A Gospel-Centered Purpose For Marriage



A Gospel-Centered Purpose For Marriage

Ephesians 5:22-33

Intro:

“Right thinking always proceeds right living…” Bruce Milne

Main Thought:

“Divine purpose, precedes divine order, for divine glory in marriage”

Divine Purpose For Marriage

1 Members Of One Body

Question: “Husbands, would the way you treat, speak to, lead, & care for your wife be characterized as “nourishing & cherishing her as your own body?”

2 This Is A Profound Mystery

This truth will alter your thinking & behavior in marriage!

“It’s overwhelming to realize that God intends to create and cultivate the same abundant, gracious love between a husband and wife that he has for us.” Gary Ricucci, Love That Lasts, p.20

Implications:

1. Marriage is not to be need-centered or man-centered but God centered

2. Marriage is God’s institution for His purpose & glory

3. Christ & His Church is the paradigm or basis for understanding the purpose of marriage

4. God’s intent for couples is that we grow ever deeper in love & unity for His glory

Question: “Does your marriage portray an accurate or distortion of that relationship?”

Divine Order In Marriage

1 Headship Is A Matter Of Divine Order

1 Equality With Distinction – Genesis 11:26-17

2 Differing Roles – Genesis 2

5 Key Points On Man’s Headship Over Woman:

1. Man was created 1st, then Eve

2. Adam given responsibility over the garden (2:15-16)

3. Eve was made for Adam (1Cor.11: )

4. Eve was created from or out of Adam, not the dust

5. Adam’s headship is confirmed by naming Eve

“When the Bible teaches that men and women fulfill different roles in relation to each other, charging man with the unique leadership role, it bases the differentiation not on temporary cultural norms but on permanent facts of creation… In the Bible, differentiated roles for men and women are never traced back to the fall of man and woman into sin. Rather, the foundation of this differentiation is traced back to the way things were in Eden before sin warped our relationships. Differentiated roles were corrupted, not created, by the fall. They were created by God.” John Piper, Recovering Biblical Manhood and Womanhood, 1991, p. 35

The effect of the cross is not to redefine roles but to restore them

2 The Husband’s Headship Is The Basis For The Wife’s Submission

□ In Eph. 5, Wives are to submit to their own husbands, in everything, “as to the Lord” – the Lord is the recipient of their submission to their husbands

□ The basis for them to submit “as to the Lord is in vs. 23

□ The fact of his headship is the basis for her submission as per God’s design

□ He may not be a good model/expression of headship, but he is the head!

Implications For Husbands:

1. You are her “head,” not her Lord, & you will give an account to Christ, your head!

“But I want you to understand that the head of every man is Christ, the head of a wife is her husband, and the head of Christ is God.” 1Cor.11:3

2. Your headship is to be characterized or expressed through love & humble, sacrificial, servant leadership!

3. Exercise grace motivated leadership, considering how Christ gave His life for you, even when you were His enemy!

Divine Glory In A Gospel-Centered Marriage

1 “Gospel-Mystery” Revealed

□ This is the “Gospel-Mystery” of Christ and the Church – why He came & died

□ Christian marriage is reflecting something of this great mystery now revealed in the gospel.

2 Points To The Basis Of Our Present & Future Glory In Christ

1 A Reminder Of The Power Of The Gospel To Save

2 The Marriage Supper Of The Lamb

3 Marriage is meant to commend/even preach the gospel!

“Divine purpose precedes divine order, for divine glory in marriage”

Closing Application:

1. If you’re already married, let this glorious vision & purpose for marriage fill you with hope for your marriage!

2. If you’re single, let this help you as a single prepare for marriage & lift up your esteem for the institution of marriage

3. If you don’t know Jesus personally, as your Lord & Savior, let this communicate to you the very purpose Jesus came to suffer & die for our sins on the cross, so that we might be forgiven of our sins & declared holy & righteous in the sight of God.

Today we have seen a purpose worth living for, even worth dying for!

................
................

In order to avoid copyright disputes, this page is only a partial summary.

Google Online Preview   Download