Faith in the Faith in the CrosshairsCrosshairs

1 Peter1 PeterServe, Pt. 4 Serve, Pt. 4 (1 Peter 3:7)(1 Peter 3:7)

ReviewReview

Submission to human Submission to human authority authority for the Lord's for the Lord's sakesake……

ContextContext

Covenant: Karat Berit- "to cut Covenant: Karat Berit- "to cut a covenant"a covenant"

"May this happen to me if I "May this happen to me if I break this covenant"break this covenant"

ContextContext

A covenant involves the A covenant involves the whole whole personperson, binding 2 parties , binding 2 parties together in together in permanentpermanent and and unconditionalunconditional unity unity

Covenants take priority over Covenants take priority over every other human every other human relationshiprelationship

Headship and mutual Headship and mutual submission mark human submission mark human covenant relationshipscovenant relationships

LikewiseLikewise, husbands, , husbands, live withlive with your wives in an your wives in an understanding wayunderstanding way

LikewiseLikewise, husbands, , husbands, live withlive with your wives in an your wives in an understanding wayunderstanding way

Likewise Likewise as what?as what?

Likewise, wives, be subject to Likewise, wives, be subject to your own husbands- 3:1your own husbands- 3:1

How?How?−……respectful and pure conductrespectful and pure conduct−……beauty of a gentle and quiet beauty of a gentle and quiet

spiritspirit

Be subject=Be subject= hypotassomenai- hypotassomenai- a continuing attitude of a continuing attitude of willful subordination of one’s willful subordination of one’s desires, wants and needs to desires, wants and needs to anotheranother

Important: Submission is Important: Submission is mutualmutual

LikewiseLikewise

LikewiseLikewise, husbands, , husbands, live withlive with your wives in an your wives in an understanding wayunderstanding way

How?How?

−……live withlive with−……understanding wayunderstanding way−……showing honorshowing honor

……Understanding way=Understanding way= gnosis- gnosis- special knowledge, special knowledge, experientially-learned experientially-learned knowledge, deep insightknowledge, deep insight

A man’s God-given task is to A man’s God-given task is to sstudytudy and k and knownow his wife his wife completely, then provide for completely, then provide for her according to her needsher according to her needs

Redskins vs. the Cowboys?Redskins vs. the Cowboys?

Jeff Burton vs. Jeff Gordon?Jeff Burton vs. Jeff Gordon?

She… He…Is not feeling loved, but is afraid to ask him for fear that his answer wouldn’t be genuine

Thinks things are just fine

Asks him to help her with gardening instead of going fishing

Wants to know why he can’t help her tomorrow instead

Is not interested in gardening- she just wants to know she’s more important than fishing buddies

He’s angry that she complains all the time

A husband’s # 1 job is to A husband’s # 1 job is to continually seek out and continually seek out and understand his wife, then serve understand his wife, then serve her according to her particular her according to her particular needsneeds

SupercedesSupercedes work, hobbies, work, hobbies, sports…sports…

……for the husband is the head of for the husband is the head of the wife the wife just asjust as Christ is the  Christ is the head of the church…Husbands, head of the church…Husbands, love your wives, love your wives, just asjust as Christ Christ lovedloved the church and the church and gave gave himself uphimself up for her to make her for her to make her holy- Eph. 5:25holy- Eph. 5:25

Headship- Involves Headship- Involves rresponsibilityesponsibility, not rights. , not rights. AActionction rather than expectation. rather than expectation. SSacrificeacrifice

Husbands, love your wives, Husbands, love your wives, just asjust as Christ Christ lovedloved the the church and church and gave himself upgave himself up for her to make her holy- for her to make her holy- Eph. 5:25Eph. 5:25

Just as- Just as- in the same way, to in the same way, to the same degreethe same degree

Husbands, love your wives, Husbands, love your wives, just asjust as Christ Christ lovedloved the the church and church and gave himself upgave himself up for her to make her holy- for her to make her holy- Eph. 5:25Eph. 5:25

When Jesus loved the church, When Jesus loved the church, was the church loveable? was the church loveable? What was his response? What was his response? Why?Why?

……live with live with your wives in an your wives in an understanding way…understanding way…

““be at home + with”- fully be at home + with”- fully involved in all matters of involved in all matters of family lifefamily life

““Haven’t I given you many Haven’t I given you many material things??” material things??”

““Haven’t I given you many Haven’t I given you many material things??” material things??”

• ““Sure- you’ve given me Sure- you’ve given me everything but yourself”everything but yourself”

She needs emotional She needs emotional connection in order to feel connection in order to feel secure. A real man is strong secure. A real man is strong enough to be venough to be vulnerableulnerable with with his wifehis wife

……showing honor showing honor to the woman to the woman as the as the weaker vesselweaker vessel, since , since they are they are heirsheirs with you of the with you of the grace of life…grace of life…

Porcelain vase- pPorcelain vase- protectrotect

Heirs- Heirs- eequalqual in God's sight in God's sight

• HonorHonor= Great respect and = Great respect and valuevalue

A real man honors and values A real man honors and values his wife, protecting and his wife, protecting and serving her as a co-equal serving her as a co-equal partner in the marriagepartner in the marriage

If he has to pull the headship If he has to pull the headship card, he’s already lostcard, he’s already lost

……heirs with you…heirs with you…

Marriages centered on Jesus Marriages centered on Jesus include:include:

•RRepentanceepentance•HumilityHumility•ServingServing

Otherwise, both partners are Otherwise, both partners are iincompatiblencompatible

……so that your prayers may not so that your prayers may not be hindered- vs. 7be hindered- vs. 7

A man who won’t respect and A man who won’t respect and honor his wife is wasting his honor his wife is wasting his breath pbreath prayingraying for anything for anything other than repentanceother than repentance

A covenant partner who A covenant partner who follows Jesus and does what follows Jesus and does what is right will experience the is right will experience the full strength and blessings of full strength and blessings of God as he or she serves in God as he or she serves in love (vs. 9-12)love (vs. 9-12)

For the eyes of the Lord are on For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and his ears the righteous, and his ears are open to their prayer. But are open to their prayer. But the face of the Lord is the face of the Lord is against those who do evil" - against those who do evil" - vs. 12vs. 12

TakeawaysTakeaways::

Do I seek to know my wife as Do I seek to know my wife as a priority of my life? And to a priority of my life? And to serve her according to her serve her according to her needs? If not, will I confess needs? If not, will I confess that as sin and begin that as sin and begin knowing her?knowing her?

TakeawaysTakeaways::

Am I involved in all areas of Am I involved in all areas of my home life? Would my my home life? Would my wife describe me as a wife describe me as a spiritual leader, a man of spiritual leader, a man of God? If not, what needs to God? If not, what needs to change? Will I?change? Will I?