July 23, 2017
Morning Service

Eph. 5:20-33

 

Bro. Steve, last Sunday morning, encouraged us to walk as children, in love, forgiveness, and trust, as does a little child.  He reminded us that Jesus said, “unless you become as one of these little ones you will in no wise inherit the Kingdom of God.”

Sunday evening we discussed more of chapter five, and finished with these verses;

Eph 5:17-20  Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.  (18)  And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;  (19)  Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord;  (20)  Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ;

Our prayer was asking God to help us seek for more of His Spirit that we might have the love, and joy in our hearts that He would want us to have.

 

This morning He tells us more about His will for mankind, especially His followers.

 

(20)  Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ;

Eph 5:21-33  Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God.  (22)  Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord.  (23)  For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body.  (24)  Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing. 

·         God’s will for wives.  God instructs us all concerning our rolls in life.

The first thing He mentions is that wives should submit themselves to their own husbands as unto the Lord.  Wives you cannot be pleasing to the Lord, and not show due respect to your husband.  And why is this?  He says, “for the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church.”  This is the order that God has placed in the family as it has pleased Him.

·         As we can see this is very conclusive.  Just as the church is to be subject to Christ, the wife is to be to the husband, in everything.

Paul explained this to the Corinthians like this; 1Co 11:3  But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God.

This is the order of authority that Christians are to follow.  To do it any other way will bring about chaos, and confusion, and God is not the author of confusion.  To learn to live in this manner will bring joy, and harmony into your family life. 

            This is not popular in the world today, but you (Christian) are not to conform to the world’s ways, but are to be guided by the Word of God.  And this is, Thus Saith the Lord.

 

 

 

 

 

 

And now,  

(25)  Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; 

·         Jesus said one time, Joh 15:13  “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.”

·        Husbands, the Lord expects you to be willing to lay down your life for your wife.  The ultimate sign of love.

·         And this explanation that follows, concerning Christ, and the church can be applied to the same reason that we should be willing to lay down our lives for our wives.  That this love would show the world that we love our wives, and hole them in the highest esteem.

(26)  That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,  (27)  That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.  (28)  So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself.  (29)  For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church: 

·        The love, and care that we have for our wives, shows the world that she is set apart (sanctified) as something very special in our lives.

·        That she should be without spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing, but that she should be holy, and without blemish.  Just as the church should be to Christ.

·        We should respect, and take care of her, just as we do ourselves, and as Christ does to the church.

(30)  For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones. 

·        This teaching is throughout the writings of Paul, we are members of the body of Christ, the church, and he explains how this pertains to man and wife.

(31)  For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh. 

·        This verse is a quotation from Gen_2:24, as Moses explained creation, and the will of God for mankind in the realm of marriage.

·        When we say our wedding vows, do we really realize the importance of them. 

 As you have pledged to me your life and love, so I too happily give you my life, and in confidence submit myself to your headship as to the Lord. As is the church in her relationship to Christ, so I will be to you. I will live first unto our God and then unto you, loving you, obeying you, caring for you and ever seeking to please you. God has prepared me for you and so I will ever strengthen, help, comfort, and encourage you. Therefore, throughout life, no matter what may be ahead of us, I pledge to you my life as an obedient and faithful wife.

We made our vows to God, and the witnesses at our wedding.  It is something that is very sacred, and serious, so then why are so many taking them so lightly?  Conforming unto the world, and not unto God.  We are not as close to God as we should be.

Paul finishes this discourse with this:

(32)  This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church.  (33)  Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself; and the wife see that she reverence her husband.

 

FATHER GOD, HELP US TO REALIZE THE IMPORTANCE OF THE VOWS WE MADE , AND HELP US HOLD FORTH THE IMPORTANCE TO OTHERS, BY LIVING OUR LIVES FOR YOU.