WEBVTT 00:00:00.939 --> 00:00:03.859 Our God and our Father, we thank you for sending 00:00:03.859 --> 00:00:06.839 the Spirit to give us life and to empower us 00:00:06.839 --> 00:00:09.539 for the call you have given us to carry your 00:00:09.539 --> 00:00:12.679 words of life to the ends of the earth. Please 00:00:12.679 --> 00:00:15.580 allow the words of my mouth and the meditations 00:00:15.580 --> 00:00:18.940 of all our hearts to be acceptable in your sight. 00:00:19.300 --> 00:00:21.699 O Lord, our rock and nearest kinsman and Redeemer, 00:00:22.079 --> 00:00:25.059 the bridegroom, Jesus Christ, our risen Lord. 00:00:25.320 --> 00:00:34.479 Amen. Excuse me. Our scripture reference today 00:00:34.479 --> 00:00:37.960 begins with Colossians chapter 3 beginning in 00:00:37.960 --> 00:00:43.039 verse 18. Wives, submit to your own husbands 00:00:43.039 --> 00:00:46.659 as is fitting in the Lord. Husbands, love your 00:00:46.659 --> 00:00:50.460 wives and do not be bitter towards them. Children, 00:00:51.060 --> 00:00:53.659 obey your parents in all things for this is well 00:00:53.659 --> 00:00:57.679 pleasing to the Lord. Fathers, do not provoke 00:00:57.679 --> 00:01:02.129 your children lest they become discouraged. Bond 00:01:02.129 --> 00:01:05.730 servants, obey in all things your masters according 00:01:05.730 --> 00:01:09.909 to the flesh, not with eye service, as men pleasers, 00:01:10.370 --> 00:01:14.530 but in sincerity of heart, fearing God. And whatever 00:01:14.530 --> 00:01:17.890 you do, do it heartedly as to the Lord and not 00:01:17.890 --> 00:01:22.629 to men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive 00:01:22.629 --> 00:01:26.290 the reward of the inheritance. For you serve 00:01:26.290 --> 00:01:30.200 the Lord Christ. But he who does wrong will be 00:01:30.200 --> 00:01:34.500 repaid for what he has done. And there is no 00:01:34.500 --> 00:01:38.140 partiality. These are the words of Almighty God. 00:01:38.299 --> 00:01:43.379 Receive them in your hearts. So there are three 00:01:43.379 --> 00:01:48.060 things, three lenses, three ideas I want us to 00:01:48.060 --> 00:01:51.299 hear throughout our study concerning these things. 00:01:51.719 --> 00:01:55.890 And just as a reminder, that we've been all summer 00:01:55.890 --> 00:01:58.549 working through a series that's building one 00:01:58.549 --> 00:02:02.069 on top of another. If you recall, we started 00:02:02.069 --> 00:02:05.310 Psalm 37, trust God and do good. And we talked 00:02:05.310 --> 00:02:09.030 about what trusting God and doing good is, right? 00:02:10.430 --> 00:02:14.409 Standing in the place God has for you, stand 00:02:14.409 --> 00:02:17.009 your post. and being fruitful in the fruit of 00:02:17.009 --> 00:02:19.729 the Spirit. And then we've gone through and worked 00:02:19.729 --> 00:02:21.969 that out farther and farther. And so now we've 00:02:21.969 --> 00:02:24.810 come to this place where we've been discussing 00:02:24.810 --> 00:02:27.750 marriage. We talked about God's plan for us. 00:02:28.349 --> 00:02:30.469 The fact that when He created us, He created 00:02:30.469 --> 00:02:33.969 us male and female. He gave us different origins 00:02:33.969 --> 00:02:37.610 and orientations. That was last week. You want 00:02:37.610 --> 00:02:39.289 to be thinking about these things. These things 00:02:39.289 --> 00:02:42.189 are all connected together. And now we're talking 00:02:42.789 --> 00:02:45.830 a little more in depth about marriage. We'll 00:02:45.830 --> 00:02:49.270 go through marriage for several sermons and then 00:02:49.270 --> 00:02:52.830 we'll pick up with child rearing and then our 00:02:52.830 --> 00:02:57.330 work in the world. And this is why we have green 00:02:57.330 --> 00:03:01.050 up, right? It's the season of growth in the church. 00:03:01.750 --> 00:03:05.449 And so... We want to be growing in Christ in 00:03:05.449 --> 00:03:07.509 the Lord. These are the three themes. The first 00:03:07.509 --> 00:03:10.669 one is number one, the central theme of scripture 00:03:10.669 --> 00:03:15.830 is marriage. The central theme of scripture is 00:03:15.830 --> 00:03:18.689 marriage. And we'll explain that a little further 00:03:18.689 --> 00:03:22.009 down the road here in our talk today. Marriage, 00:03:22.250 --> 00:03:25.889 second, marriage is for the glory of God and 00:03:25.889 --> 00:03:30.129 the good of the world. Marriage is for the glory 00:03:30.129 --> 00:03:35.930 of God. the good of the world and Finally if 00:03:35.930 --> 00:03:38.129 you printed this all for what I sent out yesterday. 00:03:38.129 --> 00:03:41.490 I added two words to the last one so pay attention 00:03:41.490 --> 00:03:46.469 Trust God and do good in submission to God's 00:03:46.469 --> 00:03:50.889 order of things so of things I added Trust God 00:03:50.889 --> 00:03:55.949 and do good in submission to God's order of things 00:03:55.949 --> 00:04:02.060 Now as we begin this morning In my studies this 00:04:02.060 --> 00:04:08.360 week, I've been reminded that my words are mere 00:04:08.360 --> 00:04:12.840 meek shadows and explanations of the great love 00:04:12.840 --> 00:04:18.339 of Jesus for you. Never lose track of the central 00:04:18.339 --> 00:04:21.920 point in every sermon as the Epistle of Jude 00:04:21.920 --> 00:04:25.579 declares, but you, beloved, building yourselves 00:04:25.579 --> 00:04:29.329 up on your most holy faith. praying in the Holy 00:04:29.329 --> 00:04:33.350 Spirit. Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking 00:04:33.350 --> 00:04:36.870 for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ into eternal 00:04:36.870 --> 00:04:44.529 life. Dearly beloved, love Jesus. Look to Jesus. 00:04:45.110 --> 00:04:51.970 Follow Jesus. God the Father before the foundations 00:04:51.970 --> 00:04:55.509 of this world had in mind to present a bride 00:04:55.509 --> 00:05:00.360 for His Son. The second chapter of Genesis ends 00:05:00.360 --> 00:05:03.500 with a marriage in the first Adam and his bride 00:05:03.500 --> 00:05:07.300 Eve. The end of all of history culminates with 00:05:07.300 --> 00:05:10.579 the marriage supper of the Lamb, Jesus' great 00:05:10.579 --> 00:05:16.279 marriage feast with his bride, the church. God 00:05:16.279 --> 00:05:19.439 has pursued the good of his son and has pursued 00:05:19.439 --> 00:05:25.579 the good of his bride to his own glory. Jesus, 00:05:25.720 --> 00:05:28.860 all through scripture, is the faithful husband 00:05:28.860 --> 00:05:33.920 guarding and tending his bride, not because his 00:05:33.920 --> 00:05:40.000 bride was attractive, good, or worthy, but because 00:05:40.000 --> 00:05:44.759 he loved her. He pursued her, leaving heaven, 00:05:45.040 --> 00:05:48.259 and took up the humble form of a man to sympathize 00:05:48.259 --> 00:05:52.199 with her in every temptation, and yet lived and 00:05:52.199 --> 00:05:57.209 served her. without sin. Jesus trusted God that 00:05:57.209 --> 00:05:59.970 in the laying down of his life for the bride, 00:06:00.430 --> 00:06:03.430 that the Father would resurrect him, which would 00:06:03.430 --> 00:06:07.290 lead to the glorious deliverance of his bride 00:06:07.290 --> 00:06:11.529 from the bondage of sin and death. In Jesus' 00:06:11.550 --> 00:06:16.850 submission to the Father for his bride, We see 00:06:16.850 --> 00:06:19.709 these results Ephesians 2 tells us this beginning 00:06:19.709 --> 00:06:23.730 in verse 4 but God who was rich in mercy Because 00:06:23.730 --> 00:06:27.290 of his great love with which he loved us Even 00:06:27.290 --> 00:06:31.029 when we were dead and trespasses us made us alive 00:06:31.029 --> 00:06:34.949 together with Christ by grace you've been saved 00:06:34.949 --> 00:06:38.490 and Here's the key what I'm pointing to and raised 00:06:38.490 --> 00:06:43.250 us up together and made us sit together in heavenly 00:06:43.250 --> 00:06:48.449 places in Christ Jesus that in the ages to come, 00:06:48.949 --> 00:06:52.829 He might show the exceeding riches of His grace 00:06:52.829 --> 00:06:59.170 and His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. Because 00:06:59.170 --> 00:07:02.370 of the love of God manifested in Jesus' death 00:07:02.370 --> 00:07:06.290 on the cross, we are made alive not only for 00:07:06.290 --> 00:07:11.269 ourselves, but for Jesus. And we are now raised 00:07:11.269 --> 00:07:15.300 up as His church and made to sit together with 00:07:15.300 --> 00:07:20.100 Jesus in heavenly places. And so we have been 00:07:20.100 --> 00:07:23.379 given authority. All authority has been given 00:07:23.379 --> 00:07:27.939 to him and it has been delegated to us in this 00:07:27.939 --> 00:07:33.899 world of his kingdom to do here on earth his 00:07:33.899 --> 00:07:38.360 will as it is in heaven. And we do this until 00:07:38.360 --> 00:07:44.360 all his enemies are put under his feet. In our 00:07:44.360 --> 00:07:47.879 marriage, our marriages, your marriage, my marriage, 00:07:49.139 --> 00:07:52.959 we image the marriage of Jesus and his bride. 00:07:54.120 --> 00:07:55.819 Now, I want to just pause right here and say 00:07:55.819 --> 00:07:58.399 something to you all. If you're not married, 00:07:59.279 --> 00:08:01.800 perhaps you're still young and aspiring to marriage. 00:08:02.540 --> 00:08:05.360 Perhaps you're widowed. Perhaps there are other 00:08:05.360 --> 00:08:07.879 things in life. But if you're single, understand 00:08:07.879 --> 00:08:11.079 as we go through these things on God's marriage 00:08:11.079 --> 00:08:15.610 to us, through his son, Jesus Christ, and us 00:08:15.610 --> 00:08:18.709 as his bride, the church, that all these things 00:08:18.709 --> 00:08:25.110 have application to you even now. That you rest 00:08:25.110 --> 00:08:29.649 in Jesus, that you stand with him, and he has 00:08:29.649 --> 00:08:33.970 a delightful thing for you in service in his 00:08:33.970 --> 00:08:39.360 kingdom through his church. Right now we turn 00:08:39.360 --> 00:08:42.100 and look at Ephesians 5 continuing on and what 00:08:42.100 --> 00:08:45.559 this picture looks like. It says in Ephesians 00:08:45.559 --> 00:08:53.740 5 verse 22, wives, submit to your own husbands 00:08:53.740 --> 00:08:56.899 as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of 00:08:56.899 --> 00:09:00.539 the wife, as also Christ is the head of the church, 00:09:00.799 --> 00:09:04.450 and he is the savior of the body. Therefore, 00:09:04.509 --> 00:09:07.590 just as the church is subject to Christ, so let 00:09:07.590 --> 00:09:10.950 wives be subject to their own husbands in everything. 00:09:12.690 --> 00:09:15.870 Husbands, love your wives just as Christ also 00:09:15.870 --> 00:09:18.490 loved the church and gave himself up for her, 00:09:18.929 --> 00:09:21.549 that he might sanctify and cleanse her with the 00:09:21.549 --> 00:09:24.590 washing of the water of the word, that he might 00:09:24.590 --> 00:09:28.370 present her to himself a glorious church not 00:09:28.370 --> 00:09:32.679 having spot or wrinkle or any such thing. but 00:09:32.679 --> 00:09:36.220 that she should be holy and without blemish. 00:09:36.759 --> 00:09:39.120 So husbands ought to love their own wives as 00:09:39.120 --> 00:09:43.179 their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves 00:09:43.179 --> 00:09:50.019 himself. We look around and we think, wait a 00:09:50.019 --> 00:09:53.179 minute, my marriage is supposed to be a picture 00:09:53.179 --> 00:09:59.460 of Christ in the church? And we think, who me? 00:10:00.019 --> 00:10:08.110 Who us? My wife, my husband, sometimes we dreadfully 00:10:08.110 --> 00:10:14.909 think, oh man, our marriage is an image of Christ 00:10:14.909 --> 00:10:18.950 Jesus and His bride, the church. Well, maybe 00:10:18.950 --> 00:10:21.210 I got the bride part down, the church thing, 00:10:21.389 --> 00:10:23.330 sinful, rebellious, I got that part down, but 00:10:23.330 --> 00:10:28.950 I don't know. As Christians, we are the image 00:10:28.950 --> 00:10:33.889 of Christ and His bride. A very sermon of Christ 00:10:33.889 --> 00:10:40.409 and His bride every day to the whole world. But 00:10:40.409 --> 00:10:45.149 it is first to who? Each other and our marriages 00:10:45.149 --> 00:10:48.029 as husbands and wives? What about that sermon 00:10:48.029 --> 00:10:52.950 of Christ and His bride to your children? What 00:10:52.950 --> 00:10:58.230 about to your fellow church members? What about 00:10:58.230 --> 00:11:04.019 the whole community? in which you live. You know, 00:11:04.039 --> 00:11:06.820 we often think that the spirit of our age is 00:11:06.820 --> 00:11:09.799 recent in its development. We always think that 00:11:09.799 --> 00:11:11.840 sin is novel, it's worse than it's ever been. 00:11:12.279 --> 00:11:18.320 These are new tactics and devices by Satan. It 00:11:18.320 --> 00:11:21.240 may have a new form, but as Ecclesiastes chapter 00:11:21.240 --> 00:11:25.340 1 verse 9 tells us, that which has been is what 00:11:25.340 --> 00:11:28.399 will be. That which is done is what will be done. 00:11:28.809 --> 00:11:33.090 Here's the clue. And there is nothing new under 00:11:33.090 --> 00:11:37.529 the sun. Now Satan takes old lies and like an 00:11:37.529 --> 00:11:42.129 unscrupulous used car salesman, he cleans it, 00:11:42.450 --> 00:11:45.450 he polishes it, he puts good -looking wheels 00:11:45.450 --> 00:11:47.429 on it so you don't notice how ratty the tires 00:11:47.429 --> 00:11:51.100 are. Right even puts it in the olden days. This 00:11:51.100 --> 00:11:54.480 was a very common trick put sawdust in the transmission 00:11:54.480 --> 00:11:57.799 So it'll just run okay for a little bit, but 00:11:57.799 --> 00:12:03.720 all of this is a bad lie That the car is just 00:12:03.720 --> 00:12:06.059 going to get a few blocks away or maybe to the 00:12:06.059 --> 00:12:12.299 next town and then it'll break down The lies 00:12:12.299 --> 00:12:17.879 of feminism male passivity and niceness are simply 00:12:17.879 --> 00:12:22.000 providing the itching ears of what they want 00:12:22.000 --> 00:12:25.779 to hear or what our eyes desire. All that's so 00:12:25.779 --> 00:12:29.639 beautiful. I one time had a family member who 00:12:29.639 --> 00:12:32.940 was super excited because he bought this beautiful 00:12:32.940 --> 00:12:42.519 Mitsubishi spider car with no motor. Well, here's 00:12:42.519 --> 00:12:45.059 the thing. He saw the beautiful car. He wanted 00:12:45.059 --> 00:12:47.340 the car. He figured, well, I'll get a motor. 00:12:47.960 --> 00:12:51.940 Sometimes we do that, right? We say, oh, she's 00:12:51.940 --> 00:12:54.340 so beautiful. Oh, he's so great. It doesn't matter 00:12:54.340 --> 00:13:00.480 that they're not a Christian. Nope. Go for Christians 00:13:00.480 --> 00:13:05.720 only. Only Christians. That's what God's word 00:13:05.720 --> 00:13:11.889 tells us. This lie that Satan has put out there 00:13:11.889 --> 00:13:15.789 that all of life and everyone in it is here for 00:13:15.789 --> 00:13:20.210 me my pleasure and Affirmation now of course 00:13:20.210 --> 00:13:22.070 we've seen as of late now. This is real important 00:13:22.070 --> 00:13:23.850 We think we're doing pretty good at managing 00:13:23.850 --> 00:13:27.970 that lie by the way however as a culture we're 00:13:27.970 --> 00:13:30.970 not And we need to be careful about how that 00:13:30.970 --> 00:13:33.779 drags into our life Because what happens is, 00:13:34.220 --> 00:13:37.019 when the realities of life, the hardships that 00:13:37.019 --> 00:13:38.840 come to everyone, those that are following God 00:13:38.840 --> 00:13:41.419 and those that aren't, just the normal challenges 00:13:41.419 --> 00:13:45.279 of life, all of a sudden, we lose our minds. 00:13:46.519 --> 00:13:49.179 I think we've all seen when people didn't get 00:13:49.179 --> 00:13:51.519 their way politically, or they didn't get their 00:13:51.519 --> 00:13:55.279 way in so many circumstances, maybe the grade 00:13:55.279 --> 00:14:06.899 at a university. You see, we're not here for 00:14:06.899 --> 00:14:11.019 ourselves. We're not here for our own pleasure 00:14:11.019 --> 00:14:14.600 and affirmation. For more than a century, news 00:14:14.600 --> 00:14:17.379 outlets, the internet, and apps have baited men 00:14:17.379 --> 00:14:20.000 and women to come to believe that they are not 00:14:20.000 --> 00:14:24.000 made in the image of God, created male and female, 00:14:24.000 --> 00:14:28.179 and that we are defined, we are not defined, 00:14:28.539 --> 00:14:33.379 by our God -given origin and orientation. In 00:14:33.379 --> 00:14:37.659 other words, we have no connection or responsibility 00:14:37.659 --> 00:14:41.220 to anything or anyone outside of what I think 00:14:41.220 --> 00:14:48.600 is good for me and mine. This denial misses the 00:14:48.600 --> 00:14:52.940 core of life. To glorify God and enjoy Him forever. 00:14:53.019 --> 00:14:54.759 Now, of course, we've heard those lines before. 00:14:55.220 --> 00:14:57.980 The big question is, what in the world does that 00:14:57.980 --> 00:15:03.399 even mean? To glorify God and enjoy Him. Forever. 00:15:04.799 --> 00:15:06.840 Of course, this is why he gave us things to do. 00:15:06.899 --> 00:15:09.980 He gave us origins and orientations and made 00:15:09.980 --> 00:15:11.919 us male and female. He's given us lots of things 00:15:11.919 --> 00:15:13.919 to do. And we go, how do we glorify God? It's 00:15:13.919 --> 00:15:17.120 so ambiguous. Well, it's only ambiguous because 00:15:17.120 --> 00:15:22.220 we won't put ourselves to following Jesus in 00:15:22.220 --> 00:15:27.080 the text of his word. The myth that marriage 00:15:27.080 --> 00:15:32.519 is all about me and my satisfaction, sadly, is 00:15:32.519 --> 00:15:36.399 the standard understanding. When I do premarital 00:15:36.399 --> 00:15:38.919 counseling, in the very first session, every 00:15:38.919 --> 00:15:41.639 first session, the first thing I say to that 00:15:41.639 --> 00:15:46.919 couple is this, this wedding is not about you. 00:15:48.480 --> 00:15:50.480 And they kind of look at it, and I turn to the 00:15:50.480 --> 00:15:53.100 bride to be, and I said, this is not really about 00:15:53.100 --> 00:15:58.299 you. They're like, what? So I go through a little 00:15:58.299 --> 00:16:02.720 diatribe where I say, Don't spend too much money. 00:16:03.460 --> 00:16:05.559 Don't try to make everything. Don't try to control 00:16:05.559 --> 00:16:07.000 everything. The only thing that's going to happen 00:16:07.000 --> 00:16:09.279 is you're going to be miserable on your wedding 00:16:09.279 --> 00:16:11.100 day because nothing is the way you thought it 00:16:11.100 --> 00:16:15.320 might be exactly. You will have spent all this 00:16:15.320 --> 00:16:20.419 money for 30 minutes of your life. No. This wedding 00:16:20.419 --> 00:16:26.899 is for God and your witnesses. You're making 00:16:26.899 --> 00:16:29.139 vows to Almighty God and yes, it will change 00:16:29.139 --> 00:16:32.580 you and transform you and so I'm not saying take 00:16:32.580 --> 00:16:39.500 no interest in how beautiful it is It's for God 00:16:39.500 --> 00:16:43.539 And the vows you take before him and it is for 00:16:43.539 --> 00:16:47.519 your witnesses who you must be glad for Rejoice 00:16:47.519 --> 00:16:50.759 in what are those witnesses there for? They are 00:16:50.759 --> 00:16:54.639 as the Bible teaches us there to stand with you 00:16:54.639 --> 00:16:57.639 in trouble and sorrows. And it is there, they 00:16:57.639 --> 00:16:59.720 are there to stand with you throughout your life 00:16:59.720 --> 00:17:04.980 in your joys and your expectations. And if you 00:17:04.980 --> 00:17:08.460 struggle or you stumble, they are there to come 00:17:08.460 --> 00:17:12.940 alongside you and say, remember God, remember 00:17:12.940 --> 00:17:16.700 the works of Jesus, remember your covenant vows 00:17:16.700 --> 00:17:20.460 before Him, remember your baptism. And as we 00:17:20.460 --> 00:17:22.500 like to say sometimes, grab you by your baptism. 00:17:22.900 --> 00:17:28.359 Don't fall into this sinful trap. That's what 00:17:28.359 --> 00:17:31.279 the witnesses are for. And you should rejoice 00:17:31.279 --> 00:17:36.799 in it. Dearly beloved, marriage is for the glory 00:17:36.799 --> 00:17:40.180 of God and the good of the world. As we've already 00:17:40.180 --> 00:17:43.380 seen, marriage is an imitation of Christ and 00:17:43.380 --> 00:17:47.980 His church. Sometimes our imaging is truthful. 00:17:49.039 --> 00:17:53.559 And sometimes it's a blasphemous lie. Christ 00:17:53.559 --> 00:17:57.200 Jesus loves us and gave himself for us. Jesus 00:17:57.200 --> 00:17:59.819 came not to be served, but to serve even unto 00:17:59.819 --> 00:18:04.480 death. Jesus, trusting in his father, making 00:18:04.480 --> 00:18:07.680 his bride sanctified and cleansed, to present 00:18:07.680 --> 00:18:11.099 her to himself as a glorious church without spot 00:18:11.099 --> 00:18:15.960 or wrinkle, to be holy. This service of the husband 00:18:15.960 --> 00:18:20.299 to love and to cherish. By guarding and tending 00:18:20.299 --> 00:18:23.599 for his bride that she might respond in submission 00:18:23.599 --> 00:18:27.880 and respect For the glory of the kingdom of God 00:18:27.880 --> 00:18:31.180 to see God glorified in his kingdom and to see 00:18:31.180 --> 00:18:36.240 his kingdom flourish and Expand until the knowledge 00:18:36.240 --> 00:18:40.180 of the glory of God covers the earth as the waters 00:18:40.180 --> 00:18:43.059 cover the sea Now all of you have believed that 00:18:43.059 --> 00:18:46.630 for Christ in his church But you must understand 00:18:46.630 --> 00:18:52.730 that too is what marriage is. To see these things. 00:18:54.130 --> 00:18:58.549 To see the kingdom of heaven. The knowledge of 00:18:58.549 --> 00:19:03.930 the glory of God expand until it covers the entire 00:19:03.930 --> 00:19:11.930 earth. As the waters cover the sea. The falsehood 00:19:11.930 --> 00:19:15.210 of marriage existing to meet my needs is the 00:19:15.210 --> 00:19:18.369 wide path of destruction. That's not to say it 00:19:18.369 --> 00:19:20.970 won't meet your needs, but the difficulty is 00:19:20.970 --> 00:19:25.049 if that is what we say the purpose is, we're 00:19:25.049 --> 00:19:30.230 in trouble. As one commentator puts it, if marriage 00:19:30.230 --> 00:19:33.349 is there to meet your needs, what do you do when 00:19:33.349 --> 00:19:36.329 it doesn't meet your needs in your understanding? 00:19:37.860 --> 00:19:39.839 Now, I want to be honest with you. Everybody 00:19:39.839 --> 00:19:46.599 look up here. Young people, you too. So young 00:19:46.599 --> 00:19:48.400 people, you're looking around watching all the 00:19:48.400 --> 00:19:52.319 married people right now. Have you ever found 00:19:52.319 --> 00:19:56.059 that your marriage at some point wasn't meeting 00:19:56.059 --> 00:19:59.839 your needs? If everybody in this room didn't 00:19:59.839 --> 00:20:05.000 do a double hand up like this, you're not being 00:20:05.000 --> 00:20:13.109 honest. If I make my relationship the goal of 00:20:13.109 --> 00:20:17.630 my life, I doom myself, you doom yourself. The 00:20:17.630 --> 00:20:21.329 goal is not to pursue a good marriage. What? 00:20:22.250 --> 00:20:23.809 Because that's what all the self -help books 00:20:23.809 --> 00:20:26.750 say, pursue a good marriage. That's what I'm 00:20:26.750 --> 00:20:33.049 here for. So that I can get my needs met. The 00:20:33.049 --> 00:20:35.809 goal is not to pursue a good marriage, but to 00:20:35.809 --> 00:20:43.039 pursue the honor. God Our marriages must aim 00:20:43.039 --> 00:20:46.099 for more than to keep us satisfied and happy 00:20:46.099 --> 00:20:50.319 Just as Jesus the bridegroom and the church the 00:20:50.319 --> 00:20:53.920 bride are for the glory of God and the good of 00:20:53.920 --> 00:20:56.660 the world Think about this. What did Jesus do? 00:20:57.900 --> 00:21:00.380 he laid down his life for us and he ascended 00:21:00.380 --> 00:21:05.099 into heaven and He left us the church to bring 00:21:05.099 --> 00:21:10.849 the his good to the world And all of this is 00:21:10.849 --> 00:21:13.910 not just for the glory of God and the good of 00:21:13.910 --> 00:21:17.329 the world in some mystical way. Although one 00:21:17.329 --> 00:21:19.769 of the most powerful ways to transform the world 00:21:19.769 --> 00:21:23.450 is in unified worship by his people like this 00:21:23.450 --> 00:21:26.269 on a Sunday morning. Nothing shakes the gates 00:21:26.269 --> 00:21:30.269 of hell like that, like what we are doing right 00:21:30.269 --> 00:21:34.470 now. But then we're called to go out from the 00:21:34.470 --> 00:21:40.460 Lord's presence. and transform the world in whatever 00:21:40.460 --> 00:21:43.700 meager little way we have responsibility for 00:21:43.700 --> 00:21:51.420 it. You see, we are in a tangible real way to 00:21:51.420 --> 00:21:55.680 worship God together, and it is a real relationship. 00:21:57.299 --> 00:22:00.380 You see, word and sacrament have a face -to -face 00:22:00.380 --> 00:22:03.940 element. First of all, through your elders speaking 00:22:03.940 --> 00:22:08.450 to you. That's face -to -face. We represent Christ's 00:22:08.450 --> 00:22:12.309 words to you. That's why this is a scary place 00:22:12.309 --> 00:22:21.250 to stand. And it is also a beautiful place of 00:22:21.250 --> 00:22:23.950 God's presence, Jesus' presence, by the power 00:22:23.950 --> 00:22:27.069 of the Spirit in our lives at the Lord's table. 00:22:27.829 --> 00:22:31.789 These are not just empty symbols, but real tangible 00:22:31.789 --> 00:22:35.880 gifts of God from His presence to us. to strengthen 00:22:35.880 --> 00:22:40.420 us and bless us so that we can go and glorify 00:22:40.420 --> 00:22:45.400 the world. Word and sacrament have a face -to 00:22:45.400 --> 00:22:48.240 -face element, Jesus with us, that we may be 00:22:48.240 --> 00:22:52.359 strengthened and side -by -side with Jesus, see 00:22:52.359 --> 00:22:54.920 the world transform for the glory of God and 00:22:54.920 --> 00:22:57.059 the true goodness of the world. So here's the 00:22:57.059 --> 00:23:00.680 thing. According to Ephesians 2, where are we? 00:23:01.819 --> 00:23:05.490 We are beside Jesus. He's interceding for us. 00:23:05.609 --> 00:23:08.450 I don't think anybody in here thinks that somehow 00:23:08.450 --> 00:23:12.069 the church is equal to Jesus. And yet, he has 00:23:12.069 --> 00:23:15.650 put us by his side in this image of marriage 00:23:15.650 --> 00:23:24.670 to do what? To transform the world. The face 00:23:24.670 --> 00:23:27.529 -to -face intimate relationship in marriage is 00:23:27.529 --> 00:23:30.170 designed to strengthen the unity of marriage 00:23:30.170 --> 00:23:34.119 for the side -by -side relationship that you 00:23:34.119 --> 00:23:37.819 have for the good of the world over and through 00:23:37.819 --> 00:23:41.779 trials. Last week we talked about that phrase, 00:23:42.839 --> 00:23:45.440 right? Marriage is easy, or are you doing it 00:23:45.440 --> 00:23:49.839 wrong? Meaning that if we make the focus of our 00:23:49.839 --> 00:23:52.420 trials ourselves, each other, our marriage, that's 00:23:52.420 --> 00:23:54.579 where trial is. Guess what happens? We didn't 00:23:54.579 --> 00:24:03.130 do anything on the outside. The gospel lived 00:24:03.130 --> 00:24:05.990 out to the glory of God and the benefit of others. 00:24:06.789 --> 00:24:09.650 Who are those others? Your household, your church, 00:24:09.869 --> 00:24:12.690 and the broader community. When we studied Psalm 00:24:12.690 --> 00:24:16.049 37, we heard of the steadfastness of God's love 00:24:16.049 --> 00:24:20.910 and actions for his people. Verse 23 says, the 00:24:20.910 --> 00:24:25.130 steps of a good man are ordered by Yahweh, and 00:24:25.130 --> 00:24:28.150 he delights in his way. Though he fall, he shall 00:24:28.150 --> 00:24:31.109 not utterly be cast down, for Yahweh upholds 00:24:31.109 --> 00:24:35.269 him with His hand. And also down in verse 39 00:24:35.269 --> 00:24:38.309 of Psalm 37, but the salvation of the righteous 00:24:38.309 --> 00:24:42.950 is from, not ourselves, but Yahweh. He is their 00:24:42.950 --> 00:24:45.349 strength in the time of trouble, and Yahweh shall 00:24:45.349 --> 00:24:47.849 help them and deliver them, and He shall deliver 00:24:47.849 --> 00:24:49.970 them from the wicked and save them, because they 00:24:49.970 --> 00:24:53.369 trust in Him. And again, why do we say Yahweh? 00:24:53.390 --> 00:24:55.869 Because it reminds us it is His covenant name 00:24:55.869 --> 00:24:59.289 that He gave Himself. He keeps His promises. 00:24:59.369 --> 00:25:03.369 He keeps His covenant with us. Marriage means 00:25:03.369 --> 00:25:07.589 dying to self, trusting God and His promises 00:25:07.589 --> 00:25:11.470 to raise us from the dead to His glory. But it 00:25:11.470 --> 00:25:14.970 isn't just that, it is also the true benefit 00:25:14.970 --> 00:25:20.069 to the world. In dying to self, God provides 00:25:20.069 --> 00:25:23.329 sanctification for you. You've heard me say it 00:25:23.329 --> 00:25:27.210 many times, God's ordinary means of sanctification 00:25:27.210 --> 00:25:31.029 in your life is other people. And the greatest 00:25:31.029 --> 00:25:34.769 sanctification in that is the person who knows 00:25:34.769 --> 00:25:39.630 all your sins and shortcomings the most, your 00:25:39.630 --> 00:25:46.990 husband, your wife. Let me declare to you the 00:25:46.990 --> 00:25:51.750 truth of Almighty God. Trust God and do good. 00:25:52.549 --> 00:25:56.069 willingly die to self in your marriage and see 00:25:56.069 --> 00:25:59.490 the glorious transformation not only of your 00:25:59.490 --> 00:26:02.549 marriage, but for the world that God has placed 00:26:02.549 --> 00:26:06.769 you in at this time, at this place, and during 00:26:06.769 --> 00:26:09.890 these circumstances that you find yourself in 00:26:09.890 --> 00:26:14.769 right now. See, we are happy to believe in Jesus 00:26:14.769 --> 00:26:20.930 for our eternal resurrection, but really that 00:26:20.930 --> 00:26:25.730 faith. That trust needs to be in through the 00:26:25.730 --> 00:26:30.509 actions of dying to ourselves That that that 00:26:30.509 --> 00:26:34.730 we will see God resurrect us and resurrect the 00:26:34.730 --> 00:26:39.710 relationships in our lives Jesus delights in 00:26:39.710 --> 00:26:46.329 us Sharing our joys and sorrows All our happiness 00:26:46.329 --> 00:26:50.009 we owe to Jesus. How then do we respond to the 00:26:50.009 --> 00:26:53.779 love of Christ? Love is made manifest as you 00:26:53.779 --> 00:27:00.039 render your love to him and obedience Jesus is 00:27:00.039 --> 00:27:03.799 or excuse me. Jesus has your best interest and 00:27:03.799 --> 00:27:08.559 outcome in mind He has done all for you and has 00:27:08.559 --> 00:27:12.400 given you all you need from his cross Resurrection 00:27:12.400 --> 00:27:15.680 and ascension where he now and his ascension 00:27:15.680 --> 00:27:19.769 intercedes for you He has given himself to us 00:27:19.769 --> 00:27:22.589 through the Holy Spirit in his word and sacraments. 00:27:22.589 --> 00:27:27.529 He provides what we need when we need it. Even 00:27:27.529 --> 00:27:32.670 when we think he is slow or late or not involved 00:27:32.670 --> 00:27:37.750 at all. Read 1st and 2nd Peter on that one. Saints 00:27:37.750 --> 00:27:43.390 of God, trust God and do good. Now interestingly, 00:27:44.059 --> 00:27:47.960 In all three epistle passages on marriage, Ephesians 00:27:47.960 --> 00:27:53.500 5, Colossians 3, and 1 Peter 3, there's a list 00:27:53.500 --> 00:27:56.640 directing submission with varying descriptions 00:27:56.640 --> 00:28:00.779 of who and how we are to respond to our God -ordained 00:28:00.779 --> 00:28:07.609 superiors and inferiors. I want us to consider 00:28:07.609 --> 00:28:09.789 this. Again, this brings us back to our passage. 00:28:09.890 --> 00:28:12.809 We've heard it in various ways, even in the Ephesians 00:28:12.809 --> 00:28:15.930 passage, but here we go. Our passage from this 00:28:15.930 --> 00:28:18.089 morning. Wives submit to your own husbands as 00:28:18.089 --> 00:28:20.750 is fitting to the Lord. Husbands love your wives 00:28:20.750 --> 00:28:23.230 and do not be bitter towards them. Children, 00:28:23.390 --> 00:28:25.650 obey your parents in all things for this is well 00:28:25.650 --> 00:28:28.329 pleasing to the Lord. Fathers, do not provoke 00:28:28.329 --> 00:28:31.849 your children lest they become discouraged. Bond 00:28:31.849 --> 00:28:35.970 servants, obey all things. Your master is in 00:28:35.970 --> 00:28:38.170 all things your masters according to the flesh 00:28:38.170 --> 00:28:41.589 not with eye service as men pleasers But in sincerity 00:28:41.589 --> 00:28:45.130 of heart fearing God and whatever you do do it 00:28:45.130 --> 00:28:48.329 heartily as to the Lord and not to men Knowing 00:28:48.329 --> 00:28:50.930 that from the Lord you will receive the reward 00:28:50.930 --> 00:28:54.089 of the inheritance for you serve the Lord Christ 00:28:54.089 --> 00:28:57.450 And of course it ends in a negative way, but 00:28:57.450 --> 00:29:00.170 he who does wrong will be repaid for what he 00:29:00.170 --> 00:29:05.039 has done And there is no partiality That inheritance 00:29:05.039 --> 00:29:09.019 is believing in and seeing and trusting God in 00:29:09.019 --> 00:29:13.920 the death to yourself. Now here's our problem. 00:29:15.019 --> 00:29:19.519 With modern sensibilities, we groan when we hear 00:29:19.519 --> 00:29:24.819 such a numbering of the list. But as you can 00:29:24.819 --> 00:29:30.220 see, all three epistles begin the list with the 00:29:30.220 --> 00:29:34.759 submission of the wife. And that just grates 00:29:34.759 --> 00:29:38.099 our nerves. We think, why wouldn't you deal with 00:29:38.099 --> 00:29:41.380 the husband first? Well, because the list is 00:29:41.380 --> 00:29:45.680 about submission to the authorities. You know, 00:29:45.680 --> 00:29:49.819 we often manage to cope and soothe our offended 00:29:49.819 --> 00:29:54.640 heart when we remember from Ephesians 5 that 00:29:54.640 --> 00:29:57.900 husbands are to love like Christ loves the church. 00:29:58.460 --> 00:30:02.619 And so for some of you, you rationalize. Well, 00:30:02.720 --> 00:30:04.660 my husband doesn't love me like Christ loves 00:30:04.660 --> 00:30:09.960 the church, so I get a pass on respect and honor 00:30:09.960 --> 00:30:15.000 and obeying. Or if I do do those things, it's 00:30:15.000 --> 00:30:21.799 not heartily or joyfully unto the Lord. We will 00:30:21.799 --> 00:30:25.299 cover the duty of husbands in coming weeks, but 00:30:25.299 --> 00:30:29.339 submission is required as Jesus submits to the 00:30:29.339 --> 00:30:33.349 Father. as husbands submit to Christ, which also 00:30:33.349 --> 00:30:35.970 includes husbands submitting to Christ's representatives 00:30:35.970 --> 00:30:41.769 on earth, their elders. Wives to husbands, children 00:30:41.769 --> 00:30:46.250 to parents, servants to slaves, and employers, 00:30:47.089 --> 00:30:50.289 slaves and employees to masters and employers. 00:30:50.970 --> 00:30:56.329 It's all there. God has graciously given us instructions, 00:30:56.710 --> 00:31:02.259 and we too often dodge ignore, or just rebel 00:31:02.259 --> 00:31:07.539 of the true ways of life. I'm mentioning this 00:31:07.539 --> 00:31:09.920 again, but last week we heard the quote, marriage 00:31:09.920 --> 00:31:13.579 is easy or you're doing it wrong. Dearly beloved, 00:31:14.180 --> 00:31:17.599 the long and the short of it is this. We turn 00:31:17.599 --> 00:31:20.700 our marriages into the trial of life because 00:31:20.700 --> 00:31:24.539 we do not obey the words of life. And so we choose 00:31:24.539 --> 00:31:28.589 the path of hardship and death. Proverbs chapter 00:31:28.589 --> 00:31:31.170 1 beginning of verse 22 says this, hear this. 00:31:31.690 --> 00:31:35.890 How long, you simple ones, will you love simplicity? 00:31:36.609 --> 00:31:38.490 I'm going to pause right there. How many parents 00:31:38.490 --> 00:31:41.890 have thought that of their children? Every one 00:31:41.890 --> 00:31:46.509 of us. But have we taken that and put it on ourselves 00:31:46.509 --> 00:31:50.009 and our relationship to God, the Father, and 00:31:50.009 --> 00:31:54.430 through Jesus, the Son? For scorners delight 00:31:54.430 --> 00:31:58.009 in their scornings. and fools hate knowledge. 00:31:59.230 --> 00:32:02.730 Lady wisdom tells us that the foolish disdain 00:32:02.730 --> 00:32:06.349 her counsel, and now terror and calamity will 00:32:06.349 --> 00:32:09.329 come. The storm and the whirlwind of destruction 00:32:09.329 --> 00:32:12.609 will bring distress and anguish because we hated 00:32:12.609 --> 00:32:17.789 knowledge and chose not to fear the Lord. We 00:32:17.789 --> 00:32:20.809 become complacent, holding on to our life that 00:32:20.809 --> 00:32:25.269 leads to the destruction of marriage and to ourselves. 00:32:26.370 --> 00:32:29.430 Proverbs 133, that's the end verse. It ends with 00:32:29.430 --> 00:32:33.769 this. It says, but whoever listens to me will 00:32:33.769 --> 00:32:40.289 dwell safely and will be secure without fear 00:32:40.289 --> 00:32:48.289 of evil. Wives, God is clear. Submit, obey, respect, 00:32:48.490 --> 00:32:53.130 and honor your husband, trusting God. When you 00:32:53.130 --> 00:32:57.480 die to yourself, Trust God to bring a glorious 00:32:57.480 --> 00:33:00.940 resurrection for His glory and for the good of 00:33:00.940 --> 00:33:06.059 the world, starting in your marriage. As one 00:33:06.059 --> 00:33:08.400 commentator puts it, submission does not make 00:33:08.400 --> 00:33:11.420 the wife a doormat, and headship does not make 00:33:11.420 --> 00:33:18.200 him a tyrant. What does those things? Sin. But 00:33:18.200 --> 00:33:22.160 God's order of things, He places there on purpose. 00:33:23.500 --> 00:33:27.960 All husbands should invite his wife to talk back 00:33:27.960 --> 00:33:33.660 to him in respectful ways. Many a wife has saved 00:33:33.660 --> 00:33:37.259 her husband from an idiotic decision by giving 00:33:37.259 --> 00:33:42.680 respectful pushback. And wise patriarchs will 00:33:42.680 --> 00:33:46.119 always recognize this fact about their wives. 00:33:46.899 --> 00:33:50.819 Hebrews 13 17 talking about submission to authority 00:33:50.819 --> 00:33:54.299 says and this is specifically aimed towards elders 00:33:54.299 --> 00:33:56.880 the church and elders but I think because we've 00:33:56.880 --> 00:33:59.339 made this and the elders of representative Christ 00:33:59.339 --> 00:34:01.319 because we've made this connection already we 00:34:01.319 --> 00:34:06.140 can apply it here in Hebrews 13 17 it says obey 00:34:06.140 --> 00:34:09.199 those who rule over you and be submissive for 00:34:09.199 --> 00:34:12.760 they watch out for your souls as those who must 00:34:12.760 --> 00:34:17.050 give an account Let them do so with joy and not 00:34:17.050 --> 00:34:20.250 with grief, for that would be unprofitable for 00:34:20.250 --> 00:34:24.929 you. For all of you in this room, and anybody 00:34:24.929 --> 00:34:29.909 here in this, are you making your superiors joyful 00:34:29.909 --> 00:34:35.829 in your labors and submission? Or are they full 00:34:35.829 --> 00:34:41.449 of grief from your inability to follow Jesus 00:34:41.449 --> 00:34:46.849 and obey His word? I think that's a big question 00:34:46.849 --> 00:34:52.190 for all of us. Wives, do not view yourself as 00:34:52.190 --> 00:34:57.269 your husband's rival. No God has made you differently. 00:34:57.369 --> 00:34:59.690 He has given you different gifts. It is not less 00:34:59.690 --> 00:35:03.469 glorious. And he cannot complete his call by 00:35:03.469 --> 00:35:09.389 himself. Likewise, men, love and cherish your 00:35:09.389 --> 00:35:13.929 wife. It's not about rivalry. It's not about 00:35:13.929 --> 00:35:18.820 who wins a fight. But is God being glorified? 00:35:20.179 --> 00:35:23.619 Are you being for the good of the world? God 00:35:23.619 --> 00:35:26.579 has made you male and female. By God's sovereign 00:35:26.579 --> 00:35:30.539 plan, each of you have a different origin and 00:35:30.539 --> 00:35:35.119 orientation. As one commentator puts it, granting 00:35:35.119 --> 00:35:37.860 the obvious qualifications that would apply to 00:35:37.860 --> 00:35:40.079 any human authority, that is to say, if they 00:35:40.079 --> 00:35:46.659 tell you to sin, yes, stop. Don't do that. But 00:35:46.659 --> 00:35:50.860 it says this, wives should submit to their husbands 00:35:50.860 --> 00:35:55.159 in everything. He has real authority over you, 00:35:55.420 --> 00:35:59.420 given by God, grounded in creation, symbolic 00:35:59.420 --> 00:36:03.940 of the gospel, and enforced by his word. Thus, 00:36:04.119 --> 00:36:08.239 in pleasing your husband, you please Christ, 00:36:08.960 --> 00:36:13.760 and you honor God's divine design. In obeying 00:36:13.760 --> 00:36:17.769 and respecting your husband, You obey and respect 00:36:17.769 --> 00:36:22.510 Christ. The question for Christian wives is simple. 00:36:23.530 --> 00:36:26.969 Do you trust God? Do you trust that God knows 00:36:26.969 --> 00:36:31.510 best? If so, obey your husband. In submitting 00:36:31.510 --> 00:36:35.690 to him, you submit to Christ. In respecting him, 00:36:36.070 --> 00:36:39.889 you respect Christ. Reject the lies of mutual 00:36:39.889 --> 00:36:42.730 submission and submit to your husband. Reject 00:36:42.730 --> 00:36:48.530 feminism and embrace true femininity. For both 00:36:48.530 --> 00:36:51.769 husbands and wives, your marriage is not for 00:36:51.769 --> 00:36:56.010 you, but for the glory of God and the good of 00:36:56.010 --> 00:37:01.309 the world. So thinking of Psalm 37, trust God 00:37:01.309 --> 00:37:05.750 and do good. Stand your post and see the kingdom 00:37:05.750 --> 00:37:09.929 of God expand and fill the whole earth. Let us 00:37:09.929 --> 00:37:14.260 pray. Heavenly Father, Thank you for your great 00:37:14.260 --> 00:37:17.559 love demonstrated to us in Christ Jesus, the 00:37:17.559 --> 00:37:20.460 faithful and good bridegroom. Help us, we pray, 00:37:20.460 --> 00:37:23.599 for every husband and wife to find the joy and 00:37:23.599 --> 00:37:26.019 blessing in Christian marriage through obedience 00:37:26.019 --> 00:37:28.940 to your holy life -giving word, that your name 00:37:28.940 --> 00:37:31.800 will be praised and glorified and your kingdom 00:37:31.800 --> 00:37:34.739 advanced to the ends of the earth. We ask all 00:37:34.739 --> 00:37:37.440 this for the sake of Jesus who reigns with you 00:37:37.440 --> 00:37:42.750 in the Holy Spirit forever and ever. Amen. Let 00:37:42.750 --> 00:37:45.030 us continue our worship by the giving of our 00:37:45.030 --> 00:38:27.550 tithes and offerings. Father, we thank you for 00:38:27.550 --> 00:38:30.449 your goodness. And so we have these gifts to 00:38:30.449 --> 00:38:33.610 share. Lord, we offer them up as a tribute offering 00:38:33.610 --> 00:38:37.250 for all our works in the past weeks. Accept and 00:38:37.250 --> 00:38:39.610 use your tithes and offerings for your glory 00:38:39.610 --> 00:38:42.309 and for service in your kingdom. Blessed be God 00:38:42.309 --> 00:38:44.050 forever and ever. Amen.