October 9

The Purpose of Marriage Ephesians 5:21 - 33

Does anybody know what the purpose of marriage is?  God designed marriage to fulfill a great many purposes.  The devil has spent a great deal of energy trying to destroy marriage.  Have you heard of the battle of the sexes?  What is that all about?  Is it about who is better or who is in control?  Because we fail to understand marriage we do not understand how the church is to relate to God.

1.  I am married to the most wonderful woman in the world

  a. I find her to be extremely attractive, I like being with her

  b. she is special to me and no other woman holds that position

  c. this is the way Christ sees the church

2. So the question is how does the wife relate to the husband or how does the church relate to Christ it is the same question

  a. verse 22 says submit and all the guys are going yah, yah

  b. the ladies just smile and thinking Bless God no way Jose

  c. vs. 24 churches don’t always submit to Christ nor wives to their husbands

  d. Submission is having self-control & trust in the leader

  e. submission in marriage is given  it cannot be forced

  f. it is easily given when we as husbands earn that trust

3. Submission does not take away who we are it enhances who we are

  a. MC boot camp taught submission the chain of command

  b. someone has to be the leader and men that’s you

4. men it is time to take the leadership in your home

  a. you do not need to ask your wife’s permission God has called you to this

  b. the first point of leadership is to seek God

  c. the 2^nd is to love your wife vs. 25 that is agape type love seeking the best for her

  c. express it to her verbally  I know some of you are thinking I told her once if anything changes I’ll let her know

  d. as the leader men you must be concerned about your wife’s welfare vs. 26, 28

5. by God’s design women need to hear you say I love you vs. 26   let’s practice

  a. there are dividends to loving your wife the way she needs to be loved

  b. vs. 27 present to self, radiant, no stain wrinkles or blemishes, holy that is separate & blameless

6. what other ways can you express your love

  a. flowers, candy, supper out, tickets to a play or wrestlemania

  b. most guys are clueless- if not planned it won’t happen so plan

  d. Christ does such things for His church because He loves us

7. Genesis 2:24 two shall become one flesh this is Vs. 32, 33

  a. husbands love your wife and not just as provider

  b. too often we hide ourselves in our work because we are doing it for our wife and family forgetting  that they need us

  c. Christ does for us all the time but to know that He loves us we have to spend time with Him being in church is one way to do that

  d. wives aren’t told to  love their husbands they will do that naturally they are told to respect or reverence their husbands

  e. Proverbs 19:13 this is nothing but an old nag and it is a good way to destroy your husband and marriage

  f.  men need to know that their wife believes in them

8. I’m talking about Christ and the church

When the church gives respect to Christ or the wife gives respect to the husband  by giving praise and adoration that is deserved by listening to what He has to say by submitting to His will then they will realize that Christ loves them and wants to spend time with them.  We cannot talk about marriage and not be talking about Christ and the church.  The words are intertwined.  Understanding how we relate to Christ is learned by understanding the marriage relationship. 

Your Relationship Report Card by Keith Drury

1. I clearly communicate by my lifestyle that my Mate is more important than my work.

2. I often do kind and thoughtful things for my Mate.

3. I have an unconditional commitment to my Mate and divorce is never an option.

4. I do not entertain fantasies of any kind with someone other than my Mate.

5. I joyfully initiate a regular date time with my Mate just for the two of us.

6. I am slow to anger and quick to forgive my Mate.

7. I am able to receive correction from my Mate without getting defensive.

8. My Mate and I have fun together and laugh often.

9. My marriage is a positive example of Christianity to my children.

10. I am a good listener and I am attentive to my Mate’s emotional needs.

11. I respect my Mate as she/he is, and I do not try to change him/her

12. I am a positive Christian role model to my Mate, and encourage his/her personal growth.

 So how are you doing?  Have you got it all together with your relationship with Christ and your spouse?  Sometimes what we need most is to come before the Lord together and pray.