All In The Family – Husbands And Wives Series

• Ephesians 5:21-33 (NIV)

[21] Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.

[22] Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord. [23] For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. [24] Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything.

[25] Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her [26] to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, [27] and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. [28] In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. [29] After all, no one ever hated his own body, but he feeds and cares for it, just as Christ does the church— [30] for we are members of his body. [31] "For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh." [32] This is a profound mystery--but I am talking about Christ and the church. [33] However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.

INTRODUCTION: Some fun hearing what kids think about husbands and wives.

HOW DO YOU DECIDE WHO TO MARRY?

Alan, age 10—You got to find somebody who likes the same stuff. Like, if you like sports, she should like it that you like sports, and she should keep the chips and dip coming.

Kirsten, age 10—No person really decides before they grow up who they’re going to marry. God decides for you, and then you get to find out later who you’re stuck with.

WHAT IS THE RIGHT AGE TO GET MARRIED?

Camille , age 10—Twenty-three is the best age because you know the person FOREVER by then.

Freddie, age 6—No age is good to get married at. You got to be a fool to get married.

HOW CAN A STRANGER TELL IF TWO PEOPLE ARE MARRIED?

Derrick, age 8—You might have to guess, based on whether they seem to be yelling at the same kids.

Sally, age 9—If they look mad at each other they are probably married.

WHAT DO YOU THINK YOUR MOM AND DAD HAVE IN COMMON?

Lori, age 8—Both don’t want any more kids.

Billy age 7—They both want me to go to bed at 8 o’clock so mommy doesn’t get a headache.

WHEN IS IT OKAY TO KISS SOMEONE?

Pam, age 7—When they’re rich.

Curt, age 7—The law says you have to be eighteen, so I wouldn’t want to mess with that.

Howard, age 8—The rule goes like this: If you kiss someone, then you should marry them and have kids with them. It’s the right thing to do.

IS IT BETTER TO BE SINGLE OR MARRIED?

Anita, age 9—It’s better for girls to be single but not for boys. Boys need someone to clean up after them.

David, age 7— If you like each other then it is better to be married especially if you want to kiss her.

ALL IN THE FAMILY – Today we are going to focus on perhaps the single most important family relationship: husbands and wives.

I. Submission is for everybody!

1. Put Paul’s instruction to husbands and wives in its context and don’t try to make it say something it doesn’t.

• Ephesians 5:1-2 (NIV)

[1] Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children [2] and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

a) Notice that Paul is talking to believers, so the instructions about marriage relationships are to Christian husbands and Christian wives. This is where Paul lays a foundation FOR ALL RELATIONSHIPS including your relationship with your spouse. “Be imitators of God . . . live a life of love.”

b) Some people want a marriage made in heaven. It seems to me that a good marriage is made on earth by two people going to heaven!

2. Paul continues giving instructions on how Christians are to live their lives. Put simply we are to live differently from people who are still in the world and have no relationship with Christ.

• Ephesians 5:3-21 (NIV)

[3] But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God’s holy people. [4] Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving. [5] For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person--such a man is an idolater--has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. . .