Dr. Terry E. Zebulske, Pastor
Grace Community Church
January 7, 2007
 
THE BEAUTIFUL WIFE
(Ephesians 5:22-24, 33b)
 
…Our God is               and all that He has ever made is beautiful.  God has made us with an appreciation for beauty.  Today, more than ever, attention is focused upon              beauty.  For women this involves spending money on cosmetics, hair, jewelry, and other adorning things.  God tells us in His Word how a wife can make herself really beautiful and             God’s wonderful purpose for her.
…Remember, last time we studied Ephesians 5, we saw that wives need the deep             of their husbands.  However, this is not the husband’s greatest need.  A husband needs the             and admiration of his wife.  If you will sincerely do this, in God’s             you will become BEAUTIFUL. 
TWO WAYS IN WHICH YOU, AS A WIFE, SHOULD SHOW RESPECT FOR YOUR HUSBAND…This will make you BEAUTIFUL in the eyes of             God and your husband.
I.         You Should Respect Your Husband For Who He Is And             He Does For You And The Family.  (Ephesians 5:33b)  “the wife must respect (fear) her husband.” 
A.   Admire (respect) your husband’s desire to             and achieve.  (God built man to go out and conquer the                 of our world.)               
…From the very beginning, Adam enjoyed his            .  (Gen 2:15)  Adam cultivated and kept the Garden of Eden.  Work was a blessing to man, something to                , something to conquer.
…From the very beginning, man was called to work “in the field” and provide for his family, whereas, a wife was called to her             and family.  (These are core issues)  See Gen 3 (curse)
…Your husband needs you to             in him (admiration), if you do, he will ascend life’s highest challenges for you and your family.   He will achieve for the benefit of his             ones.
B.    Appreciate (honor) his role as your                and provider.  (God built him to care for you)
1.          Husband and wife are spiritually equal, but God has made your man             stronger.
…He wants to be revered for taking care of you.  (protecting and providing)
2.         Don’t ever belittle him in this.  Don’t ever             him with the other men… 
C.    Respect your husband’s desire to serve and to lead.  (God built him to be your            )
1.          God calls the husband the “head” of the wife.  (Eph 5:23) This means he has the final                and responsibility in the home.  (like: “head of state”)
2.         “Appreciating and respecting your husband’s desire to serve you and lead the family takes faith,              , and strength on your part, but it will work.”   
D.   Admire your husband’s desire for             intimacy.  (God made him different from you)
1.          Just as you need emotional             through talking to him, so he has a need for                release through sexual intimacy. 
2.         Be thankful that God has designed him to             you in intimacy, don’t belittle him because he is wired so differently from you in this.  Respond to his advances…
II.       You Should Respect Your Husband By                To His Loving-Leadership. (Ephesians 5:22-24)   “wives, submit to your own husbands as to the Lord.”    Several questions:
A.   To whom is a wife to submit to?  
1.          You must submit to             husband.  You have no              to submit to any other man, merely because he is a man and you are a woman.   Never!
2.         The church is the             institution of God where He designed men to have the primary teaching and                roles. (Elders and Deacons)   In this…only a             men… 
B.                does a wife need to submit to her husband?  Answer:  He is her             (leader).  (Eph 5:23)
…a woman who refuses to  submit to her husband,             the meaning of God’s institution.
C.               does a wife submit to her husband?  Just as the church is submits to Christ.
…How does the church submit to Christ?  It does so with             for Him as the primary motive behind all obedience.
D.   How             does a wife need to go in her submission?   (v. 24)  “in               .” 
…There is only             qualifier, “as is fitting in the Lord.”  (Col 3:18)  She is             to be lead to sin…
                THIS IS GOD’S DESCRIPTION OF THE                WIFE.  IT IS TRUE BEAUTY.
LESSONS FOR OUR LIVES: