TITLE: You First

• TEXT: Ephesians 5:25-33

• THEME: Husbands love your wives by putting her first

Bulletin Announcement:

“This is a chance for all the women of the congregation to get rid of anything that is not worth keeping, but is too good to be thrown away. Don’t forget to bring your husbands.”

Wife’s Comment

I always imagine here is someone in the house, but when you are here, I know there isn’t.”

Interview

• Mrs. Shaw said that she was “sick of [Tim] disrespecting this family for the sake of his act.” When asked about the price of the car, she said: “I didn’t care about the money. I just wanted to get him back.”

What should be the nature of a husbands love for his wife?

I. As Christ Loves the Church (25-27)

Ephesians 5

• 25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her 26 to make her holy, cleansing[a] 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.

I. As Christ Loves the Church (25-27).

A. This kind of love is commanded

I. As Christ Loves the Church (25-27).

A. This kind of love is commanded– This kind of love is not something we “fall into

I. As Christ Loves the Church (25-27).

A. This kind of love is commanded– This kind of love is not something we “fall

into.”

– It does not say, “Love her because (she is pretty, she is sexy, she is nice, she feeds you, etc…”

I. As Christ Loves the Church (25-27).

A. This kind of love is commanded– This kind of love is not something we “fall

into.”

– It does not say, “Love her because (she is pretty, she is sexy, she is nice, she feeds you, etc…”

– To love her is to recognize her dignity and worth and put her above everything else in your life.

I. As Christ Loves the Church (25-27).

A. This kind of love is commanded

B. This kind of love is modeled.

I. As Christ Loves the Church (25-27).

A. This kind of love is commanded

B. This kind of love is modeled.–We are told how to love our wives by looking at

a model.

I. As Christ Loves the Church (25-27).

A. This kind of love is commanded

B. This kind of love is modeled.–We are told how to love our wives by looking at

a model.

– Christ gave his life

I. As Christ Loves the Church (25-27).

A. This kind of love is commanded

B. This kind of love is modeled.–We are told how to love our wives by looking at

a model.

– Christ gave his life.

– Christ gave his holiness

What should be the nature of a husbands love for his wife?

II. As he loves his own body (28-30)

Ephesians 5

• 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.

II. As he loves his own body (28-30)

• The Character of Love (28)

II. As he loves his own body (28-30)

• The Character of Love (28

• The Display of love (29-30)

II. As he loves his own body (28-30)

• The Character of Love (28

• The Display of love (29-30)– A man cares for his body (a display of love for

himself)

II. As he loves his own body (28-30)

• The Character of Love (28

• The Display of love (29-30)– A man cares for his body (a display of love for

himself)

– A man feeds his body, cleans it, buys it clothes, rests, sends it to the doctor (at least some men do- they often need theirs wives to push them).

II. As he loves his own body (28-30)

• The Character of Love (28• The Display of love (29-30)– A man cares for his body (a display of love for

himself)– A man feeds his body, cleans it, buys it clothes,

rests, sends it to the doctor (at least some men do- they often need theirs wives to push them).

– Christ cares for the church- gives her what she needs to stay healthy and grow. (Word of God, gifts, etc).

What should be the nature of a husbands love for his wife?

III. As if they are one flesh (31-33)

Ephesians 5

• 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.

III. As if they are one flesh (31-33)

• A. The Man and Wife as one Body

III. As if they are one flesh (31-33)

A. The Man and Wife as one Body.

B. Christ and the Church as One Body.

Howard Hendricks to Man

• When was the last time you took out your most important client?

APPLICATION

• Listening to her when she speaks

APPLICATION

• Listening to her when she speaks.

• Spending time with her.

APPLICATION

• Listening to her when she speaks.

• Spending time with her.

• Helping her keep the house clean

APPLICATION

• Listening to her when she speaks.

• Spending time with her.

• Helping her keep the house clean.

• Taking her out.

APPLICATION

• Listening to her when she speaks.

• Spending time with her.

• Helping her keep the house clean.

• Taking her out.

• Talking and praying with her.

APPLICATION

• Listening to her when she speaks.

• Spending time with her.

• Helping her keep the house clean.

• Taking her out.

• Talking and praying with her.

• Providing spiritual leadership.