A Good Soldier Is Submissive (Part 2)

Below are notes to a sermon preached Sunday morning, Sept. 5, 2004, at Gospel Light Baptist Church, Albany, Georgia. 

A GOOD SOLDIER IS SUBMISSIVE – PART II

By Michael D. O’Neal                   Pastor, Gospel Light Baptist Church                    Albany, Georgia

Scripture Reading: Matthew 8:1-13

Text: Matthew 8:9

Matthew 8:9 For I am a man under authority, having soldiers under me: and I say to this man, Go, and he goeth; and to another, Come, and he cometh; and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth it.

Introduction: The man in our text was a soldier of great responsibility. He was a centurion, which meant he was in charge of 100 soldiers.

He said that he said to a man, “Go, and he goeth; and to another, Come, and he cometh; and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth it.” In other words, soldiers submitted to him.

However, he also submitted to those over him, for he said, “I am a man UNDER authority.”

One secret to being a good soldier is to be submissive to authority.

You should NOT be submissive to the WRONG authority. The Bible says for wives to obey their husbands, but to their OWN husbands.

You should NOT submit

1. To the devil – like Eve did
2. To doubters, such as the 10 spies of Israel
3. To distracters – Nehemiah said, “I’m doing a great work, so that I can’t come down.”
4. To deserters – John Mark, Demas, quitters

A GOOD SOLDIER IS SUBMISSIVE

I. A GOOD SOLDIER IS SUBMISSIVE TO CHRIST WITH GRATITUDE

Romans 12:1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.

A. Grateful to Jesus’ submission to the Father and to the plan of redemption

B. Grateful for Jesus’ sacrifice
   1. He left home
   2. He endure hardship and suffering
   3. He died in agony

C. Grateful for Jesus’ salvation
   1. No condemnation
   2. Liberated
   3. Heaven-bound
   4. Eternally secure

II. A GOOD SOLDIER IS SUBMISSIVE WITH GLADNESS

Deuteronomy 33:29 Happy art thou, O Israel: who is like unto thee, O people saved by the LORD, the shield of thy help, and who is the sword of thy excellency! and thine enemies shall be found liars unto thee; and thou shalt tread upon their high places.

Psalms 146:5 Happy is he that hath the God of Jacob for his help, whose hope is in the LORD his God:

Proverbs 16:20 He that handleth a matter wisely shall find good: and whoso trusteth in the LORD, happy is he.

A. Glad because of the cause he saw
   1. David – Is there not a cause?
   2. Our cause is to glorify God
   3. Our cause is to keep people out of hell!
         
B. Glad because of the choice he made
   1. To enlist
   2. God’s army is an all-volunteer army

C. Glad because of the Commander he has
   1. President Bush is the preferred Commander-in-Chief (by vote)
   2. The Lord Jesus Christ is the PERFECT Commander-in-Chief!

III. A GOOD SOLDIER IS SUBMISSIVE WITH A GUARANTEE

James 4:7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

A. Submission is a prerequisite
       
B. Success is a promise

C. The Savior is the POWER (Ephesians 6:10; Philippians 4:13)

The submission that saves is described in Romans 10:3.

The submission of a soldier of Christ is to:
Believer’s baptism
Church membership
Separation
Service and the work of the ministry
Soul-winning