SF774 - WHAT IS GOD_S PATTERN FOR THE FAMILY - 9 of 11 ANSWERING LIFES TOUGHEST QUESTIONS (Ephesians 5 22-33)
Ephesians 5:22-33
Introduction
Article 18 – The Family
"God has ordained the family as the foundational institution of human society. It is composed of persons related to one another by marriage, blood, or adoption.
"Marriage is the uniting of one man and one woman in covenant commitment for a lifetime. It is God's unique gift to reveal the union between Christ and His church, and to provide for the man and the woman in marriage the framework for intimate companionship, the channel for sexual expression according to biblical standards, and the means for procreation of the human race.
"The husband and wife are of equal worth before God, since both are created in God's image. The marriage relationship models the way God relates to His people. A husband is to love his wife as Christ loved the church. He has the God-given responsibility to provide for, to protect, and to lead his family. His wife is to submit herself graciously to the servant leadership of her husband, even as the church willingly submits to the headship of Christ. She, being in the image of God as is her husband and thus equal to him, has the God-given responsibility to respect her husband and to serve as his helper in managing the household and nurturing the next generation.
"Children, from the moment of conception, are a blessing and heritage from the Lord. Parents are to demonstrate to their children God's pattern for marriage. Parents are to teach their children spiritual and moral values and to lead them, through consistent lifestyle example and loving discipline, to make choices based on biblical truth. Children are to honor and obey their parents."
The Context
Mutual submission (5:21)
Mandatory infilling (5:18)
Two Key Words
Submission = to stand under
Love = Agape
1A. The Wife: Loyalty Revealed in Submission
1B. The exhortation (22)
Submission is a requirement not a request.
Ø “submit” = present passive imperative
Submission is an attitude not an action.
Ø Submission is based on a relationship - “your husband”
Ø Submission is based on respect - “as to the Lord”
Submission is all encompassing not conditional.
(1 Peter 3:1 NLT) "In the same way, you wives must accept the authority of your husbands, even those who refuse to accept the Good News. Your godly lives will speak to them better than any words. They will be won…."
2B. The example (23)
God has ordained order in every aspect of creation
(1 Corinthians 11:3 NIV) "Now I want you to realize that the head of every man is Christ, and the head of the woman is man, and the head of Christ is God."
This was God order from the beginning.
Adam was made to rule from his head Eve from her heart.
Ø Sin disrupted the order.
Satan deceived Eve with an argument he overcame Adam through his emotions.
Ø The new creation (salvation) renews the order.
3B The expectation (24)
Adam and Eve (Genesis 2) illustrate the church’s past.
Ø The bride came from his side – pictures Calvary.
Isaac and Rebecca (Genesis 24) illustrate the church today.
Ø The servant (Holy Spirit) is sent by the Father to bring the bride to the son.
Joseph and Asenath (Genesis 41:45) illustrates the church’s future.
Ø She was brought from obscurity and elevated to royalty.
2A. The Husband: Love Revealed in Sacrifice
1B. The exhortation (25a)
Love = agapao, unselfish sacrifice
Love is a requirement not a request.
Love is an act of the will not an act of the emotions!
Ø Therefore, love is unconditional.
Love provides and protects.
(Colossians 3:19 NCV) "Husbands, love your wives and be gentle with them."
3B. The example (25b-27)
It is a sacrificial love (25b)
(John 15:13 NIV) "Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends."
Samson illustrates this love for his Gentile bride. He bore the scares of his love. (Judges 14)
It is a sanctifying love (26-27)
The blood of Christ washes away to penalty of our sin. The Word of God washes away the power of sin.
Our “marriage” to Christ makes us better. Our marriage to our wives should make them better.
3B. The expectation (28-29)
We are to love our wives singularly. (28)
(Genesis 2:24 NIV) "For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh."
We are to love our wives supremely (29)
3A. The Home: Unity through Intimacy
1B. The encouragement (30)
Because of our relationship with Christ, we can love our wives with a Christ-like love.
The key is our faith in Christ - not our ability to love.
2B. The example (31-32)
The two most important relationships in life, with Christ and with our mates are mutually inclusive.
The very ability to love our mates is dependent upon our relationship with Christ.
When one is right the other is, if one is wrong both are.
3B. The expectation (33)
Husbands love your wives, sacrificially and sanctifyingly.
Wives love your husbands respectively and reverently
Application
Practical Pointers
Ø Maintain the one flesh principle.
Ø Keep your marriage pure
Ø Demonstrate your love for each other.
Ø Continue to flirt with each other.
Ø Maintain an active dating life with each other.
Ø Recognize that men & women are different.
Ø Set aside time for romance.
Ø Grow spiritually together.
Foundational Truth – “you must be born-again”
WHAT IS GOD’S PATTERN FOR THE FAMILY?
Answering Life’s Toughest Questions – Part 9 of 11
June 21, 1998 - Ephesians 5:22-33
1A. The Wife: Loyalty Revealed in _______________
1B. The exhortation (22)
Submission is a _________________ not a request.
Submission is an ________________ not an action.
Submission is all encompassing not _____________.
(1 Peter 3:1 NLT) "In the same way, you wives must accept the authority of your husbands, even those who refuse to accept the Good News. Your godly lives will speak to them better than any words. They will be won …."
2B. The example (23)
God has ordained _______ in every aspect of creation
(1 Corinthians 11:3 NIV) "Now I want you to realize that the head of every man is Christ, and the head of the woman is man, and the head of Christ is God."
This was God order from the beginning.
3B The expectation (24)
Adam and Eve (Genesis 2) illustrate the church’s ___________.
Isaac and Rebecca (Genesis 24) illustrate the church _______________.
Joseph and Asenath (Genesis 41:45) illustrates the church’s _______________.
2A. The Husband: Love Revealed in ______________
1B. The exhortation (25a)
Love is a requirement not a ____________.
Love is an act of the _____ not an act of the emotions!
Love _________ and ____________________.
(Colossians 3:19 NCV) "Husbands, love your wives and be gentle with them."
3B. The example (25b-27)
It is a sacrificial love (25b)
(John 15:13 NIV) "Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends."
It is a sanctifying love (26-27)
3B. The expectation (28-29)
We are to love our _______________ singularly. (28)
(Genesis 2:24 NIV) "For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh."
We are to __________ our wives supremely (29)
3A. The Home: ____________ through Intimacy
1B. The encouragement (30)
Because of our relationship with Christ, we can love our wives with a _______________ love.
The key is our ____________ in Christ - not our ability to love.
2B. The example (31-32)
The two most important relationships in life, with Christ and with our __________ are mutually inclusive.
3B. The expectation (33)
Husbands love your wives, _________________ and sanctifyingly.
Wives love your husbands _______________ and reverently