Not Just The S-Word Series

Ephesians 5:22–24 ESV

22 Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord.

23 For the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the church, his body, and is himself its Savior.

24 Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit in everything to their husbands.

Ephesians 5:25–33 ESV

25 Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her,

26 that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word,

27 so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish.

28 In the same way husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself.

29 For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church,

30 because we are members of his body.

31 “Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.”

32 This mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church.

33 However, let each one of you love his wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband.

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Background to passage: The September-October Sermon Series: The Empowered Life. The foundational passage that we walked through last week dealt with living a Spirit-filled life. It called us to walk in desperation, dependence, surrender, and intimacy with the Holy Spirit, as our attachment to the Vine in order to bear the fruit of the Spirit and advancement of the kingdom of Christ. Walking in the Spirit leads to peace within, power to have victory over sin, and serve in ways that you could not on your own. The text that I was not able to get to last week, you must study on your own, as it also points to outworking of the Spirit-filled life in worship, gratefulness, and mutual submission of believers.

It also leads to other things as we shall begin to see today. The practical aspects of life, everyday life are found in a close, moment by moment obedience to the promptings of the Holy Spirit. Paul now takes up relationships common among the church, then eventually comes to spiritual warfare, under the power of the Spirit. To accomplish any of these instructions that follow, you must abide in Christ, let his Word dwell in you richly, and keep in step with the Spirit. I will attempt not to unnecessarily offend, but I probably will offend some of you. No apologies. Jesus did not preach easy truths, and people were offended at him too. In fact, they killed him for it.

Caveats: 1) I understand that biblical teaching like this is counter cultural. There are many in the world, and many in the church that are offended by this teaching. However, I do not come to preach the doctrines of cultural norms and sensitivities. I am coming to preach the truth of God’s Word in power and faithfulness as best as I understand it.

2) As with the question I took of a couple of weeks ago about the Christian and alcohol, I want to correct misunderstandings of the teaching on two fronts, multiple extremes. Please attempt to hear only what I am saying, and not read between the lines. We all come with biases. As Edward told Martha: Rules 1 & 2 - If I say anything that can be taken in a good way or bad way, always take the good, that’s what I meant. Secondly, if you are quite convinced that what I said was to be taken the bad way, refer to rule number one. Give me the benefit of the doubt. Know that I love you and I believe every biblical teaching is profitable for teaching, reproof, correction, and training in righteousness.

3) Jesus gave a lot of teachings that are difficult to understand. He, and the other writers of scriptures, also gave much teaching that is very clear, but difficult to do. As Mark Twain was quoted in our marriage study this week, “It ain’t those parts of the bible that I can’t understand that bother me, it’s the parts I do understand.” Whether it is the role of wives in a marriage, or husbands, or children, or parents, or employees, or employers, our desire should be to submit to Christ and his word regardless of what it teaches. We must remember that God is infinitely wise and good, therefore if he puts in down in his word as an instruction, it is for our best.

Opening illustration: Some Christmas movies are staples every year. Such as… The Christmas Story is one. Use YouTube video download of the first bullying incident.