Desiring God Conference: Session 1

David Wells is the speaker for the first session.  Before he was introduced to speak, we had a great time of singing praises to Jesus our King.  I need to say that I was impressed with Christ as the exalted king in ways that have not impressed my heart and mind so powerfully in the past year.  I was overwhelmed by the fact that Jesus rules over everything, thoughts, churches, sickness, heresies, unbelievers, philosophies, and anything else that exists.  We read responsively from Colossians 1:15-23 and that was a blessing.  Maybe we should do that in our church sometimes.

There were many phrases from many songs that impacted me.  The song, “A Mighty Fortress,” is a theme song of the conference, where the title of the conference (and David Wells’ book) gets its name.  When we sang this I was encouraged that Jesus is on our side and that we have a battle in which we must battle courageously.  Another line that really impacted me during the singing was from a song entitled, “Thank you Jesus.”  The line said, “Once your enemy, now seated at your table, thank you Jesus.”  I was picturing Christ the king, at a feast with a long table and many guests.  Then I pictured me somewhere at the end of the table, a former enemy of the king who has been pardoned by the king taking my punishment and granting me forgiveness.  I started thinking of all the reasons I should not be invited to the table.  I praise God for Jesus kindness and death for me!

The message: I’ll just post the things that impacted me in this post (you can look at my post of my notes I took during the lecture and a link to the official blog summary of the conference by clicking here).

The main thing I was struck by was the supremacy of Jesus and how this supremacy means he is to be central and seen as sufficient.  David Wells showed how Jesus is supreme in the book of Hebrews, showing in 1:3-4 that Jesus is connected to creation, eschatology, providence, salvation, resurrection (implied), and resurrection.  The reason the Jews who received the book of Hebrews thought about leaving Christ, great as he was, was because they were afraid of persecution and estrangement from family, the temple, the synagogue, and Judaism.  So the author exhorts them to live by faith (Hebrews 11), trust in God and Christ even though you can’t see him with your physical eyes.  The threat for the Jews was persecution to take them away from regarding Christ as supreme, for us in the West, it is the technological benefits and lifestyle that distracts us from regarding Christ as suppreme in every aspect of our life and thought.

Christ will have the world under his feet and conquer as king (Hebrews 2:8-9).  He is also the priest who finalized the work (Hebrews 10:11-13).  Jesus’ sovereignty is spoken of in connection to his sacrifice on the cross.  This guaranteed Christ’s victory that is still to come, the decisive battle has already been won.

David’s conclusion that hit me was as follows: Christianity is only about the Christ presented in the Scriptures: victorious, unchallengeable, inevitably going to conquer – he is central, supreme, and sufficient.  This full-orbed understanding of Jesus is the only message we are to proclaim and believe and never shrink back.  The early Jewish Christians were tempted to shrink back out of fear of persecution, we’re tempted to shrink back out of fear that we will not be successful (which shows our warped understanding of what “success” is).  We are to acknowledge Jesus NOW as King and supreme ruler.  The Father delights in this, and this is the way we live the way we were originally created to live, as those gladly submitting to and exalting King Jesus.

After the message Frances and I told David Wells why we’re thankful for his ministry and asked him to sign our books and take a picture with us.  I’ll post the picture later.

Live From Minneapolis! God is good!

Praise the Lord.  We flew from Ontario to Salt Lake City to Minneapolis.  Quick summary:

1. I left the Diamond Bar house to take Yek and Lou to LAX to fly to Minneapolis at 10:15PM.  There flight was at 1AM.
2. I slept at 1:55AM, because Caleb and I got into a discussion of biblical theology, systematic theology, and hermeneutics (good times!)
3. We woke up at 3:20 instead of 3:00AM, our goal was to be at Ontario airport by 4:00AM, since our flight left at 6:10AM.
4. We dropped off Elijah at my mom’s house at 3:55AM and then Caleb dropped us off at the airport.
5. We landed in Salt Lake City.  Here I went to sleep on the bench while Frances was somewhere else in the airport.  We had to board at 9:40 and I woke up at 9:42, without my glasses, and saw Frances far away walking towards our gate so I shouted, “Frances!  Frances!”  And then I realized it was not her.  I was not embarassed at the time, but Frances, Yek, Lou and I were laughing about that.  I’m blind!  So I called her cell and found her.
6. We landed in Minneapolis, and Yek and Lou picked us up and dropped us off at our hotel.
7. We’re taking a nap now, and will wait for Yek to pick us up to bring us to the convention center for the first session of the conference.

Thank you Lord for your grace so far.  You are so kind.  Please show your kindness to those at Bible study back home and to those who are attending the conference tonight.  In Jesus’ name, amen.

Albert Mohler on Evangelical Christians and loyalty to a political party

Al Mohler has an insghtful discussion on whether Christians should be republican or democrats, why, how long, and for what ends. 

Book: The Deliberate Church, by Mark Dever – chapter 1 “The Four P’s” (part 3)

         The third P is for “personal discipling relationships.”  Mark Dever had a good suggestion of inviting the members after the Sunday service to call him in order to set up a lunch appointment.  I wonder if Dever allows appointments with other women.  My friend Derek sent me a link that may answer that question.  Anyway, those who set up meetings will probably be willing to meet again, and eventually this opens up areas for conversation, encouragement, correction, accountability, and prayer.

            The goal in personal discipling relationships is to get to know them, love them in a distinctively Christian way, in order to do them good spiritually.  The pastor must initiate care and concern for others.  Dever then gives several reasons why this practice can be good.  Think tank points 2 and 3: (2) Pick one person in your church whom you could start getting together with for his spiritual good and (3) pick a book or booklet that you’d like to read and discuss with him.  I meet with Caleb, but it probably would be beneficial to read through something together.  Others I want to be more intentional are Yek, Lou, Ryan, Buzz, Alex, Big Jon, Jireh, and Emon.  These guys are in teachers’ training.  I wonder if God wants me to disciple some of these guys.  I also have to keep in mind that discipling my wife is of utmost importance and then I must encourage her to do others good too in her intentional meetings with them.

            At CFBC, among the older men, this does not seem to be practiced well among them.  This has to be taught, and unless any of them want to meet with me, which I’ll gladly do, I’ll continue to meet with those whom God has put directly in front of me.

            The fourth P is patience.  This keeps pastors from splitting churches or destroying lives unnecessarily.  The key is to not change things right away, run at a pace the congregation can keep up with, teach before you demand change, and be patient when others don’t agree with you when you haven’t taught it or when it is still fresh in their minds.  Plant seeds and wait for the growth.  Think ahead and plan for the next 20, 30, 40 years of your life.  When you find a church, plan on staying there for the rest of your life if possible.  If you are a young guy (like me), then choose your church wisely knowing that you can’t see all the possible outcomes.  Nevertheless, plan on staying for a long time if possible.  Remember that God will judge in the end, so keep eternity in mind and not simply the moment.  Also, define success by faithfulness, not numbers and you will be able to be patient while being faithful with your given situation rather than getting frustrated.

            Personally, I need to be faithful with the ministries God has given me at CFBC even though there are some things I’d change if I could at this point.  I need to remember that my first and primary responsibility is to be faithful in my ministry, speak kindly, faithfully, and honestly to the leadership, and do what I can to bring about change without being impatient or unnecessarily frustrated or divisive.  After reading this, I feel like I need to write a paper to my partners in the ministry to love and serve them by honestly speaking up, being ready to patiently wait and be faithful, whatever God ordained.

Book: The Deliberate Church, by Mark Dever – chapter 1 “The Four P’s” (part 2)

The second P is for praying.  The second duty of the pastor, next to preaching is praying.  Dever suggests we pray (1) Scripture prayers (like Paul’s for example), (2) for faithful, accurate, and clear preaching of the gospel, (3) for spiritual maturity and growth for the congregation, (4) for sinners to be converted, and (5) for opportunities for personal evangelism for yourself and your church members (35-36).

Pastors should pray for their congregation’s members by name, working through the list of members by praying 1/30 of them a day (so that at the end of the month you pray for all).  That’s a good idea.  Dever suggests you pray a Scriptural prayer for them and one or two things that you know that they are going through at that moment in their walk with Christ.  That’s a rebuke to me, because often times my prayers get impersonal and general, which can be good, but should be mixed with personal specifications for the person prayed for.  This demands that the pastor get to know the sheep in his flock so that he can pray for them more particularly.  What a challenge!  This brings up a host of potential questions to get to know and serve the church.  Questions like: (1) Is there anything heavy on your shoulders lately? (2) What challenges are you facing this week?  (3) How are your most important relationships doing?  (4) What can I do to help your walk with God?  (5) Who has God been placing on your heart to serve (believer or unbeliever)?  (6) What are the sins that are most alluring and attractive as of late?  (7) What temptations are you facing?  How are you handling them?  How precious has the cross of Christ been in light of your recent trials and temptations?  Questions like these should give the pastor a good idea of what he could be asking God to do to glorify himself in the lives of the members.

Think tank question #2: What 3 Bible passages will you memorize for the purpose of praying for your church?  PJ’s answer: Colossians 1:9-12; 3 John 4 along with John 17:17; and Jude 24.

 

Book: The Deliberate Church, by Mark Dever – chapter 1 “The Four P’s” (part 1)

The first ”P” is preaching (followed by praying, personal discipleship, and patience) 

The preaching of the gospel is what gives life.  There is a need for churches and Christians to know, live, and embrace the gospel everyday in their Christian experience.  I know that I can use the grace of the gospel in my life right now, for I feel distant from God due to sin in my life and a callous heart in some ways.  I know it displeases God so I need to go to him, only he can save me.  And the gospel, believed and acted upon is my only hope. 

Dever states that churches need to have pastors who preach the Word because it is the Word that produces, sustains, and strengthens life (which answers question #1 of the think tank on p. 37).  The Word is often a way of saying the gospel message.  There is a need for Jesus Christ and the gospel to be preached and directly related to the content of what is preached every Sunday morning. 

I think the evangelical preaching I grew up hearing and have been accustomed to in my theological training has been strong on emphasizing the “Word” as the Scripture.  But a closer look at the use of the term “Word” in relation to preaching seems to be equated with the gospel message.  Indeed, Paul made it his aim for his hearers to know nothing except Jesus Christ crucified.  The reason I think for this weakness in the preaching I’ve benefited so much from (and prefer to 98% of what is out there in churches today!) is a lack of biblical theology and gospel centricity that you find in the model of the early church.  The epistles assume it in many instances, and so do the evangelical churches I’ve sat in to hear the “Word” preached.  Preaching the Word must be Scriptural, but it must also be tied to the gospel message every time.  (Recommended resources in this regard are: Christ-Centered Preaching by Bryan Chapell and Preaching the Whole Bible as Christian Scripture, by Graeme Goldsworthy).

At the end of the day, the pastor’s first priority is to study, apply, and preach the Word to his congregation.

Psalm 71 – Watch your Mouth, and I’ll watch mine

I was struck by how many times the Psalmist mentioned his speaking of God and his works: “My praise is continually of you” (v. 6), “my mouth is filled with your praise and with your glory all the day” (v. 8), “I will praise you yet more and more” (v. 14), “My mouth will tell of your righteous acts, of your deeds of salvation all the day, for their number is past my knowledge” (v 15), “I will remind them of your righteousness” (v. 16), “I still proclaim your wondrous deeds” (v. 17), “[Don’t forsake me in my old age] until I proclaim your might to another generation, your power to all those to come” (v. 18), “I will praise you with the harp… I will sing praises to you with the lyre” (v. 22), “My lips will shout for joy when I sing praises to you” (v. 23), “My tongue will talk of your righteous help all the day long” (v. 24).

 

How is my praise to God?  How frequent is it?  How much of my day is filled with praise?  How exuberant and overwhelmed is my heart and the wonderful grace of God revealed in Jesus Christ?  How much of my words to others are about what God has done or is doing (either in Scripture, history, or my personal experience in this world)?  I want to be like the Psalmist.  I want to be so close to God that I talk about him a lot and praise him a lot from within.  I don’t want people to feel like I force a conversation about God with them, but at the same time I want to be intentional to point our attention to Jesus Christ in some significant or God-centered way that at the same time cares for and takes into consideration the person (or persons) with whom I am speaking.

Does God want us to be prosperous? Joel Osteen vs. Rick Warren

Prosperity gospel teaching in the U.S. is big and needs to be thought through biblically.  If you have many Christian friends you probably have some friend or family member who believes in this false teaching. It is not that you are not a Christian if you adopt this mentality, though for many who do the gospel according to the Bible is unclear and often times pushed to the periphery for other things.  This ought not to be so.  From a Christianity Today resource (click here to see the complete blog post), I read a post that contained these two quotes, who do you think is right, if any, and why?  (Leave a comment)

Joel Osteen says:

“Does God want us to be rich?” he asks. “When I hear that word rich, I think people say, ‘Well, he’s preaching that everybody’s going to be a millionaire.’ I don’t think that’s it.” Rather, he explains, “I preach that anybody can improve their lives. I think God wants us to be prosperous. I think he wants us to be happy. To me, you need to have money to pay your bills. I think God wants us to send our kids to college. I think he wants us to be a blessing to other people. But I don’t think I’d say God wants us to be rich. It’s all relative, isn’t it?”

Rick Warren says:

“This idea that God wants everybody to be wealthy?”, [Rick] Warren snorts. “There is a word for that: baloney. It’s creating a false idol. You don’t measure your self-worth by your net worth. I can show you millions of faithful followers of Christ who live in poverty. Why isn’t everyone in the church a millionaire?”  (Elsewhere, as quoted on the blog post Rick Warren has said) “I don’t think it is a sin to be rich. I think it is a sin to die rich.”

For Al Mohler’s thoughts on this, you can read his blog (posted 9/13) or a radio show he dedicated to this topic.

Thoughts on hermeneutics with implications for biblical theology

I think the problem with “single-meaning only” exegetes are that they discount the authorial intent of both the human author and the divine author. If you see it as the human author understanding both comprehensively (border-line omnisciently!) the full extent of his words at his point in the flow of redemptive history, I think that is uncalled for and an inaccurate understanding of progressive revelation and the nature of revelation as a whole.

Gladly Submit to Jesus (Sermon – 9/10/06)

Intro:

· Today, like in all ages, there is a lack of submission to authority. This seems like it is more prevalent today than in the previous centuries however.

o The modern era, characterized by science and reason, gladly rebelled against the authorities of the traditions in previous generations.

o In the postmodern era, people are glad to rebel against modern authorities because science and reason are still interpreted, and who’s to say that your interpretation of the facts are better than mine.

o Either way, whether postmodern or modern, the rebellion from authority has been easier socially these past few hundred years.

o With the freedom of speech, many use it to slander the authorities, in many cases without proper research and validation of their information.

o Many don’t understand why they need to submit to church leadership or why they even need to commit to a particular local church, but feel they can have a personal individualized religion or relationship with God.

o Test yourself: would you feel cheated or unjustly treated if you were giving a speeding ticket for going 5 miles over the speed limit for an extended stretch?

We tend to rebel against authority. We don’t like accountability and someone calling out our actions and telling us to submit to someone else’s way of doing things. The postmodern climate today says, you have your view and I have mine, I don’t have to submit to what you say and you don’t have to submit to what I say.

Postmodern or not, we as sinners who are self-centered naturally detest authority:

o Wives to husbands

o Children to parents

o Students to teachers

o Employees to bosses

o Citizens to state officers (judges, police, etc)

o Husbands, parents, teachers, bosses, and state officers to God.

· (Define terms for proposition): The point is that we don’t naturally like to submit to anyone or anything, and this comes out when an authoritative demand crosses or contradicts one of our self-centered desires (we can keep the peace until then).

· (FCF): The problem gets worse for Christians and those who want to please God. Not only do we have to submit to God and Christ, we have to do it with gladness and enthusiasm and joy and faith that he knows what is best, even when we don’t get it ourselves.

Psalm 100:2 Serve the LORD with gladness! Come into his presence with singing!

1 John 5:3 For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome.

Psalm 40:8 I desire to do your will, O my God; your law is within my heart.” (better trans. “delight”)

Proposition

Gladly submit to Jesus, because his authority is true and compelling.

So how are we going to do this? There are many things: the grace of God, the answers to humble prayer, but to help us in this today, we’ll study God’s Word.

We trace 4 aspects of Jesus authority here that become 4 reasons (in a sense) why you should gladly submit to Jesus. My aim is not that at the end of the sermon you will be able to name these 4 to each other but that you will be compelled to gladly submit to whatever Jesus tells you to do, because his authority is glorious and true and compelling.

I. Gladly submit to Jesus’ authority because he is the Messiah (vv. 1-3)

“The miracles that Jesus performs attest who he is and the mission he was sent to accomplish” (Carson, 158).

A. Healing leprosy is messianic (cf. 11:5)

B. Jesus cleanses the unclean (v. 3) – instead of himself (the undefiled) being defiled, the defiled becomes undefiled with contact in this case (contra Lev. 13-14)

C. Jesus’ will happens (v. 3)

D. The Law of Moses confirms Jesus unique power, showing a unique and greater purpose of the Torah, the Law (better the “instruction”)…

o A “proof” of what (v.4)

o A proof that he has been healed by Jesus.

o If he is healed by Jesus power though he was a leper, what does that say about Jesus? At the very least it says that you must seriously consider his claims.

o The Law is used here to point to Jesus, who is the fulfillment of the OT. The OT points to Jesus in prophetically in different ways, direct statements, types, or sometimes part of a matrix that pointed ahead.

Application:

1. Come humbly to Christ and ask for grace, don’t come as a judge over him trying to make him your genie or slave.

2. Think through and meditate on the significance of Jesus being the Messiah and how the OT pointed to and anticipated him, and then stand in awe of Jesus and worship him for that. This is the discipline of biblical theology. A whole new dimension that has deepened my understanding of God and Christ has helped me as I have begun to think through the significance of Jesus as the Messiah pointed to in the OT.

a. Read the NT and see how they quote and refer to the OT.

b. Master the storyline of the Bible, particularly the OT story.

c. Find good resources to study and help you put some of these things together.

d. The key is to think “big picture” when reading your Bible and not stopping after you get a quick devotional insight for application to your life.

Transition: the 2^{nd reason/aspect of Jesus’ authority II. Gladly submit to Jesus’ authority because when Jesus speaks, God speaks (vv. 5-9)}

A. The soldiers respect for a Jew in this case is surprising. The conquered peoples were usually not as well respected as the conquering people (the Romans). It was not that the Roman did not want Jesus to defile himself, he had faith that Jesus could simply heal by his word.

B. The understanding of authority for the Roman soldier

i. He speaks with the authority of the ones above to those below and to oppose him is to oppose Rome.

ii. He understood that when Jesus speaks, God speaks, and therefore it will be effective.

Application:

1. Strive for this faith. “It trusts Jesus’ word, reflects a simple profundity, and believes that when Jesus speaks, God speaks” (D. A. Carson, FTLG 1, Jan. 8).

2. Read Christ’s words, read the apostles’ words (which is the NT). See them as the very words of God.

3. Be broken, humble, and tremble at God’s word.

“This is the one to whom I will look: he who is humble and contrite in spirit and trembles at my word.”

Don’t toy around with this. Don’t trifle with this. Break the habit that many like us so easily build the longer we are Christians, namely, reading the Bible and not obeying it, not trembling before it, taking it lightly.

Read it, trust it, obey it, repent and be broken at your failure to obey it, trust its solution for your failures, and tremble before it. These are the words of God.

We sing many songs like this so easily, we need to think of what we are actually telling God we will do!

“Refiner’s fire, my heart’s one desire, is to be holy, set apart for you Lord. I choose to be holy, set apart for you my master, ready to do your will.” – that last line, it’s good, but it is scary. But if God speaks, you better tremble, and tremble with gladness.

Transition: the 3rd reason/aspect of Jesus’ authority

III. Gladly submit to Jesus’ authority because it comforts the believer and terrifies the rebellious (vv. 10-13)

A. Describe Hell (cf. 13:42, 43; 24:51; 25:30).

B. The only difference between those who go and those who do not is not how “good” they are, how much they know, where they are from, who they are related to, or how religious they are. Jesus is contrasting in this text Gentiles with religious Jews, not the Hitler’s and Osama Bin Laden’s of the world. Religious people who know their Bible’s (the OT at the time). The difference is faith. Who their faith is in and what their faith is like…

C. The faith of the leper and the centurion, faith that recognizes that they are in desperate nee d and that Jesus is the only sufficient answer to our need.

D. You must recognize the authority of Jesus and hunger above all that Jesus might use such authority to help you in ways that you cannot help yourself.

Application

1. Understand that your religion cannot save you. Your church cannot save you. Your doctrine cannot save you. None of these enable you or position you to receive the redemptive accomplishments of Jesus. It is faith! Real faith. Faith that trusts what Jesus did and not what you know or did or do. Faith that believes that he is better than all, that takes Christ as his treasure in place of his own righteousness, religiosity, and in place of his sinful God-ignoring pleasures, be it sexual immorality, greed, lying, idolatry, materialism, independence from God, or other sins.

2. Feel the reality of eternity by meditating on passages and truths of Heaven and Hell. Use your imagination, picture yourself or others there, imagine those who are already there, and as you follow Christ, be changed.

Revelation 21:8 But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.”

Revelation 22:1 Then the angel1 showed me the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb 2 through the middle of the street of the city; also, on either side of the river, the tree of life1 with its twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit each month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. 3 No longer will there be anything accursed, but the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and his servants1 will worship him. 4 They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. 5 And night will be no more. They will need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be their light, and they will reign forever and ever.

Transition: the 4th reason/aspect of Jesus’ authority

IV. Gladly submit to Jesus’ authority because his authority is a function of his work on the cross (vv. 14-17)

A. The point of the details- to show how effective and instantaneous is Jesus healing power. He only needs to exercise his authority and it is done.

B. Our focus this morning is on the interesting statement Matthew and the Holy Spirit make in verse 17. What does that mean?

C. Sickness was believed to be connected with sin. Though not all physical sickness is connected with sin directly, all of it is a result of sin in this world and when Jesus comes it will all be taken away (Rev 21:4; 22:3)

D. All sickness is a condition of our sinfulness and should cause us to examine ourselves to see if there is a direct link between our physical condition and sin. Some sickness is a result of a specific sin.

i. For me personally, as I reflected on this, I thought to myself that my strep throat and now soar throat may be caused by my not giving 100% of my effort and soul into message preparation the past few months. So I repented of that and trust in Christ, and move on by his grace.

E. Some diseases God heals instantly, some he does not, but he is sovereign in choosing and is always good.

F. The healing here and all healing are arrows pointing to the consummated kingdom when Jesus shall finally and pervasively reign.

G. They are not only performed out of power, but out of the fruit of his work on the cross that was yet to be completed.

H. All blessings of our lives are tied directly to the atoning death of Jesus (cf. Rom. 8:32).

I. The healing problem is that some think we have a right to be healed ALL the time and if we are not it is because of our lack of faith. Others believe that there is no physical healing right now but only when the kingdom consummates.

J. The balance is that healing comes now at times as a privilege and application of the cross, but no one lacks a glorified body now on earth because of missing faith. It is not time yet. The guarantee is for all of us later with some benefits to be enjoyed now as God deems fit whether “miraculously” or through normal means.

So Jesus’ authority to heal and cast out demons is tied to his cross-work, which is the center of our faith and the nucleus of the message of the Bible.

Conclusion (EYE CONTACT):

· Summarize

o Jesus is authoritative and we should submit because he is

§ Messiah

§ Speaking for God

§ The way to eternal bliss

§ The one who made the atoning sacrifice which provides all the grace we will ever need and enjoy.

A word to the Non-Christian – If you are a non-Christian here today saying, that’s exactly why I don’t want to become a Christian! I don’t want Jesus, his apostles words written, the Bible, or the church to tell me what I can and cannot do. I want to be free! No one should tell another person how they should live. We should all be free.

1. You get upset at some things if other people use their freedom in ways you think are wrong (whether against you or someone else) – like murder, stealing, etc.

a. Why can you impose those standards or get upset. You have no right to.

2. You are not free, but a slave of whatever you treasure. Jesus is the only master who died for your sins and will give you the joy and freedom that those other masters promise, but never deliver.

· Climax

o Do you gladly submit to this glorious person named Jesus? Do you bow before him with humility and seek his grace when you fall short? Do you trust in his grace enough to obey him? Do you give him the credit when you do obey and are moved to love God more?

· Last line

Bow gladly to our King,

and because of who he is,

submit to him in everything.

Our King is Jesus!!!