Sermon Tone Analysis

Christ is Our Home

The overriding principle throughout this passage of scripture is the lordship of Jesus Christ which transforms our relationships.

For those living in the early church this was a 7 day a week commitment, whether at work, or at home.

Paul approaches the idea of discipleship as a complete dependence on God in every area of Human Relationship.

3 PARTNERSHIPS

3:18-19 Wives and Husbands

3:20-21 Children and Fathers

3:22-4:1 Slaves and Masters

Something is radically wrong with homes today.

In an interesting survey, LifeWay researchers solicited responses as to the “Top 10 Issues Facing Today’s Family.”

More than 2,000 people from around the country were part of this project.

What are these top 10 issues facing today’s family?

Here are the results:

Anti-Christian culture

DivorceBusynessAbsent father figureLack of disciplineFinancial pressuresLack of communicationNegative media influencesBalance of work and familyMaterialism

Divorce

Busyness

Absent father figure

Lack of discipline

Financial pressures

Lack of communication

Negative media influences

Balance of work and family

Materialism

Clearly, it is not for lack of good intentions that Christian marriages fail.

Nor is it lack of Christian resources.

These are aplenty.

What is lacking is the right kind of resources, plus the recognition that marriage and family are at the heart a divine institution that is the target of intense spiritual warfare.

The first institution that God founded on earth was the home.

As goes the home, so goes society and the nation.

The breakdown of the home is a sign of the end times.

ONE OF THE GREATEST THINGS WE CAN DO AS INDIVIDUALS IS HELP TO BUILD GODLY CHRISTIAN HOMES.

CHRISTIAN VIEW OF MARRIAGE

Marriage is not simply a matter of the physical or practical arrangements in a man and woman’s relationship, but it is governed by Christ as Lord over our lives.

FIRSTLY: Order of life’s priories, which should be (1) to one’s spouse in the husband and wife relationship, (2) to one’s children in the parent and child relationship, and (3) to one’s job in the employer and employee relationship.

This is God’s oder of priority and it should be ours.

Tragedy results when we change the order.

SECONDLY: Speaks of the principle of headship.

The husband and wife relationship goes back to the book of Genesis.

Woman was mad from man and for man to be his companion and perfect complement: ‘The Lord God said, “it is not good for many to be alone; I will make him a helper comparable to him”’().

This does not indicate inferiority of women.

Paul speaks here of identity of roles and functions within the marriage relationship.

The wife must be a wife and the husband must be a husband.

(Look at )

“Wives submit to your husbands as to the Lord,” “Husbands love your wives as Christ loved the church.”

It all goes back to the submission of God as Lord over your life including relationships.

THIS IS A WEIGHTY PROPOSITION: This is why at weddings you will hear the pastor say that marriage should not be entered into lightly but with great respect and careful consideration.

THIRDLY: When it comes to Christian living, Paul tells us that submission is the controlling factor for wives and love is the controlling factor for husbands.

Neither partner should be domineering within the married relationship.

RELATIONSHIPS IN THE HOME

WIVES and their Role

(v.

18)

The submission given here is not that of a slave, as both men and women are equal partners in Salvation.

()

The submission here suggests a yielding and subjecting of the woman’s will to her husband in her role as a godly wife.

It does not imply inferiority.

“The two shall become one flesh.”

Submission is part of a woman’s fulfilling her God ordained role.

When thinking about this role perhaps the illustration of a football team will help.

A football team needs a captain.

Not all players are captains, but all have skills and abilities essential to the team’s success.

Nevertheless, they need to submit to the captain for the purpose of the game.

When they do so, the best results will be achieved.

So with wives in the marriage relationship: when they fulfil their God-ordained role, a successful marriage is more likely.

Submission is part of a believing woman’s duty to Christ.

So the woman submits primarily for Christ’s sake.

Christ for the purpose of Salvation submits to the Fathers will; however, he is still co-qual and co-eternal with the Father in the Godhead of Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

There is no inferiority here because each person in the Trinity has his role in the plan of redemption.

Men an woman are co-equal and joint heirs with Christ, having their own roles.

The submission that the wife gives to her husband does not mean being forced to do anything contrary to scripture.

HUSBANDS and their Role

v. 19

Husbands love your wives and do not be harsh (bitter) with them.

It is the Husbands duty to love his wife and put her interests in front of his own.

This love goes beyond just a natural affection.

A husband is to love only his wife.

There must be no other woman or person substituted in her place.

She alone is to be his bride and his lover.

NO other person is to take her place, not even:

HIS OWN FATHER OR MOTHER, “He is to leave his own father and mother and be joined to his wife’.

The Hebrew word fro joined means ‘to glue’!

In-laws and money are the two most common sources of trouble in marriage.

HIS CHILDREN, a man’s wife must have first place in his heart ().

When a marriage is in trouble couples often stay together for the children’s sake - good!

When a marriage is shaky, more time and love must be expended by husband and wife on each other.

HIS BEST FRIEND, a this will damage a marriage.

A man’s wife must be his best friend, and vice versa.

Husbands must not neglect their wives to spend time with their mates.

(t.v.

display’s a bad image of this).

I am not of course saying that married men cannot have friends and vice versa.

The best practice is to do things together as a couple.

ANOTHER WOMAN, as this will destroy a marriage.

This principle of husbands loving only their wives is especially true when it comes to other women.

Adultery is forbidden in scriptures, but marriage love is praised and must be practiced.

A man who looks at a woman with lust in his eyes has already committed adultery with her in his heart.

Wives are given to be loved, protected and cared for.

(story of couples that have engaged in porn)

Husbands are always to love their wives.

there are emotional as well as physical differences between the sexes; we read that the woman is the weaker vessel.

A man’s wife should be handled with the utmost care and respect.