WEBVTT 00:00:00.560 --> 00:00:03.960 We're continuing our summer foundations of the 00:00:03.960 --> 00:00:08.500 Christian life series We've already covered this 00:00:08.500 --> 00:00:12.460 summer trusting God and doing good Standing your 00:00:12.460 --> 00:00:15.240 post and being fruitful in the realm that God 00:00:15.240 --> 00:00:18.640 has given you We've learned to be at peace with 00:00:18.640 --> 00:00:22.280 God's authority structure We have learned that 00:00:22.280 --> 00:00:25.359 men and women have glorious God ordained different 00:00:25.359 --> 00:00:30.870 origins and orientations and yet They are oriented 00:00:30.870 --> 00:00:34.850 towards each other We've learned God's blueprint 00:00:34.850 --> 00:00:38.549 for marriage and the last time we were together 00:00:38.549 --> 00:00:42.250 We studied that wives should joyously submit 00:00:42.250 --> 00:00:46.770 respect and honor their husbands Today we will 00:00:46.770 --> 00:00:50.530 now take up God's command for husbands to love 00:00:50.530 --> 00:00:55.049 their wives as Christ loved the church Let us 00:00:55.049 --> 00:00:59.509 pray together Our God and our father Thank you 00:00:59.509 --> 00:01:02.210 for sending the Spirit to give us life and to 00:01:02.210 --> 00:01:04.590 empower us for the call that you have given us 00:01:04.590 --> 00:01:08.090 to carry out your words of life, beginning in 00:01:08.090 --> 00:01:10.829 our marriages, our households, and to the very 00:01:10.829 --> 00:01:13.670 ends of the earth. Please allow the words of 00:01:13.670 --> 00:01:16.109 my mouth and the meditations of all our hearts 00:01:16.109 --> 00:01:19.390 to be acceptable in your sight, O Lord our rock 00:01:19.390 --> 00:01:22.670 and your kinsman redeemer, Jesus Christ, our 00:01:22.670 --> 00:01:31.319 risen Lord. Amen. Our passage today is from Ephesians 00:01:31.319 --> 00:01:39.340 chapter 5. We'll be picking up beginning with 00:01:39.340 --> 00:01:45.579 verse 25. Husbands, love your wives just as Christ 00:01:45.579 --> 00:01:48.900 also loved the church and gave himself for her, 00:01:49.319 --> 00:01:51.879 that he might sanctify and cleanse her with the 00:01:51.879 --> 00:01:54.700 washing of the water by the word, that he might 00:01:54.700 --> 00:01:58.769 present her to himself, a glorious church. not 00:01:58.769 --> 00:02:01.810 having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but 00:02:01.810 --> 00:02:06.269 that she should be holy without blemish. So husbands 00:02:06.269 --> 00:02:08.810 ought to love their own wives as their own bodies. 00:02:09.370 --> 00:02:15.110 He who loves his wife loves himself. For no one 00:02:15.110 --> 00:02:18.430 ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes 00:02:18.430 --> 00:02:22.090 it, just as the Lord does the church. For we 00:02:22.090 --> 00:02:25.090 are members of his body, of his flesh, and of 00:02:25.090 --> 00:02:28.039 his bones. For this reason a man shall leave 00:02:28.039 --> 00:02:30.379 his father and mother and be joined to his wife, 00:02:30.780 --> 00:02:34.259 and the two shall become one flesh. This is a 00:02:34.259 --> 00:02:37.120 great mystery, but I speak concerning Christ 00:02:37.120 --> 00:02:41.120 and the church. Nevertheless, let each one of 00:02:41.120 --> 00:02:45.159 you in particular so love his own wife as himself, 00:02:45.780 --> 00:02:48.860 and let the wife see that she respects her husband. 00:02:49.740 --> 00:02:53.039 These are the words of Almighty God. Receive 00:02:53.039 --> 00:02:57.870 them in your hearts. Now, there are three lenses 00:02:57.870 --> 00:03:01.030 with which I want us to approach the thoughts 00:03:01.030 --> 00:03:04.590 in these passages today. They begin with this. 00:03:05.009 --> 00:03:09.569 Jesus' love is the definition of commitment. 00:03:10.669 --> 00:03:14.830 Jesus' love is the definition of commitment. 00:03:16.289 --> 00:03:21.930 Second, Jesus in His love relinquished His glory 00:03:21.930 --> 00:03:28.419 for us. Jesus in His love relinquished His glory 00:03:28.419 --> 00:03:34.879 for us. And finally, Jesus' love is found in 00:03:34.879 --> 00:03:38.639 the security of His dominion and His bounteous 00:03:38.639 --> 00:03:43.960 fruitfulness for us. Jesus' love is found in 00:03:43.960 --> 00:03:47.879 the security of His dominion and His bounteous 00:03:47.879 --> 00:03:54.539 fruitfulness for us. Saints of God, there is 00:03:54.539 --> 00:03:59.360 nothing of greater significance to you, Christian, 00:04:00.300 --> 00:04:05.620 than the love of Jesus. Jesus' love for you is 00:04:05.620 --> 00:04:10.060 immeasurable. If a man were to right now write 00:04:10.060 --> 00:04:14.439 a treatise on the love of Jesus, it would be 00:04:14.439 --> 00:04:19.819 completely unable to describe or explain or even 00:04:19.819 --> 00:04:26.019 be close and the stunningly resplendent. marvelous 00:04:26.019 --> 00:04:30.759 love of Jesus to His church, of which all of 00:04:30.759 --> 00:04:37.839 you are a part. When I call all y 'all, the dearly 00:04:37.839 --> 00:04:43.560 beloved, I am speaking of Jesus' delight in you. 00:04:47.399 --> 00:04:50.699 If you are reflecting on this truth, this truth 00:04:50.699 --> 00:04:58.500 of Jesus' delight in you. Considering the actions 00:04:58.500 --> 00:05:03.620 and words and thoughts and the emotional reactions 00:05:03.620 --> 00:05:10.439 in your life and marriage and family and community, 00:05:10.839 --> 00:05:15.279 you are aware of your unworthiness of Jesus' 00:05:15.579 --> 00:05:20.420 love and the destitute position you are in to 00:05:20.420 --> 00:05:25.449 be a recipient of Jesus' love and therefore communion 00:05:25.449 --> 00:05:31.829 with God as one commentator puts it no subject 00:05:31.829 --> 00:05:40.930 excuse me no subject more exposes the poverty 00:05:40.930 --> 00:05:44.889 of our lives before God than actual communion 00:05:44.889 --> 00:05:49.889 with God we feel or should feel totally out of 00:05:49.889 --> 00:05:54.019 our depth however highly Other Christians might 00:05:54.019 --> 00:05:59.139 esteem you. You know only too well how weakly, 00:05:59.720 --> 00:06:05.560 how inconsistently, how pure poorly, how coldly 00:06:05.560 --> 00:06:11.439 your heart engages in communion with God. Like 00:06:11.439 --> 00:06:14.759 Paul, you desire to know Christ and the power 00:06:14.759 --> 00:06:17.100 of His resurrection and the fellowship of His 00:06:17.100 --> 00:06:21.529 sufferings described in Philippians 3. But oh 00:06:21.529 --> 00:06:26.089 how often that desire is weakened by the sluggishness 00:06:26.089 --> 00:06:30.709 of the flesh the diversions of the devil the 00:06:30.709 --> 00:06:35.709 enticements of a dying world and yet it is not 00:06:35.709 --> 00:06:40.810 the believers truest Longing for communion with 00:06:40.810 --> 00:06:43.589 the Savior isn't that what we long for even with 00:06:43.589 --> 00:06:49.829 all our weaknesses even as regenerate men and 00:06:49.829 --> 00:06:57.250 women, we are a spiritual mystery. Dearly beloved, 00:06:57.910 --> 00:07:01.569 be assured of Jesus' love for you, not as one 00:07:01.569 --> 00:07:05.529 to be pitied like a stray dog, but as one in 00:07:05.529 --> 00:07:12.649 whom Jesus delights in. Jesus loves His own. 00:07:13.860 --> 00:07:17.079 Psalm 149 verse 4 says, for Yahweh takes pleasure 00:07:17.079 --> 00:07:21.879 in His people. He will beautify the humble with 00:07:21.879 --> 00:07:28.199 salvation. Do you hear that? He takes pleasure. 00:07:28.800 --> 00:07:30.680 That same word could be interpreted, delights. 00:07:30.699 --> 00:07:33.500 He takes pleasure. He delights in His people. 00:07:33.579 --> 00:07:37.079 And what will He do? He will beautify the humble 00:07:37.079 --> 00:07:44.399 with salvation. Zephaniah 3 .17 says, Yahweh 00:07:44.399 --> 00:07:47.379 your God in your midst, the mighty one will save. 00:07:47.920 --> 00:07:51.680 He will rejoice over you with gladness. He will 00:07:51.680 --> 00:07:56.660 quiet you with His love. He will rejoice over 00:07:56.660 --> 00:08:03.160 you with singing. What great love, what passionate 00:08:03.160 --> 00:08:09.040 love, what joyous love that He rejoices over 00:08:09.040 --> 00:08:16.509 you. Psalm 18 19 says he also brought me out 00:08:16.509 --> 00:08:19.449 into a broad place That is a place of safety 00:08:19.449 --> 00:08:21.670 you might feel like you were on the edge of a 00:08:21.670 --> 00:08:27.250 cliff But God's love is so great He has set you 00:08:27.250 --> 00:08:32.190 on a broad place Good footing he delivered me 00:08:32.190 --> 00:08:40.750 and here it is because He delighted in me Dearly 00:08:40.750 --> 00:08:44.149 beloved God himself has chosen you before the 00:08:44.149 --> 00:08:48.570 foundations of the world To be among his elect 00:08:48.570 --> 00:08:53.509 those chosen as the bride for his son fulfilling 00:08:53.509 --> 00:08:58.149 his sovereign loving grand design for all of 00:08:58.149 --> 00:09:04.809 history a Bride for his son. Oh What joy we have 00:09:04.809 --> 00:09:09.919 in the eternal love of Jesus as his bride Oh 00:09:09.919 --> 00:09:14.700 joy, oh comfort, what a comfort that we have 00:09:14.700 --> 00:09:22.639 in the wondrous love of Jesus for us. 1 John 00:09:22.639 --> 00:09:27.059 4 18 tells us, there is no fear in love, but 00:09:27.059 --> 00:09:30.440 perfect love casts out fear because fear involves 00:09:30.440 --> 00:09:34.299 torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect 00:09:34.299 --> 00:09:40.429 in love. We love him. Because he first loved 00:09:40.429 --> 00:09:45.250 us How can it be that Jesus loved us before we 00:09:45.250 --> 00:09:49.929 had anything to offer? As one commentator puts 00:09:49.929 --> 00:09:55.129 it Lord Jesus loves his church unselfishly that 00:09:55.129 --> 00:09:59.070 is to say he never loved her for what she has 00:09:59.070 --> 00:10:05.450 or what she is not so much What she is, but what 00:10:05.450 --> 00:10:08.350 he makes her as the object of His love. What 00:10:08.350 --> 00:10:11.429 He is saying there is this, Christ did not love 00:10:11.429 --> 00:10:14.669 you because of what you brought to Him. You only 00:10:14.669 --> 00:10:21.289 brought your sin. But rather, He made you the 00:10:21.289 --> 00:10:23.450 object of His love and He loves you for what 00:10:23.450 --> 00:10:32.389 He is making you into. Jesus, His is the strongest 00:10:32.389 --> 00:10:36.870 love that ever was, for He has loved the unlovely. 00:10:36.940 --> 00:10:40.799 until He has changed her. He has loved the sinner 00:10:40.799 --> 00:10:44.340 until He has made him a saint. He has loved the 00:10:44.340 --> 00:10:48.720 foul and filthy until He has washed her with 00:10:48.720 --> 00:10:52.460 the water of the Word and presented her unto 00:10:52.460 --> 00:11:01.179 Himself without spot or wrinkle. Even now that 00:11:01.179 --> 00:11:04.230 God has worked in our life, and changed us in 00:11:04.230 --> 00:11:08.149 so many ways and given us so many good gifts. 00:11:10.750 --> 00:11:14.070 What we have to offer is not our own, but rather 00:11:14.070 --> 00:11:20.690 the Lord Jesus' gifts of water and word, made 00:11:20.690 --> 00:11:25.549 alive by the power of the Spirit. You see, Jesus 00:11:25.549 --> 00:11:29.809 remains faithful to his chosen people, his elect. 00:11:30.110 --> 00:11:34.049 those to whom He made the object of His love. 00:11:36.029 --> 00:11:39.850 He is faithful to us even in our weaknesses. 00:11:41.850 --> 00:11:44.669 And praise God, He is bestowed upon us as it 00:11:44.669 --> 00:11:49.350 says in 2 Timothy 2 .13, if we are faithless, 00:11:50.070 --> 00:11:55.769 He remains faithful. He cannot deny Himself. 00:11:56.750 --> 00:12:00.850 This means that Jesus keeps His Word and we have 00:12:00.850 --> 00:12:06.230 an assurance of His work on our behalf. Today 00:12:06.230 --> 00:12:11.769 we have already sung two songs, two hymns, that 00:12:11.769 --> 00:12:15.250 reminded us so much of Jesus' love and the assurance 00:12:15.250 --> 00:12:21.549 that we have in Him. Dearly beloved, lean more 00:12:21.549 --> 00:12:26.509 to Jesus. No yet cast yourself upon Jesus all 00:12:26.509 --> 00:12:31.169 the way. Because he loves you and he is faithful 00:12:31.169 --> 00:12:38.870 to you We can throw ourselves cast ourselves 00:12:38.870 --> 00:12:42.210 completely upon the love of Jesus because we 00:12:42.210 --> 00:12:47.509 are reminded in 2nd Corinthians 120 for all the 00:12:47.509 --> 00:12:50.889 promises of God in him that is Jesus our yes 00:12:50.889 --> 00:12:56.529 and in him amen to the glory of God through us 00:12:57.360 --> 00:13:01.139 Do you hear that his promises are yes and amen 00:13:01.139 --> 00:13:10.179 For the glory of God through us What a transformational 00:13:10.179 --> 00:13:16.559 love the love of Jesus is Jesus humbled himself 00:13:16.559 --> 00:13:20.279 as a servant and a servant who gave his life 00:13:20.279 --> 00:13:24.919 that you may have life and to have it more abundantly 00:13:25.580 --> 00:13:28.659 Philippians 2 tells us that Jesus humbled himself 00:13:28.659 --> 00:13:32.679 and relinquished the glory of his position and 00:13:32.679 --> 00:13:37.039 obedience to the Father Obeying every command 00:13:37.039 --> 00:13:43.639 of God even obedience to death even a hard and 00:13:43.639 --> 00:13:49.399 torturous death on the cross Jesus showed us 00:13:49.399 --> 00:13:53.259 that he trusted the Father in the difficult and 00:13:53.679 --> 00:13:58.820 Just an undeserved death that we may have life 00:13:58.820 --> 00:14:06.259 being reconciled with the father what love a 00:14:06.259 --> 00:14:12.320 Bounteous life what love with every gift we need 00:14:12.320 --> 00:14:18.639 what love To glorify God and to benefit the world 00:14:18.639 --> 00:14:21.860 and we talked about that as the purpose of marriage 00:14:25.199 --> 00:14:33.399 Jesus has given himself to you, for you. So we 00:14:33.399 --> 00:14:36.360 see Jesus' love demonstrated to us. How then 00:14:36.360 --> 00:14:41.960 should we respond to such a great love? With 00:14:41.960 --> 00:14:47.600 the deepest gratitude. We could and should sing 00:14:47.600 --> 00:14:51.980 with the psalmist in Psalm 103. Bless the Lord. 00:14:52.029 --> 00:14:55.990 O my soul, and all that is within me, bless His 00:14:55.990 --> 00:15:00.490 holy name. Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget 00:15:00.490 --> 00:15:05.210 not all of His benefits, who forgives all your 00:15:05.210 --> 00:15:08.970 iniquities, who heals all your diseases, who 00:15:08.970 --> 00:15:13.389 redeems your life from destruction, who crowns 00:15:13.389 --> 00:15:17.769 you with loving kindness and tender mercies, 00:15:18.389 --> 00:15:21.940 who satisfies your mouth with good things. so 00:15:21.940 --> 00:15:27.980 that your youth is renewed like the eagles. Oh, 00:15:27.980 --> 00:15:32.299 to sing and proclaim our gratitude for the love 00:15:32.299 --> 00:15:39.659 of Jesus. We're all to respond to such love in 00:15:39.659 --> 00:15:43.600 that it spurs us on to actions. It should spur 00:15:43.600 --> 00:15:48.860 us on to take an action. You think about this, 00:15:48.980 --> 00:15:53.940 a description. of the way a man is to love his 00:15:53.940 --> 00:15:57.480 wife. If we as the church are to respond with 00:15:57.480 --> 00:16:04.000 joy and obedience and anticipation to what God 00:16:04.000 --> 00:16:09.580 is asking of us to do, so then a wife too should 00:16:09.580 --> 00:16:16.419 do that. So for us as husbands, as men, are we 00:16:16.419 --> 00:16:24.690 loving our wives as Christ? of the church. We 00:16:24.690 --> 00:16:26.929 are to love Jesus by keeping His commandments, 00:16:27.110 --> 00:16:31.250 the very ways of life, especially to husbands. 00:16:31.889 --> 00:16:34.549 Love God and so obey His commandment to love 00:16:34.549 --> 00:16:40.769 your wife, to delight in your wife, to provide 00:16:40.769 --> 00:16:46.110 security and provision and fidelity. Today, just 00:16:46.110 --> 00:16:49.830 as we cannot be absolutely comprehensive in detailing 00:16:49.830 --> 00:16:54.289 every way of Jesus' love of His church, we cannot 00:16:54.289 --> 00:16:58.009 be comprehensive in all the ways that a husband 00:16:58.009 --> 00:17:02.029 is to love his wife. But we will cover three 00:17:02.029 --> 00:17:08.930 this morning. One, fidelity to your wife. Husbands, 00:17:09.009 --> 00:17:12.710 you are to be full of fidelity to your wife. 00:17:13.690 --> 00:17:18.220 Second, Our authority for the glory of God and 00:17:18.220 --> 00:17:22.160 the benefit of our wives our authority for the 00:17:22.160 --> 00:17:27.640 glory of God and the benefit of our wives and 00:17:27.640 --> 00:17:32.660 three Tending the garden of our realm to the 00:17:32.660 --> 00:17:36.839 fruitfulness of our wives Tending the garden 00:17:36.839 --> 00:17:39.599 of our realm what God has given us responsibility 00:17:39.599 --> 00:17:46.980 for to the fruitfulness of our wives Our passage 00:17:46.980 --> 00:17:50.480 today instructs husbands to love your wives Just 00:17:50.480 --> 00:17:53.420 as Christ loved the church and gave himself for 00:17:53.420 --> 00:17:56.759 her that he might sanctify and cleanse her with 00:17:56.759 --> 00:17:59.319 the Washing of the water by the word that he 00:17:59.319 --> 00:18:03.059 might present her to himself a glorious church 00:18:03.059 --> 00:18:06.240 Not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, 00:18:06.240 --> 00:18:10.440 but that she should be holy without blemish So 00:18:10.440 --> 00:18:13.589 husbands ought to love their own wives as their 00:18:13.589 --> 00:18:16.730 own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. 00:18:18.009 --> 00:18:21.250 Now to clarify this, the reformer John Calvin 00:18:21.250 --> 00:18:25.630 says this, Christ's redemptive death cannot be 00:18:25.630 --> 00:18:27.569 duplicated by the husband. I don't want to say 00:18:27.569 --> 00:18:30.910 that again. Christ's redemptive death cannot 00:18:30.910 --> 00:18:34.349 be duplicated by a husband. He goes on to say 00:18:34.349 --> 00:18:39.210 this, but the self -giving character, of Christ's 00:18:39.210 --> 00:18:44.390 love is something husbands are commanded to imitate. 00:18:46.630 --> 00:18:49.630 The self -giving character of Christ's love is 00:18:49.630 --> 00:18:53.930 something husbands are commanded to imitate. 00:18:55.130 --> 00:18:58.190 Husbands, you are not the mediator to God for 00:18:58.190 --> 00:19:02.329 your wife, but you are to imitate Jesus' pattern 00:19:02.329 --> 00:19:07.339 of self -giving love. Jesus' own wondrous, gracious 00:19:07.339 --> 00:19:10.980 love to you, enabled by the power of the Spirit, 00:19:11.480 --> 00:19:17.259 should spur you on to be a faithful husband in 00:19:17.259 --> 00:19:23.839 words, actions, and provision. Just as Christ 00:19:23.839 --> 00:19:28.640 has one bride, the church, men, are you able 00:19:28.640 --> 00:19:32.660 to be, excuse me, you are to be, not are you 00:19:32.660 --> 00:19:37.309 able to. But just as Christ has one bride the 00:19:37.309 --> 00:19:40.990 church men you are to be a one woman man Having 00:19:40.990 --> 00:19:45.130 chosen one woman above all others That is what 00:19:45.130 --> 00:19:49.069 Christ Jesus has done. He chose one bride his 00:19:49.069 --> 00:19:56.670 church the elect not everyone and that is the 00:19:56.670 --> 00:20:04.559 bride That he is dedicated to Jesus has chosen 00:20:04.559 --> 00:20:09.240 one bride in whom he delights. Even, check this 00:20:09.240 --> 00:20:13.099 out guys, are you listening right now? Even when 00:20:13.099 --> 00:20:16.200 she is not acting as his beloved, Jesus treats 00:20:16.200 --> 00:20:19.819 the church as his beloved, undeserving as she 00:20:19.819 --> 00:20:25.079 may be acting. He is faithful no matter what. 00:20:26.240 --> 00:20:30.180 Fidelity means a firm adherence to the person 00:20:30.180 --> 00:20:34.369 to whom you are united with. You might have thought 00:20:34.369 --> 00:20:40.230 that that wedding was about you Sort of But it 00:20:40.230 --> 00:20:44.630 was about God and the witnesses and the covenant 00:20:44.630 --> 00:20:47.809 that God was uniting you to Dearly beloved everybody 00:20:47.809 --> 00:20:49.829 out here right now If you've been in a wedding 00:20:49.829 --> 00:20:54.210 you are called to be a covenant witness of those 00:20:54.210 --> 00:20:59.089 vows before God So if that brother or that sister 00:20:59.089 --> 00:21:04.799 or that marriage is in jeopardy You are obligated 00:21:04.799 --> 00:21:08.779 before God to go and minister and encourage and 00:21:08.779 --> 00:21:16.200 spur them on and help them. There should be an 00:21:16.200 --> 00:21:23.099 honesty and veracity to your words, a confidence 00:21:23.099 --> 00:21:26.220 in your words, husbands, and deeds towards your 00:21:26.220 --> 00:21:30.549 wife at all times. This fidelity to your wife 00:21:30.549 --> 00:21:35.130 surely includes internal and external sexual 00:21:35.130 --> 00:21:41.230 adultery These are all things in your mind so 00:21:41.230 --> 00:21:47.609 second glances Lustic and porn These are things 00:21:47.609 --> 00:21:54.970 in your words Unwholesome speech or your actions 00:21:54.970 --> 00:22:01.740 that is actual flirting, or sexual immorality. 00:22:03.259 --> 00:22:08.000 Anything that makes you other than a one -woman 00:22:08.000 --> 00:22:13.019 man. Men do not fall into the desperate deceptions 00:22:13.019 --> 00:22:16.119 of the devil who wants so much to destroy your 00:22:16.119 --> 00:22:19.619 marriage. Satan and all those who stand with 00:22:19.619 --> 00:22:23.779 Satan hate marriage because marriage is the image 00:22:23.779 --> 00:22:28.819 of Christ to his beloved church. Marriage is 00:22:28.819 --> 00:22:32.299 the gospel. Marriage is for the glory of God 00:22:32.299 --> 00:22:36.440 and the benefit of the world. Husbands in this 00:22:36.440 --> 00:22:38.720 room, future husbands in this room, boys, are 00:22:38.720 --> 00:22:42.920 you listening to me? You need to pay attention. 00:22:43.940 --> 00:22:46.200 Your dads need to pay attention. You old men 00:22:46.200 --> 00:22:52.720 in here, you need to pay attention. Do not blaspheme 00:22:52.720 --> 00:22:58.900 Christ in any adulterous ways. as the Proverbs 00:22:58.900 --> 00:23:02.359 tell us, do not even walk by the paths of the 00:23:02.359 --> 00:23:06.579 violent or the adulterous. You think about that. 00:23:06.599 --> 00:23:08.740 You have a choice every day which way you're 00:23:08.740 --> 00:23:14.440 going to go. Yes, those flattering lips of some 00:23:14.440 --> 00:23:18.859 girl to you, some woman to you, that might sound 00:23:18.859 --> 00:23:23.220 good, but as the book of Proverbs tells us, that 00:23:23.220 --> 00:23:32.400 bed, those sexual acts. They lead to death. Men, 00:23:32.720 --> 00:23:38.660 husbands, drink from your own cistern. Rejoice 00:23:38.660 --> 00:23:43.220 with the wife of your youth. Be satisfied with 00:23:43.220 --> 00:23:48.119 your wife sexually at all times. Be enraptured 00:23:48.119 --> 00:23:54.200 with her love. There is another common way with 00:23:54.200 --> 00:23:58.339 which we undermine the security or you can say 00:23:58.339 --> 00:24:02.619 the fidelity of our marriages and This is one 00:24:02.619 --> 00:24:06.579 that's not so obvious. I think I mean I do believe 00:24:06.579 --> 00:24:08.799 it's obvious But I don't think we think of it 00:24:08.799 --> 00:24:11.819 in this way about it undermining our fidelity 00:24:11.819 --> 00:24:17.940 We weaken our wives confidence in us by our words 00:24:17.940 --> 00:24:20.799 and actions Now I say that and you go yeah, I 00:24:20.799 --> 00:24:26.759 get that Jesus tells us to let our yes be yes 00:24:26.759 --> 00:24:33.079 and our no be no. When our wives ask us to do 00:24:33.079 --> 00:24:36.339 something, when we say we're going to do something, 00:24:36.740 --> 00:24:45.279 we must do it. Or go back, give an explanation 00:24:45.279 --> 00:24:51.000 that is judicious and just and is honoring to 00:24:51.000 --> 00:24:56.960 God. If you, one, do not say what you say, I 00:24:56.960 --> 00:24:59.619 mean, excuse me, you don't do what you say, you 00:24:59.619 --> 00:25:02.500 lay temptations for your wife to hold you in 00:25:02.500 --> 00:25:09.960 disrespect. Do you get that? Last time we were 00:25:09.960 --> 00:25:14.519 together, I told wives in here, they are to obey, 00:25:14.880 --> 00:25:19.089 submit, honor, respect their husbands. Husbands, 00:25:19.109 --> 00:25:22.829 don't lay that temptation down by not being a 00:25:22.829 --> 00:25:29.930 man of your word. Second, you can also place 00:25:29.930 --> 00:25:35.230 stress fractures of doubt into your marriage. 00:25:35.910 --> 00:25:39.410 They creep into your marriage by not being clear 00:25:39.410 --> 00:25:41.930 and honest in telling her what you're going to 00:25:41.930 --> 00:25:45.089 do. I'm going to explain that in a minute. Do 00:25:45.089 --> 00:25:50.680 not purpose. to be passive, simply to appease 00:25:50.680 --> 00:25:56.799 your wife in the moment. Because if you do that, 00:25:57.119 --> 00:26:03.920 you undermine her trust and fidelity in your 00:26:03.920 --> 00:26:08.359 life, in your marriage. Here's how I want to 00:26:08.359 --> 00:26:11.660 explain this to you. Your wife comes up to you, 00:26:11.660 --> 00:26:16.339 says, listen, I want you to do We'll just pick 00:26:16.339 --> 00:26:21.319 this. Take out the trash. All right? I don't 00:26:21.319 --> 00:26:25.059 know what you're doing. Let's assume it could 00:26:25.059 --> 00:26:28.960 be anything. You could be sitting at the computer 00:26:28.960 --> 00:26:33.920 and playing a game in which I would tell you 00:26:33.920 --> 00:26:36.640 probably should, within 60 seconds, put that 00:26:36.640 --> 00:26:39.039 game down and go take trash out. Because she's 00:26:39.039 --> 00:26:40.900 probably telling you to take trash out because 00:26:40.900 --> 00:26:47.019 it's full. OK? If you're working, this is what 00:26:47.019 --> 00:26:49.799 you need to do. You need to turn, look at her 00:26:49.799 --> 00:26:52.400 in either case, and give her your full attention. 00:26:53.559 --> 00:26:56.619 Now, wives, be careful. If you know he's working, 00:26:56.740 --> 00:26:58.480 try not to disrupt him. But if it's important, 00:26:58.519 --> 00:27:02.680 go to it. Men, look at your wives. Give them 00:27:02.680 --> 00:27:06.160 your full attention. Hear what they're saying. 00:27:06.640 --> 00:27:08.759 If you need to ask a clarifying question, is 00:27:08.759 --> 00:27:10.240 this something that needs to be done right now, 00:27:10.240 --> 00:27:13.509 or can it wait? whatever time you think is reasonable. 00:27:15.390 --> 00:27:19.250 I'm just giving you wise counsel here. But if 00:27:19.250 --> 00:27:20.970 you say, I tell you what, I need to finish what 00:27:20.970 --> 00:27:25.890 I'm doing, I can get that in 20 minutes. Or if 00:27:25.890 --> 00:27:28.210 it's a bigger project, I'll do that Tuesday night. 00:27:29.710 --> 00:27:34.269 Men, you gotta be rest assured of this. Don't 00:27:34.269 --> 00:27:36.569 be passive and just appease her in the moment. 00:27:37.170 --> 00:27:39.190 Say, yes, I'm gonna do it in 20 minutes. When 00:27:39.190 --> 00:27:45.009 20 minutes is up, Get up fulfill your word because 00:27:45.009 --> 00:27:50.230 this is what Jesus would do When Jesus says something 00:27:50.230 --> 00:27:55.089 he does it This is how you love your wife. This 00:27:55.089 --> 00:27:58.549 is how you don't put stress fractures of mistrust 00:27:58.549 --> 00:28:06.630 into your marriage We could go into some detail 00:28:06.630 --> 00:28:11.049 on all kinds of scenarios And obviously sometimes 00:28:11.049 --> 00:28:13.750 we have bigger issues, like bigger projects. 00:28:14.190 --> 00:28:15.509 You might say, I'm gonna do it Tuesday night, 00:28:15.549 --> 00:28:18.349 something comes up. As soon as you're aware that 00:28:18.349 --> 00:28:21.369 you can't fulfill your word, go and communicate. 00:28:22.609 --> 00:28:25.529 Don't let it be a place where you don't keep 00:28:25.529 --> 00:28:28.529 your word, where she thinks you're gonna keep 00:28:28.529 --> 00:28:31.269 your word for a certain day coming up and then 00:28:31.269 --> 00:28:38.390 you don't do it. Now, it's important that when 00:28:38.390 --> 00:28:40.750 you tell her these things, you are not undermining 00:28:40.750 --> 00:28:43.589 your authority. It is giving your wife assurance 00:28:43.589 --> 00:28:48.309 of your action plan. Let's be honest. Our wives, 00:28:48.730 --> 00:28:51.329 they're multitaskers in ways we can't imagine. 00:28:52.490 --> 00:28:55.609 We're usually, what we call multitasking is we're 00:28:55.609 --> 00:28:58.470 running several applications at the same time, 00:28:59.509 --> 00:29:05.859 right? No. At best, most of us men have. Maybe 00:29:05.859 --> 00:29:10.440 two eyes on the stove. She's a professional stove 00:29:10.440 --> 00:29:13.980 with 16 eyes and multiple pots cooking in simmering. 00:29:14.039 --> 00:29:15.859 She's got concerns she's thinking about. And 00:29:15.859 --> 00:29:19.299 I'm not saying you're not carrying burdens, right? 00:29:20.920 --> 00:29:25.160 But if you tell her that you're going to do something 00:29:25.160 --> 00:29:28.859 on a day and you do it, she goes, OK, that pot 00:29:28.859 --> 00:29:32.359 is simmering. It's all right. If you tell her 00:29:32.359 --> 00:29:35.230 nothing, If you just say, I'm going to take care 00:29:35.230 --> 00:29:39.470 of it, I promise you, in your wife's mind are 00:29:39.470 --> 00:29:43.450 13 questions. When is he going to do it? How 00:29:43.450 --> 00:29:45.450 is he going to do it? What do I need to do to 00:29:45.450 --> 00:29:47.589 help him? How are the kids going to get in his 00:29:47.589 --> 00:29:50.269 way or help him? There's all these different 00:29:50.269 --> 00:29:54.509 things going on in her mind. You might laugh 00:29:54.509 --> 00:29:57.329 at this one. Is there enough gas in the car right 00:29:57.329 --> 00:30:00.049 now for him to go do this? I'm just saying there 00:30:00.049 --> 00:30:03.799 are all these things, questions. Put her mind 00:30:03.799 --> 00:30:10.680 at rest. Show her your fidelity. Bye. Give her 00:30:10.680 --> 00:30:14.920 some specific information. Now, wives, don't 00:30:14.920 --> 00:30:18.160 badger your husbands beyond what is necessary. 00:30:18.740 --> 00:30:21.859 If you need to ask a clarifying question, men, 00:30:22.200 --> 00:30:25.960 don't snap back. I gave you an answer. But be 00:30:25.960 --> 00:30:38.720 loving. Provide clarity. You must demonstrate 00:30:38.720 --> 00:30:41.660 your faithfulness this way, and this will assist 00:30:41.660 --> 00:30:45.420 your wife to flourish in the fruit of the Spirit. 00:30:47.660 --> 00:30:49.819 Husband's God is surely giving you authority, 00:30:49.900 --> 00:30:52.579 but this authority is not for your glory and 00:30:52.579 --> 00:30:55.960 benefit, just like Jesus' authority was given 00:30:55.960 --> 00:31:00.430 to him to transform all of creation. and is bride 00:31:00.430 --> 00:31:02.269 to the glory of the Father. That's what your 00:31:02.269 --> 00:31:08.329 authority is given to you for. Men, you have 00:31:08.329 --> 00:31:10.809 been given authority in this world for God's 00:31:10.809 --> 00:31:13.990 glory, so that when men see your good works, 00:31:14.009 --> 00:31:16.809 they will glorify the Father in heaven, and yes, 00:31:16.829 --> 00:31:19.569 be converted by the gospel of your marriage, 00:31:20.210 --> 00:31:27.910 or even your spouse transformed, flourishing 00:31:27.910 --> 00:31:35.319 in Christ. Because you are living as Christ loved 00:31:35.319 --> 00:31:42.339 the church to your wife Husbands this is important 00:31:42.339 --> 00:31:45.819 You are not merely given authority. You are given 00:31:45.819 --> 00:31:51.000 a Christ -like pattern of exercising that authority 00:31:51.000 --> 00:31:55.700 Husbands God's authority rests on you as one 00:31:55.700 --> 00:32:00.740 who will have to give an account Do not Be a 00:32:00.740 --> 00:32:05.819 foolish tyrant in your household, or really anywhere 00:32:05.819 --> 00:32:09.640 else for that matter. Consider the words from 00:32:09.640 --> 00:32:13.980 1 Peter chapter 3, beginning in verse 7. Husbands 00:32:13.980 --> 00:32:17.440 likewise dwell with them. He's speaking of wives. 00:32:18.160 --> 00:32:20.460 With understanding, giving honor to the wife 00:32:20.460 --> 00:32:24.019 as to the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together 00:32:24.019 --> 00:32:27.359 of the grace of life, that your prayers may not 00:32:27.359 --> 00:32:31.019 be hindered. Call to this. that you may inherit 00:32:31.019 --> 00:32:36.299 a blessing. Husbands, Christ loves the church 00:32:36.299 --> 00:32:39.900 in a patient and edifying way for her building 00:32:39.900 --> 00:32:46.000 up, washing her with the water and word. Do your 00:32:46.000 --> 00:32:48.940 words build up your wife? Are they edifying? 00:32:50.420 --> 00:32:52.440 Or do you have complaints because you stepped 00:32:52.440 --> 00:32:55.599 on toys and Legos for the 13th time tonight? 00:33:00.439 --> 00:33:05.400 Hebrews chapter 4 verses 15 and 16 tells us that 00:33:05.400 --> 00:33:09.619 Jesus is our high priest who can sympathize with 00:33:09.619 --> 00:33:13.539 our weakness. And so we can boldly come to the 00:33:13.539 --> 00:33:17.980 throne of grace. If that is Jesus' position, 00:33:18.579 --> 00:33:20.960 he sits on the throne of grace. It's an authority 00:33:20.960 --> 00:33:25.619 of grace. And we may because he can sympathize 00:33:25.619 --> 00:33:29.559 with us. We can boldly come before His throne 00:33:29.559 --> 00:33:33.700 of grace. Here's the question. Is your wife able 00:33:33.700 --> 00:33:38.059 to boldly come before you and find what she needs? 00:33:38.799 --> 00:33:42.460 Mercy, grace, and help in the time of need. Go 00:33:42.460 --> 00:33:49.019 back and read all of Hebrews 4. Here's my question. 00:33:50.259 --> 00:33:53.619 Can she boldly come to your throne of grace? 00:33:54.359 --> 00:33:59.559 Is your anger, irritation, impatience and lack 00:33:59.559 --> 00:34:05.339 of understanding barriers for your wife or your 00:34:05.339 --> 00:34:08.500 children to come to you regarding absolutely 00:34:08.500 --> 00:34:12.780 anything they have need of even if it's a repetitive 00:34:12.780 --> 00:34:17.440 issue. I want you to thank men for just a second 00:34:17.440 --> 00:34:21.239 how every one of us go again and again to Jesus 00:34:21.239 --> 00:34:24.860 knowing that he loves us and he wants us to come. 00:34:25.909 --> 00:34:29.750 even in our needs, even in our difficulties, 00:34:30.289 --> 00:34:32.130 even when we have sinned against Him, He wants 00:34:32.130 --> 00:34:38.190 us to come to us, us to come to Him. Likewise, 00:34:38.670 --> 00:34:43.630 man, you need to be from that throne. Your throne 00:34:43.630 --> 00:34:54.929 is the throne of grace. Do you forget the frame? 00:34:55.130 --> 00:35:00.449 or even the circumstances of your wife. We're 00:35:00.449 --> 00:35:04.050 commanded by God to know our wife's frame, her 00:35:04.050 --> 00:35:07.730 burdens, and sin, and still live with her in 00:35:07.730 --> 00:35:11.889 understanding because we are heirs together in 00:35:11.889 --> 00:35:16.329 the grace of life. That is your realm. Man, you 00:35:16.329 --> 00:35:18.550 are undermining and destroying your household 00:35:18.550 --> 00:35:24.039 if your throne is not a throne of grace. Where 00:35:24.039 --> 00:35:27.000 your wife and your children can boldly approach 00:35:27.000 --> 00:35:35.400 you We want to teach respect in decorum But are 00:35:35.400 --> 00:35:39.579 you granting respect in decorum so that you can 00:35:39.579 --> 00:35:48.500 bestow grace and mercy and help Just as in keeping 00:35:48.860 --> 00:35:51.619 As Jesus talks about loving your neighbor as 00:35:51.619 --> 00:35:54.079 yourself and forgiving others as God forgives 00:35:54.079 --> 00:35:57.980 you, here in 1 Peter, there is a caveat, there 00:35:57.980 --> 00:36:02.980 is a condition. If you do not live with your 00:36:02.980 --> 00:36:07.019 wife in this gracious understanding tethered 00:36:07.019 --> 00:36:11.199 to God's word, your prayers can and most likely 00:36:11.199 --> 00:36:16.780 will be hindered. Thus, by not loving your wife 00:36:16.780 --> 00:36:20.320 as yourself, You are bringing harm to yourself 00:36:20.320 --> 00:36:23.059 in all that you are attempting to accomplish, 00:36:23.420 --> 00:36:26.900 even if you think it is for God's glory. You 00:36:26.900 --> 00:36:30.760 might have all kinds of grand plans for God's 00:36:30.760 --> 00:36:37.539 glory. Remember we talked about this before, 00:36:38.579 --> 00:36:42.699 right? Marriage is meant for the glory of God 00:36:42.699 --> 00:36:45.559 and the benefit of the world. But if the trial 00:36:45.559 --> 00:36:50.170 is your marriage, If you're not reigning from 00:36:50.170 --> 00:36:55.489 a throne of grace, you've created this barrier 00:36:55.489 --> 00:37:00.610 in here. You're not living in understanding and 00:37:00.610 --> 00:37:02.809 care so that you can bestow the grace of God 00:37:02.809 --> 00:37:06.809 that He's so graciously given to you. You're 00:37:06.809 --> 00:37:11.170 this way. Remember, you're kind of doing this. 00:37:11.309 --> 00:37:13.289 You're looking out at the world. And God, I want 00:37:13.289 --> 00:37:17.289 to take the world for Jesus. I want to expand 00:37:17.289 --> 00:37:22.130 the kingdom of heaven to your glory while trampling 00:37:22.130 --> 00:37:27.070 on your co -hearing Christ, your wife. Jesus 00:37:27.070 --> 00:37:32.010 doesn't do that. Your prayers that you're offering 00:37:32.010 --> 00:37:34.010 up for all the things you're trying to do for 00:37:34.010 --> 00:37:39.889 God's glory will be hindered. You cannot separate 00:37:39.889 --> 00:37:43.070 God's glory from the pattern of Jesus's love 00:37:43.070 --> 00:37:48.929 Are you hearing me men? Jesus loves his church 00:37:48.929 --> 00:37:51.750 for the glory of God and the good of the world 00:37:51.750 --> 00:37:57.869 through the church Which means you're gonna glorify 00:37:57.869 --> 00:38:02.429 God Thinking about how to transform the world 00:38:02.429 --> 00:38:06.670 through your wife and what your wife produces 00:38:08.159 --> 00:38:17.199 your children. Following these thoughts on Christ's 00:38:17.199 --> 00:38:20.239 love demonstrated in selfless fidelity and authority, 00:38:21.739 --> 00:38:23.619 we're now going to think about this third and 00:38:23.619 --> 00:38:29.360 last thing here today. We are to love our wives, 00:38:29.860 --> 00:38:34.400 utilizing our realm to bestow gifts that promote 00:38:34.400 --> 00:38:39.170 fruitfulness. We're to love utilizing our realm, 00:38:39.349 --> 00:38:43.690 what God has given us, to bestow gifts that promote 00:38:43.690 --> 00:38:51.250 fruitfulness. Again, for about the 50th time 00:38:51.250 --> 00:38:53.230 this summer, fruitfulness is not just having 00:38:53.230 --> 00:38:55.889 kids. I'm ecstatic that we're having lots of 00:38:55.889 --> 00:38:59.630 kids here. But you want your wife and your children 00:38:59.630 --> 00:39:01.789 that you already have to be fruitful and the 00:39:01.789 --> 00:39:04.349 fruit of the Spirit to have confidence in Christ 00:39:04.349 --> 00:39:07.309 Jesus So that they can stand their post and do 00:39:07.309 --> 00:39:15.750 good Trust God and do good We're always looking 00:39:15.750 --> 00:39:20.429 for the grand gesture and we lack faithfulness 00:39:20.429 --> 00:39:25.289 and the small things each and every day If we're 00:39:25.289 --> 00:39:27.849 living in the promise of unhindered prayers, 00:39:29.170 --> 00:39:33.650 we are obeying Christ Jesus in regards to our 00:39:33.650 --> 00:39:37.110 wives. And because of that, we are now strengthened 00:39:37.110 --> 00:39:40.190 and united together to take dominion and be fruitful 00:39:40.190 --> 00:39:45.050 together. Husbands, does the environment of your 00:39:45.050 --> 00:39:49.150 marriage and household promote the abundant flourishing 00:39:49.150 --> 00:39:55.769 of the fruit of the Spirit? Look up the fruit 00:39:55.769 --> 00:39:58.030 of the Spirit. You don't know them. You don't 00:39:58.030 --> 00:40:01.449 have them memorized. Look them up. More than 00:40:01.449 --> 00:40:08.030 that. Study them. Post them in your house. If 00:40:08.030 --> 00:40:10.130 that's what your children are supposed to be 00:40:10.130 --> 00:40:12.170 fruitful, then post that in your house. If it's 00:40:12.170 --> 00:40:14.010 not posted and you don't talk about it all the 00:40:14.010 --> 00:40:19.309 time. Right? Boy, I sure would like to have a 00:40:19.309 --> 00:40:25.289 good lunch this afternoon. Wait. If I'm going 00:40:25.289 --> 00:40:28.309 to have a good lunch, I have to determine what 00:40:28.309 --> 00:40:32.429 I want, make a list, go to the store, come home, 00:40:32.429 --> 00:40:36.829 cook it, set up the table, eat it, and then I 00:40:36.829 --> 00:40:40.429 can enjoy the feast. Or someone has to do that, 00:40:40.889 --> 00:40:44.269 right? But the point of that is, you don't get 00:40:44.269 --> 00:40:46.769 to the feast, you don't get to the fruitfulness 00:40:46.769 --> 00:40:52.489 without effort and planning. Right? If it's a 00:40:52.489 --> 00:40:54.929 new recipe, I've got to ask people questions. 00:40:54.989 --> 00:40:58.449 How do you do this? My kids know I'm kind of 00:40:58.449 --> 00:41:02.550 the meat guy at our house. My daughters are constantly 00:41:02.550 --> 00:41:04.650 calling me, Dad, what about this and meat? They're 00:41:04.650 --> 00:41:07.889 asking me some question. How long? What temperature? 00:41:08.010 --> 00:41:09.969 How do I season this? What do I do over here? 00:41:10.090 --> 00:41:12.809 Is there anything I need to do differently? Or 00:41:12.809 --> 00:41:17.389 the occasional, hey, it's past the expiration 00:41:17.389 --> 00:41:21.880 date. Can I still use it? And then I ask a series 00:41:21.880 --> 00:41:25.400 of questions. But here's what I'm trying to drive 00:41:25.400 --> 00:41:30.039 at. Men, if you are wanting the fruit of the 00:41:30.039 --> 00:41:32.699 Spirit to flourish in your wife and in your children, 00:41:33.119 --> 00:41:36.219 you've got to plant that. And you've got to have 00:41:36.219 --> 00:41:39.679 a plan. And you have to measure what's coming 00:41:39.679 --> 00:41:50.150 out. You have to live them out yourself. So here's 00:41:50.150 --> 00:41:54.230 the question. I'm going to just read them. Stay 00:41:54.230 --> 00:41:56.590 with me now. I know we're getting a little long, 00:41:56.610 --> 00:42:03.670 but this is important. Is your house flourishing 00:42:03.670 --> 00:42:08.789 in love? Well, that's the purpose of this sermon, 00:42:09.050 --> 00:42:15.070 gentlemen. How about joy? I promise you this. 00:42:15.530 --> 00:42:17.969 You know, we have this idea that if Mama ain't 00:42:17.969 --> 00:42:20.469 happy, ain't nobody happy. There's some elements 00:42:20.469 --> 00:42:22.389 of the truth to that, but I promise you, if you 00:42:22.389 --> 00:42:25.010 come in the door from your job or you come out 00:42:25.010 --> 00:42:27.610 of your, you're working from home and you come 00:42:27.610 --> 00:42:30.369 out of your office and there's not joy in your 00:42:30.369 --> 00:42:34.610 heart, if there's not the light in what you see 00:42:34.610 --> 00:42:40.610 there in your wife and your children, it's all 00:42:40.610 --> 00:42:47.349 gone. It's all going downhill. Peace. Is there 00:42:47.349 --> 00:42:51.829 peace in your household? What about long suffering? 00:42:52.710 --> 00:42:54.550 I bet I asked that question. Everybody put their 00:42:54.550 --> 00:42:57.710 hand. There's long suffering in my house. Yeah, 00:42:57.710 --> 00:42:59.829 but is it long suffering with love, joy, and 00:42:59.829 --> 00:43:04.369 peace? Or are you embittered? God, why are you 00:43:04.369 --> 00:43:13.010 doing this to me? Or wife, why are you doing 00:43:13.010 --> 00:43:19.340 this? Children, why are you inconveniencing me? 00:43:20.699 --> 00:43:25.739 Hear the problem here? Where is Jesus in any 00:43:25.739 --> 00:43:34.719 of that? Is there kindness in your home? I'm 00:43:34.719 --> 00:43:37.820 not talking about niceness, false flattery. I'm 00:43:37.820 --> 00:43:41.440 talking about is there genuine kindness, condescending 00:43:41.440 --> 00:43:45.840 for blessing? Pointing people to Jesus and the 00:43:45.840 --> 00:43:54.300 Lord is their goodness, faithfulness, gentleness. 00:43:55.980 --> 00:43:59.639 All of that emanates out of the last one, self 00:43:59.639 --> 00:44:05.679 -control. Think back to that throne. Can they 00:44:05.679 --> 00:44:10.900 boldly approach you? Is your throne the throne 00:44:10.900 --> 00:44:17.030 of a tyrant? A wand of grace and mercy and a 00:44:17.030 --> 00:44:23.230 place of help in the time of need. You reap what 00:44:23.230 --> 00:44:28.349 you sow. Are you sowing the love of Christ? Speaking 00:44:28.349 --> 00:44:31.809 and living towards your wife as Christ loves 00:44:31.809 --> 00:44:35.809 the church? Consider these two proverbs. I've 00:44:35.809 --> 00:44:37.969 read them many times. They're right beside each 00:44:37.969 --> 00:44:40.929 other. And the Holy Spirit doesn't do anything 00:44:40.929 --> 00:44:44.619 by accident. But I bet if you first read them 00:44:44.619 --> 00:44:48.559 you didn't see how they were connected Proverbs 00:44:48.559 --> 00:44:54.079 18 21 Death and life are in the power of the 00:44:54.079 --> 00:44:58.360 tongue and those who love it will eat its fruit 00:44:58.360 --> 00:45:04.480 Okay, so there's power in your tongue There's 00:45:04.480 --> 00:45:09.980 death and life The next verse says he who finds 00:45:09.980 --> 00:45:15.199 a wife Finds a good thing and obtains favor from 00:45:15.199 --> 00:45:20.679 the Lord Man if you have found a wife God has 00:45:20.679 --> 00:45:23.699 said you have found a good thing and that you 00:45:23.699 --> 00:45:26.519 have obtained favor from the covenant God who 00:45:26.519 --> 00:45:33.500 keeps his word This morning we've all been joyfully 00:45:33.500 --> 00:45:38.920 amazed at Christ Jesus love for us May we all 00:45:38.920 --> 00:45:44.400 press more and more into Jesus. We have seen 00:45:44.400 --> 00:45:47.059 and heard the good news that Jesus delights in 00:45:47.059 --> 00:45:52.480 his bride. Dearly beloved, Jesus delights in 00:45:52.480 --> 00:45:59.500 you all. Husbands, do not dismay, for this is 00:45:59.500 --> 00:46:03.800 true for you in your marriage. If we did a report 00:46:03.800 --> 00:46:07.159 card on these questions, if we're all honest, 00:46:07.949 --> 00:46:14.110 We need more Jesus. We need more of the Spirit's 00:46:14.110 --> 00:46:17.610 help to make that authority that God has given 00:46:17.610 --> 00:46:24.170 us to be a throne of mercy and grace that our 00:46:24.170 --> 00:46:27.389 wives and children may know Jesus more. We need 00:46:27.389 --> 00:46:39.199 that more. Don't have dismay. This love is for 00:46:39.199 --> 00:46:42.079 you. Jesus love is for you Jesus the lights in 00:46:42.079 --> 00:46:48.179 you and Has given you all you need to do his 00:46:48.179 --> 00:46:52.519 will and I'm gonna show this to you by closing 00:46:52.519 --> 00:46:58.000 out with this by saying be assured by Jesus own 00:46:58.000 --> 00:47:01.880 words Found in Luke chapter 12 again. It's another 00:47:01.880 --> 00:47:04.860 set of verses that we have chopped up and cut 00:47:04.860 --> 00:47:09.480 up We haven't put together because there's a 00:47:09.480 --> 00:47:20.380 paragraph break. Luke 12, 31, but seek the kingdom 00:47:20.380 --> 00:47:22.780 of God, and all these things shall be added to 00:47:22.780 --> 00:47:25.099 you. And that's usually where we end the thought, 00:47:25.139 --> 00:47:30.119 but the next verse is so important. Do not fear, 00:47:30.380 --> 00:47:35.639 little flock, for it is your father's good pleasure. 00:47:35.719 --> 00:47:42.989 That is the light. to give you the kingdom. Whatever 00:47:42.989 --> 00:47:45.530 fears you have in being able to fulfill these 00:47:45.530 --> 00:47:50.210 obligations, man, look to Jesus because God delights 00:47:50.210 --> 00:47:54.170 in you and he is going to give you his kingdom. 00:47:55.550 --> 00:47:59.210 Let us pray. Heavenly Father, it is with joyful 00:47:59.210 --> 00:48:03.989 hearts we thank you for the love of Jesus which 00:48:03.989 --> 00:48:07.380 passes all understanding. Fill us we pray with 00:48:07.380 --> 00:48:11.159 the love and obedience for you and for your glory 00:48:11.159 --> 00:48:15.019 and the benefit of the world Make us to be a 00:48:15.019 --> 00:48:17.760 fruitful image of Christ and his church in our 00:48:17.760 --> 00:48:21.360 marriages That the gospel may be proclaimed to 00:48:21.360 --> 00:48:25.519 all those whom you place in our lives Heavenly 00:48:25.519 --> 00:48:27.699 father we ask you to extend your kingdom until 00:48:27.699 --> 00:48:31.260 all your enemies are put under your feet we ask 00:48:31.260 --> 00:48:34.139 all this for the sake of Jesus your son who reigns 00:48:34.139 --> 00:48:37.699 with you in the Holy Spirit world without end 00:48:37.699 --> 00:48:38.400 amen