Dear Brothers and Sisters,

You are invited to come to the Wednesday evening prayer meeting and pray for the church (and other things -- 7:00 PM Wed., LHF time).

Text: Eph. 5:25-33

"Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain, wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. After all, no one ever hated his own body, but he feeds and cares for it, just as Christ does the church -- for we are members of his body. 'For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.' This is a profound mystery -- but I am talking about Christ and the church. However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband." (Eph. 5:25-33)

In verse 26, the apostle Paul refers to the cleansing of the church by "the washing with water through the word." In verse 30 he tells us that we are all members of his body -- that is, of the church. Husbands, (and all potential and future husbands) as members of the body of Christ, the church, let this word of God wash you and make you holy and blameless. Believe that God, for whom nothing is impossible, gives power through his Holy Spirit to his word. It will be effective in sanctifying you.

"Husbands, love your wives as Christ loved the church." How did Christ love the church? He gave himself up for her to make her pure and holy. And now he is washing her with water through the word. His purpose, which will certainly be accomplished, is to make her absolutely perfect -- a radiant, glorious church -- perfect in every way. Then he will present her to himself as his bride.

Paul says, "In the same way (v 28), husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. "In the same way." In what way? In what way did Christ love the church? He left the glory he had in the presence of his Father before the world began and humbled himself and became a little baby. He grew into a man and completely gave up his own life and his own will and his own comfort to do the work that his Father had for him to do. He went around doing good and healing the sick. He preached righteousness and the good news about the kingdom of God. But the leaders of his people only hated him because of it. He was put to death for our sin. This is the way Christ loved the church.

Husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. No one ever hated his own body. Do you hate your own body? The word of God says that no one has ever hated his own body, but he feeds and cares for it just as Christ feeds and cares for the church. Don't you take care of your body? I get up in the morning, take a shower and shave and put on clean clothes. I feed myself breakfast and take some vitamin pills. After I work all day, I go to bed and sleep so that my body will be rested. People generally take care of their own bodies. Paul says that we must take care of our wives as we take care of ourselves. In fact, when we take care of our wives, we are taking care of ourselves. Paul quotes Genesis: The husband and wife become one flesh.

Then Paul says, "I'm going to tell you a really big secret. I'm talking about Christ and I'm talking about the church." (v 32) Paul's comparison of the relationship between Christ and the church and the relationship between husband and wife is not just a convenient illustration that Paul came up with. God planned all of this from the beginning. He gave us marriage and the concept of a perfect marriage so that we could understand the relationship between Christ and the church. Now God (through Paul) has used the relationship between Christ and the church to show us husbands how we must relate to our wives (remember, future husbands also).

Now lets look back at verse 28 which refers to Christ's washing the church with water through the word. I think husbands need to participate in this "washing with water through the word" also. Not only must we take care of our wives' physical needs -- and at this point, I need to say that I don't think that this passage means that wives should necessarily contribute nothing to the material support of the family (After all Priscilla and Aquila both made tents), but that husbands have the final responsibility for providing for their wives. So, not only must you make sure that your wife's physical needs are taken care of, but also that she is fed by the word of God. This means not just taking her to church or bible study -- or even doing daily devotions together, but providing a Godly example in everything -- completely humble and gentle and patient, bearing your wife in love.

Verses 22 through 24 (from last week) tell wives to submit to their husbands as the church submits to the Lord, since the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church. HUSBANDS! This is a command from God directly to wives. The purpose of it is for wives to learn to trust God and to provide a godly example of faith. HUSBANDS, you are not allowed to use this scripture to get your wife to carry a bigger share of the load (as great as the temptation is to do so) -- or to work harder, or whatever. You are also not allowed to think that God's command for husbands to love their wives as Christ loved the church is lessened in any way because you think your wife is not submissive enough. Jesus did not wait until we were submissive to go to the cross. He loved us when we were in total rebellion against God and gave himself up for us to make us holy. HUSBANDS, the command for you to love your wife is independent of what your wife does or doesn't do. You do it by faith in God who commanded it.

On this point, I'm not finished yet. Whether you love your wife or not does not depend in any way on what your wife does. Our natural, fleshly response is, "But she's not doing her part." Have you ever heard anyone say that? Have you ever thought it? (If you haven't, congratulations. Your perfect. You can go immediately to heaven.) So beware of Christian psychologists who teach or imply that it is necessary for a wife to be submissive in order for her husband to love her as Christ loved the church. Or for that matter, beware of any teacher who teaches that husbands must love their wives before the wives can be submissive. Many bible teachers will point out that wives will generally be submissive if their husbands love them properly. This may be true in general, but if it doesn't happen, husbands, God's command is still in effect. The word of God says, "However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself." (Eph. 5:33)

So, "Husbands, love your wives as Christ loved the church." How did Christ love the church? He gave himself up for her to make her pure and holy. He said, "Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will but yours be done." (Luk. 22:42) Then he let them arrest him, beat him and crucify him dead, so that we could be saved. Hopefully it won't be that hard to love your wife (even though at times Satan may tell you it is). In any case your attitude should be that of Christ: "Because God says so, I want to give myself up completely in order to give grace to my wife." Husbands (and future husbands) lets pray for each other. Wives and future wives, it's OK to pray for the men also.

Come on Wednesday and pray for the Church. The Church is the overflowing abundance, the wealth beyond measure and the full and perfect nature of God who fulfills and completes everything in every way.

Grace and peace,
Dean Svoboda

PS: You can also bring you own prayer requests and pray for them with your brothers and sisters in Christ (i.e., with the Church). Bring your requests to God with thanksgiving and receive his peace.

PPS: Pass this invitation along to others in your household or to someone who doesn't have an e-mail address in the LHF directory