Series: Action [#183]
A CHRISTIAN’S CHECKBOOK- THE VALUE OF LOVE
Ephesians 5:25-33
Introduction:
One of the main themes of the Bible is love. That love is seen over and over throughout the Bible. Without love, there is no creation, no salvation through Jesus, no Holy Spirit within us; and I could go on and on. Through Christ, we should show the same love for others that Jesus has shown to us. As we study this morning about how husbands should love their wives, let me remind you from last week that this sermon applies to each of you.
Ephesians 5:32
As we continue to study about how rich we are in Christ, I need you to see the value of love. This morning, I want us to study the types of love that we should have as Christians.
Ephesians 5:25
A Christian should have a…
1. Sacrificial love.
This is the type of love it takes to put your life on the line for your Country. In order to have a sacrificial love, you must surrender your wants and wishes. Husband’s must stop worrying about how their wives make them look; and allow Jesus to make them look like Him.
Ephesians 5:26-27
A Christian should have a…
2. Sanctifying love.
Paul paints 3 pictures about sanctifying love:
* A Hebrew Wedding.
On the day of the wedding, the bride and bridesmaids would have a ritual bath. They would make sure that the bride was presentable to the groom. After she bathed, they would put her wedding dress and wedding sandals on her. Then, she would wait for the groom to come get her.
* Baptism of the Holy Spirit.
When a person is saved, they are washed by the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Each day, as a Christian prays and studies God’s Word, they are being cleansed by the Word of God.
* Marriage.
For a moment, we must look at things from Jesus’ perspective. The Church is saved by Christ alone; but the wife’s loving growth should come from her husband’s example. A husband is to love his wife to the point that she can be set apart by God for Christ’s purposes.
Ephesians 5:28-33
A Christian should have a…
3. Satisfying love.
Often, people talk about how you have to love yourself before you can love others; but Paul actually says differently. Paul says that if a husband loves his wife, he loves himself. Christians, if you love others, you will love yourself. Remember, this love is a sacrificial love and is not about you; but is about others.
Our passage says that a husband is to feed and care for his wife. This isn’t just about putting food on the table. This is about nourishment. The husband is to nourish his wife. Spiritually, that is only possible through the Word of God. Nourishment is for strengthening and maturing.
The phrase to care for is sometimes translated, to cherish. Cherish means to keep warm and comfortable. Husbands, wives need to feel secure. They can only feel secure if you are taking care of their needs.
Conclusion:
Christians, we must have a sacrificial love for all, desire that each person be saved, and that each person be satisfied. You can only find satisfaction in Jesus.
