I. Introduction (Nehemiah 4:10-14)
“Be not ye afraid of them: remember the Lord, which is great and terrible, and fight for your brethren, your sons, and your daughters, your wives, and your houses.”
A. We Need to Fight FOR our families - not against them
- This year we are learning from a great book in the Bible called Nehemiah
- It is a personal record (like a journal) of what Nehemiah thought, felt and did as he led a few thousand families in a massive reconstruction project
- The Jews that had returned to the rubble of Jerusalem
- And had started to rebuild their capital city
- But they were surrounded and threatened by an enemy called the Samaritans
- Their lives were in constant danger
- They lived in the real fear of being killed
- Nehemiah knew that only strong, high walls would be able to keep back this enemy and enable the people to thrive once again
- So they began to rebuild the high broad walls of Jerusalem, block by block, gate by gate
- But that was not enough - until the walls were finished, they were vulnerable
- The enemy leaders, Sanballat and Tobiah and so many others often would just walk right into the rubble of the city and threaten all the people without warning
- So in chapter 4, Nehemiah armed all the people with handy weapons
- He knew that only weapons at the side of especially every DAD would discourage their enemies from attacking
- What was Nehemiah doing? Teaching the parents, and especially the men and fathers to fight to protect their homes, and not ever lose them!
- Our enemy, Satan is against anything that God loves
- And that includes every human family - no wonder the very ideal of a Christian home is under constant attack and mockery
- Too many homes / MOST families have been destroyed by Satan’s lies, and pressures, and temptations and sorrows
- Our homes need saving Gentlemen!
B. It Starts with Loving your Wife, Gentlemen
- Probably THE most important thing you need to do well
- NOT that you ignore loving your children
- But that you do THIS well, and most problems in a home will greatly improve!
- Men believe they do love their wives - but we don’t, not like we should
- Not like Christ loved his bride, the Christian body of believers called His Church!
- And not like our wives need us to
C. Let’s take a good look at what the love of a Christian husband ought to look like
- The world says happiness is based upon how much love you can GET
- While Christ says AND proves that, happiness comes from how much love you can GIVE
D. We KNOW our wives have some areas THEY need to work on
E. We men have even MORE areas!
II. Background - What a Christian Husband Is
A. He IS a Man (Ephesians 5:21)
- I know there is a LOT of confusion out there as to what that means
- But the Bible is very clear about what makes a man
B. He is Submitted to God
- A real man is not self-ruled
- He answers to God for everything
C. He is Married
- Not living with someone
- But committed through marriage vows
D. He is a Christian
- Born again
- Following Christ
- Growing in faith
III. What a Husband’s Love Should Look Like
A. It Should Be Sacrificial (Ephesians 5:25)
- “Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it”
- Christ didn’t just feel love - He gave Himself
- Love is measured by what it costs you
B. It Should Be Purifying (Ephesians 5:26,27)
- Christ’s goal was to sanctify and cleanse the church
- A husband should help his wife grow spiritually
- Not drag her down, but lift her up
C. It Should Be Nourishing (Ephesians 5:28,29)
- No man ever hated his own flesh
- But nourishes and cherishes it
- A husband should care for his wife as he cares for himself
IV. Application
- Are you fighting FOR your family or against them?
- Does your love for your wife look like Christ’s love for the church?
- What areas need improvement?
- Will you commit to loving your wife God’s way?
The Christian home is under attack. But when husbands love their wives as Christ loves the church, the home becomes a fortress that no enemy can destroy.