Gospel never gets old

The Gospel changes us and we never outgrow the Good News of Jesus Christ. We needed Jesus and we need Jesus. In the Apostle Paul’s letter to the Church at Ephesus, he gives some misbehaving husbands some instructions. Let’s drop in and hear what Paul says to them, “Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave Himself for her, that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word…” (Ephesians 5:25-26) Here’s the backstory. In Ephesus men saw women as a piece of property, a business decision. Husbands did not see their wives as someone to cherish and love and care for so sexual relationships outside of marriage were culturally acceptable regardless if it went against God’s law.

Please notice Paul did not attempt to address the problem on the surface, he dug deeper into the heart of these men. He told them to think about the Gospel, think about Jesus, think about how much God loves you and let that motivate your love for your wife.

Paul doesn’t say be nice to your spouse or here are the rules of marriage, he doesn’t offer marriage counseling, or tickets to the latest marriage conference and he doesn’t offer free baby sitting at the church so they can have more date nights (can you even date your wife, didn’t you marry her so you could stop dating her and isn’t dating going backwards in the relationship?). What Paul says is, “Men, be like Jesus.”

Christ loved you when you were not lovely, while you were still a sinner Christ died for you (Romans 5:8). Jesus gave Himself in order to cleanse you from your sins. Paul told husbands to go and love your wife the way Christ loved you, serve your wife the way Christ served you. Look at your wife the way Jesus looks at you, He looks at you and thinks you are awesome. If she’s not perfect, remember you are not perfect but it doesn’t stop Jesus from responding in perfection.

At the Church at Corinth there was a man having a physical relationship with his stepmother, people were actually getting drunk while at church (obviously not Baptists—just kidding) and there were divisions over who was the best pastor. Again Paul did not take away their keys, ground them from driving and send them to their room. This is what he said, “Now I would remind you brothers, of the Gospel, I preached to you…” (1st Corinthians 15:1) Remember the Gospel, remember Jesus, remember what He did for you, remember how He loved you despite the fact that there was nothing to love.

The Gospel never gets old and it never stops having an impact on our lives. It affects our work ethic, our parenting, what kind of neighbor we are, our finances, blah, blah, blah. Now go and be like Jesus.

He told me to tell you that.