principle is found in Philippians 2:3-5 – Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, We’re doing all of this to love our brothers and sisters, as well as our neighbors while being sensitive to the varying levels of comfort different people will have in group settings during the coming weeks.

There are certainly a variety of thoughts and opinions regarding the current situation. In an effort to consider others first (fellow members as well as the community), for the next few weeks, we’ll be doing a few things differently as we work our way back to “full normal.”

• May 10 will be worship only.

Sunday school will resume in a few weeks. There will be no preschool child care on May 10 - we’ll all be worshiping together as families. Please be patient with our toddlers as many of them have never joined us in a worship gathering.

• Sanctuary Seating

Sit together as a family, maintaining proper social distance (6’ apart) from other families. Please keep three empty chairs between you and the nearest family and don’t sit directly in front of or behind anyone. Our Ushers may ask you to adjust where you’re sitting in order to accommodate everyone. 

• No Hugs or Handshakes

While this is going to be very difficult for many, if not most of us, we’re asking these things for the sake of everyone. As we strive to love our neighbor, and with much still unknown about this virus, for the first several weeks we’re together, it’s wise to maintain distance this way. We certainly don’t want to inadvertently spread the virus between us or cause someone else to be uncomfortable because of physical contact among our members.

• Wash Your Hands

Please be conscientious to wash your hands or use hand sanitizer. There is hand sanitizer in the foyer and gym. 

• Masks

There are masks available in the foyer if you would like to wear a mask. This is by no means required, but if wearing one makes you feel more comfortable, they’re provided for you. If you use a disposable mask, please be sure to throw it away. If you use one of the cloth masks, you may keep it, or return it to the “to be cleaned” bin in the foyer so it can be sanitzed. 

• Bulletins & Printed Materials

We’ll continue emailing the bulletins each Friday and printing only a few bulletins so that there are less things to handle.Printed bulletins will be set out in the foyer so that you can pick them up individually.

• Greeters & Receiving the Offering

Our greeters will be appropriately positioned in the foyer to welcome everyone and help keep “high touch” surfaces clean. When the weather permits, we’ll be keeping the foyer doors open so that everyone isn’t touching the door handles as they enter and exit. Once services begin, they’ll be opening doors for everyone. 

Offering: Instead of passing the plate, ushers will be situated by the doors as you leave the auditorium to receive your offering.

• Food & Drinks

When we have food and drinks in the coming weeks (we’re Baptist after all!), they’ll be served by servers wearing gloves for everyone’s protection. Please wait for someone to serve you rather than serving yourself. This simple action protects everyone. Parents of younger children please help your children participate in this by going through lines with them. 

In the coming weeks, we plan to return to our normal routine, but in the meantime, let’s consider others first and continue trusting the Lord as we strive to glorify and honor the Lord Jesus Christ in everything we do. 

Soli Deo Gloria!
Pastor Rob

Summary of yesterday's Sermon

Practical Principles for Powerful Prayer - Resulting in Praise

Ephesians 3:14-21

Prayer brings us in greater alignment with God’s will.

1. A Right Attitude/Approach

• Submission - acknowledging who you’re coming to. The Father, the Lord, the Sovereign One

• Passion - not flippant, casual, or “whatever”

• Reverence - for God and His Glory

2. Prayer Brings (Spiritual) Strength

Resistance brings strength. 

When we’re consistent in prayer, we’ll be consistent in spiritual growth because the Holy Spirit comes alongside us to work in us and through us.

3. Christ’s Indwelling through Faith

John 3:30 – He must increase, but I must decrease.”

The idea is that Jesus settles in and makes our heart His home.

4. The Starting Point (Two Metaphors)

• Planted nourished through the roots

• Building on a foundation
Everything that flows out of me is a result of God’s love that was poured into me.

5. Growing in Understanding

• Eternally Wide

Encompassing all of mankind (Jew AND Gentile)

• Eternally Long 

Llasting forever

• Eternally High

Reaching all the way to heaven

• Eternally Deep

Not only will we never get to the bottom of it, it reaches to the depths of the worst sinner. 

No matter how sinful you think you are, you’re never out of God’s reach.

6. More than Mere Knowledge
Christianity isn’t just an intellectual exercise.

It’s radical transformation that affects you at the deepest imaginable level.

7. Filled Up Completely

You don’t need to ask “how can I pray for you?” To know what to pray for other believers.

BTW: you should still ask - this coming Sunday, let’s conclude every conversation with “how can I pray for you this week?”

Resulting in Praise

This is possibly the most awesome doxology in the entire Bible. 

We see, at the end, that:

God’s power is at work in us, His church

But it’s not about us or our own little kingdom. It’s still all about what He is doing throughout all generations. He is at work throughout all time - from generation to generation. 

Pray that the Lord helps us to pursue all of this, which is His will for us as His people. 

Soli Deo Gloria!
Pastor Rob