Single Dating Engaged Married Part 8 Marriage: The Picture - Ben Stuart

Notes:

• Ephesians 5:22-23
• "Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord. 23 For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body. 24 Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing. 25 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; 26 That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, 27 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. 28 So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself. 29 For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church: 30 For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones. 31 For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh. 32 This is a great mystery [as Ben Stuart says: it's not a mystery in that it is secretive, but rather, that it was once not seen and is now seen]: but I speak concerning Christ and the church. 33 Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself; and the wife see that she reverence her husband."

• What did our Maker intend with marriage?
• A yes in Genesis 2
• Marriage was instituted by God
• Man was given a woman
• A no no in Genesis 2
• It's not good for man to be alone - Genesis 2
• "Wisdom is knowing how the world works and working within it." (Ben Stuart)
• See Proverbs 1:7; Ephesians 5:15-16 for aligned Biblical references
• Christianity is not just about morality and forgiveness, BUT for LOVE.
• Bound to God!
• Marriage is meant for us "to be a shining picture of what the love of God and his people looks like. So that, when you enter into marriage, it's not just for one's delight, it's also meant to display the Glory of God of Christ's Love for His Church."

• What does such Biblical marriage look like?
• Men: queues from Christ
• Women: queues from the Church
• Ephesians 5:22 - submit
• Submission doesn't mean subjection or servitude (making oneself less)
• Submit in the Bible is in the Bible in a middle-tense for the woman
• As Ben puts it, "It's an inclination to receive and affirm a husbands leadership."
• A great grievance in our country, come from men that leave their families -a.k.a don't accept ownership for his family
• Leadership should bring responsibility, but then freedom from such responsibility
• Submit (verb): order yourself under another
• The husband is the head of the wife; just as Christ is the head of the Church (Eph 5:23)
• To submit: means to recognize and respond (organizational structure)
• You don't fall out of agape for someone but you can fall out of passion for someone
• Men: imitate Christ and do whatever is possible to sacrifice for your wife for the betterment of God
• Jesus Christ initiated - so as should men do, in love, for his wife; He came to the earth when it wasn't perfect, it was horrible
• Jesus loved his people on their worst day (just like is representative in Genesis. The world was formless and void. Yet, God initiated on the earth and made order to support life on it.
• Jesus washed clean and sacrificed, sanctified, protected, and provided for the church - so as should men do for his wife
• Just as Greg Little and many couples in the Grace Church Austin talk about: if you enter into a relationship, make sure you're ready to be selfless.
• Mens should initiate the following:
• LOVE
• For better of for worse; for richer or for poor
• COMMUNICATION
• Pray with your wife before bed. Never go to bed angry with your wife
• SPIRTUAL LEADERSHIP
• Men should lead the wife to the best place for her
• RESPONSIBILITY