EPHESIANS 5:22-332006 Teaching by Jerry B Simmons

Teaching Transcript: Ephesians 5:22-33

You're listening to FerventWord, an online Bible study ministry with teachings and tools to help you grow deeper in your relationship with God. The following message was taught by Jerry Simmons in 2006. When I was young, my family was close with my cousins. We lived in Riverside, they lived in La Mirada, and so very often my mom would pack up me and my sister and we'd go down and spend a couple days with my aunt and her children. She had three children.

There was one of those times where the husbands were both at work and we were down there with my aunt and her children and my mom and my aunt decided they wanted to go do some shopping and

And they didn't want us tagging along. We were good for causing trouble, but not much else. And so they wanted to leave us home alone. And it was the first time that they had done so together. You know, they'd done so kind of when we were separate. But to leave us together and home alone, they were a little bit nervous. And so my Aunt Beverly, she's quite a character. She stands us all up in order from oldest to youngest.

And we know right off the bat that she is in character. She is the drill sergeant. She has us there lined up and she's marching back and forth in front of us, barking out orders, telling us exactly what she expects of us. She starts with me being the oldest and tells me that I'm responsible for everything and I'm to take care of everything and how to dial 911 if something happens. And she goes down the line until she gets to the youngest person there, my youngest cousin, Joshua.

And Joshua is there, and he's probably five or six years old at the time. I have no idea, but that's a good guess. And there he is, the youngest, and she's his mom, drill sergeant, shouting out commands and orders to him. His orders were much different than my own. It had nothing to do with responsibility for the other children. It had everything to do with his one responsibility that she gave him. And that one responsibility was to make sure that

that there was no flying objects that broke things in the house, such as lamps. The moms pack up, leave the house to us. When they come back, guess what they find? There happened to be on that day, it was a very weird experience, a flying Barbie doll in the house. And we were trying to stop it and catch it, but we could not. And the flying Barbie doll from my cousin Joshua's hand smashed through a lamp and knocked it to the floor.

The one thing that she had given him responsibility for actually happened. And what we thought was a joke, he really needed to hear. This morning, as the Apostle Paul is speaking to us about marriage, he has us lined up all in a row,

And he's speaking to each one of us individually and specifically. And he's giving us things, giving us commands and orders that we need to hear. We can try to shrug them off or laugh them off. But the reality is, these are words that you and I need to apply to our own hearts. Check out verse 33 for a moment with me. Paul says there at the end, Nevertheless, let each one of you in particular... And I'm going to stop there.

Now we all have friends and family, people that we know who have marriage problems and marriage troubles. We all know other people who need to apply these things to their marriages.

But my challenge to you this morning is, will you let God speak to you this morning? Will you let God speak to your heart? Because you need to hear these things and I need to hear these things from God for myself. Not for my aunt or my cousin or my nephew or my spouse, but for me. This is God's word to me this morning.

We're good at deflecting God's word, aren't we? Yes, it's sharper than a two-edged sword, but as it's coming towards us, we go, whoosh! Yeah, he over there needs to hear that, whoosh! Oh, she needs to hear that. Oh, man, this is really good. I need to get them a CD. What, you guys really do that? I was just joking. Let God speak to you this morning. Don't deflect, but lift your arms in surrender and say, God, what you want me to do, I will do. Speak to my heart. Paul says, nevertheless...

Let each one of you in particular. This is for you. This is for me. He speaks to us where we need it and when we need it. Now, we often have complicated issues and problems within our marriages. But the wonderful thing about God is that he makes it so simple for us.

Despite all of the complicated things that we think might be going on, he gives us two areas to work on. One is for wives. One is for husbands. We're to work on our own area for ourselves, not responsible for the other spouse. Wives, he says, you're to submit. Husbands, you're to love. And if we let God work these things in our lives, God will heal and restore and bless our marriages no matter what state they are in right now.

Paul began last week telling us to walk circumspectly or walk wisely. And as we talked about, it meant to be walking as an expert in the word of God, knowing what God has to say and living by his principles. This is God's will. What we study this morning is God's will for you and for me within our marriages. It's God's will for husbands, God's will for wives, and God's will for our marriages. So let's check it out. Verse 22 says,

Of Ephesians chapter 5, Paul says, Wives, submit to your own husbands as to the Lord. Now guys, we'll get to you in a moment. Please spare your elbows. They don't need to be poking and prodding. But he starts out speaking to the wives. Now, we've got to realize and step back and understand for a moment. If there was ever a time when God had an opportunity to change his mind about marriage, it would have been right here in Ephesians chapter 5.

He quotes here from Genesis chapter 31. He's teaching the same things that God began 4,000 years before Paul wrote this, 6,000 years ago today. He could have had a time right here because it's the end of the old covenant and the beginning of the new covenant. You know, God could have said, well, that whole one flesh thing, you know, we've tried that for the last 4,000 years. It didn't work out quite like a thought.

I think we need to rearrange the marriage structure because it's not working out so well. From now on, under the new covenant, we're going to do marriage differently. God could have said, but he didn't. Under the new covenant, the regulation and roles of marriage are the same, exactly the same that God began in the garden. It was true in Genesis. It was true in Ephesians. And it's true today.

The question is, are you going to believe God or not? Paul says, wives are to submit to their husbands as to the Lord. Now, maybe some of you are in your heart right now thinking, okay, good. This is where he explains why submit doesn't mean what we think it means and why it's not so hard to submit. This word submit, what does it mean? It means to subject oneself.

to obey, to submit one's control, to yield to one's admonition or advice, or to be subject. And you say, Jerry, you're not making it any better. In the book of Luke chapter 2, this word submit is the word that's used to describe Jesus' relationship with his parents when it says that he was subject to them. It's also used in Luke chapter 10 verse 17,

17, when the 7D disciples returned with joy, they were coming back and saying, hey, even the demons are subject to us in your name. Same word there, that the demons were subject to them. In Ephesians chapter 1, the same word is used describing the state of all things in relationship to Jesus. It says that he, being God, put all things under his feet.

All things are subject to him and gave him to be head over all things to the church. And then in James chapter 4 verse 7, Therefore submit to God, resist the devil, and he will flee from you. The same word is used in speaking to wives in Colossians chapter 3 verse 18 and Titus chapter 2 verse 5 and 1 Peter chapter 3 verse 1. It's not an accident. This word is not here by chance.

But it's the word that is used to describe the role that God is commanding wives within a marriage. It's God's command that wives submit to their husbands. Now, there might be many questions and exceptions floating through your mind right now. And why is that? Why is it that we always think that we have the one situation that the Bible is not talking about?

Why is it that amongst the past 6,000 years of history, we think we have the one instance or the worst instance or the exception unlike anybody else? No, the Word of God stands and it's for you and I this morning. Paul understands that this is a difficult issue to address and he understands that

He cannot address every possible scenario. Could you imagine how big the book would be if how we were, you know, to submit and love our wives had to be given example only

By example, by example, by example in every situation. There's no way we could not do that. But what Paul does instead is he gives us a great illustration so that we can take every situation, no matter where we're at, and we can compare it to this example that he's given to us and know exactly what God would say to us

As a married couple. And the way that we are to live. The role that we are to fulfill within our marriage. What is this example? Well Paul uses the word as seven times in this passage. Comparing the marriage to the relationship that exists between the church and Jesus Christ. He gives to us and points us to this relationship that Jesus has with the church. So that we can take every situation that might come across our path.

To this example and find out our role and our position, how we are to submit and how we are to love. He uses it here in verse 22 when he says wives submit to their own husbands as to the Lord. It's as to the Lord. How much are wives called to submit? What situations are the exceptions?

Well, of course, any situation that is contrary to the word of God. A wife is not called to submit in any area that's spoken against by God. That is any sinful activity to lie, to cheat, to steal, whatever the case may be. Other than that, a wife is to submit as to the Lord, as to the Lord. Now, here's the test for you wives. If it was the Lord giving the request, would you submit?

Then if that is true, then you are to submit to your husband's request. If it was the Lord giving the direction, would you submit? See, the wife is called to submit to the husband as to the Lord. And if you could put Jesus in your husband's shoes and it passes the test, then that is God's command to you. Now, I realize I'm probably making some of your blood boil, which just proves the point.

That Paul is speaking to us exactly where we need to hear it. Exactly against our flesh and against the philosophies and ideas of this world. God is speaking to our hearts about his design, his way for a marriage to work. Verse 23, he goes on to tell us why. Why is the wife to submit? Verse 23 says, for the husband is head of the wife.

As also Christ is head of the church and he is the savior of the body. Why is the wife to submit? Simply put, it's the order that God has given in marriage. It has nothing to do with importance or value or capability or anything else like that. It's just the way that God has designed it.

For those of you who have been around for some time, I think we covered this in 1st and 2nd Corinthians, where I had some of you guys come and stand up and line up from smallest to tallest. And then we said, well, which one's more important? Well, it had nothing to do with the way that they were lined up.

Their value had nothing to do with their position in the line. It was just the order that was given. And this is the order that God has given within the marriage. The husband is the head of the wife and the wife is to submit to her husband. Now, God knows exactly how he made us.

He knows exactly what you need. And you can fight God on this. You have the freedom. You have the capability and the ability. If you want to, fight him. Try to prove him wrong. But you know what we do when we do that? We just make ourselves miserable. Don't you remember experiencing that before you were born again?

You know, we tried to prove God wrong, thinking I can live my life my way without God, without the Bible, without Jesus, without the church. I don't need a savior. And what happens? Well, we make big messes out of everything and we make ourselves miserable until we get to the point that we finally concede and say, Lord, you're right. I am a sinner. I need you. I can't do it on my own. I need a savior. I can't live life my way.

God has given this order within the family. The husband is to submit to the Lord. The wife is to submit to her husband. And the children are to submit to their parents. Anything else is miserable. Now this does not mean, and Paul is not saying that a wife has no say within a marriage. But according to the way that God has designed it, the husband has the final authority. The husband is the one who is accountable to God for the family. The husband is the one who...

who must have the final authority as a result. He is the one. And so the wife is to submit to her husband. Verse 24, Therefore, just as the church is subject to Christ, so let wives be to their own husbands in everything. He says, Therefore, since this is the order that God has created and God has given within a marriage, since the church is subject to Christ. Again, drawing from that example, that parallel,

Let wives be subject to their own husbands. And another important detail he throws on in the end. He says, in everything. This is not to be that we just submit in some areas. Or the areas where you think he's really strong and he's really good at some things. And so, no problem, I'll submit to them in those areas. But in other areas, he's kind of a fool. I'm not going to submit in those areas. Paul says, just as the church is subject to Christ...

So let the wives be to their own husbands in everything. Again, he gives us this relationship between Jesus Christ and the church as an example. And if the church is to submit to Christ in everything, then so is the wife. Even when it's not understood and the details are not known, it doesn't mean that the husband knows everything, not at all. The husband is to receive the counsel and what the wife has to say first.

But he must have the final authority. He must be the one to make the decision.

I heard a great illustration. It's like being in an operating room. And you can have several doctors there in the operating room, but there has to be one. If they're to work together, there has to be one who has the final authority. When a decision has to be made, when something has to be done, all the input from the other doctors and nurses must be heard to give the complete picture. But there has to be someone who has the authority, the final word,

to give the instruction, to make the decision. And that is the role of the husband within the marriage. And the role of the wife, according to the Bible, is that the wife is to submit to their own husband as to the Lord. Going on now in verse 25, Paul says, So Paul now begins to deal with the husbands. It's our turn to be in the hot seat, boys.

Now the wives got to warm up their elbows, right? You know, in sharing these things, I know that you know, but let me just share again. I've not mastered. I'm barely learning these things that I share, but this is God's word. Now, if my wife went to a different church, maybe I could make that claim. I could say that I've mastered these things and you wouldn't know because my wife would never be around to contradict me. But you know, you've seen, you've watched.

And so we need to learn God's word together. And we need to believe it and apply it to our lives. The command to the wife is to submit to their husband as to the Lord. Now Paul deals with the husbands. The command to the husband is to love the wife as Christ loved the church. The command is to love, not to lead, not to rule, not to command, but to love. This word love, it's the word agape, which you are probably familiar with.

It describes perfect, self-sacrificing, unconditional love. It is the love that God has towards us. It's the love that Jesus has for the church. So Paul again gives us the example of the relationship between the church and Jesus Christ. And he specifically mentions here at the end that Christ gave himself for her.

This is the example for us, guys. We are to love our wives the same way that Jesus Christ loved the church, and that is that we are to die to ourselves and serve our wives.

Now, it's one thing to look at what Jesus did on the cross and say that we could do that for our wives. I think that we all would say that we would dive in front of a bullet or a semi-truck or something in order to save our wives. Save our lives. Save our wives. But is that all that this is talking about? Is that all that Paul is saying here? I don't believe that he is. He's not saying that you need to love your wife enough to do one great act.

if the situation demands it. But he's saying, love your wife enough to care for her and serve her even when you don't feel like it. Turn with me please to John chapter 13. John chapter 13. We'll be back in Ephesians in just a moment. But since Paul gave us the example of Christ and the church for us husbands, John 13, we find an example that will speak directly to us.

That we can model after Jesus Christ and his love for the church. In John chapter 13, verse 1. I'll wait for a second. I still hear pages turning. John chapter 13, verse 1.

It says, Now before the feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that his hour had come, that he should depart from this world to the Father, having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end. And supper being ended, the devil having already put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, to betray him. Now we'll stop there. Now John chapter 13, we just studied this last week in the evening home Bible studies.

So it's familiar to some of you. But here in John chapter 13, I find something interesting in verse 1. Because verse 1 says, before the feast of the Passover. Now this was beginning the last supper. Beginning the time that we're familiar with. We celebrate with communion on a monthly basis. But verse 2 says, and supper being ended. So between verse 1 and verse 2 was this last supper that took place.

But it's curious to me, and I was wondering, why on earth would John make it a point to note that in verse 1 it was before the feast, but not talk about the feast, not really describe anything, and then immediately in verse 2 say it was after the feast? Why not just skip verse 1 altogether then?

Why point out that it was before the feast? And I believe that it's because God wants to give us an example so that we might love our wives as Christ loved the church. Take a closer look at verse 1. It says, before the feast of the Passover. And then it goes on to say that the Father revealed to Jesus that His hour had come, which meant that He was going to depart from this world.

Now, the hour had come. John's been dealing with the hour all throughout the book of John. And Jesus knew exactly what it meant. When the Father revealed to him, Jesus, the hour has come. You're going to depart from this world. Jesus knew that he was about to suffer more than any human being ever has. He knew that he was going to experience separation from God for the first time in eternity.

He knew that he was going to be tortured, beaten, mocked, and crucified. You know, if there was ever a time when Jesus had the right to be consumed with himself instead of others, it was right now. If he ever had a time where he would have the right to say, Disciples, I need to be by myself. Can you just leave me alone for a little bit? Because I've got some really tough situations that I'm going to be going through. And I need to prepare myself.

He could have said, disciples, would you come and rub my feet and wash my feet and give me a massage and help me to relax and serve me and pamper me because, man, I'm about to go through the worst time that you can even imagine. But what does it say in verse one? It says, having loved his own, he loved them to the end. See, I believe verse one is there just to point out the love that Jesus had for the church.

It was before the feast. God revealed to him his hour had come. And even in that revelation, knowing what stood before him and the situation he was about to go through, instead of being consumed with himself, he loved them to the end.

Through all the suffering, through knowing what's going on and what's going to happen, he loved them to the end. Instead of being consumed with himself, even in his hour of suffering and great need, even when the pressure was on him tremendously like we cannot believe, he loved them to the end. And it was at this time in John 13 that Jesus takes aside his garments, girds himself with a towel,

and begins to wash his disciples' feet, and then drying them with the towel that was girded about his waist. Jesus, showing the greatest humility, taking the role of the least slave of the house, in his hour of need and pressure and turmoil. He loved his disciples to the end and demonstrated it by serving them in such a humble way. Guys, do you see the example?

Love your wives as Christ loved the church. Even when you've had a bad day, even when the pressure is on, even if it is the heaviest, hardest time in your life, love your wife to the end. Humble yourself and serve her instead of being consumed with yourself. I know it sounds backwards.

What do you mean I'm supposed to love her and serve her in my most difficult times? That's the times where she's supposed to love me and support me and serve me. No, not under the way that God has designed a marriage to work. He's given to us the example of Christ in the church that we would know that we're to die to ourselves and serve our wives. You have to lose your life to save it. That's what the Bible teaches. It's what Jesus did.

Now, using the example of Jesus, Paul gives us two reasons why Jesus gave himself for the church. They're found in verses 26 and 27 back in Ephesians chapter 5. You can turn back there with me. The first reason found in verse 26, why did Jesus give himself for the church? It says that he might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word.

And the second reason, found in verse 27, why he gave himself for the church, that he might present her to himself a glorious church, not having spots or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish. Jesus Christ gave himself for the church, first, that he might sanctify and cleanse her, and then second, that he might present her without spot or wrinkle.

Now, if you believe the gospel message, you already believe that Jesus had to die in order to be able to sanctify us and present us without spot or wrinkle that we might spend eternity with him. But do you believe that the same is true in marriage? Husbands.

We are to die to ourselves and to serve our wives because only then will we be able to cleanse our wives with the washing of water by the word. We can't just cram the Bible down the throat of our wife and think that, well, a washer, it starts by us loving our wives as Christ loved the church. And only then do we have the position and ability and authority to share the word of God.

And have it be a sanctifying and cleansing work. And if we do that, then the second thing is, we'll be able to present her to the Lord without spot or wrinkle. Do you realize that you're going to be accountable for your wife? You will present her before the Lord because God has given you charge of her. Will you be able to present her without spot or wrinkle? But she, but... Love her, serve her well.

Share the word with her and you'll be able to. But it starts, you have to, in order to sanctify and cleanse, you have to die to yourself first and love your wife as Christ loved the church. God made the husband the head of the family, the head of the wife. And often we want the authority but not the accountability. God's charge to us is that we present our wives to him pure, spotless, holy, and

and without blemish. It can only happen by the washing of water by the word, and that can only happen when we die to ourselves and love our wife as Christ loved the church. You know, it's more than just a happy marriage that's at stake here that Paul is dealing with. He's telling us husbands that our rewards for eternity will be affected by how well we handle God's charge to us. And if we follow the example of Jesus Christ, that we may present our wives to him without blemish because they've been washed

and the water of the word because we've died to ourselves to love and to serve them. He has entrusted us with our wives and we will stand before him and give an account for how we handled that. Verse 28, So husbands ought to love their own wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. So husbands, love your wives as Christ loved the church. And now Paul tells us, love your wives as

as yourselves. I guess, guys, we needed two examples. There was still the opportunity that we'd say, well, I don't get it. Christ and the church doesn't make sense. Paul says, listen, if you still don't get it, just love them the same way that you love yourself. You know how you're always thinking about yourself and making sure that you're taken care of? Do that to your wife.

Take care of her like you take care of yourself. Love her and serve her like you love and serve yourself. She is a part of you. So Paul says, loving her is loving yourself. He who loves his wife loves himself. So husbands, love your wife as Christ loved the church. Love your wife as you already love yourself. Going on, verses 29 through 32, he goes on to say this, For no one ever hated his own flesh.

but nourishes and cherishes it, just as the Lord does the church. For we are members of his body and of his flesh and of his bones. For this reason, a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh. This is a great mystery, but I speak concerning Christ and the church. The command to wives, submit to your own husbands as to the Lord. The command to husbands, love your wives as Christ loved the church.

Now, he goes on in verses 29 through 32, and he shares something so important. There's a theme here in these verses that should strike something within our hearts. Why is it that our hearts are so against submitting as unto the Lord? And why is it that our hearts are so against loving as Christ loves the church? The real issue that's going on underneath is described here by the Apostle Paul. It's dealt with in these verses.

You know, it's often said that marriage is hard, it's difficult, it's painful, it hurts. And yes, it can when we do not believe God's word. The reality that the Bible presents, we must accept. We must get it through our thick skulls. We become one flesh. One flesh. We become, how many? One flesh. Wives, when you will not submit...

To your husband's eyes to the Lord. It is because you do not believe God's word when it says the two shall become one flesh. Husbands, when you will not love your wife as Christ loved the church, it's because you do not believe the Bible when it says the two shall become one flesh. It's not because you have the one exception or the worst situation in the last 6,000 years, but it's because you do not believe God's word and you refuse to apply it to your life.

When you do not believe that you are one flesh, you will not submit as unto the Lord. And when you do not believe that you are one flesh, you will not love as Christ loved the church. Yes, it hurts when we are not obedient. When wives won't submit, when husbands won't love, it hurts. Because what's happening is you are acting not as one flesh, but you're trying to be independent, still wanting to be independent.

And you need to commit to the marriage. You need to believe God's word and obey it. That word join that's used there in verse 31. A husband is to be joined to the wife. It means to be glued to, to join to oneself or to adhere closely. Have you ever super glued your fingers together? If you haven't, just go home and try it and get a good picture of what Paul's talking about here. You know, the pain of trying to pull your fingers apart as it's ripping the skin. It hurts.

It's painful. If you do it, use the appropriate fluids to get rid of the glue, okay? But it gives us a great picture here, doesn't it? Through marriage, God has superglued the husband and wife together. Do you believe that? That's what the Bible says, but do you believe that? Now picture this, the husband and wife glued together. If you try to be independent, it's going to be painful. It's going to be very difficult. You will be miserable.

You try to go one way, your wife tries to go another way, it's going to hurt. It's going to be hard. But if you follow the direction that God has given, then instead of tearing away, the bond will be made stronger. God will bless and you will accomplish much for his glory. Again, you can try to fight God on this, but God knows how he made us. He knows what we need. You are not the exception. He says you become one flesh.

And so that's why wives need to submit. And that's why husbands need to love. Because you are one flesh. If you try to live any other way, you're going to be miserable. Because it's not how God made you. Through marriage, he super glued you together. And so maybe you think now you made a bad decision. Like the disciples, well, who should get married if that's the case? Jesus says, no. You lose your life to save it.

You want to experience the great joy and the wonderful things that God can do in a marriage? Start here. Apply what God is speaking because he knows what he's talking about. You know, I had a Toyota Paseo. And when I bought the car, I wanted to make sure I knew how to work on it. And so I also bought along with it the manual that goes through all of the engine components, everything about it, so I would know if something happened how to fix it.

Now, if there's something simple, needed air in my tires, I wouldn't reference the manual. I mean, pretty basic. I could do an oil change. But if there's something more complicated, then I'd bust out the manual and find out how it's supposed to look and how it's supposed to work. You know, if that Toyota Paseo lasted for 100 years, I really doubt that it would. But if it did, the same manual in 100 years would still apply. And the more complicated the issue...

even more reason to open up the manual and find out what it says. You know that God created us. He created marriage. The same manual that applied then still applies today. And the more complicated you think your issue is, the more reason you need to open up the word and apply it to your life because it's the truth. It's for real. It's what God says about marriage.

If you will believe these things that Paul says, that you become one flesh, and if wives, you will submit to your husbands, and husbands, if you will love your wives as Christ loved the church, then no matter what state your marriage is in, God will heal and bless it. Guaranteed, without fail. Because as we're obedient to God's word, we find out how true it is. Usually we want to find out if it's true and figure it out ahead of time so we can decide if we want to be obedient or

But I can tell you, what Paul says here, what the Bible speaks about in regards to marriage, is contrary to our own flesh, to what we think. It's contrary to our ways. It's contrary to what the world will tell you. And you can listen to all the PhDs and all the doctors and all the talk shows and all the resources that might be there. But this is the truth. This is the truth. Will you believe it? Verse 33, Paul says, Nevertheless...

Let each one of you in particular love his own wife as himself and let the wife see that she respects her husband. Paul now summarizes this morning's passage for us. Husbands, love your wives as Christ loved the church. Wives, submit to your husband as to the Lord. How many times is the word if used in this portion? Can I hear a quick count? Zero. It's not used. The commands that are given to us

Are not conditional. You and I are to obey God without condition. And I know we always have the things within our hearts. Well, I would love her as Christ loved the church if she would learn to submit. Or I would submit to him if he would just love me like Christ loved the church. There's no if. The only thing that could be there is okay. Okay, Lord. You're right. I'll do it your way. I'll be obedient. You know, God hasn't let you down yet.

He said to you, come to me. I'll save you. I'll love you. I'll give you peace and eternal life. Just believe on me. And you received it. You obeyed in faith. Why not trust him and obey him in this area? Trust him with your life. Trust him with your marriage and be obedient to the word of God. I heard a great quote from Damien Kyle and I'll close with this. He said that most couples do not have a marriage problem, even if they think they do.

But what they have is a lordship problem. They're not willing to be obedient to the Lord in their marriage. And so the things that are taking place within their marriage are really just symptoms of the husband not loving the wife as Christ loved the church and the wife not submitting to their husband as unto the Lord. It's the truth. It's what God's Word says. And Paul has lined us up and he's given to each one of us exactly what we need.

Now, what are you going to do with it? Let's pray. Lord Jesus, thank you that you make things so simple for us. Lord, amongst all of life's complications and the crazy situations that we can put ourselves in, Lord, you bring it back to one thing. For us, Lord, you've called us to love our wives as you love the church. Lord, and for the wives, you've called them to submit to their husbands as unto the Lord. God, yet these simple commands are so difficult.

Lord, our flesh hates them, loathes them. God, the world around us stands opposed to these commands. But God, I pray that you would work in our hearts now in obedience and a faith and trust in your word. God, that we would disregard the things that we might think or feel, the things we have been told and heard. Lord, that we would grasp on to your truth. We would grasp on to the role that you've given us within our marriages.

God, that we would truly believe that we become one flesh. God, I ask that you would work in our hearts this morning for the marriages represented here. God, I pray that you would bring healing and restoration or that you would bring blessing and fruitfulness as your word is applied. God, for those who are not married at this point, I pray, Lord, that you would prepare them for what you have in store for them and the spouse that you will one day call them to be.

God, we need you in our marriages. It's contrary to what we think and how we feel. And so, Lord, we need your strength and we need your spirit. God, I pray for the husbands that you would teach us to love our wives like you love the church. Help us, Lord, to die to ourselves, not to be consumed with ourselves, but to serve our wives even in the most difficult times. God, I pray for the wives, Lord, that you would teach them

to submit to their husbands as unto you, Lord, that you would grant them faith and trust in you to take care of them and provide for them. Lord, may we be blessed as we believe, receive, and obey your word. In Jesus' name we pray. We pray you have been blessed by this Bible teaching. The power of God to change a life is found in the daily reading of his word. Visit ferventword.com to find more teachings and Bible study resources.