blessings that we have in Christ
Jesus. Now, in Ephesians chapter 5,
I want to bring you a message basically from verse 20 down
through verse 25. Verse 20 down through verse 25. And it talks about this marriage
relationship between a wife and a husband, between a man and
a woman. But when the Lord talks about
this special relationship, this special ordained relationship
between a man and a woman, He does it in such a way as to clearly
tell us the gospel of God's grace. in Christ Jesus. Did you notice
that? As we read through these verses,
he talks about the wife being in submission, as the believer
is in submission unto his Lord, and how the husband is to love
the wife even as the Lord does love the church, and he laid
down his life. loving one another, he holds
forth the Lord Jesus Christ as the supreme example of forgiveness. You remember back in chapter
4, verse 32? He said, Be ye kind one to another,
tenderhearted, forgiving one another, and here's this little
word again, even. even as God, for Christ's sake,
hath forgiven you." So, he holds forth the Lord Jesus Christ,
and he says, if you want to know something about forgiveness,
and learn something about forgiveness, how did the Lord forgive us?
Freely, freely forgiven, freely justified by His grace. When
the Lord, secondly, when the Apostle, rather, talks about
giving support, for the ministry, giving support for the ministry.
He also sets forth the Lord Jesus Christ as the supreme example
of sacrificial giving. 2 Corinthians 8 and 9 talks about,
you know the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ. Though he was rich
beyond measure, yet for your sake he impoverished himself,
that you through his poverty might be rich. And those verses
preceding and in that second Corinthians 8, 9, and in that
8th chapter, he's talking about giving. So what he's doing here,
he's teaching these believers there at Corinth about giving
to support the gospel, giving to support the ministry and those
involved in it. He doesn't hold forth himself
as the example about giving. He holds forth the supreme example
of giving, pointing sinners to the Lord Jesus Christ. How did
he give? He gave everything. He gave everything. Likewise, when the Apostle Paul
talks about love, how we are to walk in love and to love one
another, he doesn't hold himself forth as an example, nor does
he point to anyone else as an example, but he always points
to the supreme example of sacrificial love in the Lord Jesus Christ. Chapter 5, verse 2, he says,
"...to walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath
given himself for us, an offering and sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling
satisfaction." Savor, savor. He loved the church and gave
himself for it. Even so, likewise, when the Apostle
Paul instructs the church believers at Ephesus about the divine institution
of marriage. Marriage is not the invention
of men. It goes all the way back to the
garden. We'll see in a minute. When he
talks about the institution, the divine institution of marriage,
and certainly we know it is between a man and a woman, he uses the
supreme example of the Lord Jesus Christ and His bride. His wife, His spouse. Talking about the church. He
loved the church and gave Himself for it. How He chose us by His
electing sovereign love. How He died for her. How He loved her in a special,
intimate way. Special way. He died for her. He loved her. He chose her. He provides for His wife. He provides for His church abundantly. He shall supply all our need
according to His riches in glory through Christ Jesus. And He
presents her, He presents her unto the Father as a chaste virgin,
without spot, without wrinkle, as it says in verse 27, or any
such thing, but that it should be a holy bride, a holy church. and how the church of the Lord
Jesus Christ and believers in particular are subject unto the
head, the head of the church, the Lord Jesus Christ. He's not
lured by something we do. Often you hear in religion, we'll
make Jesus your Lord. You can't do that. God made him
Lord. He's Lord by God's eternal decree. As Peter said there preaching
on that day in Pentecost, the whole house of Israel, let everyone
know therefore that God had made that same Jesus whom you crucify,
God had made him Lord and Christ. Now these verses are so rich
and full and declaring to us again the good news of God's
mercy to sinners, the good news of the gospel And I want to go
through these verses slowly and carefully and prayerfully and
ask the Lord, and may the Lord be pleased to teach us again
and show us again the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. In
this marriage of a man and a woman, we have a glorious picture of
our marriage as believers to the Lord. And this glorious union
with the Lord Jesus Christ. He's the Bridegroom. He is the
Bridegroom. This glorious union between the
Bridegroom and His Bride. That intimate love relationship. His church. His body. Notice
verse 32. He said, This is a great mystery,
but I speak concerning Christ and the church, how these two
How a man shall leave his father and mother, and shall be joined
unto his wife, and these two shall be one." Believers in Christ
Jesus are one. What's true of the head is true
of the body. We're one in Him. Now this is
pictured all the way through the Scripture, beginning in the
book of Genesis, this thing of marriage. For in Adam and Eve,
we have a good picture, even in Adam and Eve, we have a good
picture of Christ and His bride, Christ and His church. We see
in Adam and Eve in the garden, Adam was first formed, and then
Eve was taken out of the man. Adam was first formed, then Eve
came along. Christ is the eternal God. We
are chosen in Him, in our head. in Christ Jesus as we studied
in Ephesians chapter 1, according as he hath chosen us in him before
the foundation of the world. Secondly, Eve was taken out of
Adam's side, out of his side, and the church is formed out
of the Lord Jesus Christ, next to his heart. Adam and Eve were
one flesh. Christ and his church are one. Adam said in Genesis 2, this
is now concerning his wife, the woman that God made. Adam said,
this is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh. Same thing the Lord says of His
people down here in verse 30. We are members of His body, of
His flesh, and of His bone. We are one with Him. This vital,
vital union with the Lord Jesus. He prayed that way in John 17.
Remember? Let's turn over there and look
at that verse for just a moment. In John chapter 17. This union
and this oneness with Christ. The believer with his Lord. John chapter 17. Verse 21. That
they all may be one. as thou, Father, art in me, and
I in thee, that they also may be one in us, that the world
may believe that thou hast sent me, and the glory which thou
gavest me I have given them, that they may be one, even as
we are one." Now, that's a vital, intimate relationship. Verse
23, I in them, thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one,
that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved
them as you've loved me. Oh, I tell you, what a privilege.
This is covenant love. This is everlasting electing
love. Now, back to our text. Let me
back up for just a moment to verse 20. In Ephesians 5, verse
20. giving thanks always for all
things unto God in the Father in the name of the Lord Jesus
Christ. The Lord's people are an exceeding
blessed people, and they are a thankful people. As we studied
in chapter 1, verse 3, we say with the Apostle, Bless God who
had blessed us with all spiritual blessing in heavenly places in
the Lord Jesus Christ. The Lord's people are a thankful
people, giving thanks always for all things, for all things
are of God. Verse 21, submitting yourselves
one to another in the fear of God, fear of God. Not only are we a thankful people
and a blessed people, but I tell you, believers are a submitting
people. They bow in a loving, willing
submission unto the Lord Jesus Christ, and they do so with godly
fear. They do so with a reverential
awe and fear of His glorious majesty, for God is God. We have a high esteem and high
respect for God who is the absolute God in all things. As Paul says in Romans 11, verse
36, "...of him, and through him, and to him, or all things, to
whom be glory, both now and forever." And you know how that verse ends?
Amen. So be it. Amen. Believers, I tell you, they have
such a high regard for God Almighty and the God and Savior, our Lord
Jesus Christ. Now look at verse 21. He talks
about this submission as a believer, and he talks about a wife believing
God and submitting unto God, and it's seen in a way, demonstrated
in this life as she submits unto her husband. Wives, submit yourselves
unto your own husbands as unto, as unto, just like you would
unto the Lord, the Lord. In this blessed relationship
of a husband and a wife, she is to be in submission unto the
authority the Lord has placed in the home as unto him." Now,
let's turn and read another scripture over in Colossians, the third
chapter. Colossians chapter 3, verse 17
and 18, tells us a little more about it. Whatsoever you do,
in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ,
giving thanks to God and the Father by Him, Wives, submit
yourselves unto your own husband as it is fit, as it is right
unto the Lord. Husbands, love your wives and
be not bitter against them. And then it talks about the children.
What a happy home this is. Wives being in submission and
husbands loving your wives. I tell you, if you love your
wife, she will be in submission unto you. And then the children
obeying your parents and all things for this is well pleasing
unto the Lord." What a happy home that is. Oh, that's a blessed
home. That's a blessed, blessed home.
Now, this subjection is not only, as it says, look back at the
text again, wives submit yourselves unto your own husbands as it's
fit unto the Lord. This subjection is not only in
body, but in heart and in spirit. Rebellion, now listen, this is
so. Now this is, I know this won't
won't wash in today's liberal society and won't wash in today
of this thing of women's rights and all this different things
that men have conjured up, but rebellion against the husband
authority in the home is rebellion against God Himself. Now, she's to be subject unto
the Lord as long as it's fit in the Lord. Now, we'll talk
about that a little bit further in just a moment. Look at verse
23 in our text. 4, and that word there, 4, is
the same as saying because. Here's the reason why. God ordained
it. For the husband is the head of
the wife, even, that's a strong word, even as Christ is the head
of the church and He is the Savior of that body, His body. His body. And the reason being
that the wife is to be in subjection because the husband is the head
of the wife even as Christ is the head of the church. Now in
salvation and in redemption in Christ there is neither male
nor female, bond nor free, but we're all one in Christ Jesus. We're all children of God by
faith in Him as it says in Galatians 3, 26 through 29. But in the
divine order in the home Governing the family the husband
is to provide the leadership and the authority in the home
and He is accountable unto his Lord in this matter Now it's
it's not that you don't now don't Don't remind remind your wife,
you know, I'm boss That's not the way to approach it Approach
it in a manner of love. Approach it in a manner of God's
authority. Approach it in a manner of, thus
saith the Lord. Don't go in there and say, now,
I'm boss, God says so. That's not the way to handle
it. You can handle it in a way honoring unto the Lord. But make
no mistake, the husband is accountable unto the Lord as he is placed
in the authority in that home. Make no mistake, the Lord Jesus
Christ is the head and husband of His body, of His body, the
church. She was created out of Him and
for Him. Just as Eve, remember what God
said about Adam, it's not good for him to be alone, I'll make
a help mate for him. And even so, the church of the
Lord Jesus Christ was made for Him, His honor, His glory, and
His delight. What a blessing it is to be part
of that body, to be a lover of the Lord Jesus Christ, to be
in submission unto Him. We are His body as believers
in Christ Jesus. Now, Ephesians chapter 1, turn
over there. Ephesians chapter 1, look at
verse 22, "...and hath put all things He's far above all principality
and power and might and dominion, verse 21. And every name that
is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to
come. And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him
to be head over all things to the church, which is his body,
the fullness of him that filleth all in all. Chapter 2, notice chapter 2,
Ephesians chapter 2, verse 10, it talks about the church created
out of Him. For we are His workmanship, His
creation, created in Christ Jesus unto obedience, unto good works,
which God hath before ordained, that we should walk in them.
He is the head of the church. Here's another reference on that,
find Colossians again, this time chapter 1. The Lord Jesus Christ is head
and husband of His body, the church. She was created out of
Him." Notice, if you will, Colossians chapter 1, it talks about, "...in
whom we have redemption," verse 14, "...through His blood, even
the forgiveness of sins, who is the image of the invisible
God, the firstborn of every creature." That word, firstborn, is also
rendered Lord. head of every creature, for by
him were all things created that are in heaven, that are in the
earth, visible, invisible, whether they be thrones, dominions, or
principalities, or powers, all things were created by him and
for him. He is before all things, and
by him all things consist. He is the head. He is the head
of the body, the church, who is the beginning the firstborn
from the dead, that in all things he might have the preeminence,
the first place, the glory. For it pleased the Father that
in him should all fullness dwell." So let's look back to the text
now. For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ,
even as Christ is the head of the church, and he is the Savior,
Lord. He is the Savior and Lord of
his body. as the Lord and head and husband
of His church, He is the Savior of that body. He is the Savior. Remember we read in Isaiah 54,
For thy maker is thy husband, the Lord of hosts is His name,
thy Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel, the God of the whole
earth, shall He be called? Now notice I want to camp on
this for just a minute. In Ephesians 5 verse 23, He is
the Savior of His body. He is the Savior of
His body. Now, what's this teaching us
again? It's teaching us again this thing we call particular
redemption. For whom did the Lord Jesus Christ
die? He died for His body. He died
for His wife. He died for His bride. Once again,
this is clearly and plainly teaching us that the Lord died to accomplish
and secure the eternal salvation of those covenant people. This
is death and atonement. This is particular redemption.
His glorious victory in satisfying God's law and justice on our
behalf, thanks being to God who has given us the victory through
our Lord Jesus Christ. He has redeemed us from the curse
of the law, being made a curse for us. Now, you know these scriptures. I'll just quote them to you.
We won't turn and read them. But you remember Matthew 121. Matthew 121, call His name Savior. Jesus means Savior, and He is
what He's called. He is the Savior of His body.
Call His name Jesus, Savior, for He shall save His people
from their sin. Did He do it? Absolutely, absolutely. In John chapter 10, He is called
the Good Shepherd, the Good Shepherd giveth His life for the sheep. He said, No man take my life
from me. I have power to lay it down.
I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received
in my father. The good shepherd gives his life
for his wife, for his bride, for his body called the elect,
called the sheep, called the jewels. When I make up my jewels,
he said in the book of Malachi, Hebrews 9 verse 12 declares,
He hath obtained for us eternal redemption. He did it. He obtained
for us, not with the blood of bulls and goats, but with His
own blood He bought us. God loved us and He bought us. He bought the church with His
own blood. Acts chapter 20 verse 28. When He had by Himself purged
our sin, He sat down on the right hand of God. He is the Savior
of His body. See the point I'm trying to make?
He put away their sin by the sacrifice of Himself. Hebrews
9 tells us about He appeared once in the end of the age to
put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself. Husbands, where the
husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is head, Lord,
and Savior of the church, His body, the body. Now, notice verse
24. Therefore, therefore, as the
church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their
own husbands in everything. The church is subject unto the
Lord. We look to Him for all things. As His body, as the church Believers
in Christ are subject unto the Lordship of Christ in all things. We're dependent upon Him, resigned
unto His will, looking to Him to provide for us protection,
provision, comfort, happiness, and in a voluntary, sincere,
hearty obedience arising out of a principle of love. We love
Him because He first loved us. let the wives be subject to their
own husband in all things." Now, I'm going to add this, with this
exception. Things that are contrary to the
Word of God, His Word, that is, the wife is to be subject to
their own husband in all things, that is, with this exception. things that would be contrary
to the Word of God. His Word is the supreme authority
and trumps all earthly authority. Now, I said all that to say this.
Say here's a husband and a wife, and the husband maybe had some
devious ideas, some devious plans. Maybe he would ask his wife to
do something illegal or immoral. And she would have the liberty
because it would be contrary to thus saith the Lord, which
would trump his authority. That's what I'm saying. Now,
you see, you have to take this in context of all the Word of
God. So let the wife be subject to
your own husband and everything. If the husband instructed his
wife to do something immoral or illegal, she's not to obey
in that. But here's the thing, a loving,
caring husband who is a believer and a lover of Christ, he's not
going to do that. But I had to put that in there
just as we read in Colossians chapter 3, as it is fit in the
Lord. She's to be obedient as it is
fit and honoring, glorifying unto the Lord. If it's outside
of that, well, then we're talking about something different. Does
that make sense? Okay. Look at verse 25 then.
Now, here we're going to get on the other side. I like the way the word of God
handles both ends of this. The wife, and then he talks about
the husband. Husbands, what are we to do? Love your wife, lover, lover,
care for her, care for her. How much so? How far should you
take this? Even as Christ also loved the
church. gave Himself for it, for it. Now, husbands, love your wives. And make this your aim, make
this your goal, make this desire of your heart, even as the Lord
Jesus Christ loved the church and gave Himself for it, as He
says in verse 2 in this chapter. Now, let me ask you a question.
I think I asked you this last week. Can a husband love his
wife too much? No. Not according to that statement. Not according to God's truth.
Husbands love your wives even as Christ also loved the church. You can't love your wife too
much. Now let me illustrate it this way. There was a preacher
years ago. I believe this was John Newton.
I'm not certain about this, but it will serve to make this illustration
anyway. But I believe it was John Newton.
It's been a long time since I heard this story. But evidently, he
had a very, very loving relationship with his wife. John Newton, the
preacher of the gospel, lived back in the 1700s. And a great
preacher of the gospel and songwriter. Wrote that hymn, Amazing Grace,
how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me. But he had
a dear, loving wife that was in submission unto him. And she
got sick and died. and he mourned for her. It was
such a loss for him, and he mourned for her. And as he was mourning
for her, and I don't know how long this went on, but evidently
it went on a good while, and the people of his congregation,
they began to wonder in their heart that maybe he loved her
just too much. Well, he heard about it, and
he confronted some of them about it. And he said, Can a man love
his wife too much? And he used this scripture, Husband,
love your wives even as Christ also loved the church and gave
himself for it. Oh, no, you can't love your wife
too much, too much. Loving and caring for your wife,
seeking her happiness. Now, husbands, listen to this. Now, this will go a long way.
Loving and caring for your wife, seeking her happiness, concealing
her faults, don't ever say, say concealing her fault. Now we
all have faults, but don't, don't, love covers a multitude of sins. Concealing her fault, providing
for her needs, and will sweetly bring her to a loving, willing
submission to you. loving and caring for your wife,
seeking her happiness, concealing her faults." Now, this is how,
and here's what he's saying here, "...even as Christ also loved
the church and gave Himself for it." This is how the Lord gently
and graciously brings believers to bow to Him. He makes Himself
appear to us just as He is, altogether lovely. Lovely. He causes us
by His loving kindness, drawing us to Himself. He causes us to
fall in love with Him. To fall in love with Him. Now
I'll show you a couple of Scriptures on that. If you'll find Psalm
110, Psalm 110, and then I'd like to try to read a portion
of Song of Solomon, which is a beautiful, beautiful picture
of the Lord and His church. I want to read first of all Psalm
110, look at verse 3, excuse me. Thy people, well let's back
up and read verse 1 and then follow. The Lord said unto my
Lord, sit thou at my right hand till I make thine enemies thy
footstool. The Lord shall send the rod of his strength out of
Zion. Rule thou in the midst of thy people. thy people," now
here it is, "...thy people shall be willing in the day of His
power." Willing in the day of His power. We believe according
to the working of His mighty power. Now watch this. How does
He do this? In the beauty of holiness. He
draws us and saves us in a way that's consistent with His holiness,
but He does it in a beautiful way. He makes us willing to bow
to Him as He makes Himself and reveals Himself unto us as altogether
lovely from the womb of the morning. Thou hast to do of thy youth. Now, I want you to find this
and mark it in your Bible. You turned a while ago to Isaiah. Find Isaiah chapter 1, Isaiah
chapter 1, and then turn over just a few more pages headed
toward the front of the Bible to Song of Solomon. Song of Solomon
chapter 5. This is a glorious, if you read
this whole Song of Solomon, this is a glorious picture of the
Lord Jesus Christ loving, loving His people. Now Song of Solomon
chapter 5, look at verse 9. What is thy beloved more than
another, O thou fairest among women? That's the question. What
is thy beloved more than another that thou dost so charge us? Now, here's the church of the
Lord Jesus Christ describing the beauty and glory of their
Lord. My beloved is white. Oh, he's
holy. He is ruddy. He's a real man. He's the cheapest among ten thousand. His head is as most fine gold. His locks are bushy and black
as a raven. His eyes are as the eyes of doves
by the rivers of waters, washed with milk and fitly set. His
cheeks are as a bed of spices, as sweet as flowers. His lips,
oh, grace falls from His lips, Psalm 45. His lips like lilies
dropping sweet-smelling myrrh. His hands, His hands are as gold
rings set in burl. His belly is as bright ivory
overlaid with sapphire. His legs, she described him from
head to toe. And he's altogether lovely. His
legs are as pillars of marble set upon sockets of fine gold. His countenance is as Lebanon,
excellent as cedar. His mouth is most sweet. Yea, he's altogether lovely. This is my beloved. This is my
friend. Oh, daughters of Jerusalem, what
is thy beloved more than another? Have you got a little time? I'll
tell you about my beloved. Oh, he's altogether, altogether
lovely. This is how the Lord gently and
graciously and lovingly draws us to Himself, makes Himself
appear to us just as He is, and He causes us to fall in love
with Him. Fall in love with Him. We love Him because He first
loved us. To you who believe He is altogether
precious, to you who believe He is precious, how much does
the church, how much does, excuse me, let me put it this way, how
much does the Lord love His church? How much does the Lord love His
church? Indescribable. Unspeakable. Words beyond description. He gave everything to secure
her salvation and to put away her sin. He gave Himself for
her. He sacrificed Himself for her. He died in our room and in our
stead, as John said, here in His love. And it begins with
a negative. Not that we love God, but that
He loved us and He sent His Son to be the sacrifice for our sin. Oh, I tell you, That's the song
of the redeemed in glory unto Him who loved us and washed us
from our sin in His own blood. Now, many of you know a dear
friend of mine that's a very good singer, Mike Bartram. He's been here and played piano
for us and he does such a good job of singing songs honoring
to Christ and honoring to the gospel. But oftentimes, he sings
this song. And the title of it is The Love
of God. And here's how it goes. Love of God is greater far than
tongue or pen can tell. It goes beyond the highest star
and reaches deep where sinners dwell. The guilty pair bowed
down with care. God gave His Son to win. His
erring child He reconciled and pardoned from his sin. And the
refrain is, O love of God, how rich and pure, how measureless
and strong, it shall forever endure the saints' and angels'
song. Could we with ink the ocean fill,
and were the skies of parchment made, were every stalk on earth
a quill, and every man a scribe by trade, to write the love of
God above would drain the ocean dry. nor could the scroll contain
the whole, though stretched from sky to sky." Oh, love of God. We read in Romans 8, "...but
God commended His love toward us, in that while we were yet
sinners, Christ died for us." And even here in Ephesians chapter
2, it talks about this great love, do you remember? In Ephesians
chapter 2, verse 4, "...but God, who is rich in mercy, for His
great love wherewith He loved us." even when we were dead in
sin and quicken us together with Christ my grace are you saying
the great love were with he loved us and the Apostle asked this
question who shall separate us from the love of Christ shall
tribulation or distress or persecution famine nakedness peril or sword
and he said I'm persuaded that nothing nothing shall separate
us from the love of God which is in the Lord Jesus Christ."
Oh, husbands, look at verse 25 again. I'll quit here. Husbands,
love your wives even as Christ also loved the church and gave
himself for it, for it. Well, we'll look at those next
verses in the weeks to come.