Lord’s Day Message: Basic Lessons for Christians (12) – The family life of Christians (1) – Husband and Wife
- Family was established by God (Gen.2:18, 22-24):
18 Then the LORD God said, “It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him.” … 23 Then the man said, “This at last is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man.” 24 Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh. (Gen.2:18, 23-24)
- It is to carry out God’s plan (Gen. 1:27-28)
27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. 28 And God blessed them. And God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it… ” (Gen.1:27-28)
- It is the unit of a man and a woman who learn to live together in love and in God’s grace
- It is an environment that we grow up with, which influences us and even determines who we are
- To find/choose your Mate
- A good marriage is not only important to your own life, but also will influence the church life.
- Some principles of searching
a. Praying to God that He brings you the one prepared for you (Mat.19:6)
So they are no longer two but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate. (Mat.19:6)
b. Searching among the believers. If he/she is not a believer yet, preach the gospel to him/her. (2Cor.6:15a; 1Cor.7:39)
Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. … (2Cor.6:15a)
A wife is bound to her husband as long as he lives. But if her husband dies, she is free to be married to whom she wishes, only in the Lord. (1Cor.7:39)
c. Finding someone you are attracted to and love
d. Finding someone you feel that you two fit each other (Gen.2:18)
e. Finding someone you are willing to spend the rest of your life with
f. Consulting with some matured ones who care for you when you need some advices.
- Husband & Wife
- They are so intimate and have become one flesh (Gen.2:23-24), however, their love relationship is not merely an affection/feeling but a living which requires them keep learning and adjusting themselves in love
- The relationship between husband and wife is so important because it is a type of Christ and the church (Eph.5:22-33)
22 Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. 23 For the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the church, his body, and is himself its Savior. 24 Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit in everything to their husbands. 25 Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, 26 that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, … 28 In the same way husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. 29 For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church, 30 because we are members of his body. …33 However, let each one of you love his wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband. (Eph.5:22-26, 28-29, 33)
- Their living is to receive the grace of God together (1Pet.3:7) – to share and supply to each other the grace of God in all situations
Likewise, husbands, live with your wives in an understanding way, showing honor to the woman as the weaker vessel, since they are heirs with you of the grace of life, so that your prayers may not be hindered. (1Pet.3:7)
- Love & Submission: a life-long lesson (Eph.5:22-33; Col.3:18-19; 1Pet.3:1-6)
a. It applies to both husband and wife, yet the Bible’s teaching focuses on what we are lacking – the husband needs to love his wife and the wife needs to submit to her husband
b. Love is a sacrifice to care and to perfect the other
c. Submission: an attitude and action which upholds the unity as a helper
18 Wives, submit to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord. 19 Husbands, love your wives, and do not be harsh with them. (Col.3:18-19)
- Words of warning: Honor marriage (Heb.13:4)
Let marriage be held in honor among all, and let the marriage bed be undefiled, for God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterous. (Heb.13:4)
Message Next Week: Basic Lessons for Christians (13) – The family life of Christians (2) – Parents and Children
Church Meetings/Time/Place
Home Meeting: 15/8 Mon., 7:30pm, (7:00 dinner)
Richard & Flora’s
Pursuing of Uni Students: 16/8 Tue. 7:30pm, Yulin’s
Sisters Meeting: 17/8 Wed. 10:00am, Anne’s
Prayer Meeting: 17/8 Wed. 7:30pm, Meeting Hall
Pursuing of Words: 19/8 Fri., 8:00pm, David’s
Young People Meeting/Home meeting for Adults：
20/8 Sat. 7:30pm, Thomas & Lena’s
Announcements:
- We welcome all the new ones who are joining us today and hope that you can leave your information for us to contact you in the future. After meeting please stay for lunch and enjoy the love feast together with us.
- The church will hold baptism on August 21 for Brother Michael Qiu. If any other gospel friend is willing to be baptized into God’s family, please contact Brother Yulin Wang.
- The church will have a Spring Conference from October 1 to 3 (Sat. to Mon.) and will invite Brother Titus Chu to share the messages. Please remember this in our prayer. For practical serving, Brother Patrick Li will be the coordinator.
After lunch on 18/9 Lord’s Day we will have annual cleaning up of the hall. We hope many brothers and sisters can participate. For the assignment of cleaning work, please register and fellowship with Brother Richard Cui and Sam Li.
<Reminder>
- Brothers and sisters, please come on time and bring your own bible to the meeting.
- During the meeting, please turn off your mobile phone or put the volume on silence and not to walk around or to wonder/talk too laud in the kitchen.
- When you prepare the love feast for Lord’s Day lunch, please do not prepare any food containing nuts as someone may have food allergy.
Please refrain from bringing uncooked food for the love feast so we may lighten the work for the serving ones in the kitchen.
Intercession:
- May the Lord bless the gospel friends among us that they can know how precious the Lord is and are willing to believe in Him.
- Pray for the Basic Lessons for Christians in the coming Lord’s Day meetings that every brother and sister can receive the life supply and grow stably in the Lord.
- Pray for the new believers (David Hu, Gerald Huang, Bangde Liu and Peter Zhang, 4 brothers and Li Li, Mandy Zhou, Leonie, Berry Fei, and Jessica Li, 5 sisters) May the Lord establish them in the church life and bless their growth in life.
- Pray for the brothers and sisters or their relatives who are weak in body or spirit. May the Lord care for them and give them sufficient grace. Pray especially for the health of Brothers HinSang Woon and Brother Shanwon Chow.
- Pray for those year 12 students among us. May the Lord give them wisdom to meet the needs of the exam and help them to know His presence as their encouragement and timely help.
Serving This Week: (Aug. 14)
- Message: David Tan & Yulin Wang
- Breaking the Bread: Richard Chen & Jason Wang
- Serving Bread and Cup: Patrick Li, Benchu Guo, Jason Wang & Richard Cui
- Cleaning: Jason & Susan Family, Andy & Anne Family, Richard Huang Family, Benchu Guo Family & Yulin Family
- Kitchen: Christine & Lili
- Children: Supervisor – Joe, Singing – Combined, Teachers – Holly/Fiona
Serving Next Week: (Aug. 21)
- Message: Patrick Li & Yulin Wang
- Breaking the Bread: Yulin Wang & Richard Cui
- Serving Bread and Cup: Olsen Yu, Jason Wang, Patrick Li & Chuan Ma
- Cleaning: Jason & Susan Family, Andy & Anne Family, Richard Huang Family, Benchu Guo Family & Yulin Family
- Kitchen: Lily & Mandy
- Children: Supervisor – Christine, Singing – Sarah/Vasya, Teachers – Angela/Tina
Comments are closed