Ephesians 5:25-28
Marriage is a picture of Christ and the church. Marriage is an institution that teaches doctrine by example. Just as Jesus Christ used the example of a seed and various types of ground to teach how the words of God are received, so marriage teaches the relationship of the Lord Jesus Christ to his bride. This is the scriptural way to love your wife.
Sacrificial Love
Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;
- “Gave Himself “
- Sacrificial
- High priest of the family
- Adam (Romans 5:12), Abraham (Genesis 18:19), Job (Job 1:5), Noah (Genesis 6:9-13) all show the high priest of the family is the husband
- Fallacy – Working for a living is my sacrifice for my family. Work by the sweat of your brow is a result of the curse, but that’s not the sacrifice. Unsaved people without a relationship with God work to support their families.
- Taking the lead in loving
- Colossians 3:19 – Bitterness is that root that plants itself when:
- the things you do are not appreciated
- your reason is met with her emotion
Sanctifying Love
that he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word 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.
- How is the cleaning taking place? By the word of God.
- Husbands, if you’re not regularly making the word of God front and center in your home, your home is going to get dirty
- Not cleaning your home with the words of God shows a lack of understanding
- His love improves her. Men, keep that in mind.
Self Examining Love
So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself.
- Check book isn’t balanced. She forgot something very important. Ya’ll had a disagreement about how to address something the kids did. Now what?
- First: Put yourself in her shoes, then approach the subject with her in mind.
- How would I want to be treated if I were the one that messed up (cause that happens too)?
- Would I want follow someone who acted like me here?
- Husband, you’re the one that’s got to take the lead in self examination. Rather than seeking to be understood, seek to understand. When it comes your turn to talk you’ll get a much better hearing.