WEBVTT

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 There are two other men that also serve as deacons, Bill Krull, who is our Sunday School

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! Superintendent, and I believe he is in one of the children's ministries involved, and Tim

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! Smith, he is responsible for the ushers and the greeters, and he is at a retreat this Sunday.

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 I want you to turn in your Bibles this morning to Ephesians chapter 5 verse 25, and as I begin,

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 I want you to join me asking the Spirit of God to help us as we study this passage together.

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 After I read it, we will pray.

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 Ephesians chapter 5 verse 25, I encourage you to follow along in your own copy of the Scriptures

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 and pay attention to the passage that we are going to study with the help of the Spirit.

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 Husbands, love your wives as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her.

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 Let's pray.

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 Father God, this morning as we take your Word, we take it with a reverence and a thankfulness

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 because we recognize that it is the perfect expression of your character, your wisdom, your love,

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 and that the fact that you have given us instruction indicates that we need that.

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 We confess as well that our nature tends to not want to listen,

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 and we are thankful that, first of all, salvation has opened our heart to the desperate need of our soul and salvation

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 and also made us receptors of your truth and willing to hear.

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 We're thankful also for the ministry of the Spirit of God that imbides every believer

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 that we can rely upon this morning to take your Word and quicken it to our heart

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 that having heard, we might be molded and shaped to be more like Christ.

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 I think, Father, also this morning of those that are here that need Christ.

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 And I recognize, Lord, that as we study this passage that is directed primarily to believers,

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 I'm confident that your Spirit can work in a larger frame,

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 and we pray that those who do not know Christ will be drawn to the cross.

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 We also think, Lord, of the fact that the purpose of preaching is not just to inform us,

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 but really to transform us through the power of the Word and through the Spirit.

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 And so I pray, Lord, that the men who are here today as husbands would be both humbled and encouraged,

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 and that the effect of the preaching of the Word of God would be one that is recognized

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 by those in our fellowship that are wives, by children, by unbelievers and neighbors,

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 that they would recognize that our men are different.

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 And that that difference would not be, by any stretch, a matter of arrogance,

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 but one of profound humility.

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 Because every one of us who are men and husbands know our own frailty

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 and our desperate need for you.

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 And so we want to thank you in advance for what you are going to do

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 through the work of your Word, the power of your Spirit,

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 and the prayers of your people.

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 We ask this in Jesus' name.

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 Amen.

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 Well, I've broken the passage that we're going to study down into three simple statements,

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 and having said that, I'm not going to say that the passage is simple,

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 but I do want to keep it at the outset, something clear and concise that you can follow with me.

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 And so we're going to begin, first of all, looking at what Christ has done.

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 And I want you to track with me, if you will, for a moment,

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 that Christ has blessed His children incredibly.

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 And when you take a passage such as this, in Ephesians 5, verse 25,

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 that makes this pointed statement,

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 husbands love your wives,

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 that statement should not be separated from the larger context of what we've already learned

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 in the book of Ephesians.

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 And remember, when the letter to the church at Ephesus arrived,

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 it was read in one sitting.

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 Now, you may ask,

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 why don't I just read it and let you go home?

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 One of the things that we know from the Bible is that the Scriptures are there also for the sake of exposition.

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 And what that means is that here is the text,

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 and we want to understand what the text itself says.

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 But then we also want to understand how the text applies in our lives today.

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 And so we have chosen to break the things down a little more carefully.

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 And yet, as we begin, I do want you to mark the broader picture of what Christ has done for us.

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 And so think with me just for a moment back to Ephesians chapter 1, verse 3.

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 If I were to think of several of the passages that you should be encouraged to memorize,

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 Ephesians 1, verse 3 would be one of those that I would want stuck front and center in your thinking.

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 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,

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 who has blessed us with all spiritual blessings in the heavenlies.

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 There are times in all of our lives, perhaps, I can't speak for everyone,

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 but I would say for most of us, there are times where our life is pretty blue and disconsolate,

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 and there are difficulties.

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 Ecclesiastes comments on the fact that as sparks flow up, so are troubles to a man.

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 And all of us have had moments in our life where things are complicated and difficult.

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 But when the apostle writes to the church at Ephesus, he says,

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 Hey, listen, I want you to understand that you have been blessed to completion in Christ Jesus.

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 You are rich beyond imagination.

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 So we want to start, as we look at what will be a command,

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 first of all to remind ourselves, hey, God has done incredible things in our lives.

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 He's good.

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 Secondly, I do want you to understand that Christ has enabled us for godly living through His Spirit.

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 And I think this is a very important point for us to note.

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 In fact, as we are looking at Ephesians chapter 5, verse 25,

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 where we find a very pointed command to husbands to love their wives,

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 it is actually set against the background of being a Spirit-filled believer,

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 and this part is a command directly to those who are husbands.

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 And so when you sit here this morning as a husband and you hear the teaching of the Word of God,

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 I would challenge you to not ever think that you can accomplish the expectation of Christ

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 apart from the power of the Spirit of God.

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 To go about doing the things that God calls you to do

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 without having a humble dependence upon the Spirit of God

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 is either profound ignorance or profound arrogance,

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 and neither of the eyes are good.

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 I do want you to understand that we, every one of us that know Christ,

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 desperately need His work in our lives every moment of the day.

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 And so as you hear His command, as we are going to find here just in a moment,

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 keep in mind that for the believer,

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 it's given to us with the expectation that we're going to rely upon the Spirit of God to accomplish it.

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 So if you're sitting here this morning as a husband, a believing husband,

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 here is one of the logical outcomes that should go through your mind at the end of the service

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 or at various points in the journey.

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 For one, the power of the preaching of the Word of God ought to lead you to profound thankfulness that you're saved

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 and that you have received the instruction of God Himself

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 in what it means to live a life that is pleasing to the Creator of the universe

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 and that person who is infinitely wise and good.

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 And He's given you instruction.

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 Secondly, it should lead you to a profound humility and dependence on the Spirit of God.

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 Because as you hear what God asks or expects for you as a Christian husband,

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 it ought to leave you a little bit like the Apostle when he considered the responsibility of preaching the Gospel.

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 He said,

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 Who is sufficient for such things?

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 And so as we listen to the responsibilities that God has laid upon those who are husbands in particular this morning,

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 there should be that,

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 Wow, what a blessing that God has given me instruction.

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 But on the other hand, there should also be,

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 Wow, man, how do I do this?

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 I need God's help and I'm thankful for the Spirit.

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 Having said that as a background, I want us to look at what Christ commands.

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 I read the passage to you, but I want you to look at it again.

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 It's profoundly pointed, simple, short.

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 Husbands, love your wives.

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 I'm not sure how much weight we ought to actually put on the Greek grammar at this point.

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 And when I say that, please allow me to finish the sentence so that you don't prejudice what I'm going to say in remainder.

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 My point is this, is that actually in the Greek, the wife is not commanded specifically to submit to her husband.

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 It's there by implication, and it is correct because in the first part of verse 21 where we says,

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 Submitting to one another, it goes on and says,

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 And wives.

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 It just falls along.

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 But the man himself receives an explicit and direct command from God,

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 Here is what you are to do.

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 Now I want you to understand this morning that the command to love your wife is incredibly challenging.

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 This command is not about having warm feelings for her.

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 It's not about having warm sexual passion for her or really, really liking to have her around.

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 Let me point out several misunderstandings that our culture foists off on us.

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 And I want you to think with me just for a moment to a passage in Jeremiah chapter 17, 9, where it says this,

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 The heart, does anybody remember the remainder of it?

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 How many of you know Jeremiah 17, 9?

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 Raise your hands and wave at me.

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 Get them up high.

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 Elbow above the ear.

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 Okay.

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 Those who did not raise their hands, learn this.

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 Jeremiah chapter 17, 9,

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 The heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked.

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 Do you know what it's saying?

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 Your heart is this perverse little engine that spends a lot of its energy fooling you.

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 And not only are we fooled by our own heart, but we are fooled by the world that we are in.

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 And so when we think about what it says here, that we are to love our wives,

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 I want you to understand that it's pretty easy to gloss over this and think,

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 Well, yeah, I'm doing that.

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 But the idea that the world has is that love is either incredibly sappy or it's incredibly self-serving or it's incredibly sexual.

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 I like The Princess Bride.

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 It's a great movie.

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 It's a cult favorite.

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 My family has watched it so many times that many of our family members can recite little clips, you know,

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 like never start a land war in Asia or whatever.

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 You know, there are many little things that...

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 And I have, for extra credit, I have watched things like Return to Me,

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 Sleepless in Seattle, and While You Were Sleeping.

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 You know, I've done all those.

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 In fact, I've done them more than once.

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 But I want you to understand that Hollywood's picture of what love is like,

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 of kind of coming along serendipitously and catching a person at the spur of the moment

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 and filling them with all these warm fuzzies and then having them drift off into the sunset

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 where everything works perfectly, that's not what real marriage and love is like.

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 I want you to recognize others view love as more of what you get or at least trade out

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 in kind of a proportionate relationship with someone else.

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 I can't tell you how many times I've had individuals in my office where I ask them,

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 so what's their perception of marriage?

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 And the more enlightened individuals will let me know that, well, marriage is kind of a trading situation

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 where, you know, it's 50-50.

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 And when they say that to me, it's like, duh, 1 plus 1 equals 2, right?

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 I mean, 50-50 is the golden rule of marriage.

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 I've had people tell me when I've said, so why did you divorce her or why did you divorce him?

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 Well, they weren't keeping up.

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 I've had them tell me this.

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 They weren't keeping up their part of the bargain.

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 You know, the idea that love is kind of this partnering business and, you know,

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 you ought to be getting something out of it if you're going to be putting in.

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 And believe me, there are more people that think that way than you would care to recognize.

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 In fact, I would venture to say, while we'd not raise our hands on this one,

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 there's not a one of us in here that at one point or another in our thinking

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 has not been a little frustrated with the fact that our return has not matched the investment.

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 Do you follow what I'm saying?

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 We've been putting a whole lot into it, and it ain't paying out like we'd like.

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 And now, we don't say that up front to our wife.

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 We have enough intelligence.

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 But inside, there's that little frustration of, you know, I brought her flowers,

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 and what do I get for that?

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 Or, you know, hey, I go off to work, and I put in 50, 60 hours,

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 and what do I get in return?

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 Now, there are other men who've looked me in the eye

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 and tried to explain that while they really love their wife,

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 they just can't help loving other women too.

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 Do you follow that?

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 It's no big deal.

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 I really do.

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 I've had them look at me face to face and say,

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 I really do love my wife.

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 And she ought to know it.

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 But she shouldn't be surprised that I love someone else as well.

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 I mean, you know, so many people, so little time.

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 And so, the attitude is, it's all right.

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 And don't think.

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 That kind of thinking is only restricted to those who are crass, broken pagans.

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 The husband is to love his wife because Christ loves him.

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 And I think that it is very important for us to get that grasp in our minds.

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 Christ loves me.

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 You know, if I were to zero in on the most important thing for a believer,

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 well, that's a pretty mouthful, so I'll guard it a little bit.

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 But one of the most important things, how's that?

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 One of the most important things for the believer to be persuaded of and to grow in appreciating

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 is the abounding love of Christ.

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 We sang a song that talked about how wide, how deep is his love.

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 Question.

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 How many of you sitting out there as you were singing,

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 and we were doing well this morning singing,

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 but as you were singing,

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 how many of you had scriptures going through your mind about that song?

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 Raise your hands.

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 Above the ear.

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 I'm looking above the ear.

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 Okay.

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 Stop.

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 Listen.

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 You ought to do that.

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 You ought to do that.

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 Here's why.

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 Something that is noble,

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 or let me start at the beginning and work forward.

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 Every thought should be framed against scriptures.

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 We all would say, what, what?

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 Yes, yes.

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 Right?

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 Yes.

00:17:45.900 --> 00:17:46.460
 Of course.

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 Unto the law and the testimonies,

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 that they speak not according to this,

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 because there's no light in them.

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 Isaiah chapter 8, verse 20.

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 The scriptures are the premise on which we judge all things.

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 And so as we're singing, first of all,

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 we want to be sure that what we're singing matches up with what God has said.

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 By the way, what God has said is 100% accurate, 100% profitable,

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 and it's just unbelievably blessed.

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 Correct?

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 Agreed?

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 Every Christian, nod their head.

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 Go ahead, just entertain me.

00:18:16.920 --> 00:18:17.220
 Yep.

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 Nod their head.

00:18:17.980 --> 00:18:18.539
 Yeah, we're good.

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 Some of you just said, I'm not.

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 Pastor wants my head nod.

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 You can come back here and help me.

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 Stop.

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 Okay.

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 Here's the deal.

00:18:25.680 --> 00:18:30.580
 We accept the fact that God has said good things.

00:18:31.340 --> 00:18:33.960
 So when you're singing, you ought to be thinking,

00:18:34.100 --> 00:18:35.299
 well, does God think that really?

00:18:36.180 --> 00:18:39.180
 And then after you say, well, yeah, I'd like to know what God thinks.

00:18:39.420 --> 00:18:43.000
 Here's the benefit of tracking and putting scripture along with what you're singing.

00:18:43.460 --> 00:18:43.720
 Follow.

00:18:43.720 --> 00:18:43.799
 Follow.

00:18:45.000 --> 00:18:51.500
 The Spirit of God is not obligated to take your warm, fuzzy thinking and do a whole lot with it.

00:18:52.539 --> 00:18:57.640
 But He is obligated to take the scripture and drive it home and have it make a difference in your life.

00:18:57.779 --> 00:18:59.620
 And all of God's people said, I got that one.

00:19:00.860 --> 00:19:04.160
 So, in the future, what are we always doing?

00:19:04.620 --> 00:19:05.539
 We're working.

00:19:05.700 --> 00:19:06.319
 We're working.

00:19:06.579 --> 00:19:07.180
 We're working.

00:19:07.180 --> 00:19:12.920
 We're hoping to grow to be a people who think according to the scriptures.

00:19:13.720 --> 00:19:28.660
 I come back to say, it is so important for the believer to be persuaded of the abounding love of Christ for us.

00:19:34.100 --> 00:19:36.140
 And here in this passage, it says,

00:19:36.140 --> 00:19:44.560
 Husbands, love your wives as Christ loved the church.

00:19:46.840 --> 00:19:54.100
 The word that Paul chose to use here is one that is very interesting in the Greek.

00:19:54.099 --> 00:20:04.899
 And the Greek actually was very…it was a very clear and explicit language that made distinctions.

00:20:06.379 --> 00:20:10.559
 There was love that was largely sexual and passionate.

00:20:11.039 --> 00:20:14.959
 There was love that was the familial kind of love.

00:20:15.659 --> 00:20:20.299
 There was love that was kind of brotherly companionship.

00:20:20.299 --> 00:20:22.879
 And, you know, that's where we get the name Philadelphia, right?

00:20:22.940 --> 00:20:30.899
 The most loving city in America gets its name from Phila Delphos, you know, city of love, brotherly love.

00:20:31.539 --> 00:20:33.799
 And so, the Greek made some distinctions.

00:20:34.039 --> 00:20:36.819
 And the one that Paul uses here is the word agape.

00:20:36.940 --> 00:20:38.639
 And I don't want to overplay it at this point.

00:20:38.759 --> 00:20:44.799
 But it is a word that talks about a kind of love that is deliberate and unconditional.

00:20:44.799 --> 00:20:50.279
 It's an act of the will that seeks the best for the beloved.

00:20:51.619 --> 00:20:54.700
 It's deliberate and unconditional.

00:20:56.059 --> 00:20:59.279
 And it's an act of the will that seeks the best for the beloved.

00:21:01.500 --> 00:21:04.039
 So, when somebody walks into me and says,

00:21:04.180 --> 00:21:08.559
 Hey, and I've had this happen, I just don't love her anymore.

00:21:08.559 --> 00:21:13.599
 My response to that is,

00:21:13.899 --> 00:21:17.940
 Oh, well, that's not a problem because Jesus can fix your attitude.

00:21:19.220 --> 00:21:21.220
 And I don't mean that in a crass way.

00:21:21.379 --> 00:21:26.279
 But, hey, every one of us in here have not loved for a couple minutes or days.

00:21:26.720 --> 00:21:27.679
 Do you agree?

00:21:28.960 --> 00:21:29.159
 Huh?

00:21:30.220 --> 00:21:33.039
 I mean, thankfully, we've not said it as often as we thought it.

00:21:33.079 --> 00:21:33.960
 But it's been there.

00:21:33.960 --> 00:21:34.000
 It's been there.

00:21:38.559 --> 00:21:40.359
 Paul uses this little phrase.

00:21:40.539 --> 00:21:40.799
 He says,

00:21:41.299 --> 00:21:45.559
 Husbands, love your wives agape like Christ loves the church.

00:21:47.119 --> 00:21:52.619
 Do you know how easy it is to deceive yourself on how you're doing at loving?

00:21:54.019 --> 00:21:54.139
 Huh?

00:21:55.259 --> 00:21:56.099
 Do you really know?

00:21:56.579 --> 00:21:57.279
 It's easy.

00:21:58.240 --> 00:22:01.919
 In fact, if I were to ask all of you, and I'm not going to.

00:22:02.000 --> 00:22:02.440
 I'm not going to say,

00:22:02.500 --> 00:22:03.799
 So, how many think you're really doing well?

00:22:05.099 --> 00:22:05.720
 Nobody here.

00:22:05.779 --> 00:22:06.579
 No, it's me.

00:22:06.579 --> 00:22:09.119
 But as you walk out the door, most of you are thinking,

00:22:09.220 --> 00:22:09.919
 I'm doing okay.

00:22:10.079 --> 00:22:11.859
 I mean, you know, I'm not as bad as Bubba.

00:22:12.000 --> 00:22:12.279
 You know what I mean?

00:22:12.419 --> 00:22:14.419
 I know guys that are a lot worse than I am.

00:22:16.139 --> 00:22:17.000
 I've got to tell you something.

00:22:17.079 --> 00:22:17.919
 I debated about this.

00:22:18.019 --> 00:22:19.839
 But here's the truth.

00:22:21.500 --> 00:22:24.379
 There was a time in my life where I really didn't love my wife.

00:22:27.379 --> 00:22:28.519
 I was in seminary.

00:22:31.419 --> 00:22:33.579
 What should a seminarian be studying?

00:22:33.579 --> 00:22:36.139
 Oh, how to handle the Word.

00:22:37.339 --> 00:22:40.119
 And I remember I was a senior in seminary,

00:22:40.220 --> 00:22:42.679
 and I had another seminarian in my home,

00:22:42.779 --> 00:22:43.720
 and we were talking about,

00:22:44.019 --> 00:22:45.339
 Well, eventually we're going to graduate.

00:22:46.039 --> 00:22:49.179
 And then we're going to have to get a job in a church.

00:22:49.659 --> 00:22:50.279
 And I was thinking,

00:22:50.399 --> 00:22:51.399
 And here's what I was thinking.

00:22:51.480 --> 00:22:52.819
 As I was listening to that young man,

00:22:53.000 --> 00:22:54.559
 he was just all fired up about,

00:22:54.799 --> 00:22:55.559
 I'm going to get out there.

00:22:55.559 --> 00:22:56.839
 And I was thinking,

00:22:57.079 --> 00:22:58.139
 I don't like people.

00:23:00.019 --> 00:23:01.000
 That's what I thought.

00:23:04.200 --> 00:23:05.240
 That's what I thought.

00:23:07.399 --> 00:23:08.519
 Oh, I tell you,

00:23:08.879 --> 00:23:09.519
 someone asked me,

00:23:09.559 --> 00:23:12.940
 So what's changed about you in the last 35 years

00:23:12.940 --> 00:23:13.799
 of whatever ministry?

00:23:13.940 --> 00:23:14.139
 I said,

00:23:14.200 --> 00:23:14.919
 Well, for one thing,

00:23:15.000 --> 00:23:16.279
 I've grown to love people.

00:23:17.179 --> 00:23:18.460
 But it wasn't the bad thing,

00:23:18.559 --> 00:23:19.099
 the worst thing.

00:23:20.099 --> 00:23:21.799
 I remember sitting there and thinking to myself,

00:23:21.899 --> 00:23:22.919
 I don't love my wife.

00:23:24.319 --> 00:23:26.699
 How can a man be a shepherd of the congregation,

00:23:27.339 --> 00:23:28.159
 the bride of Christ,

00:23:28.219 --> 00:23:29.419
 if he doesn't love his wife?

00:23:33.240 --> 00:23:35.079
 I had to learn the hard way how to do that.

00:23:37.000 --> 00:23:39.240
 I sat on the other side of a counseling table.

00:23:39.359 --> 00:23:41.539
 I had Bill Good say to me,

00:23:41.639 --> 00:23:42.939
 Tim, you don't love your wife.

00:23:44.559 --> 00:23:45.779
 And truth of the matter is,

00:23:45.839 --> 00:23:46.379
 I was thinking,

00:23:46.899 --> 00:23:48.139
 What are you low life?

00:23:48.140 --> 00:23:49.380
 I haven't shot her.

00:23:49.720 --> 00:23:50.120
 I mean, you know,

00:23:50.740 --> 00:23:52.840
 I'm just telling you what I thought.

00:23:54.640 --> 00:23:55.520
 Despicable me.

00:23:56.120 --> 00:23:57.620
 Not the movie, but the person.

00:24:02.200 --> 00:24:06.020
 God put me on a two-year remedy.

00:24:11.600 --> 00:24:12.360
 Listen to me.

00:24:15.020 --> 00:24:17.360
 Husbands, love your wives.

00:24:18.140 --> 00:24:20.160
 As Christ loved the church.

00:24:22.259 --> 00:24:26.280
 So what does it mean for a husband to love his wife like Christ?

00:24:28.320 --> 00:24:31.000
 Well, it would be fitting for the lesson,

00:24:31.259 --> 00:24:33.200
 being that it is in Ephesians,

00:24:33.940 --> 00:24:37.460
 to rely to a large degree upon the context of the book.

00:24:37.520 --> 00:24:38.200
 Does that make sense?

00:24:38.200 --> 00:24:40.580
 So are there many,

00:24:40.580 --> 00:24:48.759
 many different passages where I could take you and help you see how Christ loves the church from other books?

00:24:48.840 --> 00:24:49.299
 I could,

00:24:50.400 --> 00:24:53.759
 but we're going to try to stay within Ephesians for the most part.

00:24:53.840 --> 00:24:55.000
 And I want you to understand that,

00:24:55.100 --> 00:24:55.620
 first of all,

00:24:56.080 --> 00:24:59.259
 the kind of love that Christ has for the church

00:24:59.259 --> 00:25:02.359
 and the kind of love that a husband is to have for his wife

00:25:02.359 --> 00:25:05.440
 is love that is ambitious for the future good.

00:25:06.839 --> 00:25:09.619
 Love that is ambitious for the future good.

00:25:09.619 --> 00:25:15.279
 You look at Ephesians chapter 1 verse 4 just for a moment.

00:25:15.399 --> 00:25:17.259
 I just touch on it in passing.

00:25:17.819 --> 00:25:18.159
 It says,

00:25:18.399 --> 00:25:21.579
 Even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world,

00:25:21.979 --> 00:25:26.599
 that we should be holy and blameless before him in love.

00:25:26.599 --> 00:25:30.539
 By the way,

00:25:30.859 --> 00:25:35.679
 who was he thinking about when he decided on you?

00:25:37.000 --> 00:25:39.599
 He was thinking about some scumbag

00:25:39.599 --> 00:25:45.059
 that really wasn't worth a passing thought.

00:25:46.480 --> 00:25:48.619
 And before you ever were created,

00:25:49.019 --> 00:25:51.219
 he decided that he would love you

00:25:51.219 --> 00:25:54.719
 and he would draw you out of your rebellious state

00:25:54.720 --> 00:25:57.819
 and he would bring you to himself

00:25:57.819 --> 00:26:00.799
 and wrap you in his loving arms

00:26:00.799 --> 00:26:02.539
 and he would care for you

00:26:02.539 --> 00:26:06.220
 by purchasing your redemption with his own blood.

00:26:06.220 --> 00:26:07.059
 Amen.

00:26:11.579 --> 00:26:12.539
 So,

00:26:13.720 --> 00:26:17.700
 a godly husband

00:26:17.700 --> 00:26:20.059
 is ambitious

00:26:20.059 --> 00:26:22.740
 for his wife's

00:26:22.740 --> 00:26:25.180
 future good.

00:26:26.339 --> 00:26:26.759
 Now,

00:26:27.640 --> 00:26:28.339
 I'll tell you what,

00:26:28.400 --> 00:26:28.920
 Lord willing,

00:26:29.039 --> 00:26:29.920
 and we don't have snow

00:26:29.920 --> 00:26:30.579
 and I'm around,

00:26:30.859 --> 00:26:33.359
 I hope to preach on that a little more next week.

00:26:33.519 --> 00:26:34.380
 There's a lot there.

00:26:34.740 --> 00:26:35.000
 But,

00:26:35.539 --> 00:26:36.259
 future good.

00:26:36.559 --> 00:26:36.920
 Secondly,

00:26:37.180 --> 00:26:38.559
 love that is unconditional.

00:26:39.559 --> 00:26:41.759
 Ephesians chapter 2 verse 5.

00:26:42.500 --> 00:26:44.079
 Love that is unconditional.

00:26:45.140 --> 00:26:47.960
 It says there in Ephesians chapter 2 verse 5,

00:26:48.039 --> 00:26:48.380
 it says,

00:26:48.380 --> 00:26:50.980
 even when we were dead in our trespasses,

00:26:51.100 --> 00:26:53.140
 made us alive together in Christ,

00:26:53.280 --> 00:26:54.860
 by grace you've been saved.

00:26:55.280 --> 00:26:55.480
 Now,

00:26:55.680 --> 00:26:57.920
 dead doesn't tell all the story.

00:26:58.180 --> 00:26:59.720
 It is part of the picture.

00:27:01.320 --> 00:27:02.740
 One of the things that God

00:27:02.740 --> 00:27:04.640
 did over and over again

00:27:04.640 --> 00:27:05.400
 in the Old Testament

00:27:05.400 --> 00:27:06.360
 with the nation of Israel

00:27:06.360 --> 00:27:07.340
 is he reminded them

00:27:07.340 --> 00:27:08.520
 where they came from.

00:27:08.519 --> 00:27:11.019
 And,

00:27:11.119 --> 00:27:12.960
 and as he was giving them

00:27:12.960 --> 00:27:14.440
 his expectations,

00:27:14.839 --> 00:27:16.220
 he kept on framing

00:27:16.220 --> 00:27:17.240
 those expectations

00:27:17.240 --> 00:27:18.660
 against the backdrop

00:27:18.660 --> 00:27:20.639
 of his unconditional love

00:27:20.639 --> 00:27:21.960
 and his interest in them.

00:27:23.079 --> 00:27:24.259
 Let's just try this,

00:27:24.379 --> 00:27:25.420
 the Ten Commandments.

00:27:26.079 --> 00:27:27.299
 He starts out by saying,

00:27:27.619 --> 00:27:28.859
 I am the Lord your God

00:27:28.859 --> 00:27:30.680
 who brought you out of

00:27:30.680 --> 00:27:32.819
 Egypt,

00:27:33.819 --> 00:27:34.740
 land of slavery.

00:27:34.740 --> 00:27:37.400
 Elsewhere in the book of Jeremiah,

00:27:37.779 --> 00:27:38.440
 I believe it is,

00:27:38.460 --> 00:27:38.940
 or Isaiah,

00:27:39.279 --> 00:27:39.680
 he says,

00:27:39.759 --> 00:27:39.960
 listen,

00:27:40.099 --> 00:27:41.120
 I found you

00:27:41.120 --> 00:27:42.220
 as a,

00:27:42.299 --> 00:27:44.140
 as an outcast.

00:27:44.240 --> 00:27:44.900
 I found you

00:27:44.900 --> 00:27:46.240
 lying in your blood.

00:27:46.339 --> 00:27:46.839
 One of the things

00:27:46.839 --> 00:27:47.240
 that happened

00:27:47.240 --> 00:27:48.120
 in the ancient world

00:27:48.120 --> 00:27:49.599
 is when you had a baby

00:27:49.599 --> 00:27:50.620
 and you didn't want a baby,

00:27:50.779 --> 00:27:51.380
 what you did

00:27:51.380 --> 00:27:51.960
 was you just

00:27:51.960 --> 00:27:53.299
 abandoned the baby

00:27:53.299 --> 00:27:54.279
 on the side of the road

00:27:54.279 --> 00:27:55.940
 and the baby died of exposure.

00:27:56.140 --> 00:27:56.880
 Very common.

00:27:57.480 --> 00:27:58.019
 Very common.

00:27:59.640 --> 00:28:00.099
 And he says,

00:28:00.160 --> 00:28:00.799
 I came along

00:28:00.799 --> 00:28:01.819
 and I saw you there

00:28:01.819 --> 00:28:03.160
 lying in your blood.

00:28:03.160 --> 00:28:05.180
 Your mother had walked away from you,

00:28:05.340 --> 00:28:05.960
 left you there.

00:28:06.160 --> 00:28:06.960
 I picked you up.

00:28:07.100 --> 00:28:07.740
 I bathed you.

00:28:07.840 --> 00:28:08.600
 I took care of you.

00:28:08.820 --> 00:28:09.700
 I clothed you.

00:28:13.700 --> 00:28:15.279
 The love of God for us

00:28:15.279 --> 00:28:16.100
 is unconditional.

00:28:19.360 --> 00:28:20.900
 And so a godly husband

00:28:20.900 --> 00:28:23.200
 loves his wife

00:28:23.200 --> 00:28:24.360
 and lets her know

00:28:24.360 --> 00:28:25.640
 that she is beautiful

00:28:25.640 --> 00:28:26.440
 and beloved

00:28:26.440 --> 00:28:29.720
 when she has morning breath,

00:28:29.720 --> 00:28:33.120
 when she has bed head,

00:28:34.160 --> 00:28:37.360
 when she doesn't have her paint on.

00:28:42.740 --> 00:28:43.880
 Some of you little girls

00:28:43.880 --> 00:28:44.779
 are wondering,

00:28:44.940 --> 00:28:45.700
 what's that all about?

00:28:45.779 --> 00:28:46.600
 Well, you'll understand.

00:28:49.240 --> 00:28:50.380
 Don't look at me yet.

00:28:51.420 --> 00:28:51.819
 What?

00:28:53.140 --> 00:28:54.000
 You're the only one

00:28:54.000 --> 00:28:54.960
 I'm allowed to look at

00:28:54.960 --> 00:28:56.279
 and keep looking at.

00:28:56.640 --> 00:28:57.400
 Do you follow that?

00:28:57.400 --> 00:28:57.519
 What?

00:28:58.420 --> 00:28:58.620
 No,

00:28:58.759 --> 00:28:59.540
 is it?

00:28:59.620 --> 00:28:59.980
 That's it?

00:29:00.080 --> 00:29:01.060
 One, one person.

00:29:01.140 --> 00:29:01.480
 By the way,

00:29:01.540 --> 00:29:02.380
 she's sitting right over there.

00:29:02.420 --> 00:29:03.120
 I know where she is.

00:29:08.580 --> 00:29:09.600
 A godly husband

00:29:09.600 --> 00:29:10.620
 loves his wife

00:29:10.620 --> 00:29:13.860
 with her weaknesses

00:29:13.860 --> 00:29:15.480
 and her repeated frailties.

00:29:17.080 --> 00:29:18.759
 And he lets her know

00:29:18.759 --> 00:29:20.580
 that his love for her

00:29:20.580 --> 00:29:22.540
 only grows stronger

00:29:22.540 --> 00:29:23.340
 by the day.

00:29:23.339 --> 00:29:30.299
 Christ's love for us

00:29:30.299 --> 00:29:31.639
 is also fully relational.

00:29:32.459 --> 00:29:33.740
 Look at Ephesians 2,

00:29:34.179 --> 00:29:35.119
 verse 6,

00:29:35.199 --> 00:29:36.500
 and then verse 13.

00:29:38.579 --> 00:29:39.759
 It says this.

00:29:39.859 --> 00:29:40.500
 It says there

00:29:40.500 --> 00:29:41.819
 in Ephesians 2,

00:29:42.119 --> 00:29:43.359
 verse 6,

00:29:44.799 --> 00:29:45.419
 it says,

00:29:45.819 --> 00:29:46.980
 and raised us up with him

00:29:46.980 --> 00:29:48.399
 and seated us with him

00:29:48.399 --> 00:29:49.459
 in the heavenly places

00:29:49.459 --> 00:29:50.279
 in Christ Jesus.

00:29:50.279 --> 00:29:54.019
 A couple weeks ago,

00:29:54.099 --> 00:29:54.660
 our kids went

00:29:54.660 --> 00:29:55.420
 to the winter jam.

00:29:56.559 --> 00:29:57.759
 And that was just

00:29:57.759 --> 00:29:59.240
 an incredibly cold day.

00:30:00.079 --> 00:30:01.339
 I was obsessing about

00:30:01.339 --> 00:30:02.819
 whether my grandchildren

00:30:02.819 --> 00:30:03.940
 were going to survive.

00:30:04.119 --> 00:30:05.319
 Do you have hand warmers?

00:30:05.619 --> 00:30:06.700
 Are you wearing wool socks?

00:30:07.079 --> 00:30:07.359
 Do you have,

00:30:07.359 --> 00:30:07.660
 you know,

00:30:07.940 --> 00:30:08.960
 yeah, yeah, yeah,

00:30:09.019 --> 00:30:09.920
 I'm going to be good.

00:30:10.019 --> 00:30:10.160
 You know,

00:30:10.240 --> 00:30:12.559
 and it's like,

00:30:13.399 --> 00:30:14.399
 so after it's all over,

00:30:14.460 --> 00:30:14.980
 they had to go,

00:30:15.259 --> 00:30:15.460
 oh,

00:30:15.839 --> 00:30:16.399
 skinny jeans

00:30:16.399 --> 00:30:17.480
 are not for cold weather.

00:30:17.619 --> 00:30:17.720
 You know,

00:30:17.759 --> 00:30:18.799
 yes,

00:30:18.799 --> 00:30:20.000
 I understand.

00:30:22.759 --> 00:30:23.259
 You know,

00:30:23.339 --> 00:30:23.980
 and it wasn't

00:30:23.980 --> 00:30:24.779
 just my grandchildren.

00:30:24.940 --> 00:30:25.379
 I know there were

00:30:25.379 --> 00:30:26.240
 a bunch of them out there

00:30:26.240 --> 00:30:27.200
 that were testing

00:30:27.200 --> 00:30:27.759
 the elements.

00:30:27.839 --> 00:30:28.259
 How's that?

00:30:31.200 --> 00:30:31.960
 You want to look

00:30:31.960 --> 00:30:33.119
 like a Michelin man?

00:30:33.159 --> 00:30:34.139
 There's a reason for it.

00:30:36.460 --> 00:30:36.779
 Okay.

00:30:36.960 --> 00:30:37.159
 Well,

00:30:37.579 --> 00:30:38.139
 back we go.

00:30:38.240 --> 00:30:38.960
 We're staying with the text.

00:30:39.039 --> 00:30:39.700
 That's what we're working on.

00:30:40.480 --> 00:30:41.379
 There in verse 6,

00:30:41.419 --> 00:30:41.700
 it says,

00:30:42.019 --> 00:30:43.119
 he seated us with him

00:30:43.119 --> 00:30:44.139
 in the heavenly places.

00:30:44.200 --> 00:30:44.799
 You know what it's saying?

00:30:45.119 --> 00:30:45.379
 It says,

00:30:45.539 --> 00:30:46.339
 he called us,

00:30:46.559 --> 00:30:47.579
 come on inside.

00:30:47.579 --> 00:30:49.059
 Let me put my arms around you

00:30:49.059 --> 00:30:49.699
 and love you.

00:30:50.699 --> 00:30:51.740
 We were outside.

00:30:52.539 --> 00:30:53.720
 He brought us inside.

00:30:54.659 --> 00:30:55.599
 He loved us.

00:30:56.240 --> 00:30:57.259
 Then in verse 11,

00:30:57.359 --> 00:30:57.919
 here's what it says,

00:30:58.019 --> 00:30:58.220
 therefore,

00:30:58.819 --> 00:30:59.859
 remember that at one time

00:30:59.859 --> 00:31:01.000
 you Gentiles in the flesh

00:31:01.000 --> 00:31:02.199
 called the uncircumcision

00:31:02.199 --> 00:31:03.000
 by what was called

00:31:03.000 --> 00:31:03.720
 the circumcision,

00:31:03.839 --> 00:31:04.619
 which is in the flesh

00:31:04.619 --> 00:31:05.079
 by hands.

00:31:05.359 --> 00:31:05.799
 It says,

00:31:06.039 --> 00:31:07.079
 we were alienated.

00:31:08.659 --> 00:31:09.939
 And then in verse 13,

00:31:10.000 --> 00:31:10.559
 it says here,

00:31:11.000 --> 00:31:12.619
 and we who were once

00:31:12.619 --> 00:31:13.539
 far off

00:31:13.539 --> 00:31:14.919
 have been brought

00:31:14.919 --> 00:31:15.859
 nigh.

00:31:15.859 --> 00:31:18.859
 Do you understand that?

00:31:21.119 --> 00:31:21.979
 You were out

00:31:21.979 --> 00:31:23.740
 and now you're in.

00:31:25.539 --> 00:31:26.679
 There's a relationship

00:31:26.679 --> 00:31:27.419
 there

00:31:27.419 --> 00:31:29.740
 that the apostle

00:31:29.740 --> 00:31:30.599
 is referencing

00:31:30.599 --> 00:31:32.740
 that's important

00:31:32.740 --> 00:31:33.899
 for us to recognize.

00:31:34.079 --> 00:31:34.259
 And so,

00:31:34.519 --> 00:31:35.059
 let me tell you,

00:31:35.099 --> 00:31:35.779
 to love your wife

00:31:35.779 --> 00:31:36.839
 like Christ loved the church

00:31:36.839 --> 00:31:38.039
 means that you're willing

00:31:38.039 --> 00:31:38.659
 to spend time

00:31:38.659 --> 00:31:40.119
 listening to your wife's interests.

00:31:41.719 --> 00:31:42.679
 You should know

00:31:42.679 --> 00:31:43.459
 when she's happy

00:31:43.459 --> 00:31:44.539
 or when she's sad.

00:31:44.539 --> 00:31:45.920
 You should know

00:31:45.920 --> 00:31:47.139
 what she's concerned about

00:31:47.139 --> 00:31:48.839
 or what's on her mind.

00:31:50.039 --> 00:31:50.720
 You should know

00:31:50.720 --> 00:31:52.559
 what her favorite restaurant is

00:31:52.559 --> 00:31:53.980
 and what food she likes.

00:31:55.039 --> 00:31:55.579
 And by the way,

00:31:55.619 --> 00:31:56.220
 let me tell you something,

00:31:56.339 --> 00:31:57.299
 there's no substitute

00:31:57.299 --> 00:31:58.079
 for actually being

00:31:58.079 --> 00:31:58.779
 a good listener.

00:31:59.859 --> 00:32:01.079
 And I can tell you this

00:32:01.079 --> 00:32:01.779
 from experience,

00:32:02.000 --> 00:32:03.559
 it takes lots of time.

00:32:03.559 --> 00:32:09.579
 be interested in the things

00:32:09.579 --> 00:32:10.779
 that are important to her.

00:32:12.179 --> 00:32:13.119
 I've got to tell this.

00:32:13.679 --> 00:32:14.539
 Sorry Carrie's here,

00:32:14.659 --> 00:32:15.539
 but I'll tell it anyway.

00:32:16.099 --> 00:32:16.779
 I've been tracking

00:32:16.779 --> 00:32:17.359
 on Facebook.

00:32:17.919 --> 00:32:18.119
 Yeah,

00:32:18.299 --> 00:32:19.200
 pastor goes on Facebook.

00:32:19.460 --> 00:32:20.139
 Some of you ought to watch

00:32:20.139 --> 00:32:20.700
 what you post.

00:32:20.919 --> 00:32:21.200
 But anyway,

00:32:21.559 --> 00:32:23.679
 I've been tracking

00:32:23.679 --> 00:32:24.200
 on Facebook

00:32:24.200 --> 00:32:25.599
 where there's one young couple

00:32:25.599 --> 00:32:26.139
 in our church

00:32:26.139 --> 00:32:27.440
 and I'm watching this guy

00:32:27.440 --> 00:32:29.039
 go in and look at dishes.

00:32:29.579 --> 00:32:29.700
 You know,

00:32:29.740 --> 00:32:29.919
 I mean,

00:32:29.940 --> 00:32:31.319
 why does the bride-to-be

00:32:31.319 --> 00:32:32.179
 have to take pictures

00:32:32.180 --> 00:32:32.860
 of all these things?

00:32:32.900 --> 00:32:33.340
 I don't know.

00:32:33.500 --> 00:32:34.180
 But she does

00:32:34.180 --> 00:32:34.880
 and she posts them

00:32:34.880 --> 00:32:36.680
 and so here's the young man,

00:32:36.779 --> 00:32:36.900
 you know,

00:32:37.000 --> 00:32:37.660
 yeah,

00:32:38.700 --> 00:32:39.100
 yeah,

00:32:39.200 --> 00:32:39.700
 those towels

00:32:39.700 --> 00:32:40.779
 will really go good

00:32:40.779 --> 00:32:41.259
 with the paint

00:32:41.259 --> 00:32:41.820
 in our bathroom.

00:32:41.960 --> 00:32:42.080
 You know,

00:32:43.519 --> 00:32:46.039
 I've got to tell you guys,

00:32:46.240 --> 00:32:46.400
 hey,

00:32:46.460 --> 00:32:47.160
 you're just warming up

00:32:47.160 --> 00:32:47.820
 for the main event.

00:32:48.180 --> 00:32:49.400
 You're not even halfway home.

00:32:57.360 --> 00:32:58.500
 I want you to recognize

00:32:58.500 --> 00:32:59.680
 another thing about this love.

00:32:59.740 --> 00:33:00.460
 It's sacrificial.

00:33:02.180 --> 00:33:03.160
 There in the passage

00:33:03.160 --> 00:33:04.440
 in Ephesians,

00:33:04.580 --> 00:33:05.200
 it says that,

00:33:05.880 --> 00:33:06.820
 look at the passage

00:33:06.820 --> 00:33:09.440
 because it is so profound.

00:33:11.140 --> 00:33:12.940
 As Christ loved,

00:33:13.460 --> 00:33:14.480
 that's past tense.

00:33:15.000 --> 00:33:15.759
 Do you understand that?

00:33:16.500 --> 00:33:17.480
 Past tense.

00:33:18.560 --> 00:33:19.840
 He loved the church

00:33:19.840 --> 00:33:23.000
 and gave himself up for her.

00:33:23.000 --> 00:33:32.319
 when you love your wife,

00:33:32.960 --> 00:33:35.099
 it means that

00:33:35.099 --> 00:33:36.119
 when you don't get your way,

00:33:36.200 --> 00:33:36.839
 you don't pout

00:33:36.839 --> 00:33:38.380
 and let her know about it.

00:33:39.240 --> 00:33:39.980
 Everybody look up,

00:33:40.059 --> 00:33:40.900
 men in particular,

00:33:41.440 --> 00:33:42.319
 that smile at me,

00:33:42.619 --> 00:33:42.819
 say,

00:33:42.980 --> 00:33:44.000
 I know you're talking to me

00:33:44.000 --> 00:33:44.700
 because I am.

00:33:44.700 --> 00:33:49.940
 when you don't get your way.

00:33:51.620 --> 00:33:52.019
 You know,

00:33:52.019 --> 00:33:52.700
 some of us are

00:33:52.700 --> 00:33:54.279
 kind of surly boors.

00:33:55.100 --> 00:33:55.400
 And so,

00:33:55.500 --> 00:33:55.620
 yeah,

00:33:55.680 --> 00:33:56.420
 we didn't get our way,

00:33:56.519 --> 00:33:56.840
 but buddy,

00:33:56.920 --> 00:33:57.620
 there's payback.

00:34:01.480 --> 00:34:02.160
 That means,

00:34:02.259 --> 00:34:03.180
 and here I'm telling

00:34:03.180 --> 00:34:03.620
 to myself,

00:34:03.740 --> 00:34:04.220
 and it's hard,

00:34:04.840 --> 00:34:06.319
 but it means moving furniture

00:34:06.319 --> 00:34:06.980
 just because.

00:34:06.980 --> 00:34:11.039
 You know,

00:34:11.940 --> 00:34:12.940
 I've got to confess this.

00:34:13.000 --> 00:34:13.619
 There was a time

00:34:13.619 --> 00:34:14.240
 where I thought

00:34:14.240 --> 00:34:16.679
 that I really needed

00:34:16.679 --> 00:34:17.539
 to change my wife

00:34:17.539 --> 00:34:18.219
 and God thought

00:34:18.219 --> 00:34:19.519
 she needed to change me.

00:34:19.900 --> 00:34:20.579
 But I thought

00:34:20.579 --> 00:34:21.460
 that it would be a good idea

00:34:21.460 --> 00:34:22.000
 if what I did

00:34:22.000 --> 00:34:23.119
 was I took out a magic marker

00:34:23.119 --> 00:34:24.099
 and on the bottom of the couch

00:34:24.099 --> 00:34:24.880
 every time I moved it,

00:34:24.900 --> 00:34:25.420
 I put a date.

00:34:30.380 --> 00:34:31.559
 I don't do that anymore.

00:34:34.059 --> 00:34:35.320
 But there is an advantage.

00:34:35.420 --> 00:34:36.059
 I'm getting older

00:34:36.059 --> 00:34:36.900
 and one of the things

00:34:36.900 --> 00:34:37.760
 that goes with getting older

00:34:37.760 --> 00:34:38.059
 is I,

00:34:39.059 --> 00:34:39.579
 guess what?

00:34:40.099 --> 00:34:40.940
 I have grandkids.

00:34:41.539 --> 00:34:42.079
 Woo-hoo-hoo!

00:34:42.680 --> 00:34:44.260
 And I have a son-in-law

00:34:44.260 --> 00:34:45.539
 that is just a worker man.

00:34:46.260 --> 00:34:46.519
 Yes, sir.

00:34:47.280 --> 00:34:48.200
 So Judith now said,

00:34:48.660 --> 00:34:48.940
 honey,

00:34:49.559 --> 00:34:50.300
 would you ask?

00:34:51.940 --> 00:34:52.300
 Okay.

00:34:52.619 --> 00:34:53.460
 But things we've got

00:34:53.460 --> 00:34:53.980
 to work on.

00:34:55.300 --> 00:34:56.139
 We're in the process

00:34:56.139 --> 00:34:57.039
 of remodeling again.

00:34:59.160 --> 00:34:59.480
 Yeah,

00:34:59.500 --> 00:34:59.860
 I know,

00:34:59.920 --> 00:35:00.340
 don't laugh,

00:35:00.440 --> 00:35:01.740
 but we're kind of

00:35:01.740 --> 00:35:02.300
 preparing,

00:35:02.440 --> 00:35:03.039
 so if my parents

00:35:03.039 --> 00:35:03.780
 move in with us,

00:35:03.860 --> 00:35:04.860
 we're able to take care

00:35:04.860 --> 00:35:05.099
 of them.

00:35:05.099 --> 00:35:07.099
 And I've moved

00:35:07.099 --> 00:35:07.860
 the toilet in

00:35:07.860 --> 00:35:08.440
 where we're going

00:35:08.440 --> 00:35:09.239
 to have our bedroom

00:35:09.239 --> 00:35:09.940
 three times.

00:35:11.639 --> 00:35:12.039
 Now,

00:35:12.159 --> 00:35:13.039
 understand that it

00:35:13.039 --> 00:35:14.059
 hasn't been plumbed yet,

00:35:14.219 --> 00:35:14.819
 but the reason

00:35:14.819 --> 00:35:15.920
 it hasn't been plumbed

00:35:15.920 --> 00:35:16.759
 is because I knew

00:35:16.759 --> 00:35:17.839
 what was going to happen.

00:35:19.739 --> 00:35:20.739
 Do you follow that?

00:35:22.559 --> 00:35:23.679
 I want it here.

00:35:24.779 --> 00:35:25.920
 Yes, ma'am.

00:35:26.460 --> 00:35:27.799
 And a couple days later,

00:35:27.860 --> 00:35:28.759
 I want it here.

00:35:28.760 --> 00:35:29.480
 Okay.

00:35:31.080 --> 00:35:32.360
 I want it here.

00:35:32.780 --> 00:35:32.920
 You know,

00:35:33.420 --> 00:35:35.260
 our toilet is in a circular

00:35:35.260 --> 00:35:36.100
 kind of,

00:35:36.600 --> 00:35:37.380
 we're not talking about

00:35:37.380 --> 00:35:37.800
 the bowl,

00:35:37.880 --> 00:35:38.440
 we're talking about

00:35:38.440 --> 00:35:39.300
 the toilet itself

00:35:39.300 --> 00:35:40.120
 is just moving around

00:35:40.120 --> 00:35:40.460
 and it's a,

00:35:40.900 --> 00:35:41.100
 okay,

00:35:41.440 --> 00:35:41.600
 hey,

00:35:42.560 --> 00:35:44.660
 it's sacrificial.

00:35:49.060 --> 00:35:50.040
 That means

00:35:50.040 --> 00:35:53.480
 that you as a godly husband

00:35:53.480 --> 00:35:54.300
 are willing to get down

00:35:54.300 --> 00:35:54.720
 your knees

00:35:54.720 --> 00:35:55.780
 and wash your feet

00:35:55.780 --> 00:35:58.039
 like Jesus did.

00:36:01.880 --> 00:36:02.720
 Sitting around

00:36:02.720 --> 00:36:03.620
 like some little

00:36:03.620 --> 00:36:04.920
 North Korean dictator,

00:36:05.080 --> 00:36:05.240
 you know,

00:36:05.380 --> 00:36:06.360
 Kim Il-jong,

00:36:06.500 --> 00:36:06.720
 you know,

00:36:06.800 --> 00:36:08.740
 and stomping your feet

00:36:08.740 --> 00:36:09.500
 and expecting her

00:36:09.500 --> 00:36:10.420
 to grab you a glass

00:36:10.420 --> 00:36:11.080
 of ice water

00:36:11.080 --> 00:36:12.160
 while she does

00:36:12.160 --> 00:36:12.820
 everything else,

00:36:12.900 --> 00:36:13.539
 it's just not

00:36:13.539 --> 00:36:14.579
 the Bible picture.

00:36:21.480 --> 00:36:22.279
 So what goes

00:36:22.279 --> 00:36:22.840
 through the mind

00:36:22.840 --> 00:36:23.880
 of a Christian husband

00:36:23.880 --> 00:36:24.420
 this morning

00:36:24.420 --> 00:36:25.599
 as they sit here

00:36:25.599 --> 00:36:26.960
 and listen to the teaching

00:36:26.960 --> 00:36:28.259
 of the Word of God

00:36:28.259 --> 00:36:29.340
 and the preaching

00:36:29.340 --> 00:36:30.639
 of the Word of God?

00:36:30.840 --> 00:36:31.519
 One of the things

00:36:31.519 --> 00:36:32.340
 that ought to be happening

00:36:32.340 --> 00:36:33.500
 is that you sit here

00:36:33.500 --> 00:36:33.779
 and think,

00:36:33.880 --> 00:36:34.340
 oh, Lord,

00:36:34.420 --> 00:36:34.940
 help me.

00:36:35.779 --> 00:36:36.099
 Right?

00:36:36.739 --> 00:36:37.639
 Is that logical?

00:36:39.199 --> 00:36:40.239
 I'm not up to that.

00:36:41.880 --> 00:36:42.279
 Well,

00:36:42.280 --> 00:36:43.960
 who is?

00:36:45.340 --> 00:36:45.960
 But you know

00:36:45.960 --> 00:36:46.600
 what it ought to do?

00:36:46.660 --> 00:36:47.340
 It ought to drive

00:36:47.340 --> 00:36:48.220
 the Christian husband

00:36:48.220 --> 00:36:48.800
 to prayer.

00:36:50.360 --> 00:36:51.300
 It ought to drive

00:36:51.300 --> 00:36:52.240
 the Christian husband

00:36:52.240 --> 00:36:53.160
 with humility

00:36:53.160 --> 00:36:57.019
 to recognize

00:36:57.019 --> 00:36:58.300
 his desperate need

00:36:58.300 --> 00:36:59.440
 for the Spirit of God

00:36:59.440 --> 00:37:03.320
 and it ought to make

00:37:03.320 --> 00:37:03.780
 a difference

00:37:03.780 --> 00:37:04.420
 in your home.

00:37:08.140 --> 00:37:09.120
 I have no doubt

00:37:09.120 --> 00:37:09.840
 that there are some

00:37:09.840 --> 00:37:10.360
 here today

00:37:10.360 --> 00:37:11.560
 that do not know Christ.

00:37:12.280 --> 00:37:13.760
 And I would confess

00:37:13.760 --> 00:37:14.340
 at the outset

00:37:14.340 --> 00:37:15.620
 that preaching

00:37:15.620 --> 00:37:18.019
 about Christian husbands

00:37:18.019 --> 00:37:19.360
 loving your wife

00:37:19.360 --> 00:37:21.380
 like Christ loved the church

00:37:21.380 --> 00:37:23.340
 is so far

00:37:23.340 --> 00:37:24.460
 off the screen

00:37:24.460 --> 00:37:25.600
 that it's hardly

00:37:25.600 --> 00:37:26.220
 anywhere

00:37:26.220 --> 00:37:28.080
 in the room.

00:37:28.960 --> 00:37:30.180
 But here's what

00:37:30.180 --> 00:37:31.360
 is always in the room.

00:37:32.800 --> 00:37:33.840
 As you consider

00:37:33.840 --> 00:37:34.380
 the difference

00:37:34.380 --> 00:37:35.280
 between Christ

00:37:35.280 --> 00:37:35.880
 and his love

00:37:35.880 --> 00:37:36.600
 for the church

00:37:36.600 --> 00:37:38.260
 and the natural heart

00:37:38.260 --> 00:37:39.920
 of the unsaved man

00:37:39.920 --> 00:37:40.500
 or woman

00:37:40.500 --> 00:37:41.500
 who's here today,

00:37:41.500 --> 00:37:43.179
 there has to be

00:37:43.179 --> 00:37:45.000
 a sense of shame

00:37:45.000 --> 00:37:46.139
 and guilt

00:37:46.139 --> 00:37:47.860
 for the sinfulness

00:37:47.860 --> 00:37:49.099
 of the heart

00:37:49.099 --> 00:37:50.699
 of every man

00:37:50.699 --> 00:37:52.500
 and woman.

00:37:53.500 --> 00:37:54.480
 Do you follow that?

00:37:57.780 --> 00:37:58.960
 And the gospel

00:37:58.960 --> 00:37:59.639
 is sweet.

00:38:00.460 --> 00:38:00.659
 Do you know

00:38:00.659 --> 00:38:01.420
 what the gospel is?

00:38:02.460 --> 00:38:03.780
 It says that you

00:38:03.780 --> 00:38:04.820
 are a sinner

00:38:04.820 --> 00:38:05.300
 condemned

00:38:05.300 --> 00:38:06.659
 before a holy God

00:38:06.659 --> 00:38:08.139
 and you cannot

00:38:08.139 --> 00:38:09.539
 save yourself

00:38:09.539 --> 00:38:10.500
 or change

00:38:10.500 --> 00:38:11.779
 your way.

00:38:13.339 --> 00:38:14.119
 But God

00:38:14.119 --> 00:38:14.759
 knowing the

00:38:14.759 --> 00:38:15.980
 desperate condition

00:38:15.980 --> 00:38:16.659
 of your heart

00:38:16.659 --> 00:38:18.599
 sent Jesus Christ

00:38:18.599 --> 00:38:19.940
 to be the Savior

00:38:19.940 --> 00:38:20.639
 of the world

00:38:20.639 --> 00:38:21.579
 and he

00:38:21.579 --> 00:38:22.960
 died in

00:38:22.960 --> 00:38:24.379
 your place.

00:38:27.199 --> 00:38:28.059
 And the Bible

00:38:28.059 --> 00:38:29.219
 offers as a free gift

00:38:29.219 --> 00:38:29.619
 it says

00:38:29.619 --> 00:38:30.579
 so that

00:38:30.579 --> 00:38:31.259
 whosoever

00:38:31.259 --> 00:38:32.339
 believes on him

00:38:32.339 --> 00:38:33.899
 should have

00:38:33.899 --> 00:38:35.059
 everlasting life.

00:38:35.059 --> 00:38:38.980
 So

00:38:38.980 --> 00:38:40.579
 Christian women

00:38:40.579 --> 00:38:41.559
 who are sitting here

00:38:41.559 --> 00:38:42.960
 may be thinking

00:38:42.960 --> 00:38:43.519
 to themselves

00:38:43.519 --> 00:38:44.900
 I really wish

00:38:44.900 --> 00:38:45.440
 my husband

00:38:45.440 --> 00:38:46.059
 loved me

00:38:46.059 --> 00:38:46.840
 that way.

00:38:47.380 --> 00:38:47.980
 That's fair.

00:38:48.400 --> 00:38:49.279
 But here's your deal

00:38:49.279 --> 00:38:50.079
 you just work

00:38:50.079 --> 00:38:50.599
 on your part

00:38:50.599 --> 00:38:51.239
 let God work

00:38:51.239 --> 00:38:51.779
 on his part

00:38:51.779 --> 00:38:52.400
 do you follow that?

00:38:53.679 --> 00:38:54.259
 There are Christian

00:38:54.259 --> 00:38:54.940
 husbands who are

00:38:54.940 --> 00:38:55.259
 thinking

00:38:55.259 --> 00:38:57.320
 I'm not there.

00:38:58.639 --> 00:38:59.199
 Good.

00:38:59.880 --> 00:39:00.299
 I'm glad

00:39:00.299 --> 00:39:01.320
 you got that message

00:39:01.320 --> 00:39:03.059
 because the purpose

00:39:03.059 --> 00:39:03.660
 of the preaching

00:39:03.660 --> 00:39:04.559
 of the word of God

00:39:04.559 --> 00:39:05.460
 is putting us

00:39:05.460 --> 00:39:06.019
 on the spot

00:39:06.019 --> 00:39:06.300
 of saying

00:39:06.300 --> 00:39:06.700
 hey

00:39:06.700 --> 00:39:07.600
 I got to work

00:39:07.600 --> 00:39:08.000
 at this

00:39:08.000 --> 00:39:09.080
 how do I do it?

00:39:10.400 --> 00:39:11.539
 I rely upon

00:39:11.539 --> 00:39:12.220
 the word

00:39:12.220 --> 00:39:13.400
 and I rely upon

00:39:13.400 --> 00:39:14.100
 the spirit

00:39:14.100 --> 00:39:15.360
 and I rely upon

00:39:15.360 --> 00:39:16.120
 God's people

00:39:16.120 --> 00:39:16.900
 to help me.

00:39:20.100 --> 00:39:20.880
 To walk

00:39:20.880 --> 00:39:21.519
 out of here

00:39:21.519 --> 00:39:23.160
 indifferent

00:39:23.160 --> 00:39:24.140
 to the authority

00:39:24.140 --> 00:39:25.320
 of the word of God

00:39:25.320 --> 00:39:27.780
 is to kind of

00:39:27.780 --> 00:39:28.600
 invite him

00:39:28.600 --> 00:39:31.680
 to get your attention

00:39:31.680 --> 00:39:33.180
 another way.

00:39:34.120 --> 00:39:34.900
 Make sense?

00:39:36.519 --> 00:39:37.519
 So let's close

00:39:37.519 --> 00:39:37.920
 in prayer

00:39:37.920 --> 00:39:39.460
 and ask God

00:39:39.460 --> 00:39:40.200
 to help you deal

00:39:40.200 --> 00:39:40.940
 with the teaching

00:39:40.940 --> 00:39:41.780
 of his word

00:39:41.780 --> 00:39:42.940
 in practical

00:39:42.940 --> 00:39:44.660
 personal way.

00:39:47.800 --> 00:39:48.820
 Our Father God

00:39:48.820 --> 00:39:49.340
 this morning

00:39:49.340 --> 00:39:50.320
 your word is clear

00:39:50.320 --> 00:39:52.920
 it's called to us

00:39:52.920 --> 00:39:54.700
 as Christian men

00:39:54.699 --> 00:39:55.239
 and husbands

00:39:55.239 --> 00:39:55.980
 in particular

00:39:55.980 --> 00:39:57.299
 is profoundly

00:39:57.299 --> 00:39:57.919
 humbling

00:39:57.919 --> 00:39:58.799
 that we

00:39:58.799 --> 00:39:59.719
 who are frail

00:39:59.719 --> 00:40:00.279
 as we are

00:40:00.279 --> 00:40:01.159
 should be

00:40:01.159 --> 00:40:01.939
 examples

00:40:01.939 --> 00:40:02.899
 of Christ.

00:40:04.679 --> 00:40:05.119
 And so like

00:40:05.119 --> 00:40:05.980
 the Apostle Paul

00:40:05.980 --> 00:40:06.379
 we say

00:40:06.379 --> 00:40:07.179
 who is sufficient

00:40:07.179 --> 00:40:08.099
 for these things

00:40:08.099 --> 00:40:09.119
 and then we

00:40:09.119 --> 00:40:09.639
 recognize

00:40:09.639 --> 00:40:10.679
 with the very

00:40:10.679 --> 00:40:11.419
 same breath

00:40:11.419 --> 00:40:12.359
 our sufficiency

00:40:12.359 --> 00:40:13.439
 is from God.

00:40:16.259 --> 00:40:17.159
 Convict us

00:40:17.159 --> 00:40:19.579
 of your expectation.

00:40:20.759 --> 00:40:21.699
 Convict us

00:40:21.699 --> 00:40:23.699
 of our need.

00:40:24.699 --> 00:40:26.480
 and encourage us

00:40:26.480 --> 00:40:27.679
 to be faithful

00:40:27.679 --> 00:40:29.299
 in our divine duty.

00:40:30.199 --> 00:40:30.819
 We ask this

00:40:30.819 --> 00:40:31.819
 in your precious name.

00:40:32.259 --> 00:40:32.519
 Amen.