Sermon for the Clark's Wedding

Scripture

Ephesians

Ephesians 5:22–33 NASB95

22 Wives, be subject to your own husbands, as to the Lord. 23 For the husband is the head of the wife, as Christ also is the head of the church, He Himself being the Savior of the body. 24 But as the church is subject to Christ, so also the wives ought to be to their husbands in everything. 25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her, 26 so that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, 27 that He might present to Himself the church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she would be holy and blameless. 28 So husbands ought also to love their own wives as their own bodies. He who loves his own wife loves himself; 29 for no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ also does the church, 30 because we are members of His body. 31 For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and shall be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh. 32 This mystery is great; but I am speaking with reference to Christ and the church. 33 Nevertheless, each individual among you also is to love his own wife even as himself, and the wife must see to it that she respects her husband.

1: Marriage is from God

Genesis 1:27–28 NASB95

27 God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. 28 God blessed them; and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it; and rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”

God created man and God blessed them.

Marriage comes from God.

Many have labeled marriage to be traditional. But that term makes it sound archaic, old school, out of touch with the world today.

Instead of traditional, we can say that marriage is biblical.

2: Marriage is for God

And the Bible points to God as the author.

2: Marriage is for God

32 This mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church. 33 However, let each one of you love his wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband.

Marriage only a sign to something greater.

It refers to Christ and the church.

The submission of a wife to a husband is so that it can display how the church submits to Christ.

22 Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord.

The husband being the head of the wife is so that it can display Christ as the head of the church.

The husband’s love for His wife is so that it can display Christ loving the church.

23 For the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the church, his body, and is himself its Savior.

25 Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, 26 that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, 27 so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish.

25 Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, 26 that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, 27 so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish.

29 For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church, 30 because we are members of his body.

32 This mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church. 33 However, let each one of you love his wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband.

The purpose of marriage is to display the glory of God.

3: Marriage is about the gospel.

The gospel is the good news of Jesus Christ.

Jesus gave Himself up for His church so that He might sanctify her.

He cleansed the church by His own blood.

Jesus presents to Himself the church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing.

He made His church to be holy and blameless.

This is the picture that marriage is meant to display.