First Baptist Church Wiggins, FBC, 39577
The Christ Exalting Family: One where husbands and wives are committed.
Commit! Commit to your marriage.
Locations & Times
First Baptist Church Wiggins
219 2nd St N, Wiggins, MS 39577, United States
Sunday 8:00 AM
What is a Christ Exalting family?
- It’s one where the husband and wife is committed.
- It’s one where the parents are discipling their children in the Lord.
- It’s one where the children listen and obey.
If you have those three elements in a family… that is a family who is exalting Christ.
Most sermons from this chapter and on this topic focus on the roles between husbands and wives.
What I what to really sink into this morning is the overall mystery that is revealed here… and THE REASON why the roles are what they are.
- It’s one where the husband and wife is committed.
- It’s one where the parents are discipling their children in the Lord.
- It’s one where the children listen and obey.
If you have those three elements in a family… that is a family who is exalting Christ.
Most sermons from this chapter and on this topic focus on the roles between husbands and wives.
What I what to really sink into this morning is the overall mystery that is revealed here… and THE REASON why the roles are what they are.
I. The Union Between Husband and Wife is one where flesh is joined together. 28-31
Christ did this for the church as well.
- God joined all who believe together in one flesh… that is the church.
- He joined Christ together with the church as one flesh.
- Christ nourishes and cherishes the Church
- The Church shows Christ respect, and loves Him with affection.
This bond between Christ and the Church is what is expressed in the bond between a husband and a wife.
- It is a union ordained and sealed by God Himself.
When we read “and the two shall become one flesh” we see ONE PERSON.
- Both of them belonging to one another as long as they live.
- Both of them responsible for one another as long as they live.
- Both of them treating one another with love and respect as long as they live.
Christ did this for the church as well.
- God joined all who believe together in one flesh… that is the church.
- He joined Christ together with the church as one flesh.
- Christ nourishes and cherishes the Church
- The Church shows Christ respect, and loves Him with affection.
This bond between Christ and the Church is what is expressed in the bond between a husband and a wife.
- It is a union ordained and sealed by God Himself.
When we read “and the two shall become one flesh” we see ONE PERSON.
- Both of them belonging to one another as long as they live.
- Both of them responsible for one another as long as they live.
- Both of them treating one another with love and respect as long as they live.
Would you ever think of taking a hatchet and chopping your arm off?
- You would never harm your own body.
- You cherish your body. You nourish it.
- You rejoice in the health that you have.
- You try, at least to some extent, to eat healthy… to exercise.
- When you are sick you go to the doctor.
- You take your medicine.
- You are careful to wear your seatbelt.
- You are careful not to hurt yourself.
If you care that much about your body, then you should care that much about your spouse… because you and your spouse are one body.
- You would never harm your own body.
- You cherish your body. You nourish it.
- You rejoice in the health that you have.
- You try, at least to some extent, to eat healthy… to exercise.
- When you are sick you go to the doctor.
- You take your medicine.
- You are careful to wear your seatbelt.
- You are careful not to hurt yourself.
If you care that much about your body, then you should care that much about your spouse… because you and your spouse are one body.
To those who are having ongoing problems…
- You would never want to intentionally harm yourself, but when you are overly hard on and demanding of your spouse… that is exactly what you are doing.
What if Jesus treated the church, the way you treat your spouse?
What if Jesus treated YOU, the way you treat your spouse?
When you play head games with your spouse… you are harming yourself… you are harming your own flesh.
I've seen husbands and wives manipulate one another
- They play the children against their spouse.
- They play their friends or family against them.
Instead of making their desires and needs known they manipulate and punish one another like somebody would train an animal.
- You are harming yourself!
- You are harming your own flesh!
- You would never want to intentionally harm yourself, but when you are overly hard on and demanding of your spouse… that is exactly what you are doing.
What if Jesus treated the church, the way you treat your spouse?
What if Jesus treated YOU, the way you treat your spouse?
When you play head games with your spouse… you are harming yourself… you are harming your own flesh.
I've seen husbands and wives manipulate one another
- They play the children against their spouse.
- They play their friends or family against them.
Instead of making their desires and needs known they manipulate and punish one another like somebody would train an animal.
- You are harming yourself!
- You are harming your own flesh!
When you are unfaithful you harm yourself because you are harming your own flesh.
- There is never a good reason to be unfaithful.
- I don’t care if they have been unfaithful to you… you’ve no right to be unfaithful to them.
Jesus would never do that to His bride. He would endure the cross and despise the pain… he would suffer to bring you back to himself and be reconciled.
- Reconciliation would be healing to His own body.
You’ve no right to be unfaithful to the promises you have made.
- To do so is to bring harm on your own body.
- There is never a good reason to be unfaithful.
- I don’t care if they have been unfaithful to you… you’ve no right to be unfaithful to them.
Jesus would never do that to His bride. He would endure the cross and despise the pain… he would suffer to bring you back to himself and be reconciled.
- Reconciliation would be healing to His own body.
You’ve no right to be unfaithful to the promises you have made.
- To do so is to bring harm on your own body.
The commitment we have to nourishing and cherishing our own bodies is the commitment that we should have to our spouses.
- When we do that… it exalts Christ.
- The other alternative is death.
If you continuously abuse your body, what is going to happen?
If you continuously abuse your spouse, then your marriage will die.
Some will say, “fine let it die. I don’t care if my marriage survives.”
- That is a mistake.
- Its not a painless thing.
Divorces hurt!
- Flesh is ripped in two.
- It causes lasting damage.
- When we do that… it exalts Christ.
- The other alternative is death.
If you continuously abuse your body, what is going to happen?
If you continuously abuse your spouse, then your marriage will die.
Some will say, “fine let it die. I don’t care if my marriage survives.”
- That is a mistake.
- Its not a painless thing.
Divorces hurt!
- Flesh is ripped in two.
- It causes lasting damage.
II. Husbands who love & wives who respect, reflect the love of Christ & the respect of the church. 32-33
What does Paul mean by “this mystery is profound”?
- He just quoted God’s declaration in Gen 2:24.
He has been tying the truth that was spoken in Ch2 to the mystery that is revealed in the person and work of Christ.
He is saying, “Look… thousands of years ago, when God said ‘for this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife and the two shall become one flesh…’ he was referring to CHRIST AND THE CHURCH.”
What does Paul mean by “this mystery is profound”?
- He just quoted God’s declaration in Gen 2:24.
He has been tying the truth that was spoken in Ch2 to the mystery that is revealed in the person and work of Christ.
He is saying, “Look… thousands of years ago, when God said ‘for this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife and the two shall become one flesh…’ he was referring to CHRIST AND THE CHURCH.”
Jesus left His father. He laid down His life for His betrothed.
He loved her and he gave himself op for her.
He cleansed her with His spoken word that lead her to realize the truth.
God has forever and ever joined her to Himself.
When the time is right… when her cleansing is complete, she will walk the isle with Him… and they will live forever in the bliss of marriage joined together as one by the will of God himself.
- Yet even now, He is faithful to her.
He loved her and he gave himself op for her.
He cleansed her with His spoken word that lead her to realize the truth.
God has forever and ever joined her to Himself.
When the time is right… when her cleansing is complete, she will walk the isle with Him… and they will live forever in the bliss of marriage joined together as one by the will of God himself.
- Yet even now, He is faithful to her.
In Gen 2:24… he wasn’t just talking about Adam and Eve. He wasn’t just talking about the wedding of human beings.
- He was talking about the wedding of His Son to the Church.
THIS IS THE MYSTERY!
THIS IS WHAT IS PROFOUND!
he is explaining to the Ephesians what their marriages are to be a reflection of.
- Their marriages are not merely a reflection of the culture of their times. Culture changes.
- The love of Christ and His one-flesh union with the church never changes.
- He was talking about the wedding of His Son to the Church.
THIS IS THE MYSTERY!
THIS IS WHAT IS PROFOUND!
he is explaining to the Ephesians what their marriages are to be a reflection of.
- Their marriages are not merely a reflection of the culture of their times. Culture changes.
- The love of Christ and His one-flesh union with the church never changes.
So when I say that a marriage where Husbands and Wives are committed to one another is a Christ exalting marriage, this is what is exalting about it… It is a reflection of the gospel!
That is why husbands, here, are instructed to love their wives… and why wives, here, are instructed to respect their husbands.
- When they do that they exalt Christ.
- They lift Him up for the world to see how beautiful He is.
That is why husbands, here, are instructed to love their wives… and why wives, here, are instructed to respect their husbands.
- When they do that they exalt Christ.
- They lift Him up for the world to see how beautiful He is.
If you care about the glory of God.
If you care about people being saved from hell.
If you are among those who look forward to His coming… then you should love your wives and respect your husbands.
Praise God for those who are committed in their marriages.
- Follow their example which was ultimately Christ’s example and commit to exalting Christ in your marriages.
Those who are in trouble I implore you to get help.
- Think of it like this… if your marriage is sick then your body is sick… if it is dying then your body is dying.
Those who are lost, be joined to Christ and to His body...the church.
If you care about people being saved from hell.
If you are among those who look forward to His coming… then you should love your wives and respect your husbands.
Praise God for those who are committed in their marriages.
- Follow their example which was ultimately Christ’s example and commit to exalting Christ in your marriages.
Those who are in trouble I implore you to get help.
- Think of it like this… if your marriage is sick then your body is sick… if it is dying then your body is dying.
Those who are lost, be joined to Christ and to His body...the church.