On this weekend two years after the tragedies of 9-11-01, we are seeing an increased outpouring of hatred in the world.  The armies of the civilized world are doing battle against an enemy unlike we've ever seen before, a powerful force that hates Christians and Jews and rejoices when innocent people are blown up.  It's a radical form of evil that respects no one, not even its own.  This evil cannot be justified by former injury, previous injustice or misunderstanding.  It's an evil that is driven by the powers of Satan.  Ironically, its name is Islam, and its name means "submission."  But it's a forced submission, not one freely given.

          No religious fervor nor oppression can justify the horrors we see done by followers of radical Islam.  Some misguided people, some even Christians, think Allah is just another name for God.  But what we are seeing done in the name of Allah should prove him false once and for all.  No true god would ever call on people to hate and murder the way these adherents do.  No true god would ever promise martyrs perverted pleasures in paradise for indiscriminate killing.  We can only hope that one day all who follow this radical religion of hate will receive the due rewards for their deeds.  "Be not deceived, God is not mocked.  Whatever a person sows, that shall he also reap." (Galatians 6:7)   Meanwhile, we forgive our enemies, but we can't let our guard down.  And we certainly don't consider Allah just another name for the true God.

          Speaking of submission, we turn to today's text, to the inspired words of St. Paul who said, "Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ."  Probably the last time you heard those words was at a wedding.  And possibly many of you only paid attention to the words that follow, "Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord."  And very probably that some of you agreed with the disciples in today's Gospel who said, "This is a hard teaching; who can accept it?" (John 6:60)

          No inspired word from God has taken a greater beating in recent years than these words, for they fly in the face of our American way of equality.  Some even doubt Paul's words are inspired, insisting they're the outdated opinions of a demanding old man who never married.

          But we must start at the beginning, with "Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ."  These are God's inspired Words for all people, not just married people.  God tells us today to submit to each other out of our reverence for Christ, out of a humility modelled on Jesus.  Submitting to each other may seem weakness, but it is strength, and it is the heart of the servant.

          These days marriage continues to take a beating in the secular world.  The battle for the soul of the family started in the sixties and hasn't let up since.  But I'm not here for a diatribe on that subject, nor on what's happened in our courts recently.  The stupidity of that is all too evident.  If our society wants to re-define marriage into anything it chooses, we'll have only ourselves to blame for what will follow.  Today's "enlightened" ideas always get tossed onto the trash pile of tomorrow's "new" opinions.  We must adhere to a Truth that goes beyond today's fickle ideas.

          Today's text is not a negative Word from God, but a positive one.  It's not about giving up your freedom, but about giving yourself up for the sake of being free.  It's about freeing yourself by a deliberate decision to serve others.  It's not about demanding submission, but about submitting to those we love freely, for the purpose of imitating the life Christ lived, who submitted Himself to us.

          In the hundreds of weddings I've done the past 32 years, only once have I asked the wife if she will obey her husband, and that was at their request!  But in nearly all of them I have asked the wife to submit to her husband, and I have equally asked the husband to submit to his wife.  That's what St. Paul was getting at in this text, "Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ."

          Marriage is a gift from God, not a ritual of human rights.  It's a God-given building block of society, not an invention of man.  God ordained marriage to hold society together, for the joy and fulfillment of individuals, and for bringing up children in godly ways.  Cohabitation - living together without marriage - is not God's plan, and the negative consequences of this growing practice are evident.  Live together and the divorce and abuse rate climbs drastically.  People are meant to live in families where there's a permanent commitment.  It's God's good way.

          When God placed Adam over all the creatures in the garden, the Bible says each had its own for companionship.  But the Bible also says that for Adam no suitable companion was found.  So God caused Adam to fall into a deep sleep and while he was sleeping, God took one of Adam's ribs and formed a woman from the rib and brought her to the man.  We've joked about this for centuries.  If you have a story to share about this, please know I've heard them all.

          When God created the world, the Bible also tells us everything was good - the light, waters, vegetation, creatures -- all were pronounced very good.  The only thing not good was Adam's loneliness.  Mankind was not created to be alone.  In Genesis 2:18 God says, "It is not good for man to be alone."  I doubt anyone, single or married, will disagree with that.  Being alone is not how we want to spend our lifetimes.

          In my work with single people the past 20 or so years I've seen again and again how they seek friends, companions and groups where they are accepted and appreciated.  Most married folks think singles groups are only to get people married, but single people gather first for friendship.  If they find a special person there, all the better, but first they seek what everyone seeks - acceptance and friendship.  People of all nations try to create communities, families, groups of like-minded people, usually in acceptable ways, but sometimes not.  God doesn't want us lonely, but to be together.  We all need to be loved, and it's the unusual person who insists that no one else is good enough to be his or her spouse.

          Marriage isn't doing well these days.  It would be tempting to spend time talking about the evils of divorce, but why rehash what we all know?  Yes, the divorce rate is too high, and yes, people do take marriage too lightly.  But sometimes this happens because the people refuse to submit to each other out of reverence for Christ.

          Jesus Christ was a single man.  He never married, but He honored marriage.  He was single, yet He loved women, just as He loved men, and He loved children.  He loved them enough to die for them.  He loved them enough to give Himself for them as the Best Friend mankind has ever had.  "Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends." (John 15:13)

          St. Paul says, "Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ."  I've seen that happen in the kitchen and on the battlefield.  I've seen teenagers submit to their parents out of love, and I've seen strangers lay down their lives for those they've just met.  Voluntary submission is a sign of mature faith, a faith that doesn't worry about who comes in first or who gets the glory.  Submission to one other out of reverence for Christ comes from a faith that lets God get the glory.

          We humans, young and old, married and single, all fail to live up to God's expectations.  We do not submit willingly, but usually begrudgingly.  We often refuse to submit to anyone due to our pride, yet we are still loved by Jesus, and we are forgiven when we trust Him.  Our Lord told stories like the Good Samaritan and the Prodigal Son to show us how to submit.  The Samaritan submitted his money, his schedule, and even his safety to help the beaten man.  The Prodigal Son's father submitted his riches, not once but twice, out of love for his wayward son.

          Jesus is the Good Samaritan taking the chance.  He is the loving father, taking back His child.  He wants us to submit to each other in humility and service.  Last Sunday was Grandparents Day.  Here's a prayer by a 17th century Grandpa who's learned what it is to be a servant.

          "Lord, Thou knowest better than I know myself that I am growing older and will someday be old.  Keep me from the fatal habit of thinking I must say something on every subject and on every occasion.  Release me from the craving to straighten out everyone's affairs.  Make me thoughtful but not moody, helpful but not bossy.  With my vast store of wisdom, it seems a pity not to use it all, but Thou knowest, Lord, that I want a few friends at the end.

          "Keep my mind free from the recital of endless details;  give me wings to get to the point.  Seal my lips on my aches and pains, for they are increasing, and my love of rehearsing them is becoming sweeter as the years go by.  I dare not ask for grace enough to enjoy the talks of others' pains, but help me to endure them with patience.

          "I do not ask for an improved memory, but for a growing humility and a lessening cockiness when my memory seems to clash with that of others.  Teach me the glorious lesson that occasionally I may be mistaken.  Keep me reasonably sweet;  I do not want to be a saint -- some of them are so hard to live with.  But a sour old person is one of the crowning works of the devil.  Give me the ability to see good things in unexpected people.  And give me, Lord, the grace to tell them so.  Amen"

          God grant each of us grace to live graciously as this person did, and to submit to others out of reverence for Christ.  Amen

Copyright © 2003 by Pastor Bob Tasler.  All rights reserved.