Be a man through the Heavenly Man
Sunday service (Pentecost Sunday), Erlo Stegen, 15 May 2016
Wedding of Mbuso Mbanjwa and Thandeka Dlamini
(Also the engagement of Sebastian Merlo / Johanna van Vuuren)
Ephesians 5
22 Wives, be under the authority of your husbands, as of the Lord.
23 For the husband is the head of the wife, as Christ is the head of the church, being himself the saviour of the body.
24 And as the church is under Christ’s authority, so let wives be under the rule of their husbands in all things.
25 Husbands, have love for your wives, even as Christ had love for the church, and gave himself for it;
26 So that he might make it holy, having made it clean with the washing of water by the word,
27 And might take it for himself, a church full of glory, not having one mark or fold or any such thing; but that it might be holy and complete.
28 Even so it is right for husbands to have love for their wives as for their bodies. He who has love for his wife has love for himself:
29 For no man ever had hate for his flesh; but he gives it food and takes care of it, even as Christ does for the church;
30 Because we are parts of his body.
31 For this cause will a man go away from his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.
32 This is a great secret: but my words are about Christ and the church.
33 But do you, everyone, have love for his wife, even as for himself; and let the wife see that she has respect for her husband.
I won’t hide it from you that I have fear for I’ve married many different people. They come to me and tell me that God has led them to get married, and they use many beautiful verses. But after some time things change. But things should not change.
It’s not a small thing to get married. Even in heaven it’s written down. In the Bible we read that God said that it’s not good for man to be alone (Gen 2:18). But in the New testament it says it’s better not to marry than to marry (1Cor 7:8).
Why do things change? There could be many reasons. Maybe before the marriage the person put in everything to live for the Lord but after marriage things change. CT Studd said his co-workers used to live for God before marriage, but once they marry things change.
Before marriage there was time for prayer but after marriage that desire disappears. Live the same life after marriage as you lived before.
The one should sanctify the other and be a help to the other. The trouble with many men is that he loves his wife shortly after marriage, but after sometime he no longer loves her the same way anymore and treats her differently.
The Bible says that if something comes between you and your wife then your prayers will also be hindered (1Pet 3:7).
Be a blessing to each other and the people close to you. That the people might thank the Lord for your wife or husband. May your marriage remain a sweet flavour to God and man. Be such a husband of God, don’t change.
We read that marriage is a great mystery for it points to Christ and the church. Eve was created from the rib of Adam. And on the Cross Christ was injured in His side and the church made from that.
But we find that Eve wandered from Adam’s side and started to converse with the snake. Adam had a weakness and when his wife came to him with the evil suggestion of eating of the forbidden fruit he yielded.
That’s the weakness of man. When he should not listen to his wife, he listens and when he should listen he doesn’t. Pilate is a good example. When his wife told him not to have anything to do with the blood of Jesus, he still went ahead and condemned Him to be crucified. History has it that he later went insane and committed suicide.
A certain woman got married, and shortly after the wedding realised that her husband made very foolish decisions. But she decided to speak to him with respect. When he wanted to make a foolish decision she asked him once if he thought it was the right thing to do. He answered with disdain that she knew nothing and went ahead and did it. But everything went wrong. This happened three times and then he started to realise that his wife heard God’s voice. And he started to respect her.
You’re a man through the heavenly Man. Obey Him and He will bless you and your children.
Music:
KwaSizabantu Choir: How excellent is Thy lovingkindness!
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KwaSizabantu Choir: UMA NGIHOLWA ISANDLA
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KwaSizabantu Choir: THE SAVIOUR HAS COME
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Youth Choir:
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Youth Choir:
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