Sunday, November 20, 2011, 10:00 a.m.
Allendale Baptist Church, Allendale, MI
Pastor Jonathan DeCou
1 Corinthians 7:1-24
BIG IDEA: Husbands & wives can have successful & satisfying relationships.
“Each [husband] also must love his wife as he loves himself,
and the wife must respect her husband.”
Ephesians 5:33 (NIV)
__________ married to __________. (v 1-11)
o The __________ of marriage
o My ________ reflects my __________ with ________.
o We put the ________ of our ________ ahead of our ________.
o We recognize we are __________ our __________.
o The __________ of marriage
o Being __________ has __________ and __________.
o __________ is a last __________.
__________ married to __________. (v 12-24)
o Believers should not __________ a __________.
o Believers bring a ________ ________ to their ________.
o Believers should seek to pursue ________ and ________.
o Believers should not generally seek a “__________”.
o The Crazy Cycle: o Without love he reacts without respect;
without respect she reacts without love.
o The Energizing Cycle: His love motivates her respect; her respect motivates his love.
o What does a husband’s love look like? (C.O.U.P.L.E.)
o C__________ Closeness – A wife feels loved when her husband is close face-to-face.
o O__________ Openness – A wife feels loved when her husband is not secretly mad at her
o U__________ Understanding– A wife feels loved when her husband understands her.
o P__________ Peacemaking– A wife feels loved when her husband resolves issues with her.
o L__________ Loyalty – A wife feels loved when her husband is completely committed to her.
o E__________ Esteem – A wife feels loved when her husband treasures her above all else.
o What does a wife’s respect look like? (C.H.A.I.R.S.)
o C__________ Conquest – A husband feels respected when his wife appreciates his desire to work and achieve.
o H__________ Hierarchy – A husband feels respected when his wife appreciates his desire to provide and protect – even die.
o A__________ Authority – A husband feels respected when his wife appreciates his desire to be strong and lead (MAKE DECISIONS).
o I__________ Insight – A husband feels respected when his wife appreciates his desire to analyze and counsel (value his input & insight).
o R__________ Relationship – A husband feels respected when his wife appreciates his desire for a shoulder-to-shoulder friendship.
o S__________ Sexuality – A husband feels respected when his wife appreciates his desire for sexual intimacy (understand his passions & pleasures).
BIG IDEA: Husbands & wives can have successful & satisfying relationships.
NOTE:
Also, here is the list of books I recommended this morning:
- Love & Respect (The Love She Most Desires/The Respect He Desperately Needs), by Dr. Emerson Eggerichs, Integrity Publishers and Distributed by Focus on the Family
- For Men Only (A Straightforward Guide to the Inner Lives of Women), by Shaunti & Jeff Feldhahn, Multnomah Books
- For Women Only (What You Need to Know About the Inner Lives of Men), by Shaunti Feldhahn, Multnomah Books
- Sacred Marriage (What If God Designed Marriage to Make Us Holy More Than to Make Us Happy?), by Gary Thomas, Zondervan
- (What the Bible Says About) Love, Marriage & Sex: The Song of Solomon, by David Jeremiah, Turning Point
- Fireproof, DVD, Sherwood Pictures & Provident Films
- The Love Dare, by Stephen Kendrick & Alex Kendrick, B & H Publishing Group
- The Five Love Languages, by Gary Chapman, Northfield Publishing (an imprint of Moody Publishers)
The Crazy Cycle, The Energizing Cycle, the C.O.U.P.L.E. & C.H.A.I.R.S. acrostic are from “Love & Respect” by Emerson Eggerichs.
Read: Re=read 1 Corinthians 7:1-24 and read Ephesians 5:12-33.
Think: Reflect upon your relationship with your spouse, and then ask yourself the following questions: How does a wife submit to her husband? Why is it difficult for wives to show respect to their husbands in our culture today? What does submission mean for a husband? Christ’s love led Him to die for us. What would it mean for a husband to live with his wife with this type of love? How did Christ act out His headship? How did your parents approach marriage? Two masters? Two servants? One master, one servant? What is the goal of Christian marriage (Ephesians 5:31)? What does a wife do when her husband doesn’t take spiritual leadership? Which is a higher priority or value: love or respect?
Do: Husbands, do one thing this week that will demonstrate love to your wife. Wives, do one thing this week that will demonstrate respect to your husband. Singles, ask God for contentment or His choice for a life partner.
