Our Cultivation Of Marriage Series

Celebrating Marriage #101 -- Pt 4

Introduction:

Children & Marriage

"No person really decides before they grow up who they're going to marry. God decides it all way before, and you get to find out later who you're stuck with."

Kirsten, age 10

"You got to find somebody who likes the same stuff. Like, if you like sports, she should like sports, and she should keep the chips and dip coming."

Alan, age 10

When asked to give the right age to get married, six-year-old Freddie said,

"No age is good to get married at. You got to be a fool to get married."

Freddie, age 6

In answering the age-old question about whether it is better to be single or married,

"It's better for girls to be single but not for boys. Boys need someone to clean up after them."

Anita, age 9

And, when asked how best to make a marriage work, 10-year-old Ricky perceptively replied: "Tell your wife that she looks pretty even if she looks like a truck."

Ricky, age 10

BEAUTIFUL AND STUPID AT THE SAME TIME

A husband and wife were having an argument. Finally, out of sheer frustration, the husband blurted out, "Honey, I don't know why God made you so beautiful...and, yet, so stupid, at the same time!"

The woman stared at her husband and said, "Wellllllllllll...God made me BEAUTIFUL so you could love me. And God made me STUPID so I could love you!"

"Our Cultivation of Marriage"

Ephesians 5:1-32

Ephesians 5:22 Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord. 23 For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body. 24 Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in everything. 25 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; 26 That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, 27 That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish. 28 So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself. 29 For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church: 30 For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones. 31 For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh. 32 This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church. 33 Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself; and the wife see that she reverence her husband.

As I re-read this passage God showed me something that had not occurred to me before, even though I have read this section many times. Have you noticed that most of what Paul writes deals with the husbands responsibilities and there only a couple of lines about what the wife is responsible for doing!

I. The Responsibilities of the Husband

a. Servant leadership.

Servant leadership is not for wimps! The servant leader steps up and makes a commitment to provide for his wife, and to protect his wife spiritually, emotionally, mentally and physically. Does this mean that he is to be a servant leader to her only if she is submissive? Not at all, rather we become servant leaders in the truest sense when things aren't perfect, when it is difficult and when it is not convenient. Jesus demonstrated what it means to be a servant to others in the hour of His greatest trial in John 13. Just a few hours after He washed the disciple's feet, He would be arrested, tried and executed.

GET OFF YOUR HORSE, CORPORAL

A rider on horseback, many years ago, came upon a squad of soldiers who were trying to move a heavy piece of timber. A corporal stood by, giving lordly orders to "heave." But the piece of timber was a trifle too heavy for the squad.

"Why don't you help them?" asked the quiet man on the horse, addressing the important corporal. "Me? Why, I'm a corporal sir!"

Dismounting, the stranger carefully took his place with the soldiers. "Now, all together boys - heave!" he said. And the big piece of timber slid into place.

The stranger mounted his horse and addressed the corporal. "The next time you have a piece of timber for your men to handle, corporal, send for the commander-in-chief." The horseman was George Washington, the first American president.