Sermon on 6/7/2009
Ephesians 5:25-27
Introduction:
Marriage is a relationship in which one person is always right, and the other is the husband.
WBTU:
A. In Ephesians 5 in marriage it tells the woman to be submissive. It tells the man to love. Women say, “This should not be hard.” Well, for the man it is.
B. Not just any love but a Godly love. We are to love the way that Jesus loves.
C. Christ’s love is unconditional. You love me; I love you. No!
D. Christ’s love is sacrificial. He gave himself. Selfishness #1 cause of divorce.
E. Christ’s love is voluntary. What are we willing to give up for a good marriage?
Thesis: This morning we are going to use the acrostic “BRIDE” to talk about Christ and His Bride and husbands and their wives.
For instance:
B- Beside
A. Beside Jesus
B. (Heb 13:5 NIV) God has said, "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you."(Heb 13:6 NIV) So we say with confidence, "The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?"
C. As a member of Christ’s church, the Bride, we have these promises.
1. Never will I leave you- Until death do us part. Of course in the case of the Lord we are never parted even in death.
2. Never will I forsake you- Forsaking all others, be faithful to her- (Psa 37:28 NIV) For the LORD loves the just and will not forsake his faithful ones. They will be protected forever.
3. The Lord is my helper- (Prov 16:3 NIV) Commit to the LORD whatever you do, and your plans will succeed.
a. Can she count on the fact that we will do without to put her first?
b. Does it make us happy when she fails or is embarrassed?
c. Do we make every effort for her to succeed in every area of life?
D. Our marriage is to be like the Lord’s relationship with church. We are not to follow example of our parents, but follow the example of Christ with his church.
E. Clean them off. Vs. 26- Obviously a husband cannot spiritually cleanse his wife the same way Jesus cleanses the church. But a husband can take an active, caring interest in his wife’s spiritual health.
F. Cannot run with gusto. (Heb 12:1) Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.
G. (John 17:19) For them I sanctify myself, that they too may be truly sanctified. To be sanctified is to be set apart for God’s use. Wasn’t Christ always sanctified for God’s work? Yes, and he does have in mind that he is setting himself apart for God’s use (the cross). But even more than this, he is saying that he is doing this for his followers. He is set apart for them, to serve them. (Heb 7:25 NIV) he (Christ) always lives to intercede for them.
H. Isn’t this what Christian husbands are to do? Live for God, yes, but also live (be set apart) for their wives. (1 Cor 7:32) I would like you to be free from concern. An unmarried man is concerned about the Lord’s affairs--how he can please the Lord. (1 Cor 7:33) But a married man is concerned about the affairs of this world--how he can please his wife--(1 Cor 7:34) and his interests are divided. An unmarried woman or virgin is concerned about the Lord’s affairs: Her aim is to be devoted to the Lord in both body and spirit. But a married woman is concerned about the affairs of this world--how she can please her husband.
I. Washing with water- Definitely talking about baptism. But living under the ministry of the Word leads to baptism and then it leads to more living under the Word. (John 17:17 NIV) Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth. Set apart for the Word. Teach, baptize, and teach.
J. Couples who read the Word together and then pray. Celebrate Recovery helps your marriage.
K. (John 7:37 NIV) On the last and greatest day of the Feast, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, "If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. (John 7:38 NIV) Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him."
L. Ultimate in Spring Cleaning. We are not the ones doing the cleansing. Water flows from us to help in cleansing. (Luke 6:45) The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks.
M. Need to stand beside each other. Too many are looking to get out, instead of standing beside. Jesus will always be beside us!
R- Radiant
A. Vs. 27- Shining beauty
B. My wife is not beautiful. Well, is the church beautiful today? In some ways, but in some ways not.
C. To present her to himself- There is coming a day when the church shall be radiant. However, Jesus sees the church not as she is not but as she will be one day.
D. husbands- If Jesus views us in this way, shouldn’t we do the same with wife?
E. Need to live in an environment of praise- high esteem. Even though not perfect, we need to be encouraging. If made someone believe they are beautiful, they will begin to believe it. If they believe it they will do things that will only enhance their beauty.
E. Beauty is only skin deep. Very true! There is a beauty that transcends the externals. Exodus 34 tells about when Moses was with the Lord for a long time and he came down and his face was radiant. He had to put on a veil to speak to anyone. After he was with the people for a while, the radiance went away, but when he went back to be with the Lord, the radiance came again. So it is with us!
I- Immaculate
A. “free from mental or moral pollution, pure," "unstained," "not spotted or defiled," The literal sense of "spotlessly clean or neat"
B. Vs. 27- without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish.
C. Are we that way today? Not physically but spiritually we can be. (Isa 1:18 NIV) "Come now, let us reason together," says the LORD. "Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool.
D. (Rev 7:13 NIV) Then one of the elders asked me, "These in white robes--who are they, and where did they come from?"(Rev 7:14 NIV) I answered, "Sir, you know." And he said, "These are they who have come out of the great tribulation; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.
E. Purity is essential. (1 John 3:2 NIV) Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when he appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. (1 John 3:3 NIV) Everyone who has this hope in him purifies himself, just as he is pure.
F. (Mat 5:8 NIV) Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.
G. My sin only affects me. It affects our marriages.
D- Divine
A. Not that we will be divine, but we will be with the divine in heaven.
B. Holy- without distraction. (1 Cor 13:12 NIV) Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face.
C. While we are here we need to use our bodies for good, for holiness. (Rom 12:1 NIV) Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God--this is your spiritual act of worship.
D. (Rom 6:13 NIV) Do not offer the parts of your body to sin, as instruments of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God, as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer the parts of your body to him as instruments of righteousness.
E. This includes our wives. Do we use and abuse their bodies. Overlook them, ignore them. Their bodies are part of our bodies. Vs. 30.
E- Exonerated
A. to clear, as of an accusation; free from guilt or blame
B. Forgiven of all sins. Blameless.
C. (Col 2:13 NIV) When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your sinful nature, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins,(Col 2:14 NIV) having canceled the written code, with its regulations, that was against us and that stood opposed to us; he took it away, nailing it to the cross.
D. If this is the case with the Lord, shouldn’t we do the same with our wives?
Conclusion and invitation:
A. (Rev 19:9) the angel said to me, "Write: ’Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb!’" And he added, "These are the true words of God."
B. Is that wedding music that I hear?
Is that wedding music I hear?
The bride’s adorned and ready to appear;
There’s heavenly preparation for the wedding celebration,
Is that wedding music that I hear?
The family is preparing for a wedding,
All have been invited to attend;
The bride is standing ready waiting for the signal,
When the Groom says rise my children come on in.
Is that wedding music I hear?
The bride’s adorned and ready to appear;
There’s heavenly preparation for the wedding celebration,
Is that wedding music that I hear?
Soon we’ll rise to leave this land of sorrow,
For that ceremony in the air;
The Father then will lead us thru the Holy land of splendor,
Have you made your preparation to go there?
Is that wedding music I hear?
The bride’s adorned and ready to appear;
There’s heavenly preparation for the wedding celebration,
Is that wedding music that I hear?
