Discipline of Submission
An eight-week journey walking through Luke’s Gospel and seeking to Rediscover Jesus’ Kingdom, with a deeper dive into the discipline of submission. It’s not what you think. Or maybe it is. But it’s definitely an area in which we all can grow in our walk with God. Can’t wait to grow with each of you every day in theFormed.life.
Previous Resources
Objections to Submission
Today we deal with the objections to submission. The questions in this article help us refine our understanding of Christian submission and how it is antithetical to abuse. But as we refine our understanding of submission, we find there is an objection to Christian submission that is not about abuse at all, and it is something within all our hearts.
So first, to understand how the spiritual discipline of submission is not a call to perpetuate abuse, we need to understand what spiritual disciplines are for. READ THE FULL ARTICLE >
Meditating on God’s Word / Luke 19:8-10
Take time today to memorize Jesus’ astounding words in response to Zacchaeus in Luke 19:8-10. One of the best ways to meditate on God’s word is to chew on it, and one of the best ways to chew on it is to hide it in your heart. Let the concepts, ideas, and images marinate in your soul as you internalize the Word.
"And Zacchaeus stood and said to the Lord, “Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor. And if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I restore it fourfold.” And Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, since he also is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost." - Luke 19:8-10 | DOWNLOAD A LOCK SCREEN GRAPHIC >
Expanding Freedom through Submission / 02
The disciplines are practices at their core where the Spirit of God does His work of shaping us more into the image of Jesus. Practice the discipline of submission in this way today.
Think back to the Tuesday article on What Submission Is NOT:
What areas of your life do you most try to control?
In your different spheres of life (work, relationships, school, etc.) where do you have authority? Have you taken advantage of and misused your authority? MORE QUESTIONS >
Listening for the King / 02
When we listen to God we submit to our limitations by acknowledging it is only God who can cross the divide between Divinity and humanity. Therefore we wait for God to start the conversation. Sometimes he speaks. Sometimes he listens back. But however he moves, it is always in love. Like all forms of submission, listening is vulnerable. We open ourselves up to God having to trust that he will move toward us in a way of love.
A good starting place is to simply state what many saints in the Old Testament said when addressed by God, “Here I am.” READ MORE >
Yielding Prayer | 02
Try to take at least 10 minutes at the end of your day to pray. You can do it alone or with your family or roommates. The prayer of examen is a prayer practice in the evening to reflect upon the day.
The Prayer of Examen | Step 1: Attentiveness THIS WEEK: Read and consider Luke 19:11-27. What does this passage communicate about the concerns of Jesus? | Step 2: Thanksgiving Recall a few things that you were grateful for today. | Step 3: Review Review your day from the moment you woke until this very moment. | Step 4: Repentance Having reviewed your day, confess specifically your sin in it—the things you have done and the things you have left undone. | Step 5: Grace for Tomorrow
Tomorrow is the Lord’s Day. Pray that the Lord will make the Word proclaimed efficacious for you.
Joining Others around God’s Word | 02
Take a moment to recite the Lord’s prayer, either quietly or out loud. If you desire to pray further, you may use the Lord's Prayer as a model, and expand upon the idea found in each individual line by praying that it would be realized in specific ways in your world and context.
Conversation Starters help us dig deeper, connecting Sunday’s sermons with our Monday lives. These prompts have been designed to help you grow with God and with one another. CONVERSATION STARTER: How is your kingdom investment portfolio looking? SEE FULL SET OF QUESTIONS IN THE POST>
Being a Risk Taker for God’s Kingdom
Take time to reread the scripture passage from Sunday (Luke 19:11-27). Review your notes.
What is God bringing back to mind from His Word? Now listen in as Gabe adds one more nuance we wish we could have shared on Sunday. We’ve got a lot to learn from our black brothers and sisters in taking risks for God’s purposes, let’s learn. Let’s walk together.
WATCH VIDEO IN THE POST >
The Discipline of Submission to the Triune God
Each week we take time to learn more about the disciplines. Take the next 5 minutes to go deeper in our understanding of submission to our Triune God. Go online and read this article by Pastor Gabe Coyle. | READ MORE ONLINE >
"Take Lord and receive all my liberty, my memory, my understanding and my entire will, All I have and call my own. You have given it all to me. To you Lord I return it. Everything is yours; do with it what you will. Give me only your love and your grace, that is enough for me.”
- Ignatius of Loyola |
There are two rules you learn quickly in any healthy relationship. The first is that relationships require compromise; no one party gets what they want all the time. The second rule is that words like “never” and “always” are never appropriate and always lead to oversimplification... | READ FULL BLOG >
Meditating on God’s Word | Luke 19:26-27
Scripture Memorization:
Take time today to memorize the promise of self-denial from Jesus in Luke 19:26-27. One of the best ways to meditate on God’s word is to chew on it, and one of the best ways to chew on it is to hide it in your heart. Let the concepts, ideas, and images marinate in your soul as you internalize the Word.
‘I tell you that to everyone who has, more will be given, but from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. But as for these enemies of mine, who did not want me to reign over them, bring them here and slaughter them before me.’”
- Luke 19:26-27
| DIG DEEPER >
Expanding Freedom through Submission | 03
Expanding Freedom through Submission: The disciplines are practices at their core where the Spirit of God does His work of shaping us more into the image of Jesus. Practice the discipline of submission in this way today.
