Each One Being Christ (Eph. 6:1-9)

Children and parents

I) Introduction

a.

Requests that take us out of our comfort zoneRequests that take us out of our comfort zoneFrom Death to Life

The Gospel Story – Reshaping Our Story

Each One Being Christ

Ephesians 5:22-6:9

I) Introduction

a. Rules of a new Job: “How to Shine as a New Employee”

i. Know what the company is about, its purpose, values, etc. and operate within those values

ii. Grandview, make and sell cabinets

b. One thing everyone has in common: we are meant for a relationship with God

i. In that relationship we are meant to behave a certain way

ii. The gospel story should reshape our story.

iii. If your goal is to be a circus master, you wouldn’t go into the profession acting like a lawyer. Similarly, you wouldn’t go into court acting like a circus master

iv. In comparison, we cannot expect someone of the world to act like a Christian. Yet, Christian’s should not act like the world.

v. Christians acting like the world is worse than an attorney acting like a circus clown. – The gospel story must reshape our story.

vi. Overview of Ephesians

1. Gospel story

a. We are unified in Christ (in a disunified world) (CH 1)

b. We have an inheritance in Christ (heaven)

c. We have been adopted as sons (Ch 1)

d. Through the Holy Spirit we have been made spiritually alive

e. And been given other spiritual gifts

2. Our Story

a. Walk in the manner worthy of our calling (4:1)

i. Humility, gentleness, patience, in love

ii. Eager to maintain the unity in the bond of peace

iii. Speak the truth in love

iv. When each part is working properly it makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love (show gear illustration)

b. Put off/Put on (4:17-6:9; cf. 4:22-24)

i. Lies (v. 25)

ii. Anger (v. 26)

iii. Theft (v. 28)

iv. Gossip (v. 29)

v. Revenge (v. 31)

vi. Promiscuity

vii. Drunkenness

Today we are going to talk about husbands and wives and how they should behave towards each other. It is good for the unmarried to know this. Why? B/c they may get married. B/c we are all called to disciple others and teach the whole truth of God’s Word.

II) Body

a. Wives (vv. 22-24 cf. Col. 3:18)

i. Explanation

1. -Note: Paul places this first. Why?

a. b/c the husband is the head of the wife

i. he cannot lead if the wife is not allowing him to lead

b. b/c of the fall:

i. Eve’s desire would be contrary to her husband’s (esp. in leadership – husband cannot be the head or take leadership of the home when the wife won’t let him lead) – Takes trust in God to allow husband to lead the family

c. b/c the church must submit to Christ – submit is always first

i. Marriage represents the Church’s marriage to Christ (vv. 31-33)

ii. Note: It’s not a relationship of master/servant, but of lover and beloved

d. b/c marriage is a representation of the church (v. 32)

e. Even we should first submit to Christ, then to others before ourself – also takes faith and trust in Christ to take care of us

2. “submit to their husbands in everything”

a. What it means

i. It is a lover (husband) and beloved (wife) relationship

1. Esp. when 1 Cor. 13 is followed

ii. Women and men have equal worth (Eph. 5:21)

1. Scripture testifies to the equality of husband and wife in terms of personhood and value in the sight of God

a. Jesus talked to a Samaritan woman

b. Gal. 3:28 says that all are one in Christ

iii. Women and men are also different

1. Different needs for love and respect

a. Men: Need to be respected

b. Women: Need to be loved

2. Different roles

a. no role is superior to the other

b. Men have greater responsibility as the spiritual leader and are answerable to God (be thankful that is not you, women)

3. Our culture today tries to say that women can be just like men and do the same things men do

iv. It’s a response to biblical headship

1. Responds to him confidently as he leads

2. “Everything” (v. 24) means all leadership that Christ would approve of – healthy leadership of the husband

v. It means women should encourage their husbands to lead

1. Placing the question on them in important decisions

2. Do not overstep their authority

b. What it doesn’t mean

i. To submit when her husband is a tyrant or acts as her superior

ii. The wife is no longer a unique individual (see prov. 31)

iii. The wife does not have any say so in the relationship (part of husbands loving their wives)

ii. Illustration – D.S. making Soldiers spit on their flag (guidon)

iii. Application

1. When things are not as they should be

a. Wives taking charge out of security – stop!

b. When husbands won’t lead – encourage them to lead

i. Confronting them with respect and love

ii. Ask questions, let them know you value them and their leadership

Wives, you must show respect to your husbands and allow them to lead. However, husbands, you must love your wives and cherish them as Christ does the church.

b. Husbands (vv. 25-33 cf. Col. 3:19)

i. Explanation

1. Love our wives

a. As Christ loved the church (vv. 25-27)

i. Sacrifice our lives (time, our desires, our lives)

ii. Note: when we do things out of love that our wives enjoy and we do not, we find we enjoy doing them, not because of the activity, but because we love our wives and enjoy seeing them happy and having fun

iii. Willing to go places we would rather not go (i.e. hold our wives purse as she shops in Bath and Body Works)

iv. Pastor who does not like shopping with wife at Hobby Lobby

v. We must do what it takes so that our marriages can be holy and without blemish – not always easy, but neither was Jesus’ sacrifice for His bride, the church

vi. To love as Christ loves the church, we must be in a deep relationship with the Lord, leaning on His strength

b. As we love our own bodies (vv. 28-30)

i. He who loves his wife loves himself

1. You have to live with her (do you want it to be pleasant or miserable?)

2. Prov. 21:9 “It is better to live in a corner of the housetop than in a house shared with a quarrelsome wife.”

3. You are “one flesh” Spiritual union

2. Overall reason why we do all of this: b/c marriage is a representation of Christ and His bride, the church (v. 32) – holy and sacred

III) Conclusion

a. It’s all about worshipping Christ and the gospel

b. Our marriage represents our relationship with Christ

i. If our marriage is terrible, then we have a terrible testimony towards others

c. Christ is grieved when we treat each other in an unloving way

d. Christ and the Church (v. 32)

i. Christ is our head

ii. We must respect Christ

iii. We must obey and allow Him to lead (“everything” v. 24)

iv. It is a lover (Jesus) and Beloved (the church) relationship

e. Our marriages will be imperfect, but Christ loves us perfectly

f. Just as we are “one flesh” in our marriage, so are we one in Christ

g. In an age of disunity, it is good to know that through Christ we can have unity

h. Gospel