Sermon Central
-
Understanding Women, Understanding Men (Part 1)
Contributed by Rick Crandall on Jan 19, 2006 (message contributor)
Summary: Men and women: Yes we can understand each other.
Understanding Women, Understanding Men (Part 1)
Sermon by Rick Crandall
Preached at McClendon Baptist Church
West Monroe, LA
Nov. 6, 2005
*Men & women are different!
-Take shoes for example.
*I did a little survey this week, asking men & women how many pairs of shoes they have.
-Men: 3 to 5.
-Women: 20 to 25.
*Men & women are different!
-So can we understand each other?
-Oh yes we can!
*But if we really want to understand men & women, then we have to take a look at the Book & follow God’s plan.
1. When we do, the first thing we see is that God calls wives to submissive love.
-(God shows us this in vs. 22-24)
*Over the course of history, this is probably one of the most abused verses of Scripture.
-Misused to take advantage of women
-Misused to browbeat & belittle them
-Misused by men who try to hide behind this verse in order to justify their bad behavior
*Verse 22 is one of the most abused verses of Scripture, but today it is also one of the most unused verses of Scripture.
-Many women have never stopped to consider why God tells wives to do this.
*Well, it’s not because men are better than women.
-In fact, we men need to take a big step up to be all that God intended us to be, but God does call wives to submissive love.
*One of the main reasons why is because God created men with a built in need to be respected. -Men respond to respect.
*All things being equal, it motivates us, it charges us up, it challenges us & helps us to be the men we were created to be.
--It helps us be the husband you want us to be.
*Ladies, think about the times your husband gets upset.
-Maybe he’s right, or even if he’s wrong, think about it.
-Go below the surface & see if he is upset because he feels that his honor is threatened.
-That’s the problem a lot of times.
*So wives, honor your husbands, even though it can be a difficult job.
-When Anita Donihue taught in Auburn, WA, there was another teacher at the school named Foster.
-One day Mrs. Foster was having a real frustrating time with one of her first-grade boys.
*And she told the boy: “You’ve been doing irritating things all day today.
-These things are some of my pet peeves.
--Do you know what a pet peeve is?”
*That first-grader shook his head no, and Mrs. Foster said,
-“A pet peeve is the thing that irritates a person the most.
-Do you know what my pet peeve is?”
*The little boy thought about it & said:
-“Ummm... Mr. Foster?” (1)
2. Ladies, A lot of times we are your pet peeve, but God calls wives to submissive love, and He calls men to the Savior’s love.
-(We see this in vs. 25-29)
*When we read these verses men, there can be no doubt:
-God gives the greatest responsibility to us.
*We are to love our wives the way Jesus Christ loves us. -Wow!
*That means we are to have a love that’s sacrificial.
-Jesus Christ gave His life on the Cross for us.
-He made the ultimate sacrifice for us.
--And that is the kind of love He wants you to have for your wife.
*Love her with a sacrificial, giving love.
-And there is a whole lot more to say about this next time, but tonight I want you to understand a little about why.
*Just like God created men with a built-in need for respect, He created women with a built-in need to be loved.
-And women generally respond to this love.
--It motivates her to be the wife you want her to be.
*Now, of course, these are not 100% one-way streets.
-Women also need respect and men also need love.
*But men & women are different.
-Men have a deep need for respect.
-Women have a deep need for love.
*In vs. 26& 27, we see the Lord doing great things for the church.
-He is taking care of the church, and God wants us to take care of our wives the same way.
*Our wives want us to take care of them.
-I know this because of the conversation you have every time you go out to eat.
*You say: -“Where do you want to eat?”
*And she says something like:
-“Oh, I don’t care.”
--Or: “It doesn’t matter.”
*But it really does matter doesn’t it?
-Then why does she want you to pick?
*It’s a small, subconscious way of her telling you,
-“I want you to take care of me.
--I want you to love me.”
*That’s the way God made her.
