“husbands – Wives – Oneness” – Part Two

“Husbands – Wives – Oneness” – Part Two

Ephesians 5:22-33

Open: Today we are going to be continuing the topic we started on last week – marriage and oneness. Someone has said that marriage often follows a predictable cycle - we first fall in love with a person who we think is ideal, after getting to now them it turns into an ordeal and eventually we want a new deal. Last week we talked about the hard times that have fallen upon marriage. It’s no secret to anyone that marriage and family are under attack. Which is kind of strange when you stop to think about it, isn’t it? Why would any society attack the most basic fundamental structures that bring us the most joy and satisfaction in life? In spite of the hard times marriage is facing. 96 percent of all men and 94 percent of all women will say “I do.” And then most of them, sooner or later in our culture, will say, “I don't,” and get divorced. But the fact of the matter is, well over 90 percent of the people still pursue marriage. The sad reality is they can't make it work and the collapse of marriage and family relationships is certainly predictable in our culture.

Last week we talked about some foundational issues regarding marriage and then took a look the instructions to the wives. Today we are going to be talking to the men. Ill of talking to guys who will want to talk about submission. They’ll go to Eph. 5:22 and point out that it says “Wives submit to your husbands” I’ll have them focus on the first word. “What’s the first word in that verse?” “It’s wives.” “Then that verse has nothing to do with you. That’s for wives not for husbands. Let’s drop down a couple of verses and talk about the husband’s role and responsibility and focus on that.”

Your Marriage is About Something Greater Than Your Marriage.

To properly understand the roles in marriage we’ve got to get a handle on the bigger picture.

For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh. This is a profound mystery - but I am talking about Christ and the church. (Eph 5:21-32)

Now last week we talked about God’s intent in marriage and we talked about the issue of oneness. Being and staying married is not the goal. I know of couples that have been married for years but still missed God’s intent. Do you know of any couples that manage some kind of co-existence under the same roof but have never lived as one? We all do. The goal is not staying married but living in oneness with each other. You can stay married for an entire lifetime and still not accomplish oneness.

Oneness is the goal – but it is not the highest goal – the point of this whole passage is verse 32. Here’s this profound statement - quoting Gen – saying it is a profound mystery – the mystery is not Oneness – the mystery is not what comes before but after - the mystery is that he’s talking about Christ and his church. The mystery is that marriage union - man and woman - is pointing forward to something greater than the marriage itself. The marriage union between man and wife is pointing forward that somehow in the future that Christ and His bride become one. Marriage is about something greater than your relationship. It’s about the picture of Christ and His church becoming One. Something is going to drive your relationship with your wife – it will either be the foundation that God provides in His word or something of your creation. - the problem that you may be having in relationship is not necessarily rooted in being married to the wrong person – but trying to do marriage the wrong way.

- God very often places pictures of something on earth to demonstrate the reality of some greater future fulfillment of that which is being pictured. (He’s into Power Point) Ill – of the tabernacle & temple and the sacrificial system – why the shedding of blood? Heb. 10:4 says the shedding of the blood of bulls and goats cannot provide the remission of sin? So why the shedding of blood – because God was providing a picture of what was to come through the cross of Jesus Christ. Paul is saying that the marriage union is to be a picture of something greater that is to come in the future. – the wedding of Christ and His bride the Church. - understand that your marriage is not about your marriage. Just like the temple was pointing to something greater – just like the sacrifices were pointing to something greater.