If you wish to follow along as
I read, turn to Genesis chapter two again. Genesis chapter two. And I will read some of the same
verses I've read last time. Genesis chapter two and verse
18. And the Lord God said, it is
not good that the man should be alone. I will make him and
help meet that is suitable for him. And out of the ground, the
Lord God formed every beast of the field and every fowl of the
air and brought them unto Adam to see what he would call them.
And whatsoever Adam called every living creature, that was the
name thereof. And Adam gave names to all the
cattle and to the fowl of the air and to every beast of the
field. But for Adam, there was not found and help meet for him. And the Lord God caused a deep
sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept. And he took one of
his ribs and closed up the flesh instead thereof. And the rib,
which the Lord God had taken from man, made he a woman and
brought her unto the man. Adam said, this is now bone of
my bones and flesh of my flesh. She shall be called woman because
she was taken out of man. Therefore shall a man leave his
father and his mother and shall cleave unto his wife and they
shall be one flesh. They were both naked, the man
and his wife, and were not ashamed. My subject and my title is taken
actually from verse 22. You see it? Let me read it one
more time. Verse 22. And the rib which the Lord God
had taken from man made he a woman and brought her unto the man. Think about this. This is my
title, this is my subject. Taken from and brought to Jesus
Christ. taken from and brought to Jesus
Christ. Now, we're not talking about
being taken away. We're talking about taken away,
but from being taken from within. From within. It is astounding
to me as I begin to read these first few chapters of the Bible.
It's astounding once again when I realize that when you read
the word of Almighty God, the creator of heaven and earth.
And I believe it means what it says when it writes these words.
God put Adam to sleep. God took a rib out of Adam. And
he closed up the flesh. And God made a woman out of that
rib. And he brought her to Adam. He brought her to Adam. It is
amazing to see that God in his wisdom even ordained the times
the manners and the order of creation that he might execute
illustrations of his salvation that he purposed in his precious
son. God didn't just create and then
all of a sudden man fail. The fall was already a given.
You hear what I'm saying? Because Jesus Christ was ordained
as a lamb slain from the foundation of the world. God Almighty shows us these pictures,
these illustrations, these symbols, if you will. Even in reality,
when God made this woman, He made this woman for one purpose.
That's to be a help, meat for the man. God created her, and
God brought her to Adam. God brought her to Adam. Everything
that has Jesus Christ as its sole foundation is right here
in this book. Everything has Jesus Christ as
its sole foundation. Again, taken from and brought
to Jesus Christ. I want us to consider six thoughts
this morning. And the sixth one I will probably
have a lot more detail. I will have a lot more detail
concerning the sixth one. But just think about these six
thoughts. Adam was before Eve that is he was before her Adam
was created first Created in his fullness But there was one
thing lacking But it wasn't a lack in God It's what God had purpose
to do to reveal to us right from the get-go how he plans to save
sinners he creates them in Christ Jesus and and he brings them
to Christ Jesus. Think of it, as Adam was before
Eve, so Christ was before us. You remember what he said, it's
recorded by John in John 8 verse 58, before Abraham was, I am. I am. I can even say this, though
he's called the second Adam, he was first. He was first. He is preeminent. We also know
that Peter said he was as a lamb slain from the foundation of
the world. The second thought, as Eve was created
from Adam, from Adam, from a rib. Somebody says, you really don't
believe that. I really do believe that. I know it's so, you know
why? Because God said so. As Eve was
created from Adam, so is every believer created in Christ Jesus. We know we often quote Ephesians
2 verse 8, and rightfully so, and verse 9, and rightfully so.
But let us remember verse 10, that we were created in Christ
Jesus. You don't get into Jesus Christ,
you must be created in Christ Jesus. That's as much an act
of God. Salvation is as much a creative
act of God as the beginning of the universe. Created in Christ Jesus, yes,
under good works, which God before ordained that we should walk
in them. But if you miss the created part, everything else
won't matter in that verse. Created in Christ Jesus. Here's a third thought. as Eve
was taken from within Adam. That's where she came from. As
Eve was taken from within Adam, so all of the elect were in Christ
before the foundation of the world. It says, the book says,
Ephesians chapter one says clearly, God chose some people before
the world began. It says these people God chose
before the world began. God predestinated them unto the
adoption of children by Jesus Christ himself. If God's simply
looking into the future to see what would happen, he didn't
have to predestinate anything. And religious men and women use
the words. Well, some of them don't even
use the word. Some of them don't even like the word predestinated.
But even when they use the word, then they totally ignore the
meaning of the word. And it says we are accepted where?
In the beloved. God will not, God cannot accept
you and I in ourself. That's one of the things God
cannot do. He cannot lie, but he also cannot accept a man or
a woman in themselves. Here's the fourth thought. As
God brought Eve to Adam, So God brings all the elect to Jesus
Christ at God's appointed time Christ himself said in John 6
in verse 37 all that the father giveth me All how many does that
mean it means all? all that the father giveth me
shall come to me the giving must take place first and Now, yes,
God gave an eternal purpose, but God also gives, just like
he did to Adam, in time. All those given in purpose before
the world began are given in time. And all that the Father
giveth me shall. Oh, don't you like that? Isn't
it sad that we're so depraved by nature that we argue about
this blessed verse? All that the Father giveth me
shall come to me. That lets me know somebody's
going to come. It's inevitable. Because God
is doing this by a creative act. All that the Father giveth me
shall come to me and him that cometh to me. I will for no reason,
that's what he's saying, I will in no wise cast out. Aren't you glad for that? That's
not license, that's comfort. That's comfort. Now let me tell
you, it may be license to an unregenerate man who gets a taste
of religion. Yes, it may even be a mistaken
act of liberty on the part of a young Christian that doesn't
know any better and uses their liberty for an occasion to the
flesh. Some of us have been there. In other words, God had to teach
us the hard way. But our liberty is not to free
us to serve the flesh, it's to free us in Christ Jesus to serve
God. I'm free to serve God without
having to look over my shoulder every moment wondering if God's
ready to whack me when I screw up. Because you will fall. You will fail. You will sin. But aren't you glad, if you're
given, you'll come. And if you come, he will in no
wise cast you out. And our Lord went on to say in
verses 44 and 45 of John six, and they, these people, the God
the Father is giving to the Son, and they shall all be taught
of God. Every man therefore that hath
heard and learned of the Father, what's he do? He comes to me. I like that, don't you? I really
like that. And then people want to argue
and fuss. Isn't it sad? Now granted, sometimes
I get mad, but I ought not get mad, Mason, because at one time
I was right exactly where they were. And God was pleased to give me
to Christ and bring me to Christ in spite of myself. In spite
of myself. I thank God for His grace, don't
you? I often doubt myself, but I don't doubt His grace. And
I know this, if He's given me grace, He gave it to me because
He willed to do so, Jehoiada preached on it, before the world
began. And God knowing all things, just knowing all things, Mason,
if it was based upon something we do, He'd have never given
it to us to start with. Right? Because all have sinned and done
what? Come short of the glory of God. Here's the fifth one. As Adam rejoiced in God's gift
to him. Isn't he? I guarantee you, fellas,
she was something to behold. Now, don't get me wrong. Don't
get upset with me. Don't get your knickers all up
in a tight twist. I don't think she was some old
toothless hag. Mm-hmm. I figure she was a beautiful
specimen of womanhood God created her and brought her to the man
and he was happy about this. He was happy about this. Hmm.
I Want you to read I want to read this turn to Hebrews chapter
2 And think about this Hebrews chapter 2 Verse 10, for
it became him. It's all about Jesus Christ.
In other words, it was proper. It was the fitting thing. For
it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things,
in bringing many sons unto glory. to make the captain of their
salvation perfect through sufferings. For both he that sanctifies and
they who are sanctified are all of what? One. And not only was
Eve one with Adam in that she was actually created from a rib
of Adam, but God brought her to him, to Adam, as his wife. as his wife in total nakedness,
both of them, and there was no shame. This was a glorious thing. And Adam was glad they were one. He said, we're one, bone of my
bone and flesh of my flesh. But look at what it says, for
which cause he is not ashamed. to call them brethren. Isn't
that something? For me, this sinner, this wicked,
vile sinner, to even contemplate that Jesus Christ is not ashamed
of me. There is reason to be ashamed.
But he's made me one with him. That takes away the shame. In
his eyes. even though I still see it. Right? I still feel it. I still expect,
for which cause? He is not ashamed. And isn't
that what matters after all? He is not ashamed to call us
a brother. A brother saying, I will declare
thy name unto my brother. You see? In the midst of the
church, Jesus Christ is singing. See, Joe, I believe it, but it's
hard to even, he's there singing. Wait a minute, he's here singing. Because part of the church is
still here, right? In the midst of the church, will
I sing praise unto thee. Christ thanks the Father for
us. Isn't it? Doesn't that boggle
your mind? I mean, if that don't ring your
bell, you ain't got no clapper inside. You just got an empty
husk. And again, I will put my trust
in him. And again, look at what Christ
said, behold I and the children whom God has given me. I want to be an Eve, don't you? I want to be an Eve. Eve, now we're gonna get to the
sixth one. Eve was not the head. And in that original state, she
was glad to have it so. You understand what I'm saying?
She was glad that she was nothing more than, and I say that intentionally,
but it's a lot more than that, a help meet for the man. Mason, I figure it was absolute,
complete contentment with that. Until she started to look at
that tree. And started to listen to the serpent. You see what
I'm saying? Absolute, complete contentment. Now that makes me
scream from with a sigh, oh God, make me an Eve. You see where
I'm coming from? See where I'm going? Here's the
sixth one. As Eve, excuse me. As Eve was to Adam, So is the
church to Christ. One flesh. One flesh. But He's the head. We don't partake
in any headship with Christ. There is divine order. The man
is the head of the woman. Why? Because Christ is the head
of the church. And if you don't like that, no,
If you don't love that, if you've got any argument against that,
you are still in rebellion against God. Look at Ephesians chapter five.
And you know this. Ephesians chapter five. You know,
today people, most people think that marriage
is just some moral legality. Don't they? Marriage, especially
the first marriage, the one we just read about, that was a marriage,
Mason. It's a husband and a wife, okay? The first marriage especially
is not about some mere moral legality. It is a picture of
how Jesus Christ is to the church. That's the seriousness of the
thing. Look at what it says. Paul wrote
these words, Ephesians chapter five, verse 31. Just two verses for right now. For this cause shall a man leave
his father and mother. Wait a minute, where did we hear
that? Right at the get go, didn't we? Right at the get go. For
this cause shall a man leave his father and mother and shall
be joined unto his wife. and they too shall be one flesh. This is a great mystery, and
here's the kicker, but I speak concerning Christ and the church. Nevertheless, he said, there
is the physical reality of man and woman, but this is about
Jesus Christ and his people. Do you see it? He says so. He says, this is a great mystery,
but I speak concerning Christ and the church. Nevertheless,
let every one of you, in particular, so love his wife, even as himself,
and the wife see that she reverence. That's what it says. Reverence
her husband. Oh, how far we men and women
are truly from that. Now, I'll mention a couple other
things here. I won't, we're not gonna read it. But why? Couple
questions. But why wives submit? Why wives be subject? He says
that here. Why wives reverence? Again, it's not some legal morality. This is true because Christ submitted
himself to the Father. Uh-huh. The head of Christ is
who? What does the book say? God.
I'm not here to try to explain all that. It's just what the
book says. The head of Christ is who? God. He came and submitted himself
to the Father. Christ was subject to the Father's
will. He even prayed and he meant it
when he prayed it. How often I probably pray it
and don't really mean it. God help me. Not my will. That's one of the reasons I chose
that one song. Not my will, but thy will be done. That's why,
that's why. Because the church is thus under
Christ. That's the way we are. Now it
may not be the way, no. All too often it's not the way
we conduct ourselves as the church. Whether that's corporately or
individually. But yet, that's the way it is.
Do you get what I'm saying? This is God's, we are subject
to Christ. Even when we kick and fuss. Huh? We're subject unto Christ. Oh,
and this is true right on down to every individual believer. What about it, wives? What about
it? But here's the second question,
but why husbands love your wives? Why? Again, it's not some moral
legality, not what we're talking about here. I'm not talking about
immorality either. It has nothing to do with that.
But it's not just some moral legality. Why husbands love your
wives? Because Christ loved the church
and gave himself for it. Now, I heard a preacher say this
the other day, and it dawned, it finally hit, after 30 some
years, Joe, it hit me. I knew it, but it hit me. In
death, did he give his self for her, the church, in death? Yes,
he did. That's what most of us husbands
think about. Well, if anybody ever attacked
my wife, I'd give my life for her. Don't we like to think that? Huh? But it's much more than
that. He gave his life while he lived. He came to do the will
of the Father for our good. He even was subject unto his
parents, the book says. Why? Because he had to be? He's their God. He did that for
me. Because I'm not subject to my
parents like I'm supposed to be. How about you? Well, a little rebellion against
the part shows the damnable nature of our souls. And yet Jesus Christ
did that for me. He did that for you. Everything
for 33 and a half years they say somewhere out. He walked
this earth and lived for us he gave himself for us in his life
as Well as in his death And what's he doing right now? He is seated
at the right hand of God the Father He also doing what? Making intercession in his exaltation
he is giving himself for what reason Now when it says husbands
love your wives, that's what it's talking about. It's not
just if somebody tries to kill her, I'll step in and try to
do something. No, you give your life for her. God help me. What about the husbands? God help me. That's a whole lot
more than just I'll take a bullet for her. You see what I'm saying?
My life is not about me. It ought to be about who? Her.
because Christ's life is about his bride, his church, his elect,
his people, you and me. Isn't that glorious? Isn't that
glorious? In death, yes, but also husbands
in life and even exaltation. If you do well at work, David
Wright, if you do well at work, that's for your wife's benefit.
That's what it ought to be. That's for her. Feed her, protect
her, clothe her, love her in a real way, not just in words. But also consider this, Ephesians
5, 26, look at what it says. That he might, let's talk about
Christ, sanctify, cleanse it with the washing of water by
the word, by the word. Now this struck me again too.
Does the word of God bow me? You ever had it out with a spouse?
What is it that settles the argument? Is it coming to an agreement,
or is it the word of God? It's not about coming to an agreement.
So it's 50-50. No, husbands, it's 100%. You
are to be 100% for your wife. And you're not. And neither am
I. And wives, you're to be 100%
for your husbands, but you're not. In this life, on this side of
glory as we say, we cannot be. But he is. But he is. And Doug, God help me, I want
to strive for that. Though I know I'll never reach
it. David Wright, it doesn't make me wanna quit. It doesn't
make me wanna quit. But it's more than that. Does
this word bow me? Does this word correct me? Does
this word guide me? Does this word arrest me? tells
a true believer is when this word settles all the arguments
and the disagreements. You understand what I'm saying?
Some of us, you may have lived long enough together, you know
enough to push each other's buttons. I understand that. But right
here is what settles all arguments. Right here is the answer to all
the questions and the problems and the difficulties. And if
it doesn't stop you in your tracks, then you're not being what? Sanctified
and cleansed with a washing of water by the word. The word bows
me down to Christ. And I like that. Oh, I don't
always like it right at first, but I like that. You know what
I'm saying? For those of you who are true
believers, you know what I'm saying. Oh yeah, no chastising
is pleasant. Oh, but afterward it yieldeth
the peaceable fruit of righteousness. You know what that righteousness
is? It is believing God and bowing down to him. Most people think
that means I start doing better and living better. You can't
do any better. You can't live any better. You
are what you are. And thank God included with that
is by the grace of God, I am what I am. Now that's another
message. But here's another point, it's
more than that. Look at what Paul said to the Corinthians,
1 Corinthians. It's more than that, us wives,
husbands, men, women. 1 Corinthians chapter seven. And listen to this word. Now
I know this goes totally against the grain of what we see in this
world today, but this is God's word. 1 Corinthians 7 verse 4,
the wife hath not power over or of her own body. Doesn't matter, believing women,
what laws that men may give you. Your king is Jesus Christ. His
word is supreme. The wife hath not power of her
own body, but the husband. And likewise also the husband
hath not power of his own body, but the wife. Do you see it? This ain't about the man gets
to be in charge. This is about loving, willing
submission to the other. Seeking their good, even their,
and I don't want to be brash, but even their physical pleasure. That's what it's talking about.
That's the literal taking of it. But it's this thing. What?
It's more than. Why such a command like this?
Because it's what Paul's already previously said in chapter six,
and look at it, verse 17 to the end. But he that is joined unto
the Lord is what? One spirit. Flee fornication. Run from it. That's what it's
talking about, ain't it? Run from it. Every sin that a
man doeth is without the body, but he that committed fornication
sinneth against his own body. What? Now here it is. Know you
not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in
you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own. It's not just some moral legality. It's not some male chauvinism,
nor female chauvinism. It's not about self-empowerment.
It's again about submission, subjection. Even in Ephesians,
Paul says to all of us, be your subject one to another. Submit
one to another. My concern ought to be more about
you than it is about me. Sadly, God help me, it's all
too often not so. Aren't you glad for continual
forgiveness? Aren't you glad? Why such a command? Because our
bodies are not our own. for you're bought with a price.
Therefore glorify God in your body and in our heart. That sometimes
can be fairly well easily done. It's the outward thing. We can
dress up the outward thing. But look, and in your spirit. There's, there's the tough one. Remember Mason, we were, you
and I and Elizabeth, we talked about that murmuring? The spirit loves
to murmur. Now think about that word murmur.
I didn't even have this in my notes. It's that mumbling under your
breath. This says, listen, glorify God in your body and in your
spirit because it's God's. It's God's. Isn't that something? Let me tell you, neither was
Christ's body his own. Go back and look at it again,
Hebrews 2, verses 14 through 18. It became him. What? To be made flesh. For what
purpose? He needed to do this? He somehow
needed to be a man? No, he did that for us. Us. He subjected his human body and
human spirit to the will of the Father for his bride. For us. For us. You know, Joe,
this sounds vitally important to me. Doesn't it? This is vitally
important. God has taken us from Christ,
made us from Christ, brought us to Christ, and joined us to
Christ. And he prayed that they all may
be one, even as we are one, and to be one in him. I'm glad he
had, I'm glad, no, I'm glad he's the one that had to pray that
prayer and make it so, not me. Because I can't make it so. I
can't make it so. God help me, I can't make it
so. But he did make it so. One. One. Look sometime again, Ephesians
3, 19 through 21, if you would. Colossians 2, 9 and 10, and he
said, we are complete, where? Where's my completeness? Not
in me, in him. He's the head of the body. And
Joe, I'm glad to be a help meet for him. Aren't you? Oh, I know,
I kicked and I fussed, but I'm glad about it. Here's that one
more thought, a help suitable. We're the help suitable. Now,
I know we don't look much like it, and I know oftentimes we
don't conduct ourselves that way, but we are. We are. Help, supakos, God made us that
way. Now, not what we are by nature, but remember that new
nature? Mason, it pleases God. That new nature is created in
righteousness and true holiness after the image of him that created
him. That image is the woman who truly submits, bows, and
reverences her husband. That's where it's at. To be help
suitable, help me, suitable to serve my husband in my head. Suitable to revere, profound
reverence and respect. Suitable to revere my husband
in my head. Suitable to honor him. Suitable
to honor him my husband and my head suitable to sound forth
his praises You see that's what we ought to be doing The husband
ought to be bragging about his wife the wife ought to be bragging
about her husband And somebody said they don't deserve it neither.
Do you? You don't deserve it, but God said this is the way
it's supposed to be right Think of it we get we get to sound
forth his praises Hmm Yay, here's an astounding thing. I can't
even explain this, folks. I mean, I really can't. Maybe
Joe will study this sometime and preach on it, but I know
it's so. And look, Ephesians chapter one,
talking about Christ, verse 21, far above all principality and
power and might and dominion and every name that is named,
not only in this world, but also in that which is coming up. Christ
is everything. He's above everything. He's more glorious than everything.
You can't brag about Him too much. You can't brag. It's alright
to brag on your husband. He's the Lord God of glory. And
has put all things under His, what? Feet. That's what it says, does it
not? That includes who else? Me. and
gave him to be head over all things to the church. Who's in
charge? People don't know who's really
in charge at Sovereign Grace Chapel. That's actually been
said. Christ is in charge, Scott Willey. Christ is the head. Christ is the shepherd. Christ
is the pastor. Christ is the elder brother. That's what it's about. gave
him to be head over all things to the church, which is his body.
And then think about this, here's the statement. I don't know how
to explain it. The fullness, it's all about us. Look, the fullness of him that
filleth all in all. Your help meet for him. What a privilege, place, and
state to be. Is it not? Or do I look at it
as some grievous task? Oh, God help me. If Christ faced me like I all
too often face my spouse, I'd be a goner. I'd be a goner. I'm glad he's
the head, not me. Aren't you? Aren't you? See,
to be under his feet is a good place. To be conquered by Him,
it's a good thing. But my rebellious old nature
says I will not have this man reign over me. It's a joyous place to be. You
see, the answer that I can give honestly to that, the answer
that you can give honestly to that, is this a privilege or
a chore? Tells worlds about me. Says worlds
about me. as it does of you. And remember,
husbands love your wives. Wives be subject to the husbands.
But remember, this is a taller order than just that. We're talking
about Christ and the church. It said God took that rib, he
anesthetized Adam, put him to sleep. He took a rib out and
he created the woman. That's what he did for us, he
created us. And then he gave us to Christ. and Christ is happy
with us. That boggles my mind. He likes
to sing about us to the Father. I just don't have the words,
Joe. I just don't have the words. Oh God, teach us these things. Guide us in our walk, but oh
God, keep our hearts and minds stayed upon Christ Jesus. It's
in his name, amen.