Jesus Did It First

As is my norm in writing, this was specifically written with teenagers in mind

Jesus did it first! Have you ever been hesitant to do something until you saw your family member or your friend do it first? Once they did it you realized, hey! That’s what I want to do too! As a youngest kid in my family, I did this all the time growing up. My brother played baseball, so I wanted to play baseball. My sister took violin lessons, so I took violin lessons. I wanted to be so much like my older siblings that I thought even the chores they did were cool. I remember how Michael always got to be the one who mowed the grass. “I want to mow the grass too!” I would complain to my parents until they finally let me do it. It may have been a chore, but it felt like a privilege doing what Michael had done first. I couldn’t quite be like Mike yet, but I adored him so I tried my best.

Paul, in his letter to the Ephesians, has been telling the believers how to live a life that reflects God’s love and he continues by saying:

“Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.”

(Ephesians 5:21)

This is a message to all of us. When Paul says submit here, think about how we might show others our respect. When you respect others, you treat them how they would like to be treated/how they deserve to be treated.

Sometimes it feels like a chore to treat others this way, but through Christ, it is a privilege. He has never asked us to do something he wasn’t willing and able to do first. When I hosted a middle school karaoke night, I made sure to be the first person to sing. I did a duet with a fellow teacher, we danced, sang, and ran around- giving the performance our all without fear of embarrassment so that the students would see that they could do it too. When students saw us do it first, it made performing in front of their peers something desirable rather than scary. Paul encourages believers that respecting those who have authority, and that treating others with kindness isn’t a chore- it’s a privilege and Jesus did it first!

In this section of the letter, Paul goes into detail about different types of relationships where believers are setting an example for respecting others in the world. The examples he points to are: husbands and wives, masters and slaves, and children and parents. Which one is most applicable to you?

Paul writes a decent amount here to husbands and wives. This picture of my family, is simply an old blurry photo. It only gives you an idea of the real David and Lorrie Kent. Paul says that marriage is like a blurry old picture that should give you an idea of the real love that Christ has for His people, His bride, the church. When you are loved so perfectly, you’ll want nothing more than to respect and submit to the one who loves you.
Paul also talks about how people who are employees (or rather slaves at that time), should work as though their boss is God. He says to work,

“With respect and fear, and with sincerity of heart, just as you would obey Christ. Obey them not only to win their favor when their eye is on you, but as slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from your heart. Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not people,”

(Ephesians 6:5b-7)

Paul wrote this at a specific time to a specific people who understood their own culture. Today, we do not always have the same understanding of that culture and it may bug us to be called servants of God, but Jesus did it first! Jesus touched gross sick people to heal them, as an act of service. Jesus fed people who were hungry, as an act of service. Jesus listened patiently to others, as an act of service. Even on the night that Jesus was betrayed, he washed the disciples dirty, smelly, ugly feet- something only slaves would do. You guys aren’t slaves, you aren’t even servants, but you do have daily work to attend to. Students go to school each day, and their education is a privilege, but there is work for them to do with a good attitude and a humble heart.
But you aren’t who Paul was talking to in that section, so what was addressed to you as young people? Let’s see:

“Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. ‘Honor your father and mother’—which is the first commandment with a promise— ‘so that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth.’”

(Ephesians 6:1-3)

Jesus did it first.

When Jesus was a child we see stories of Him obeying Mary and Joseph on earth, listening to them, following them, and obeying them. More than that, though, we see time and time again Jesus obeying His Heavenly Father, even before His death He asks God to: “Take this cup” asking God to not send Him to the cross, but then says “Not what I want, but what you want” (Matthew 26:39).

Jesus practices being obedient to His Heavenly Father into His very own death. As I got older, mowing the grass became more and more like a chore that I didn’t want to do. I’d be watching Saturday morning tv shows and my dad would tell me it was time to mow. “No, dad. It’s too hot today.” I’d make up excuses. “Can’t Michael do it?” I would try my best to get out of obeying my parents without getting in trouble. Most of the time, I would end up mowing the grass, listening to my favorite music, loving getting to spend time alone, and smiling out at a perfectly cut lawn.

Your parents usually know what’s best for you. Don’t obey because you are scared of punishment, obey your parents because Christ did it first. If you are a Christian who wants to live like Christ, a simple way to start is by obeying your parents. If you do this you become like a blurry photograph that others can look at and see what it looks like to be a loved child of God. If you treat others with respect, the way they want to be treated or the maybe the way they deserve to be treated- just remember: Jesus did it first.