“Spirit led submission brings glory to God and blessings to people”.

5:22 NJKV Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord.
5:22 NASB- “be subject to your own husbands as to the Lord”.
5:22 ASV- Wives, be in subjection unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord.
Submit- Hypotasso- to arrange under, to subordinate, to yield to one’s admonition or advice
Spirit led submission flows from Ephesians 5:18b. “Be filled w/ the Spirit”. Be filled, then submit

I. Biblical Submission

A. The Son’s Submission To The Father

1. Read Philippians 2:5-11

a. In Jesus’ earthly ministry, He didn’t “give in” to the demands of others

● He didn’t give in to Satan, who suggested that He turn stones into bread.
● He didn’t give in to His brothers’ suggestions that he prematurely prove who He was to the crowds in Jerusalem.
● At His trial, He didn’t give in to Herod’s desire to see Him do a miracle.
● Jesus didn’t “just give in” to the whims and desires of people.

b. But in His incarnation, He laid aside His glory, & made Himself of no reputation
c. When it came to the cross, He gave Himself over to the desires of sinful men because it was the will of the Father.

● He struggled with the difficulty of going to the cross- Garden of Gethsemane
● Jesus prayed earnestly that “the cup of suffering” might pass from Him.
● He spoke to the Father about it, but ultimately, submitted to the Father’s will
● Jesus’ submission wasn’t to those evil men, it was to The Father.
● The Father’s will was to use those evil men to bring glory and blessings.

d. What was done to Him wasn’t fair or right.
e. Jesus’ submission had nothing to do with rightness, fairness, etc.
f. He was mistreated & killed, but willingly submitted to the Father’s will
g. 1 Peter 2:23 “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…”
h. Jesus’ greatest desire was to glorify the Father.
i. As Judas left the Last Supper, and went out to betray Jesus, Jesus said,

● John 13:31 “Now the Son of Man is glorified, and God is glorified in Him.”
● As the Son obeyed the Father, and went to the cross, the Son would be glorified, and the Father glorified in the Son.

j. Jesus’ desire to submit to the Father & bring Him glory resulted in…

● Salvation made available to men
● Jesus was exalted by the Father
● The Father was glorified in the Son

2. Jesus’ Spirit led submission brought glory to God and blessings to people.
3. Christian wives struggle because of the unfairness or ungodliness of situations.

a. They struggle to submit because of their own propensity to sin and be selfish.
b. They resist submitting because of the ungodliness of their husbands.
c. They struggle with the idea of submitting because they are may not be recognized forbeing the godly women that they are.
d. Wives can weigh out a situation to determine if it is worth submitting to.
e. But like Jesus, a Christian wife needs to see submission as to the Father
f. A Christian wife needs to realize that she first and foremost place herself under the authority of God, and then according to God’s design, under her husband.
g. Like Jesus, a Christian wife will practice Spirit led submission if her desire is to bring glory to the Father.

B. Christians To Church Leaders

1. Read Ephesians 4:11, 12. God’s design for leadership in the church
2. Read Hebrew 13:17. How to respond to church leadership.

a. Obey- to assent, rely, agree, have confidence, trust, yield, be persuaded.

● Those in the church need to allow God to convince them thru the leaders.
● They need to have open hearts to the church leadership.
● They need to recognize God’s design for leaders within the church.

b. Christian leaders are called by God to watch out for those under them.

● Watch out- to be sleepless, to stay awake, to watch.

c. The Christian who submits to a Spirit led leader is benefitted.
d. They benefit from the wisdom knowledge, experience of the church leader.
e. They are persuaded to trust and yield to the wisdom and experience of the leader.
f. 2 Corinthians 1:24 Not that we have dominion over your faith, but are fellow workers for your joy…

3. What if you disagree with a Christian leader? Can you speak up? Yes!
4. What if a pastor is wrong about an issue? Should you submit to that or not?
5. Perhaps discussion is needed, and suggestions can be made.
6. More important question: “Lord, what do you want me to do”? Submit or not submit?
7. As a pastor, I have been humbled and better corrected by God when people have submitted to my bad ideas, and God showing me later how I was wrong.
8. I was benefitted and changed by their humble obedience to God in following me.
9. Spirit led submission to me by people in this church has brought glory & blessings
10. 1 Peter 3:1, 2 Wives, likewise, be submissive to your own husbands, that even if some do not obey the word, they, without a word, may be won by the conduct of their wives, 2when they observe your chaste conduct accompanied by fear.
11. Peter exhorts wives to submit to their own husbands who may not even be saved.

a. It must be Spirit led submission.
b. Not according to likes or dislikes. Not according to if the wife has a better idea.
c. Sometimes not even according to right or wrong, unless clearly outlined in the Bible.
d. Some husbands will be greatly impacted by their wife’s submission.

II. Wives- Summary Thoughts Re. Submitting To Your Husbands

A. It Is God’s Design That A Husband Be Head Over His Wife
B. Must Be Voluntary
C. It Is Done With A Desire To Bring Glory To The Father
D. Remember That Jesus Had A Submissive Heart
E. Submission Is More About The Father’s Will, Not About The Situation
F. A Christian Wife Can Only Do This By Being Filled With The Holy Spirit
G. The Greater Burden Is On The Husband To Lead Like Christ
H. Spirit Led Submission Brings Glory To God & Blessings To People

Stubborn Ship
Actual transcript of a radio conversation of a US naval ship with Canadian authorities off the coast of
Newfoundland in October 1995. Radio conversation released by the Chief of Naval Operations 10-10-95.

Americans: Please divert your course 15 degrees to the North to avoid a collision.

Canadians: Recommend you divert YOUR course 15 degrees to the South to avoid a collision.

Americans: This is the Captain of a US Navy ship. I say again, DIVERT YOUR COURSE!

Canadians: No, I say again, you divert YOUR course.

Americans: THIS IS THE AIRCRAFT CARRIER USS LINCOLN, THE SECOND LARGEST SHIP IN
THE UNITED STATES’ ATLANTIC FLEET. WE ARE ACCOMPANIED BY THREE DESTROYERS,
THREE CRUISERS AND NUMEROUS SUPPORT VESSELS, I DEMAND THAT YOU CHANGE
YOUR COURSE 15 DEGREES NORTH, THAT’S ON FIVE DEGREES NORTH, OR
COUNTER-MEASURES WILL BE UNDERTAKEN TO INSURE THE SAFETY OF THIS SHIP.

Canadians: This is a lighthouse! Your call!