Family Rx: Spouse

Ephesians 5:21-33

A portrait of Christ and HisBride.

Husbands in the role of Jesus:

Lead with your head. v. 23

Love with your heart. vv. 25-30

Serve with your hands. vv. 21; 26-27

Wives in the role of the Church:

Submit with your heart. vv. 22-24

Respect with your mouth. v. 33

Three observations:

The wife’s submission is to a lover, not an ogre.

The husband’s love is to be like Christ’s.

Love and submission are two sides of the same coin.

Take Home Idea: God-designed marriage is a portrait of Christ’s relationship to the us!

“Family Rx: Spouse” Discussion Questions

Ephesians 5:21-33

Opening:

Who were your favorite TV (or movie) family? Why?

Look at the Take Home idea. Explain it in your own words.

Dig:

In the Greek, v. 22 is a clause that borrows the verb “submit” from v. 21. What significance does Paul’s instructions then in v. 21, have over these instructions to wives and husbands? How does mutual submission work in a marriage?

What is the picture of the marriage relationship? How does that impact the different roles?

What is the major instruction given to the wife? What is the major instruction given to the husband? What are the differences in these instructions?

In your own words, how would you express the goal of Christian marriage (v. 31)?

Can you think of instances where a wife should not “submit to their husbands in everything”?

Reflect:

What principles from this section can you work on to help you be a better spouse (or potential spouse)?

Close by praying together.