Celebration of Discipline

1
Celebration of Discipline

• The Path to Spiritual Growth

2
The Outward Discipline

• Submission

3
Submission

• Every Discipline has its corresponding freedom.
• Submission gives us the freedom to lay down the
  terrible burden of always needing to get our own
  way.
• People will spend weeks, months, even years in a
  perpetual stew because some little thing did not
  go as they wished.

4
Submission

• Submission frees us to distinguish between
  genuine issues and stubborn self-will.
• Usually the best way to handle most matters of
  submission is to say nothing.
• In the matter of submission the real issue is
  the spirit of consideration and respect we have
  for each other.

5
Submission

• How do you feel when someone doesnt act toward
  you the way you think they should?
• You scratch my back, Ill scratch your back.
• Matthew 544 obeying Jesus command
• Matthew 539 surrendering the right to retaliate

6
Biblical Submission(Self-denial)

• Mark 834-35
• Self-denial is a way to understand that we do not
  have to have our own way.
• Self-denial does not mean losing our identity but
  rather finding it.
• Matthew 2239, prerequisite for loving others
• Self-denial means the freedom to give way to
  others.

7
Subordination as Taught by Jesus

• Phil.27-8
• Leadership is found in servanthood
• Jesus not only died a cross-death, He lived a
  cross-life (suffering servant).
• Matthew 238-11, rejects the cultural givens of
  position and power
• John133-17, Jesus modeled the cross-life
• Matthew 2652-53, Jesus chose the cross-death.

8
Subordination as Taught by the Epistles

• Phil.23-7, the example of Jesus as the reason
  for submission
• I Peter 221-23 Ephesians 521
• The call for Christians to live the cross-life is
  rooted in the cross-life of Jesus.
• Submission is a posture obligatory upon all
  Christians.
• The only compelling reason for submission is the
  example of Jesus.

9
Submission as Taught by the Epistles

• Colossians 318-41
• He addressed those who had no legal or moral
  status in their cultural (wives, children and
  slaves)
• He addressed the culturally dominant partner in
  the relationship (husbands, fathers, and masters)
• The sting of this teaching falls upon the
  dominant partner. Why?

10
The Limits of Submission

• The limits of submission are at the points at
  which it becomes destructive.
• I Peter 213,14, submission to government
• Acts 419,20 529, refusal to submit
• Romans 131, subject to governing authorities
• Acts 1637, governing accountability

11
Seven Acts of Submission

• 1. To the Triune God, Yielded and still
  Yielding our mind, body, and spirit for His
  purposes.
• 2. To the Scriptures, we yield ourselves first to
  hear the Word, second to receive, and third to
  obey.
• 3. To our Family, Let each of you look not only
  to his own interests, but also to the interest of
  others (Phil. 24). A willingness to listen and
  share.

12
Seven Acts of Submission

• 4. To our neighbors and those we meet, living a
  life of simple goodness and helping those in
  need. Performing small acts of kindness such as
• 5. To the believing community, the Body of
  Christ, spontaneous opportunities for little
  tasks of service (Ministry).
• 6. To the broken and despised that is the
  helpless, the undefended, widows and orphans
  (James 127).

13
Seven Acts of Submission

• 7. To the world, that is living as a responsible
  member of an increasingly irresponsible world
  (starvation, environment).