Podcast Summary: Freedom and Submission by John Stott
Podcast: Faith of Our Fathers
Host: WDAC Radio Company
Speaker: John Stott
Date: August 22, 2025
Episode Theme: The tension between Christian freedom and submission to Christ, and how both are essential and paradoxically lead to rest.
Episode Overview
In this classic message, renowned pastor and theologian John Stott explores the often-overlooked tension in Christian life between freedom and submission. Drawing from the teachings of Jesus and Paul, Stott unpacks the paradox that true Christian freedom is found in willing submission to Christ—a submission that is neither oppressive nor burdensome, but leads to rest and fulfillment.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. The Reality of Tension in Christian Experience
[00:43]
- Many Christians mistakenly believe the Christian life is free from conflict and tension.
- The New Testament, and especially the lives of Jesus and Paul, clearly depict a life full of internal struggles and emotional highs and lows.
“No, the truth is that tension and conflict are integral to real Christianity. The Christian life is a fight to be fought and a race to be run.”
— John Stott [01:56]
2. Freedom and Submission in Scripture
[03:15]
- Both freedom and submission are essential to Christian discipleship.
- Jesus says, “If the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed” (John 8:36), but also “If you love me, you will keep my commandments” (John 14:15).
- Paul emphasizes both: freedom from the law (Galatians 5:1) and becoming “slaves of God” (Romans 6:22).
“If I am a Christian, am I free or am I a slave? ... The only possible answer to this question is both. Indeed, each involves the other and must be interpreted by the other.”
— John Stott [05:23]
3. Jesus’ Dual Invitation: Rest and the Yoke
[06:15]
-
Jesus’ words in Matthew 11:28-30 present:
- An invitation to come and find rest.
- An invitation to take up His yoke.
-
Stott notes that most Christians focus on the first (rest) and neglect the second (yoke).
“We want the rest without the yoke. We want to lose our burden, but we don't want to gain Christ's.”
— John Stott [08:18] -
Yet, both invitations end with the same promise: rest.
“Both freedom and submission bring rest.”
— John Stott [09:49]
4. What Does It Mean to Take Jesus’ Yoke?
[10:05]
- The yoke symbolizes voluntary, willing subordination—accepting Christ as Teacher and Lord.
- True conversion involves both intellectual and moral submission.
“Nobody has been truly converted who has not been both intellectually and morally converted. And nobody has been intellectually converted who hasn't submitted his mind to the yoke of Christ, while nobody has been morally converted who hasn't submitted his will to the yoke of Christ.”
— John Stott [12:24]
5. The Promise of Rest
[13:10]
- Rest is found:
- At the cross, where burdens are lifted.
- In faith, trusting wholly in Christ.
- In taking up Christ’s yoke and submitting to His authority.
- Paradox: True rest comes not by escaping Christ’s yoke, but by submitting to it.
Notable Illustration: Dietrich Bonhoeffer
-
Stott quotes Bonhoeffer’s The Cost of Discipleship:
“Only the man who follows the command of Jesus without reserve and submits unresistingly to his yoke, finds his burden easy, and under its gentle pressure receives the power to persevere in the right way. The command of Jesus is hard… for those who try to resist it. But for those who willingly submit, the yoke is easy and the burden is light.”
— (Quoted by John Stott [15:06]) -
This principle is of great importance in an age hostile to all authority.
6. Why Should We Submit? Christ’s Reasons
[16:58]
-
“My yoke is easy”
- Christ’s yoke “fits” us; it’s not a foreign burden but tailored to human nature.
- God’s moral law is not arbitrary but corresponds to our created design.
“The law of God is not alien to our human nature. On the contrary, it exactly corresponds to it.”
— John Stott [18:40]- Disobedience is sub-human; obedience is truly human.
Modern Illustration:
“With every complicated gadget we buy… we get with it a leaflet of instructions. The person who knows best how anything works is its manufacturer. Just so. The only person who knows how man works… is God, man’s creator. And the Bible is His book of instructions.”
— John Stott [20:26] -
“I am gentle and lowly in heart”
- Christ’s attitude is kind and gentle, never cruel or oppressive.
- Disobeying Christ slanders His character, implying He’s a tyrant—but resistance is a lie from Satan dating back to Eden.
“Every time we disobey Christ and throw off his yoke, we're casting a slur on his character. We're maligning either his wisdom or his goodness.”
— John Stott [22:14]- We are called to trust Him, not the devil's accusations.
7. Call to Response: Daily Submission
[23:56]
-
Stott closes by inviting listeners to self-examination and renewed submission:
- Is there rebellion in your heart or a quarrel with Christ to resolve?
- Submission isn’t a one-time act; it’s a daily choice.
“Just as the Christian takes up the cross and follows Christ every day, so we must take his yoke upon us every day.”
— John Stott [24:27]- Final reassurance:
“My yoke is easy, my burden is light. I am gentle and lowly in heart. You will find rest unto your souls. What more do you need to reassure you?”
— John Stott [25:06]
Notable Quotes with Timestamps
- “The Christian life is a fight to be fought and a race to be run. It includes pain as well as pleasure, sorrow as well as joy, strenuous effort as well as restful trust, and even a certain suspense and fear, as well as love and peace.”
— John Stott [01:56] - “If I am a Christian, am I free or am I a slave?... The only possible answer to this question is both.”
— John Stott [05:23] - “We want the rest without the yoke... But a very striking thing is this truth that although there are two invitations of Jesus, the promise attached to both invitations is precisely the same, namely, rest.”
— John Stott [08:18] - “His yoke is easy and the burden is light. And I'm sure Bonhoeffer is right in what he says here. This is precisely what Jesus teaches.”
— John Stott [15:06] - “Obedience, you see, is not just Christian, it's human. It's behaving as God meant man to behave from the beginning of human history.”
— John Stott [19:43] - “Every time we disobey Christ and throw off his yoke, we're casting a slur on his character. We're maligning either his wisdom or his goodness.”
— John Stott [22:14] - “So then come. Come to Christ. Let him place his yoke upon you. Don't be afraid. Don't struggle, but don't resist. Submit, and in this submission you will find freedom; in this yoke, rest.”
— John Stott [25:20]
Timestamps for Major Segments
- Introduction & Tension in Christianity: 00:43–03:15
- Freedom vs. Submission in Scripture: 03:15–06:15
- Jesus’ Dual Invitation: 06:15–10:00
- Taking Jesus’ Yoke (Submission): 10:05–13:10
- The Promise and Paradox of Rest: 13:10–16:58
- Why Christ’s Yoke is Easy (Fits Our Nature): 16:58–20:26
- Why Christ’s Burden is Light (His Character): 21:00–23:56
- Closing Appeal: 23:56–25:50
Tone & Language
Stott’s tone is clear, logical, pastoral, and convicting. His message is both gentle and challenging, urging deep reflection and practical obedience without harshness.
Conclusion
John Stott powerfully articulates the paradox at the heart of Christianity: True freedom is found not in autonomy, but in willing, trusting submission to Christ. Far from being oppressive, Christ’s yoke is tailored to our nature and born out of His gentleness. Those who embrace both freedom and submission, Stott assures, will find the soul-deep rest and liberty that Christ alone can give.