Ephesians 5:21-33 (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, 26 that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, 27 so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish. 28 In the same way husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. 29 For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church, 30 because we are members of his body. 31 “Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.” 32 This mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church. 33 However, let each one of you love his wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband.

Intro: It’s obvious that marriage chaos is everywhere now …

A MISSION & A MYSTERY
How does biblical marriage fit into our God-given design?

AND WE RESIST IT
Why is the call to submission so repugnant to our time?

THE WONDER OF JESUS
Why is submission so essential to this mission, starting with Jesus?

YOU CAN PRAY WITH US …
1 - Praise the LORD for His heavenly love that He has revealed Himself as a Husband to all who repent and believe. Worship Him, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, that He loves us passionately and faithfully!

2 - How have you given yourself to false hopes and how has it bred pride or fear in your life? Ask Jesus to forgive you, and to husband you with His love and power.

3 - Give thanks to Jesus for how He understands the stakes of our sin (life and death, for eternity) and commits! Thank Him that He leaves and cleaves, putting everything else aside in order to come to our rescue and take us to Himself as His own!

4 - Who do you know that is married? Pray for them, and all the marriages you’re closest to. And who do you know that is unmarried? Pray for them, asking the Lord to be their security, and to grow their joy in His Presence and love.

5 - Ask the Holy Spirit to bear in you His fruit of love, joy and patience. Pray for His fullness in your life to empower you to love well, whether you are married now or not, because of His eternal promise to take you as His.