A WALK ON THE WISE SIDE (7): THE SERENITY OF SUBMISSION

(Ephesians 5:18-21)

Joe Theismann was a Heisman-candidate quarterback at Notre Dame before

going on to become a Super Bowl winning quarterback with the
Washington Redskins. He become a garrulous ESPN football commentator.
At one point he explained to his soon-to-be ex-second wife why he was
unfaithful. He told her, as though this explained the whole thing, “God
wants Joe Theismann to be happy.” Now, I don’t doubt that God wants
Joe Theismann to be happy just like it is the desire of His heart that we all
be happy. But what Joe had experienced was not happiness. He had
experienced the pleasures of sin for a season. You don’t get joy by
breaking God’s commandments. You get that by keeping His
commandments.

There is one principle that is critical to lasting happiness. It is not a

politically correct principle; not a principle that the world subscribes to; it is
a principle that has been abused, misused, misunderstood, misapplied, and
battered to the point of hatred. And yet, when properly understood and
applied, it is basic to happiness. It is the principle of submission.

People fear to talk about this taboo subject these days. The word submission
causes blood to run cold for fear our self is about to be violated.

Yet, on God authority, I tell you submission is key to contentment.

Correctly applied, it is not the annihilation of self, but the subordination
of self to something bigger. It is at the heart of the wise walk that Paul
urges beginning in Eph 5:15, “Look carefully then how you walk, not as
unwise but as wise.” How does one walk wisely? By using time wisely. By
uprooting foolishness – living for self. By understanding God’s will. And,
verse 18, by unleashing the Holy Spirit. Look with me, “And do not get
drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit.” We
saw that to be filled with the Spirit is to be controlled by Him. It is a
command – We choose. It is present tense, implying that it is to be our
constant state of mind. It is a question of submission to God, pure and
simple. To walk wisely is to take self off the throne and put God on.
Submission is the key to the relationship issues that follow.

Why submit to God? Well, first because we love Him. Ultimately that is
the motivation for everything in the Christian life. Do you love Him? Get
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to know Him in His Word. Experience His power in prayer and you will
begin to truly love Him. But there is another reason to submit to Him. How
about because He knows more than we do. Last year the Denver Nuggets
lost coach George Karl. They were playing great ball, clear title contenders
until he was sidelined for cancer treatments. Adrian Dantley could not
command the same respect from the players; everyone had a different idea
of what should be done, chaos ensued, they were beaten by an inferior team,
the Utah Jazz in the first round. No submission. The ultimate in walking in
wisdom is to learn submission. Fail to learn this and you will live a
frustrated life. Trying to do it on your own is like trying to walk across a
minefield without a map or guide. Sooner or later we will find that we can’t
do life on our own.

Now, verses 18-21. Three points to the unleashing the Holy Spirit in our
life. I) Eliminate Riotous Sinfulness (the instruction not to be controlled by
drinking) II) Embark on Reverential Submission (in place of selfish
indulgence, be filled with the Spirit. Submission to God) and now today --
the results III) Enjoy Rapturous Serenity. This is the birthright of every true
child of God. We need only claim it. Four things are listed that result from
being filled with the Spirit. Four things that constitute serenity.
A. Uplifting song

Look with me at verse 19, “addressing one another in psalms and hymns
and spiritual songs – Stop right there. A lot of times, this verse gets read
and all that is emphasized is the songs. But note, in the first half of the
verse, it is songs addressed to each other. And in the second half of the
verse, it is singing addressed to God. How often when we sing do we do so
with the rest of the congregation or with God in mind as the audience? We
tend to enjoy singing, if we do, because the melody is pleasant to us and we
are enjoying our selves. In all the complaints I’ve ever heard about church
music, I never heard any complaint center on a regard for others, or what
God might like, or that God might object to those words. No – the
complaints always seem to center around the person. I don’t like the tune
or the beat or the method or something else. It’s about me, isn’t it? But this
is different, and it ought to challenge us.

“Psalms” is a reference to writings found in the book of Psalms that are set
to music. Many of the psalms were written to musical accompaniment so
the trend of setting psalms to modern music (bad as some was in the
beginning) that really started with the Jesus people movement in the late
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60’s is a godly trend. Then “hymns” and “spiritual songs” – almost a
history of Christian music. Leaving aside the monkish chants, and classical
religious music, intended mainly for performances, Christian music largely
consisted of old style hymns -- theology set to music. Charles Wesley’s
were classic. He preached sermons in his music, like my all-time personal
favorite “And Can It Be?” -- the gospel in five verses. Unbelievable
words: Listen.

And can it be that I should gain

An interest in the Savior's blood!
Died he for me, who caused his pain!
For me? who him to death pursued?
Amazing love! How can it be
That thou, my God, shouldst die for me?

He left his Father's throne above

So free, so infinite his grace!
Emptied himself of all but love,
And bled for Adam's helpless race.
'Tis mercy all, immense and free,
For O my God, it found out me!

Long my imprisoned spirit lay,

Fast bound in sin and nature's night;
Thine eye diffused a quickening ray;
I woke, the dungeon flamed with light;
My chains fell off, my heart was free,
I rose, went forth, and followed thee.

Still the small inward voice I hear,

That whispers all my sins forgiven;
Still the atoning blood is near,
That quenched the wrath of hostile Heaven.
I feel the life His wounds impart;
I feel the Savior in my heart.

No condemnation now I dread;

Jesus, and all in him, is mine;
Alive in him, my living Head,
And clothed in righteousness divine,
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Bold I approach th' eternal throne,
And claim the crown, through Christ my own.

If those words don’t touch you, are you sure you’re saved? “Christ the Lord
is Risen Today,” “Hark, the Herald Angels Sing,” O for a Thousand
Tongues to Sing” On and on they went, and, of course, Wesley was just
one of many who were writing this kind of theology set to music up until
the late 19th century. Martin Luther loved music – wrote many hymns – “A
Mighty Fortress is Our God” “May God Bestow on Us His Grace”. Hymns
– theology set to music.

Then, the great evangelists arrived. D. L. Moody, Billy Sunday, Charles

Finney, R. A. Torrey, Billy Graham – and many others. With them came
song leaders and a new kind of song. These were more personal in nature,
emphasizing an invitation to salvation and the personal benefits and
resulting life. They were less theological, more personal – usually
characterized by several verses and a repetitive chorus. Many of you grew
up on these “spiritual songs”. Fanny Crosby would be a typical writer,
though there were many. She wrote songs like “Blessed Assurance,” “Jesus
is Tenderly Calling You Home,” “I Am Thine, O Lord,” “Near the Cross,”
“Pass Me Not Oh Gentle Savior,” “Tell Me the Story of Jesus,” “To God Be
the Glory.” Less theological, more personal but inspiring in their own right.

Then, in our day, coming out of the Jesus People movement in addition to
psalms set to music, praise songs – aimed at facilitating worship – many
with excellent content – some perhaps reflecting a trend from the 60’s
onward of an unhealthy and unbiblical emphasis on benefits to “self” as
truth has taken a backseat and everything has become experiential, but
many good. Sometimes we also get a mindless repetition that is aimed at
creating an emotional response. That is not biblical. That is performance
aimed at touching which will be a temporary feeling. Worship is content
driven. But many of these songs have great words and a true center around
God, not me. And now – in the last 10 years or so, some great new hymns –
a revival of theological content set to music, usually pretty good music “In
Christ Alone”, “I Come to the Cross” and many others.

Okay, so what’s the point? Well, this wealth of music is a treasure trove of
inspiration that will result from the filling of the Spirit as a means of
addressing one another. One way this happens is when we have what we
call special music, right? If the spirit is right and it is being done as
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ministry and not as performance, it can be profoundly moving, inspirational
and God-pleasing. Thank God for those who can minister in this way. If
God has gifted you in the area of music, let’s hear it. Choirs, quartets, small
groups, solos, instruments. Listen – let us hear you.

I think we also address one another when we sing together on Sunday

mornings from the heart and with enthusiasm, appreciating the words we
are singing. Sometimes I’ve thought we needed more instruments – and I’d
love that, but mostly what we need is more Spirit in our music – and you
and I can supply that! My beloved, big strong father couldn’t carry a tune
in a bucket. But he was filled with the Spirit and he loved music and he
would close his eyes and let it roll. He didn’t care whether he as on-tune or
not. He addressed others in the way he appreciated and sang the psalms,
hymns and spiritual songs. Listen, I know that music is a matter of taste.
Not everyone will like everything we do, but Beloved, we are doing our
best to look first at the words and then the singability of songs – mixing old
with new – addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual
songs.” We need this. I’d love to see more instruments and praise team
members – but as I studied this passage, I realized, we are all responsible
for the sincerity, enthusiasm and heartfelt nature of our worship. Singing is
a way to enjoy each other -- uplifting, encouraging, inspiring songs sung
from the heart are a reflection of the filling of the Spirit of God.

B. Unimpeded Worship

Now the second half of verse 19 deals with music and our vertical
relationship – the relationship with God. Look at the verse, “addressing one
another (horizontal relationships) in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs,
singing and making melody to the Lord (vertical relationship) with your
heart.” The last half of that verse isn’t hard at all, is it? It is teaching that
one result of being filled with the Spirit is a heart that is singing and making
melody to the Lord. This describes singing that is truly worshiping God
from the heart. Not being like the rooster who was so lazy that when the
other roosters crow, he just nodded his head. No! We don’t just go through
the motions when we sing. If you don’t like the tune, concentrate on the
words and offer them to God as an expression from your heart of His worth.
If you do like the tune, enjoy both – but sing with enthusiasm, with vigor, as
though you care. Don’t just sort of nod your head.

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Listen if you are wondering why are they singing that ugly song again –
do you recognize that you are thinking selfishly and the Holy Spirit has
been confined to His time-out corner? Do we see that? I know that we
have all been guilty, myself certainly included, but let’s change that. Let’s
let the Holy Spirit rule in our worship together and sing to the Lord from
our hearts. When we just go through the motions we’re like the little four-
year-old who brought his puppy to visit his grandmother. She was busy
fixing dinner and paid no attention to the pup. After a while the boy, his
eyes filling with tears, asked her reproachfully: “Aren’t you even going to
speak to your granddog?” God must look at our singing sometimes and
wonder, “Are they ever going to sing those words to me – from their
hearts?”

And do the same in your daily life. I have no issue with secular music
except where the lyrics are ungodly (and by the way, that is not just in
heavy metal or rap. There are some pretty godless lyrics going on in some
of our rock tunes, too), but mix in some Christian music in your daily life.
Cultivate a heart that is constantly singing and making melody to the Lord.

C. Unending thanksgiving

Now a third result of being filled with the Spirit is found in Eph 5:20,
“giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of
our Lord Jesus Christ.” We do not have time to fully flesh this out this
morning, but let me make a couple of points. First, those who are filled
with the Spirit are giving thanks always. Thanksgiving should be
incorporated into our way of life -- as natural as breathing. People love to
be around Spirit-filled people; they are thankful – not complaining, but
thankful. You can’t complain and be thankful at the same time! When
should we be thankful? All the time! Do you realize all the unwanted
things that drop off just by being thankful? If you’re being thankful, it’s
pretty hard to be bitter. If you’re being thankful, it’s pretty hard to be
ungrateful, condescending, hurtful, proud. A lot comes just from being
thankful and if you are filled with the Spirit, you will be.

A medieval legend tells of two angels sent to earth by the Lord to gather the
prayers of the saints. One was to gather the petitions and the other the
thanksgivings. The angel responsible for petitions was not able to carry
them back to heaven in one load, while the angel responsible for
thanksgivings carried his back in one hand. We’re a lot more prone to ask
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than to thank. The Psalms are instructive in this regard, in that they contain
more praise than petition. Believers come into their Father’s presence
through thanksgiving. We “enter His gates with thanksgiving, and His
courts with praise” (Ps. 100:4). William Hendriksen picturesquely
commented that “when a person prays without thanksgiving he has
clipped the wings of prayer so that it cannot rise.” It reminds me of Phil
4:6-7, “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication
with thanksgiving . . . let your request be made know unto God.” With
thanksgiving comes the request for help. That is indeed an unworldly
combination. Always thankful – breathing thanksgiving, exuding
thanksgiving – a sign of Spirit-filling. Cultivate thanksgiving in your heart.

Now, look at the rest of the verse. An amazing truth is there. Thanksgiving
is not about what we have! ““giving thanks always and for everything to
God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.” We think we have to
wait around for something to be thankful for. Isn’t that our mentality?
Soon as something good happens, I’ll give thanks. Like the hostess who got
her large family seated before a grand Thanksgiving spread. Then she said,
"Before we get started, I think we ought to give thanks to the Lord."
Without skipping a beat, her sister grumbled, "I think we better taste the
meal first." But that is entirely wrong. The Bible says, giving thanks
always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus
Christ.” We don’t have to wait for something to give thanks for. It’s
already here. Someone says, “You don’t understand. My wife just ran off
with my best friend; I lost my job yesterday and had a car wreck on the way
home? Now, you tell me, what do I have to be thankful for?” What?
Well, how about your health. Still have that? Check! Thank God. Have
eternal life through Jesus? Is anything more worthwhile than that? Have
friends who love you? Thank God. Let’s go another level deeper. Has
God promised to direct your paths if you will acknowledge Him in all your
ways? Oh, then you have much for which to be thankful. Let’s face it, we
are wimps when it comes to truly spirituality, are we not? Our faith is
almost indiscernible most of the time.

Listen, I do not mean to minimize hardship and evil. Does God hate rape
and murder and incest and unfaithful spouses and illness just as much as
you do? Of course. He hates it more. It grieves Him to the core of His holy
being. The more righteous one is, the more sin hurts, and God is
infinitely righteous. But recognize this. Every hardship has a purpose in
His master plan. Do we trust Him, or is ours just a good-time faith? Are we
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just fair-weather fans? When God asks us to give thanks for everything, He
is not asking us to be thankful for hateful things – He is asking our
thanksgiving for the wonderful work He is doing through those things. To
be thankful for all does not mean to thank God for the cancer that just
showed up on the catscan – but it means to be thankful that you have a
consistently good God who will not allow a hair of your head to be touched
except for His good. Thankful for all things. If you can do nothing else,
thank God for being God. That is enough.

The Scottish minister, Alexander Whyte, was known for his uplifting
prayers in the pulpit. Always something for which to be grateful. One
gloomy Sunday morning one church member thought to himself, “Certainly
the preacher won’t think of anything for which to thank the Lord on a
wretched day like this." Whyte began by praying, "We thank Thee, O God,
that it is not always like this" Always in season – thanksgiving!

D. Unqualified submission
Now the final result of the Spirit-filled life is found in verse 21: “submitting
to one another out of reverence for Christ.” Most of us fail here. People
have done handstands and stood on their head trying to make this mean
something other than what it obviously means. We do not want to submit –
and certainly not to one another. But rebellion is a sure sign that we are not
filled with the Spirit. The word submit is a military term meaning to
arrange under. Picture soldiers in a regiment, under an officer. The soldier
is in a sense no longer an individual; he is a member of a regiment; subject
to the instructions of the commander. When a man joins the service, he no
longer governs and controls himself; he has to do what he is told. He cannot
go on a holiday when he likes; he cannot get up at the hour in the morning
when he likes. He is a man under authority. That’s the word the Apostle
uses; so what he is saying is this—that we who are filled with the Spirit are
to behave voluntarily in that way with respect to one another. We are
members of the same regiment, we are units in this same great army. We
are to do voluntarily what the soldier is ‘forced’ to do.

Paul expands on this idea in Phil 2:3-4, “3) Do nothing from rivalry or
conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. 4) Let
each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of
others.” There it is in black and white. We can try to duck it, refuse it, and
rebel, but this is the way of the cross for truly Spirit-filled people.
Submission is the willingness to put someone else’s will above my own.
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We will flesh this out all the way through 6:9 as Paul shows submission to
be at the heart of Godly relationships.

Conclusion

Submission. I remember vividly an interesting quote that came from Marla

Maples who later became the second Mrs. Donald Trump. At the height of
her fame as the other woman in the Ivana and Donald Trump breakup, and
prior to her marriage to Donald, Marla Maples spoke of her religious roots.
She believed in the Bible, she told interviewers, then added the disclaimer,
“but you can’t always take [it] literally and be happy.” You can’t always
take it literally and be happy.” In other words, I believe it when I want to
and when I agree with it, but when it tells me not to commit adultery and
live an immortal lifestyle that gives me pleasure – then I don’t take it quite
so literally. Oh, but Beloved, she had it exactly backward, didn’t she? That
is exactly the time when we must believe the most. And as we come to
these extremely practical sections on family and business life, I beg you –
be open to the instruction of the Spirit of God – your momentary pleasure
does not depend upon it, but your ultimate happiness most surely does.
Let’s pray.