Sunday, October 23, 2016

Paul's Epistles - Ephesians - Part 11: Instructions for a Christian Household

Paul's Epistles - Ephesians - Part 11:
Instructions for a Christian Household
Pastor Bruce A. Shields
House of Faith Church | www.PS127.org | www.TruthDigest.org


SERMON INTRODUCTION
In Paul’s 35 years of ministry, since his conversion in Damascus, we have recorded in the Holy Bible many of his epistles, or letters.

Paul’s first journey took place from 33AD (the year of his conversion), through 46AD, leaving Damascus in 38AD.

Paul’s 2nd journey began in 50AD, four years later; during this time he wrote 1st and 2nd Thessalonians, and Galatians, with his second journey ending in 54AD.

Paul’s 3rd journey began in 55AD and lasted until 58AD where he found himself imprisoned in Judea from 58-60AD. During his 3rd journey Paul wrote 1st and 2nd Corinthians, and Romans. We have no record of writings from Paul during his prison time between 58-60AD in Judea.

After his release from Judea, Paul traveled on his voyage to Rome from 60-61AD, writing Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians and Philemon, and finding himself in a Roman prison in 63AD.

Released soon after his incarceration, Paul then writes the epistles Hebrews, 1st Timothy, Titus and his final letter before his death 2 Timothy, which was written from a Roman prison he was placed in during 66-68AD.

Though the bible does not tell us when or how Paul died, it is believed by scholars that he was beheaded in 68AD in May or June.










SCRIPTURE REFERENCE Ephesians 5:21-33
 Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.
22 Wives, submit yourselves to your own husbands as you do to the Lord.23 For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. 24 Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything.
25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her 26 to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, 27 and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. 28 In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. 29 After all, no one ever hated their own body, but they feed and care for their body, just as Christ does the church— 30 for we are members of his body.31 “For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.” 32 This is a profound mystery—but I am talking about Christ and the church. 33 However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.

Paul explains how the Body of Believer’s are to live as Spiritually Mature, and many need to Instructions for a Christian Household.

The message of this epistle to the church is “The Church, The Body of Christ”.




We have seen Paul explain over the last few weeks what Spiritual Immaturity looks like, and what Spiritual Maturity looks like, as well as how we are to always walk in love.

This is the foundation of the next teaching, instructions for having a Christian Household.

A.    You must be Spiritually Mature
B.     You must walk in love
If you are Spiritually Mature, and walking in Love, you will;
C.     Walk in the way of Love as Christ and the Apostles did
D.    Abstain from sexual immorality, impurity and greed
E.     Thanksgiving will proceed from your mouth
F.      You will be careful how you live, discovering what pleases the Lord
G.    You will not become drunk, or indulge in sensual pleasures rather be filled with the Spirit of God, making music in your heart, and singing praise and thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of Lord Jesus Christ.
To be Spiritually Mature you must;
·        Be gentle, patient, bearing with one another in love.
·        Make every effort to keep unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.
·        And not behave Spiritually immature;
o   Self-centered
o   Cry a lot especially when you think your needs are not being met
o   Causing (metaphorically speaking) messes and not cleaning them up
o   Impatient
o   Do not cooperate
o   Cannot submit to others
o   Cannot understand deep things
o   Are unable to apologize and resist sharing
o   Explosive, go off at just about anything
o   Expecting everything from others and nothing but excuses for yourself

These things MUST be the foundation of a Christian Household if you are to try and apply Paul’s next teaching.

You CANNOT be spiritually immature, not walking in love, or living to gratify the lusts of your flesh and expect to have a Christian Household; Why? Because the foundation is broke.

Paul first says, “Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.”

Reverence means a deep respect. In other words, “Because of your deep respect for Christ, submit to one another as you have been instructed to.”

    I.      WIVES, SUBMIT YOURSELVES TO YOUR OWN HUSBANDS AS YOU DO TO THE LORD
a. For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church
                                                                                                 i. His body, of which he is the savior
                                                                                              ii. Of which, he died for


b. As the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything


c. Being the Spiritual Head
                                                                                                 i. What if we are unequally yoked?
1. 1 Corinthians 7:15: "Yet if the unbelieving one leaves, let him leave; the brother or the sister is not under bondage in such cases, but God has called us to peace."
2. We are to try and live as an example in hopes of converting, however, if he leaves, let him.
3. We are instructed to live in peace, whether we stay with them, or they want to leave.
                                                                                              ii. As far as obeying a non-believer, we must keep peace, but only submit within the realm of obedience to Christ.
                                                                                           iii. You must respect your husband, but you do not need to obey ungodly directions.




II.      HUSBANDS, LOVE YOUR WIVES, JUST AS CHRIST LOVED THE CHURCH AND GAVE HIMSELF UP FOR HER
a. To make her Holy
                                                                                                 i. Cleansing her by the washing with water (Holy Spirit) through the Word
1. Men, you need to be in the Word, so that through the Word, the Holy Spirit can lift up, encourage, strengthen and keep your wife strong and holy.

                                                                                              ii. Some husbands give nothing up for their wives

                                                                                           iii. We must be willing to give everything up for them


b. And present her to himself as a radiant church
                                                                                                 i. Without stain, or wrinkle, or any other blemish

                                                                                              ii. But holy and blameless

                                                                                           iii. Perfect because Christ says she is


c. In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies
                                                                                                 i. He who loves his wife, loves himself
1. For you are one flesh!

                                                                                              ii. You feed and care for your body, just as Christ does the church
1. Are you feeding and caring for your wife?
2. Feeding her body and spirit?

                                                                                           iii. A man that doesn’t provide…
1. I Timothy 5:8 “Anyone who does not provide for their relatives, and especially for their own household, has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.”



III.      FOR THIS REASON (Marriage)
a. A man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife
                                                                                                 i. And the two will become one flesh
                                                                                              ii. Leaving the father and mother!
1. Not just moving out, but becoming the Spiritual Head and the one responsible for a new Christian family.

2. Your father doesn’t rule your house

3. Your mother doesn’t rule your house

4. Stop being a mama’s boy

5. It is time to be a man of God


b. This is a profound mystery
                                                                                                 i. Speaking of Christ and the church
1. Jesus uses marriage to describe the covenant of Salvation

2. We accept the covenant (contract) of Christ’s, the New Testament, through Communion, just as a marriage

3. We become one with the body of Christ, just as a husband and wife become one

                                                                                              ii. This is why keeping marriage is sacred
1. It represents Christ and Salvation

2. To pervert marriage is to pervert God’s promise

                                                                                           iii. That’s why you cannot vote for any candidate that is pro-any marriage other than what God sets forth.

                                                                                            iv. They are legislating and legalizing sin, and you cannot have any part in helping others to sin…God WILL hold you accountable to how you vote and exercise your freedom.

1. 1 Corinthians 8:9 “Be careful, however, that the exercise of your rights does not become a stumbling block to the weak.”



2. God will hold you accountable
3. Matthew 18:6 "If anyone causes one of these little ones--those who believe in me--to stumble, it would be better for them to have a large millstone hung around their neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea.”


c. Each of you also MUST love his wife as he loves himself and the wife MUST respect her husband



CONCLUSION – THE INSTRUCTIONS TO HUSBANDS AND WIVES


wives –
·        Submit to your husband’s as spiritual head of the house as to the Lord
·        Respect your husband

Husbands -  
·        Love your wives as Christ loved the church
·        Give yourself up for her
·        Cleanse her with the Holy Spirit through the Word
·        Present her as a radiant church
·        Holy and blameless
·        Love your wife as your own body





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