Friday First: Embracing God's Calling for Husbands

We are in the midst of a series of lessons on Godly Relationships. This week we turn our focus to the husband in the marriage relationship. IN "Biblical Manhood: Embracing God's Calling for Husbands" we will explore the biblical perspective on marriage in the context of the self-centered Greco-Roman society of the New Testament era, which is still very applicable in contemporary times. Ephesians 5 reveals that the ultimate aim of marriage is to glorify God. 
In Ephesians 5.22-33, wives are encouraged to submit to their husbands as they would to the Lord, and husbands are instructed to love their wives selflessly, emulating Christ's love for the church. The biblical worldview holds that the grace of God is the ultimate hope for marriage, as the core problem in marriages is sin.

Husbands are called to mirror Christ's self-sacrificial love for the church in their love for their wives. This challenges the traditional view of headship as dominance. Instead, a husband's love must be unselfish and unconditional. His love for her must ensure she feels valued, desired, and cared for. A husband's role is not only to provide but also to encourage his wife's spiritual growth, leading her to become lovely and holy in God's eyes.

In essence, a husband is encouraged to love his wife completely, as he loves himself. This oneness is underlined in Ephesians 5:31. The last verse in the chapter calls for husbands to out-serve their wife and lead in a way that aligns with God's calling for husbands. It underscores the need to prioritize the marriage covenant, for God himself is highly invested in it.

As we gather together on Sunday we will:

• Discuss the biblical worldview of marriage
• Examine God’s calling for husbands. He is to:
  • Love her sacrificially
  • Love her effectively
  • Love her carefully
  • Love her completely

As you prepare for worship be prepared to answer the following questions:

1. How does the concept of selfless love, as described in Ephesians 5, contrast with the modern understanding of love in marriage?
2. In what ways can a husband reflect Christ's sacrificial love for the church in his relationship with his wife?
3. Sin as the major problem in marriages. What are some strategies to deal with sin within a marriage?
4. Husbands, what does it mean to “out-serve” your wife? What does this mean in a practical sense? What examples can be given?
5. Ephesians 5:31 speaks of oneness in marriage. How can couples cultivate this sense of unity in their relationships?

OPENING / WELCOME
Kody Pritt

SONG LEADER
Roy Pyle

PRAYER OF PRAISE
Chris Terrian

LEAD LORD'S SUPPER
Boyd Hastings
 
SCRIPTURE READING
Matt Ringle
Ephesians 5.22-33

PREACHING
Matthew Allen

CLOSING PRAYER
Dan Dekoski

CLOSING COMMENTS
Russ Robins

WELCOME CENTER
Kathy Downey / Tina Jacobs

USHERS
Jim Grushon / Nathan Armstrong

CLOSING THE BUILDING
Josh Childers