to the book of Ephesians chapter 5 our text will be verses 25 through 33 so if you're able

I'll ask you to stand you can follow along as I read if not that's all right where you're seated

beginning in verse 25 the apostle Paul by the Holy Spirit is writing and says,

husbands love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make

her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word,

and to present her to himself as a radiant church without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish but holy and blameless. In this same way,

verse 28, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife,

loves himself. After all, no one ever hated their own body, but they feed and care for their body just as Christ does the church. For we are members of his body. For this reason, a man will leave his father and mother

and be united to his wife. And by the way, that's an interesting word. Some of your translations

render it cleave. It carries with it the idea of be welded to.

How about that?

And the two will become one flesh.

This is a profound mystery, but I am talking about Christ and the church. However, each one of you also

must love his wife as he loves himself. Everything heretofore has been to the husbands.

And then Paul says to the wife and the wife must respect her husband.

That's it. That's all he says to the wife. Just respect your husband.

You know, this is self-explanatory. Let's just close in prayer. We'll get right to the... No?

All right.

Well then why don't we pray?

Loving Heavenly Father, will you help me to rightly and correctly divide your word of truth, especially with this passage

that we have before us here today.

Lord, would you, as you're always so faithful to and as only you can.

...