Ephesians: Wholeness in a 
World
Week of August 21, 2005
This Week’s Scripture Reading
Ephesians 5:21-33
21And further, you will submit to one another out of reverence for Christ. 22You wives will submit to your husbands as you do to the Lord. 23For a husband is the head of his wife as Christ is the head of his body, the church; he gave his life to be her Savior. 24As the church submits to Christ, so you wives must submit to your husbands in everything.
25And you husbands must love your wives with the same love Christ showed the church. He gave up his life for her 26to make her holy and clean, washed by baptism and God’s word. 27He did this to present her to himself as a glorious church without a spot or wrinkle or any other blemish. Instead, she will be holy and without fault. 28In the same way, husbands ought to love their wives as they love their own bodies. For a man is actually loving himself when he loves his wife. 29No one hates his own body but lovingly cares for it, just as Christ cares for his body, which is the church. 30And we are his body.
31As the Scriptures say, “A man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, and the two are united into one.” 32This is a great mystery, but it is an illustration of the way Christ and the church are one. 33So again I say, each man must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.
Prayers for the Week:
Sunday |
Heavenly Father, I pray today for all the husbands and wives in our congregation. The apostle Paul took time to explain how they are to interact, because the family is the basic unit of worship and living. Empower all couples to glorify You! Amen. |
Monday |
Heavenly Father, today I pray that wives will submit to their husbands as to You. I know that it isn’t popular to speak of submission in our day, but it is your desire to have an authority structure in marriage, so let it be so. In Jesus’ name. Amen. |
Tuesday |
Heavenly Father, today I pray that men will truly love their wives as Jesus loved the church, and gave His life for her. I pray that love as an action will be first and foremost in every husband’s mind and life. In Jesus’ name. Amen. |
Wednesday |
Heavenly Father, I pray for mutual love and respect among husbands and wives today. I pray that families in our congregation will be ordered on You, as the first priority. I pray we will live according to Your will. In Jesus’ name. Amen. |
Thursday |
Heavenly Father, FILL every person in our congregation with Your Holy Spirit. I pray again, particularly for husbands and wives. Let every married person among us turn to You as the power source for living faithfully in marriage. Amen. |
Friday |
Heavenly Father, today I pray for all married people everywhere. I pray that those who call You Lord, will bow to You and will carry out Your plan for marriage in their lives. May those who don’t know You come to know You today! Amen. |
Saturday |
Heavenly Father, I lay before You the institution of marriage today. You ordained it. You designed it. I pray that You will bless it and renew it. Pour out Your Spirit that men and women may honor their commitments in married life. Amen. |
Background on the Text
The family is the basic unit of life according to the Bible. When God created humanity, He created us male and female and told us to be fruitful and multiply and subdue the earth. In the Apostle Paul’s letter to the Ephesian Christians, he outlines the most important realities for interactions between husbands and wives. While the passage has some intricate analogies, the basic point Paul makes is that wives are to respect their husbands and husbands are to love their wives. Paul hits on the areas that husbands and wives find most difficult AFTER marriage. It is tough for women to respect their husbands’ decisions, direction and leading in marriage (and frankly sometimes husbands don’t make it easy!) At the same time husbands may show a great deal of love and affection during the “dating” phase of a relationship, but during the marriage that love is often “understood” rather than expressed. Paul’s admonitions regarding marriage are powerful, because they are so balanced and because they demonstrate the relationship Jesus desires to have with us, His Church!
Monday
Observation: What does the text say?
Tuesday
Interpretation: What do these verses mean?
Wednesday
Application: How can I respond to the text’s insights and teachings?
Thursday
After reading and studying this text, reflect on the following discipleship growth points:
Encouraged and strengthened me by:
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Fallen short areas
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What will I do with these insights?
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Friday
After reading and studying this text, reflect on the following discipleship growth points:
What did God say to me this week?
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Share insights and growth points.
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Changed/transformed how?
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Saturday
Reflective Thoughts