The Mystery Of Marriage And Family Part 1 Series

Family Matters

Series – Part 1

The Mystery of Marriage and Family

Text: Ephesians 5:15-33

At first consideration, you might think that the text presented this morning is actually dealing with two separate topics because, for the most part, preachers naturally separate them as dealing first with our walk as a household of faith (in verses 15-21) and secondly with our walk as a household of flesh [marriage] (from verses 22-31). But as we consider verses 32-33 from a deeper level we understand that Paul, in fact, intended that this text be joined as one thought.

If you grab the next thought, you will have grasped the foundation of this entire series.

The institution of marriage was not the answer to man’s loneliness, it is a divinely imparted, dramatically orchestrated illustration of Creator God’s relationship with mankind and Christ’s relationship with the Church.

Consider these:

A man’s hunger for a companion God’s desire for relationship with His creation

A man’s search for a spouse God’s pursuit of fallen man

A man’s courtship with a woman The yearning of the Holy Spirit in the heart of a seeker

The Covenant of marriage The Covenant of Salvation

The wedding ceremony The New Birth experience

Reproduction through childbirth Reproduction with witnessing and discipleship

The devastation of unfaithfulness The heartbreak of broken fellowship

The reconciliation of Covenant The return of the backslider

The Anniversary Celebrations The Witness of God’s faithfulness

All around us, within the boarders of our own nation and throughout the world the institution of marriage and family is under severe assault. It is a battle that is taking shape in the corridors of congress, on the floors of state and federal government and even in the grassroots. But the battle did not originate there. The battle against traditional and biblical family originated in hell it ‘self. It’s author was not a liberal legislator or some Head of State, it was the Prince of Darkness himself.

It causes us to consider

“Why has Satan declared war of the family?

Because he hates the Church!

If he can rework our concept of marriage and family, He will have destroyed man’s only living, breathing illustration of God’s ultimate desire for relationship with mankind.

Now, let’s go back to our text. The Book of Ephesians is also known as the “Guidebook of the Christian Walk” because, throughout its pages, Paul gives description of how, as believers, we should walk with one another and in the world around us.

• In chapter two we are instructed to walk in the Good Works God has prepared for us.

• In chapter four we are admonished to walk worthy of our calling – that is, as good examples of salvation.

• Later in chapter four we are warned not to walk as the rest of the Gentiles walk – without meaning or purpose beyond this life.

• Then in chapter five we are instructed in three more walks

o The walk in love

o The walk in light

o The walk in wisdom

How fitting then that chapter five opens with a call to “be imitators of God” and closes with instruction to husbands and wives? Why? Because Family Matters.

And the physical family is the visible expression of the spiritual family.

It matters because our response to one another as husband and wife, as parents to children as children to siblings is in direct correlation to our responsiveness within the Body of Christ.

See, our walk of faith doesn’t start in within

o the wall of the church

o the workplace

o the neighborhood or community

Our walk of faith starts in our living rooms!

Why do our children not “buy in” to our faith in Christ?

Could it be that they do not see sold out for Him at home!

{Beginning Close}

That’s why Paul said, 15 See then that you walk circumspectly [with caution as one would walk through a thorny path], not as fools but as wise, 16 redeeming the time, because the days are evil. 17 Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is. 18 And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation [extravagant squandering]; but be filled with the Spirit, Ephesians 5:15-18

That’s were it all starts…. Men and women sold out to the Spirit of God. Where do we start in getting our families in order? We start by getting our hearts in order.

Malachi 4:5-6

5 Behold, I will send you [the spirit of] Elijah the prophet Before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord. 6 And he will turn The hearts of the fathers to the children, And the hearts of the children to their fathers, Lest I come and strike the earth with a curse."