Wives, Respect Your Husbands

All right. Thank you for that this morning. What a blessing that is. Go and take your Bibles.

! Turn over to Ephesians chapter 5 this morning. Ephesians chapter 5.

Ephesians 5 · chapter mention Ephesians 5 · chapter mention

! As we're going to take a few moments here as we look into the Word of God.

You know, we began a few months ago.

We had a few weeks there.

We were talking about God's design for marriage and what that building block of society is.

Because ultimately we'll find that the family is the original building block of society.

And what the family pictures is important also.

And to understand the importance of it and God gives us and breaks down those dynamics with it.

Because when God first established it in the garden there with Adam and Eve.

Remember, God made Adam a helpmate for him.

And one from Adam's side.

And he presented Eve to him.

And we see something that is a foundational reality.

The concept and the importance of marriage.

And so this morning we're going to continue looking at the family.

And we're going to take the next few weeks and kind of look and add to some of those things here.

Because it's something we need to give attention to.

Especially today because the family is under attack.

You know, they're trying to tear down families.

They're trying to redefine family.

They're trying to redefine what relationships look like.

But as a believer we ought to understand to say, hey, what does God say it ought to look like?

Because our society needs to be built on godly principles upon godly things.

And so we're going to look here this morning for a little bit.

We're going to talk specifically about wives here this morning.

You know, I told you when we talked about the guys.

You know, it's one of them.

It's always funny.

But it's interesting as you stand up here on Sunday morning, you talk about certain topics.

You got part of the crowd.

It's like, yeah, you preach it, pastor.

You preach it.

You know, when I talked about the husbands, it's like the wives are all like, yeah, get after them.

Get after them.

Well, this morning the roles were reversed.

Because today we're going to talk a little bit about wives.

Because you know what?

A relationship is made up of two people.

And it's important to understand the balance that God created with that.

The importance of that relationship.

Because a marriage is not just a foundation for family.

But the apostle Paul, we find here in Ephesians, equates it to something very important.

Because it's also a picture of our relationship as a body of believers with our Savior.

It's a picture of Christ and the church.

And it involves those things.

And it's based upon one very simple word that, you know, have you ever noticed that some words are simple, but the application of them are difficult?

The simple word is this, submission.

Submission is an easy word, really.

It's like, oh, we understand what it means.

But how does it play out?

Because what we're talking about this morning here is for wives, but also for all of us.

Because remember, what's being pictured here is our relationship with Christ.

To understand that importance of submission.

Submission isn't just for one.

Submission is for everybody.

We live a life of submission to the Savior.

But he uses the relationship of a wife to her husband as this picture.

And so this morning, if you found Ephesians chapter 5, let's stand together in honor of the reading of the Word of God.

Ephesians 5 · chapter mention

And let's look here.

We'll pick up in verse 21 here.

And it says this, submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God.

So that's that mutual dynamic involved.

In other words, what we're talking about here is that mutual dynamic.

Now notice verse 22.

Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands as unto the Lord.

For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is head of the church, and he is the Savior of the body.

Therefore the church is subject unto Christ, and so let wives be to their own husband in everything.

Now look down at verse 33.

It says, nevertheless, let every one of you in particular love his wife, even as himself, and the wife see that she reverence her husband.

Let's pray.

Heavenly Father, as we come before you this morning, Lord, as we look at a very important topic, the reality of family and how you have designed it, Lord,

help us to be willing to say, Lord, we want to look and think about our relationships in light of your word, Lord, in our relationship with you especially.

Lord, we pray just have your hand upon the message, upon all that is said and done.

Lord, help us to not just hear with our ears, Lord, but to respond from the heart, Lord, with the truth of your word.

Lord, I pray that you might encourage, strengthen, convict, Lord, you know the need here today.

And Lord, we just ask it all in your precious name.

Amen.

May be seated.

You know, as we look here this morning, you know, the mere mention of submission seems to stir the ire of some people, you know.

And it comes to a lot of things because ultimately we submit in a lot of areas in our life.

But especially when it's talking about relationships, submission is something that people seem to want to say,

well, that's different.

But I want you to understand submission is something that gets put in the context of marriage.

And that context here, we're going to see here Christ talks about this.

Very simply in our text there in verse 25, notice this.

His husbands love your wife, even as Christ also loved the church and gave himself for it.

There's that picture that we see in this passage put together.

And we're going to talk about one portion, one element in this picture here this morning.

Because oftentimes the problem is when we picture what we hear in our mind is often the wrong concept.

Because especially when it comes to marriage, whenever the term submission is thrown out,

most people in our modern society have a connotation towards the negative.

It carries with it a negative connotation.

But I want you to understand, submission is not a negative thing, but a positive thing.

In the light and context of Scripture, you know, we're in a battle today for definition of terms.

If you haven't noticed, the definition of terms is important.

When somebody's talking to you and they say something, it's like, oh, that sounds good.

Well, let's define our terms and make sure we're talking about the same thing.

Because sometimes you might be using the same term but meaning different things.

Because submission sometimes, people have used a wrong definition of submission

because they take submission and make it to be inferior or subservient.

I want you to understand, when you look in the biblical context of submission, that is not the case.

Submission is a choice from the heart to put yourself under authority.

It's a question of authority and those things.

And we do this all the time because what does it mean when we put it in this context

where it tells wives, submit yourselves unto your own husband as unto the Lord?

What does it mean to submit or to respect your husband in your marriage?

You know, that's a picture.

When we look to the world, there's a lot of things that are contrary to the things of God.

Remember, we talked earlier about design.

God designed marriage.

Things can operate outside the design for a while before they collapse.

And if our marriages are not operating the way God designed, you know what?

It's bound for collapse or calamity.

Because you're doing things in a way that it's not designed to operate.

How it's not designed to be put forth.

And so we're going to look here today as why is submission necessary for a marriage to thrive?

And how does this biblical perspective even strengthen marriages?

Because God is the one who designed marriage.

It's important to say if God designed it, the designer understands the best way for it to operate.

The operation of marriage is under God's design for us.

And so when respect is given to the husband, it's what allows for a marriage to run smoothly.

Now remember, I want you to keep this in context because we're talking specifically about wives.

But I want you to pair this when we talked earlier a few months ago about the men, how they ought to treat their wives.

How they ought to love their wives.

They ought to be the one that God wants them to be in that relationship.

Okay?

But this morning, I want you to understand this picture of submission is not only for the women, but it's also for the men.

Because when you submit yourself to Christ, the husband is supposed to submit himself to Christ.

Therefore, the wife can come under that authority without a problem.

There's not a lack of submission.

It's just who are you submitting to?

And in what order is that submission taking place?

Because we see here, if a wife doesn't submit or respect her husband, is not willing to submit to the Lord either.

Now that's something to really consider.

A woman who won't fall under the authority that God's established is saying,

God, I don't want to fall under your authority.

Take a look in our text there.

Look very quickly over here to verse 22.

It says,

Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands as what?

As unto who?

As unto who?

The Lord.

In other words, it ties directly to your willingness to say,

God, I'm going to submit to you by doing this.

I'm going to fall under your authority.

And that's something that we buck by people by nature is that we hate to have authority over us.

You know, we don't like to submit to authority, but you know what?

We submit to authority all the time.

Let me give you an illustration.

I suspect everybody drove to church this morning.

Now coming through Lincoln, how many stopped at a stoplight?

You're in Lincoln, you know, you're getting a stoplight.

Have you ever stopped to consider when you stop at a stoplight, you're submitting to authority?

You're submitting to an established authority that benefits everybody.

Because what happens, and this happens in Lincoln quite frequently,

people don't submit to that authority and intersections get interesting.

Because why?

The intersection is not operating the way it's designed to operate.

How does it operate?

It operates because the people driving are willing to submit

to the authority that's been given that controls that intersection.

The same reality is for us as believers.

If we're not willing to submit to the things of God,

things aren't going to operate and it's going to crash.

And so as we look at this this morning, because respect reflects obedience to God.

You know, the reverence that a wife has towards her husband reflects her willingness to be subject

unto the Lord.

The basis for submission is found there in verse 21.

Notice it's submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God.

Verse 21 underpins this whole rest of the chapter.

It's the foundation for which Paul's making these statements.

He's not saying that it was just an idea for women you need to submit.

You know, that's the way people perceive it.

That it makes women subservient.

But I want you to understand true biblical submission is found in our respect and love

because this idea of submission is not just a concept,

but it's a part of our Christian walk.

And likewise ought to be a part of our marriages.

Throughout the scriptures we find submission involves that recognizing authority and responding accordingly.

Because I want you to understand to recognize authority and submit doesn't mean that you're inferior.

Let's look at a good biblical example.

Turn over to the book of Luke for a moment.

Luke chapter 2.

Luke 2 · chapter mention

Luke 2 here is a great example of voluntary humility and submission.

Because I think there's no doubt of who has ultimate authority here.

Here's Jesus as a young man, and he has those that God gave to raise him, Joseph and Mary.

Parents, they had parental authority over Jesus as he was growing up.

Now look at this in verse 51.

Verse 51, he says,

And he went down with them, that's Jesus, came to Nazareth.

And notice, and he was what?

What was that word?

Subject.

That's that same concept of submission or respect for Joseph and Mary.

Here's Jesus.

Was Jesus lesser than Joseph and Mary?

Not by a chance.

He was God in the flesh.

But you know what he said?

There's an authority that's been established, and I'm willing to submit myself to that authority.

Willing to put myself under that.

If Jesus was willing to do that as our example, should we not be willing to do the same?

If Jesus says, I'm going to put myself under an authority that's already been established,

not because I'm inferior to them, because it's proper to do.

To put that context, this idea of submission is important, and it impacts everybody around us.

When we submit, it does not imply inferiority.

Because submission is an act of the will regarding authority in our life.

Matter of fact, genuine submission begins in the heart and is revealed in our actions.

Because you can come under something by force, or you can choose to put yourself under.

You can choose yourself to allow that authority that's been given to take place.

It's like being part of a team.

You know, we're getting ready to get into football season, and it's interesting because when you see teams play,

you can see whether a team has authority structure or not.

Because if you have a lot of all-star players that all want to do their own thing,

they might be great players, but what happens?

They might be great, but you know what?

If they come against a team that's playing together and under authority, you know what?

Everybody's under authority.

Hey, this is your assignment.

This is what your portion's going to be.

This is where you're supposed to be.

This is what you're supposed to be doing.

When everybody falls under authority, it works correctly and efficiently.

But if everybody did their own thing, what's it look like?

Chaos.

Defeat.

So when you understand that a marriage, in that sense, you're a team together.

You became one flesh, the Bible says, when you got married.

So in other words, what we're talking about this morning here is for the benefit of everybody involved.

Because submitting is that thing.

Now notice here, there's a couple of qualifiers that are given here that are very important.

Because notice here what it says.

It says here that every, submit yourselves unto your own husbands.

Now this is important because sometimes people take this outside the context that God gives it.

Because God gives it in two places, the home and the church.

He says the authority in the home is the responsibility of the husband.

The authority rests upon the husband to do what he's supposed to do in being the leader of the home.

He has a direct accountability to God in that.

And so this fear involves the home and the church.

It's not given to degrade or to say your wife is your slave.

But it's given so that it might be order maintained in the home that the team might function the way it ought to function.

You know why we have problems in marriages today?

Because people don't want to do what God has instructed them to do.

To take the responsibility to come under the authority that they're supposed to come under.

If people are under the authority they're supposed to be under, you know what?

Everything works as designed.

Everything works the way it's supposed to.

You know, look over to 1 Peter for a moment.

Notice what it tells us here in 1 Peter chapter 3.

1 Peter 3 · chapter mention

Peter's telling them here, it says this, for after this manner in verse 5, it says that for after this manner in the old time,

the holy women also who trusted in God adorned themselves being in subjection unto their own husbands.

And then he gives an example, even as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him Lord,

whose daughters are ye as long as ye do well and are not afraid with any amazement.

I want you to understand it's being subjection to your own husband.

This is not a general submission to all men.

Not every man has authority over every woman.

Sometimes people have taken it there.

I want you to understand that's not what the scripture says.

But we need to understand the importance is what does the Bible say about it and what does God say for us in our relationships.

That dynamic and that authority.

It's not a general submission, but it's under their own husband.

But instead of recognizing God's design for order and responsibility,

people try to take it out and make it something that it's not.

I want you to understand God doesn't make us inferior one to another.

Authority just establishes order.

Every person has great value to God.

There's nobody who God doesn't say is of great value.

That's the reason he went to the cross to die for you because you have value.

But we also understand God's a God of order.

Bible says that you have to do things decently and in order.

Order.

What's that mean?

It doesn't mean you have just a schedule to keep.

That means there's a purpose behind what's functioning.

There's a purpose behind order.

In other words, it's doing this way to work properly in this design.

But notice the second qualifier is as unto the Lord.

As unto the Lord is an important qualifier also.

To your own husband and as to the Lord.

Because it's about obeying the Lord.

You know?

Nowhere in Scripture does it teach unqualified without exception, submission except to God.

God is the only one that we are absolutely submitted to.

Why?

Because God is the ultimate authority.

He is the creator.

He is the one that designed.

He is the one that made us.

And so when Paul says for wives to submit to their husbands, it reveals something.

Because a wife that submits to her husband says, I recognize God's order.

I recognize my Savior.

I recognize God's authority over my life.

It's no different if you're a man.

God has authority over everybody.

But God has an order of things to function in that.

And so when we understand here the word submit relative to wives needs to be understood in a way.

Because oftentimes it's not subservient.

But when a wife submits to her husband, it says, I love him enough to fall under that authority.

Because remember, submission is willingness because of love.

Remember, what were the men commanded to do?

You're supposed to love our wives.

You know what, guys?

If you want your wife to be easier to submit to you, you need to love her.

You know what?

When a wife feels loved, it's a lot easier for her to fulfill her role.

To do what they ought to do.

You know, it's always easier when everything's working in the right way.

It makes life a lot easier.

But I want you to understand here, this submit is really a mild word.

It's a loving word.

It means to respond to your own husband as unto the Lord.

The way we respond to the Lord is that we love him because he first loved us.

Notice that is to say unto your own husband, a very personal, loving relationship is the grounds for submission.

That's the reason women submit to all men.

That's not what the Bible says.

It says a woman to submit to her own husband.

Because there's a relationship there.

There's a protection there.

Because, guys, it's our responsibility to protect our family.

To have a place of protection and safety.

And I'm not talking just physically, but also emotionally.

I mean, you have all these elements that are involved.

When we understand this matter of submission is really an act of trust in God's design for the family.

It's embracing the roles he has established.

A wife will either encourage their husband's role as a leader or tear it down.

By trusting the Lord, a wife will either build her marriage or tear it down.

If she trusts the Lord and falls under God's authority, you know what she's doing?

She's building what God has given her.

She's building those things.

Because respect in marriage reflects trust in God's design.

Because remember, it's for as unto the Lord.

I want you to understand.

I'm just going to put something in here.

Because I want you to know that sometimes it's not easy to submit to your husband.

Now, I'll just make a statement.

Sometimes guys are not very easy to get along with.

I don't know what the problem is.

We need to do our part, but for one not doing their part doesn't negate the other.

You know what it says is unto the Lord?

It doesn't say if my husband merits it.

It says because I'm doing this because I love God and God, I'm going to fall under God's authority.

I'm going to do what I'm supposed to do.

Let's reverse the role and include this because guys, you're to love your wife whether she submits to you or not.

You know what a modern philosophy is?

If they do their part, I'll do mine.

No, you do your part and wait for God to convict them of their part.

Now, that's not easy.

But, you know, submitting to authority is not an easy thing.

By nature, we buck authority.

We have another word for bucking authority.

It's called rebellion.

By nature, we are rebellious.

You say, preacher, that's pretty rough.

No, that's our sin nature coming out.

That's the nature of who we are that says, I'm going to buck what God has designed.

That's that sin nature that we want to reject what God has.

But I want you to see here that respecting her husband, a wife, respects, supports, and strengthens leadership.

Look here at verse 23.

It says, for the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is head of the church, and he is the savior of the body.

You know, I want you to see here the husband is the head of the wife, is dealing with authority, not being.

In other words, he doesn't make the wife less.

It just says this is how God has established the structure of authority.

And he gives that picture in there.

Now, I want you to understand something very important when it comes to authority.

You know, oftentimes we think of authority saying, well, and they get away with whatever they want.

They're an authority.

You know what?

God says when you're an authority, you have responsibility.

Authority is never detached from responsibility.

Because when you're over something, you have a responsibility to take care of it, to make sure that it's being properly used, that it's properly being processed, or whatever the dynamic may be.

It's a position of responsibility.

It's a position of responsibility, a position of servant leadership, just as Jesus submitted even himself.

Look over to Philippians chapter 2 for a moment.

Philippians 2 · chapter mention

Philippians chapter 2, because Jesus is the example of submission.

Philippians 2 · chapter mention

Here's the God of heaven, the one who spoke everything into existence, says, I'm going to put myself under the authority structure that I made.

Have you ever thought about that, that when Jesus came here upon the earth, he put himself under the authority of the things that he designed?

He placed himself.

Notice in verse 7, it says, but he made himself of no reputation and took upon him, what?

The form of a servant.

And was in likeness, made in the likeness of man and being found in the fashion of man.

Notice this, he humbled himself.

That word humbled is that same dynamic of submission.

In other words, he submitted himself under the will of the Father and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.

Our very salvation is built upon the basis of submission.

What Christ did for us is he submitted to the will of the Father that he might die for our sin.

Submission is an important reality in our lives.

It's because the husband is the head of the wife.

In a full sense, the head has the idea of headship and authority.

It means to have the appropriate responsibility to lead and also the matching accountability.

There's an accountability because throughout the scripture, you'll see this idea of headship within the family.

Now, I want you to understand that the use of that term just means God's order of authority.

And order of authority means order of responsibility.

Because as a husband, you become responsible for your family.

The wife becomes under that authority and submits under her husband.

That's her coming and saying, I'm recognizing God's authority.

That's been placed there.

Because throughout the scripture, you'll find that it's set that way because Eve was given unto Adam.

You know, that dynamic holds true.

You'll find 1 Corinthians 11 mentions it.

1 Timothy chapter 2 mentions it.

1 Timothy 2 · chapter mention

And there's this emphasis to put constantly upon the fact that man was created first and not the woman.

And we see a priority by creation for man.

The scripture also emphasizes the fact that the woman was made out of man, taken out of the man to show a connection to him.

And that she was meant to be a help meat for him.

A help for man that was fitting for him.

Remember when we talked about the design of marriage, that's what God did.

He made a help meat that was fit for Adam.

In other words, they became a team that worked together under the proper authority of God.

Husbands being a head of the family reflects Christ as head of the church.

You know what I think part of the problem with society is because we get things out of order in the home,

we get things out of order in the church too.

Because sometimes we forget that Christ is the head.

He's the authority.

But today we have an idea we get to do whatever we want to do.

Whenever we want to do it, however we want to do it.

But we always have to keep in mind Christ is still the authority.

He is the head of the church.

That's an authoritative position with responsibility.

And that picture he gives here is important because the husband is not speaking about the husband's ability, worth, competency, his value, his brilliance.

Instead it's speaking specifically of function and order within a marriage.

Just as a church that is submitted to Christ will function within the order established by the Lord in his word.

You know, as a church we need to function the way God designed it to function.

When people try to make church what God didn't design it, it becomes something else.

Because everybody, when you become a member of a church, you're submitting yourself to the authority of that church.

You're submitting yourself to the authority of Christ.

You're submitting yourself to say, I want to identify.

I want to say, I want to submit to the authority God's given.

But oftentimes we don't like submission.

Whether it's to one another.

Whether it's to Christ.

You know, even as a believer, you can rebel against submission to Christ.

That's the reason the Bible says,

He that knoweth to do good and doeth it not, to him it is sin.

You can know what you ought to do and choose not to do it.

It requires that each member do their part.

The same is true in marriage.

Look over Colossians chapter 3 for a moment.

Colossians 3 · chapter mention

Colossians chapter 3.

Colossians 3 · chapter mention

Look down here in verse 1.

Or excuse me, verse 18.

Colossians 3 verse 18.

Colossians 3:18

The Bible says this,

Wives submit yourselves unto your own husband as it is fit in the Lord.

Husbands, love your wives and be not bitter against them.

Now we can preach a whole other message on that last part.

But I put that in here for a reason.

Because you know what happens?

When a marriage has conflict instead of the proper authority structure and proper submission between both parties,

it causes bitterness.

There's a lot of marriages that are hurting because they're bitter against one another.

While you didn't do what you're supposed to do,

you know the Bible never says worry about what they're doing.

It says worry about what you're doing and what you're responsible for.

Because otherwise, bitterness will take root.

Even when the husband doesn't know the Lord.

You know, look over to 1 Peter chapter 3 and verse 1.

1 Peter 3 · chapter mention

It says this.

It says,

Likewise, ye wives be in subjection to your own husbands,

that if any obey not the word,

they also may without the word be won by the conversation of the wives.

In other words, if you're saved and you're married as a woman,

you ought to be saying,

I want to submit to my husband,

not because he might not necessarily be doing everything right,

but because I'm going to submit unto the Lord.

Because that changes the perspective, doesn't it?

Am I going to be under the authority of Christ in my life as a believer,

or am I not?

To be under the authority of Christ says,

I'm going to follow what God instructs to do those things.

Because when a wife respects, when the wife honors,

when a wife obeys her husband,

allows him to lead with confidence,

knowing they have the support and the trust of their wives.

You know what?

It's a lot easier to lead when people are on board.

You know, it's hard to lead when there's constant conflict in the team,

because you're always running around trying to put out petty fires.

Dealing with conflicts and confusion and gossip and backbiting

and all these different elements that get involved.

But when we submit ourselves unto Christ,

the marriage functions properly also.

It allows the husband to lead the way he ought to lead.

Even if he's trying to do the right thing.

You know what?

If his wife is bucking him,

it makes a conflict in the marriage.

It creates something that creates difficulties within it.

But I want you to see here, look on down here.

Look at verse 24.

It says,

Respect reflects the church's relationship to Christ.

To be subject unto the relationship between a husband and wife

is a picture of a church's submission to Christ.

The basis for submission is grounded in love and trust,

not in oppression.

I want you to understand,

submission is a willingness because of love and trust,

not of oppression.

When you hear the term submission today,

oftentimes people equate it with oppression.

To submit to authority just helps order.

Submit to the authority of Christ.

Submit to the authority of the word of God.

Submitting to those things is a picture

that applies over and each gives marriage,

that idea that gives marriage,

that reflection of how this operates.

Because today there's an idea that marriage

is there to complete me or my needs.

You know, oftentimes it's amazing

how many people enter into marriage and say,

this person's going to make me complete now.

I'll give you a little clue.

Who you marry will not complete you.

The one you marry is there to compliment you.

There's a big difference.

Because you know what?

There's only one person that's going to make you whole

and that's Christ.

Trying to marry somebody to fill a gap in your life

is not going to solve the problem.

Because you know what?

You're going to be pretty discouraged pretty quick.

When that person isn't who you think they were

or they didn't change the way you thought

you could change them.

You know, we might not vocalize,

but a lot of times people get married,

well, I'll change him after we get married.

Or I'll change, she'll change after we get married.

That's one of the biggest lies the devil ever told you.

They ought to be what they ought to be beforehand.

They ought to compliment.

They ought not to be in conflict

or to tear down or to cause disruption.

But oftentimes today, marriage is built upon what I want

and marriage is built upon this concept of submission

because it pictures our relationship with God.

It pictures authority.

And when a relationship ignores the principle of submission,

it ignores God's complete design for marriage

and the relationship it reflects between Christ and the church.

It stands to reason that many believers today

have a faulty concept of submission to Christ

because they've seen a faulty concept of submission in the family.

You know what?

Our kids, this generation, learns from the pictures that it sees.

When a husband and wife are operating in the right context,

in the right order that God has established,

you know what?

It affects the kids.

When it's operating outside that parameter,

it affects the children

because what they're seeing is what submission looks like,

a loving submission to the authority over us.

You know, when one calls upon Christ to save him,

you know what they're saying?

They're recognizing Christ's authority over them.

Say, preacher, what are you talking about?

Well, you're saying,

I know I violated what God's standard is.

You know what that's saying?

I violated God's authority.

Because you need to understand that you're a sinner

before you can be saved.

You have to understand where you stand with God

before you can be saved.

They don't understand they need to submit to God.

They say, well, oftentimes today you get,

and I think this is a big problem

that's happened over the years.

People have a one, two, three,

repeat after me salvation dynamic.

And there's no concept of understanding who I am,

what Christ has done, and why he did it.

To say, I have to recognize who he is

and what he's done for me.

There's a concept that's involved

and we need to understand that reality

because your respect can either strengthen your home

and inspire others to trust God's plan,

or our picture can be tearing down

the very picture that God has

for Christ's relationship to his believers.

The church is that picture of Christ's relationship

to the saints of today.

As we walk this earth,

that's the reason it's in the context of a local church,

because we have to learn to submit one to another.

We have to learn to submit to Christ.

We have to learn to make things function

the way God wants it to do.

I want you to understand that submission

that we're talking about today,

wives to your husbands, is not a duty,

but a gift that honors God and builds relationships.

It builds an understanding of who God is.

You know, this week I want to encourage you

to take a look at how you respond,

ladies, towards your husband.

Now, how are you going to respond?

Is it respectful?

How about in your speech and your actions?

Are you trusting his leadership?

Do your attitude and your actions

align with God's design?

Not specifically for the ladies, the wives,

but you know what?

That same principles apply to all of us.

Are we, as an individual,

am I falling under and submitting

unto what God has for me?

To submit ourselves unto that,

because just as God calls us as men

to love our wives as Christ loved the church,

the Lord calls wives to respect their husbands

as part of this design.

And the question is really very simple.

Will you do it or will you not?

Will you recognize God's authority or will you not?

It's something that we wrestle with

in every area of our life.

We're talking very specific, but you know what?

The reality is, do you trust what God says or do you not?

Do I believe it or not believe it?

Am I acting upon it or not acting upon it?

To understand that Christ's love is clearly seen

in that he gave himself for us on the cross,

for the church.

God gave himself for this assembly of believers

to understand the importance of the picture

that we're seeing when it comes to submission.

This morning, is there a respect enough

for God's authority to say,

I'm gonna recognize it and put myself under it,

not because I'm being oppressed,

but because I love him.

Because remember, the Bible says,

it's not because we first loved him,

it's because he first loved us.

He gives that picture of love towards us

and towards you.

His heads are bowed and eyes are closed this morning.

What about you today?

Maybe there's an area in your life,

an area that God spoke about,

maybe it has nothing to do with your marriage,

maybe it's just an area of submission.

Maybe it's an area of saying,

God, I want to follow your authority

and apply your principles in my life.

Maybe it starts with the reality of recognizing

I'm a sinner that needs a savior.

If you're here today and don't know Christ as savior,

I encourage you to come with us.

Let me show you from God's word,

the authority of how to know

that you have God's salvation.

Because it's not just a repeating a set of words,

but it's a reality from the heart of understanding

who God is and what he's done for you.

But maybe you're here today and say,

I need to do things differently.

I need to do things with a different attitude,

a different spirit, a different reasoning.

I need to look at it in the context that God has

and not the context that I want to see it in.

What about you today?

Heavenly fathers, we come before you this morning.

Lord, we just thank you and praise you for your word.

Lord, thank you for the authority that is there.

Lord, help us always to be mindful

of what the order and the things that you put in.

Even today, Lord, we pray that you just would work

mightily in each heart, each life here today,

of this very important principle

of submitting ourselves one to another

and submission in marriage.

Lord, the husband to you, the wife to the husband.

Lord, the children to the parents.

Lord, I pray that you just would allow us

to understand this in light,

in the context of your word here today.

Lord, and we just ask it all in your precious name.

Amen.

As heads are bowed and eyes are closed,

as piano plays, what about you today?