Ephesians 5: Wives, submit to your husbands as 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 Saviour. 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 his own body, but he feeds and cares for it, 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.
‘And they all lived happily ever after’ – but this isn’t a fairy story The Bible is a love story – of everlasting, unfailing, powerful, giving love. This passage tells of the eternal plan of God – for His glory and our blessing. The Son of God is gathering His church – His bride – across all lands and time.
1. WHAT IS PAUL TALKING ABOUT? About marriage, vv 22,25,28,33? More than human marriage, vv 23,25,32. Marriage describes Christ and “the church” – all Christ will have as His The true marriage is between Christ and His church. Earthly marriage is an analogy.
2. CHRIST AND HIS CHURCH He loves the church, v 25. So he gave Himself for her. That is true love. His love is a purposeful love, v 26. His love has a wonderful goal, v 27. So His love now feeds and cares for the church, v 28. His love is in a permanent, exclusive union, vv 31,32.
3. THE CHRISTIAN AND CHRIST There is something glorious, profound and amazing about this – ‘mystery’. Paul applies this truth to personal Christian living, vv 21,22,25,6:1,4,5,9. Our relationship to Christ conditions our relationships with one another.
4. SO WHAT? Do you realise where you have come from? “cleansing…” Do you understand who you are? – personally – collectively Do you understand whose you are and how to work that out in daily living? Wives, do you grasp the nature of your role and responsibility, vv 22,33b? Husbands, do you grasp what you are called to do, vv 25,28,31,33a? Do you understand what Christ is doing in our lives, vv 26,27?
4. SO WHAT? Do you know Christ’s saving love? -recognise your real condition, 2:1-3 -realise the love of God has designed a way to deal with this -turn from what you are -turn to God in Christ, 2:4f
4. SO WHAT? Do you realise what is in store, Rev 21:1,2? 1 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. 2 I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. Do you rest secure in Christ, awaiting the great marriage supper? - for it all depends on Him This is the greatest love story ever: it spans time and eternity. We will live happily ever after. We have God’s word on it.