While walking through the halls of my job earlier this week I had a chance to stop and speak to another Christian Sister and to share with her a prayer request or two. She in turn shared her heart with me. She spoke of how her daughter and son-in-law had recently been struggling to hold their marriage together and of the words of wisdom she was able to speak into their marriage to them both; but mostly to her son-in-law. And thus began the Lord’s gentle leading for this new area of life He wanted me to look into. So that I might share my lessons learned, and the wisdom of others, with those who need what we can glean from them – the Husbands and Fathers among us who are striving to do as Jesus commanded us in the scripture and to teach these lessons to their sons so that they may be passed down to the generations yet to come. The lessons of which I speak will be related to the message Paul shared long ago when he penned the verse; ‘Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;’ Ephesians 5:25.
And so today I would like to begin a conversation on the practical applications of how this would look in our modern world. And to remind us that our world really hasn’t changed as much down through the ages as we have been led to believe – or should I say as we have been ‘brain washed’ into thinking is fact and is actually a work of pure fiction. This conversation is not just for the men in the family of God, it is open to all who would participate with, and learn from, what is shared.
Even with all of the lies out there telling women they can do anything a man can and do it, and that we can do so as well or better than he and telling men that they need to show their 'femine-side', there remains a ring of truth to the phrase that was once common amongst our men. That being the women were [are] the fairer sex, the gentle half of the whole that is needed if a marriage, Christian or non-Christian, is to work well and last for a lifetime. For very few marriages, both in the church and outside, last for more than a few years before they start to go down hill and eventually to disintegrate into the divorce courts.
As I have said this is to be the start of a conversation. With that said, I will be sharing in this forum the insights of those around us who have ‘loved for a lifetime’ and are willing to share bits of their wisdom with us as we tackle this area of life. I will be providing biblical tidbits throughout this conversation so that we can keep our message centered on Jesus, as He is to be the rock on which our whole life is to be grounded - He is our 'firm foundation.'
So today we will continue where we started, in Ephesians. The passage I want to share is 4:17-5:33, for in this passage Paul is addressing believers with a plan for living Godly lives centered in Christ’s teaching. And I believe this to be where He would have us begin our conversation. Here I have quoted that selection from the NIV:
So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking. They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts. Having lost all sensitivity, they have given themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, with a continual lust for more. You, however, did not come to know Christ that way. Surely you heard of him and were taught in him in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus. You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness. Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to his neighbor, for we are all members of one body. "In your anger do not sin": Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold. He who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with his own hands, that he may have something to share with those in need. Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God's holy people. Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving. For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person—such a man is an idolater—has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God's wrath comes on those who are disobedient. Therefore do not be partners with them. For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) and find out what pleases the Lord. Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. For it is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret. But everything exposed by the light becomes visible, for it is light that makes everything visible. This is why it is said: "Wake up, O sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you." Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord's will is. Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit. Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ. Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord. 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. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything. Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing] her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. After all, no one ever hated his own body, but he feeds and cares for it, just as Christ does the church— for we are members of his body. "For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh." This is a profound mystery—but I am talking about Christ and the church. However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.
As I close today, I ask each of you to take time to read through this passage multiple times. Try reading it daily as you begin your day, or perhaps as you end it – maybe you need to do both. Think on the meaning of each verse so that you will be prepared to join in our conversation; for this is the reason I think Blogs were created – to be a jumping off point for conversation. And as I too study this passage, I will add what I learn from our Lord here so that we can discuss it and share together in the ‘message’ Paul was teaching to believers so long ago, and to us today.
Until next time!
No comments:
Post a Comment