Greetings in the name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, who said “I have come down from heaven not to do my own will but to do the will of my Father.” (John 6:38)
Jesus, who was at the bosom of His Father, left His heavenly glory and came down to the earth to do His Father’s will. He made this amply clear while talking to the disciples that “my food is to do the will of Him who sent me and finish His work.” (John 4:34), and on the cross He “finished” the work for which He came. Jesus totally submitted to His Father’s will and set an example for us to follow.
While we know and accept the fact that Jesus was totally obedient to His Father, we often fail to realize the fact that He also submitted to His earthly parents for 30 years. It may be difficult for our little brain to comprehend how Jesus, who was perfect through all eternity, could submit to an imperfect Joseph and Mary. He could do it because that was His Father’s command to “honour your parents.” God commands “Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right…” (Eph. 6:1-2) Not only that this is right in God’s sight, but He also promises blessings to those who obey His command.
In the Bible we observe that God has established some principles of order and authority. Apostle Paul urges the believers to understand God’s order and submit to His will. “I want you to realize that the head of every man is Christ, and the head of the woman is man, and the head of Christ is God.”(1 Cor. 11:3) God has kept authorities over us and we are expected to submit to them. Jesus accepted God established authority. He was totally under the authority of God the Father, though He was equal with Him.
We tend to believe that being under authority makes us inferior but we need to understand that being under authority does not mean inferiority. Jesus was equal with His Father, yet He submitted to His Father. When the Bible asks women to recognize the headship of men, it is not because they are inferior to men, but because it is a God’s order. God’s will and His order need to be respected by all.
For a moment, just imagine, what would have happened if Jesus had not submitted to His Father’s will? We would still be in our sins and would end up in hell. We have received salvation because Jesus submitted to His Father’s will. “He humbled Himself and became obedient to death – even to death on a cross!” (Phil.2:8) Crucifixion was the most shameful and degrading kind of execution that could be inflicted on a person. Jesus was willing to suffer such a shameful death, because it was His Father’s will. Prophet Isaiah says “It was His Father’s will to crush Him and cause Him to suffer.” (Isa. 53:10) And Jesus totally submitted to His Father’s will.
We see two spirits at work; the spirit of rebellion and the spirit of submission. Satan has the spirit of rebellion. The first sin he committed was rebellion against God’s authority. Before the fall, Lucifer was the archangel of God. He fell because he rebelled against God’s authority, but Jesus had the spirit of submission. He overcame the spirit of rebellion by submission to His Father, which brought salvation to us.
We need to examine which of the two spirits controls us. God wants to do great things in our lives, but unless we submit to God-ordained authority and God-ordained order, His purpose cannot be accomplished in our lives.
Jesus knew the will of His Father and totally submitted to His will. David longed to know God’s will when he cried out “to teach me to do your will.” (Psalm 143:10) David’s prayer was not just to know God’s will for him, but he cried out his desire to do God’s will. He was willing to do God’s will whether it was easy or hard; pleasing or painful.
Dear brethren, desire to know God’s will and submit to His will. God expects us to obey Him without reasoning or questioning. “Obedience is better than sacrifice.” Jesus offered Himself as a sacrifice in obedience to His Father’s will. God was pleased with the obedience of Jesus, and He declared “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.”
Let the Lord Jesus Christ be our role model. God wants that we offer our bodies as living sacrifices at His altar in total obedience, holy and pleasing to God.
God bless you!
Pastor Jacob
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