"Agape"

U.S. Army Chaplain (MAJ) Ken Harris, Jr.

West Fort Hood Community Chapel

Second Sunday of Easter Worship Service

Killeen, TX

11 April 2010

Big Idea: Husbands should AGAPE their wives until death separates them.

Scriptural References: EAI (Expository; Application; Illustration); 1 Corinthians 13 (The Love Chapter); 2 Corinthians 5:6-7 (ESV) So we are always of good courage. We know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord, for we walk by faith, not by sight; Ephesians 5:25-32 (ESV) … In the same way husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church, because we are members of his body. Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.” This mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church. However, let each one of you love his wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband; Genesis 2:22-24 (ESV) And the rib that the LORD God had taken from the man he made into a woman and brought her to the man. Then the man said, “This at last is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man.” Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh. And the man and his wife were both naked and were not ashamed; Mark 10:7-9 (ESV) For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.’ So they are no longer two, but one. Therefore what God has joined together, let man not separate.”

I. ANNOUNCE THE PERICOPE: Ephesians 5:25-32 (ESV)

II. READ THE PERICOPE: Ephesians 5:25-32 (ESV)

III. READ THE TEXT: Ephesians 5:28 ESV (In the same way husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself).

IV. PURPOSE: To motivate the hearers to affirm to others that HUSBANDS should AGAPE their wives until death separates them.

V. SERMONIC THEME: “AGAPE”

VI. INTRODUCTION:

Last Sunday, Resurrection Sunday, we discussed moving forward after the Resurrection because Christ is risen.

This week, wild Flowers are budding, and popping up all around us. Birds are chirping and the Harris’ Family has officially graduated from their Second High School Senior’s Prom. Son – number two (Kendall) - celebrated his High School Senior Prom on last evening. He and his date delighted our sense of sight! Together, they looked absolutely ravishing in their Spring colors of Yellow and White!

It’s Spring Time! Many of you can attest to the sounds of Wedding Bells and utterances of “I … DOs” heard from both near and far. In fact, my wife (Dedra) wasn’t present last week because of a Spring-Wedding far away.

One of our Nephews – Cory Williams of Tampa – married a young lady from Florida in Florida with a Traditional Wedding Vow.

******* TAKE 5 BEATS *******

MOVE 1: Depending on where you’re from – within the United States or abroad - and who your Pastor or Officiant is, …

a. .. you may be or may not have been subject to an assortment of Traditional or Non-Traditional Wedding Vows.

b. In fact, one of my favorite is the Traditional Wedding Vow which our pastor – the late Bishop Lawrence Charles Callahan - used at our wedding.

c. Listen carefully to hear if this Vow - with the exception of our names of course - was also used as your “WEDDING VOW”:

d. I (Kenneth R. Harris Jr) take you (Dedra Yvonne Williams) to be my wife, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better or for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and cherish; from this day forward until death do us part.

e. Moses wrote in Genesis 2:22-24 (ESV) and I quote:

f. … And the rib that the LORD God had taken from the man he made into a woman and brought her to the man. Then the man said, “This at last is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man.” Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh. And the man and his wife were both naked and were not ashamed;

******* TAKE 5 BEATS *******

MOVE 2: This morning, in our Scripture, we find the Apostle Paul addressing “how a Christian Husband and wife should live in Ephesians 5:25-32.