Servant Leader
God’s Established Order
Today we will be talking about SUBMITTING in marriage, and although we are to submit to one another, God established a specific Kingdom order we see in Eph. 5. Let’s read it.
Eph 5: 22-25
22 Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. 23 For the husband is head of the wife, as also Christ is head of the church; and He is the Savior of the body. 24 Therefore, just as the church is subject to Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in everything.25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her,
Col 3:20 talks about children obeying their parents completing the order in the whole family. Other places in scripture show order regarding rulers and governing authority (Rom 13). God is a God of order.
Why the Disdain in our Culture Regarding Authority & Submission?
Could it be because we see so many bad examples in society and in our culture that it’s gotten totally distorted? And if the model is Christ, why don’t we see its expression in marriages? We don’t see people taking issue regarding rank in military or in the workplace, but in marriage there is less respect for God’s order.
We don’t see right order with children either, for the most part. It used to be that children were part of the family. Now they seem to be the center. Wrong order.
Leading is Responsibility
Husbands, you have a (Kingdom) weighty responsibility of being called to imitate Christ in the relationship of husband and wife. As Christ is the head of the church, the husband is head of the wife.
Leading is Serving
Being over your wife is not to be a controlling, demanding, micromanaging, lording over, you will submit to me as head, but rather as a servant, as one with a towel. Husband, you get the privilege of leading with a laid down life. All that you do should be for her benefit. Husband, your wife is a treasure to cherish and protect (cover) at all cost to yourself. The connection between Christ and the Church is not only master to servant; it’s of lover and beloved.
Husbands:
Leading is part of Kingdom order.
Leading has great responsibility that you will answer for.
Leading means humility (1 Peter 5:6 Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time,)
Leading means selflessness; it is sacrificial.
Leading means helping your wife (and family) thrive and grow spiritually and emotionally.
Leading is a blessing to your wife when leading like Christ (Eph 5: 25.)
Wives:
We are equal; we are just not the head.
We are submitting to God when we submit to our husband.
Submission means: to obey, be under obedience, put under, subdue unto, subject, to be under subjection, submit self unto.
Wives, understand the great responsibility your husband has to lead. Affirm and encourage him to that place of right order in your home. Submit to his leadership.
Discussion: Do we have right order in our marriage and in our home?
Study: Eph 5:22-33
Prayer: Heavenly Father, show us where we need to bring order in our marriage and home regardless of how our culture sees it.