Thursday, April 10, 2008

Thursday - "Who's In Charge?"

Greetings Internet Campus,

Ephesians 5:21-25; (ESV) 21 submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ. 22 Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. 23 For the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the church, his body, and is himself its Savior. 24 Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit in everything to their husbands. 25 Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her,

Once in a while, I get the chance to perform a wedding. I make it a point to meet with the bride and groom ahead of time to discuss important details such as the order of ceremony, colors, and the vows. When we get to the type of vows that they are looking for, it never fails that one of the pair tells me that they DON'T want the word obey in there...they don't want me to talk about who is "in charge." I try to explain this passage in Ephesians to them...this morning, I'd like to explain it to you as best I can.

Here's what this passage is trying to say:
1) The husband is the head of the household. That isn't my opinion...it is in the passage... but you've got to keep reading... look at the requirements that he must adhere to. The husband needs to love his wife like Christ loves the church... How much love is that? Let's remember...Jesus never spoke ill of the church, He defended it, He loved it unconditionally, He provided for it, He supported it...and He ultimately died for it. If you are a husband...and reading this...does this describe the way you treat your wife? If not, you are not holding up your God-assigned responsibility. I'd like to write that a little kinder..but I can't. That's the reality. If you are a man that seeks to fulfill the role that God has given you...you MUST love your spouse at the level Jesus loves His bride, the church.

2) The wife should submit to the husband. Again, not my writing. It's in today's passage. What does this mean, ladies? Be a doormat to a man who makes bad decisions? No way. Remember...you can't separate out these two thoughts. If your man is living like he is supposed to...and loving you like Christ loved the church...submission is easier. He is staying close to God and living out his faith. However, what if he isn't? What if he isn't even a Christian? Does that mean this passage doesn't apply? No. I believe that the situation then shifts to 1 Peter 3:1

1Wives, in the same way be submissive to your husbands so that, if any of them do not believe the word, they may be won over without words by the behavior of their wives, "

Stay strong. Live out your faith. Every team needs a leader to have the final say in big decisions. God has called the husband to fill that role...and the wife to honor God by understanding and abiding this. Remember, he is accountable to God for the leadership decisions that he makes. Sometimes submission is not going to be easy...you will think that you are right (maybe even know that you are). Remember today's passage and believe that you honor God by your obedience.

Both sides in the marital relationship are called to big responsibility... but if we are to live lives and have marriages that bring Him glory, we must make every effort to understand what we are called to be and carry it out.

Write it Down: How many couples do you know that live out both sides of this? If none, why not? If some apply, write down in your journal why you think they are able to do this...

Until tomorrow!
Pastor Brian

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