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HUSBANDS AND WIVES (3)

September 2, 2001 AM

Sermon Outline

Titus 2:3-5

INTRO: There is no disputing the fact that cultural and economic situations have had an impact on marriage. That impact has put stresses into marriage which other generations did not experience. Still, there are some givens (as I hear the word used these days) which are as valid today as they ever were. Whether or not those givens are honored is another matter. And cultural changes may well send us away from the timeless givens which serve strong marriages so well. This morning, then, what can wives give their husbands?

1. Give him faithfulness

a. Prov 31:11 doth safely trust in her

b. trust is such a vast word which touches much

c. she is faithful to her marriage vows

d. she is faithful in confidences

e. she is faithful in the matter of her house

f. note the last part of the verse: her faithfulness keeps his interest focused in his home (yes, there may be the exceptions ... but the general rule is here!) - Song of Solomon 7:10

g. observe v.12 ... all the days of her life - what husband could ask for more

2. Give him love

a. Titus 2:4 ...to love their husbands ...

b. in this passage the word for love is from the Greek word indicating affection

c. interesting in the age of arranged marriages!!

d. Song of Solomon 2:3 sheer joy to be in his presence

e. in a world where men are often known by the numbers they produce, a wifes affection is a welcome reality

f. in a world where men are thrown into every sort of contact, a wifes affection is stability and satisfaction

g. as much as you want to feel special to him, he wants to know he is special to you

3. Give him information

a. 1 Sam 1:8 questions - questions - information?

b. husbands are terrible mind readers

c. if you want them to know something, you truly need to tell them ... needs, desires, feelings

d. now, he may not always understand ... but his learning to be a good listener will give you satisfaction in his trying to hear with understanding

e. Prov 19:13 it is also important not to nag ... how we share information will determine how it is received

f. Prov 31:26 communication in marriage is so important

4. Give Christian behavior

a. 1 Pet 3:1,2 (Prov 12:4)

b. qualities which should certainly be emphasized are kindness; patience; self-discipline, speech becoming, etc.

c. the home is a place which these qualities must be practiced and often are not

d. notice 1 Pet 3:8,9 in immediate context of marriage

e. Christian behavior is a powerful deterrent to weeds in the relationship

f. you will never have reason to regret such behavior!

g. Prov 31:30

CLOSE: We will continue to explore this subject next Lords day. In the meantime, wives, think of the marriage enhancing things you can give your husbands. And give them.

Cecil A. Hutson

02 September 2001

God's Plan of Salvation

You must hear the gospel and then understand and recognize that you are lost without Jesus Christ no matter who you are and no matter what your background is. The Bible tells us that "all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God." (Romans 3:23) Before you can be saved, you must understand that you are lost and that the only way to be saved is by obedience to the gospel of Jesus Christ. (2 Thessalonians 1:8) Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me." (John 14:6) "Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved." (Acts 4:12) "So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." (Romans 10:17)

You must believe and have faith in God because "without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him." (Hebrews 11:6) But neither belief alone nor faith alone is sufficient to save. (James 2:19; James 2:24; Matthew 7:21)

You must repent of your sins. (Acts 3:19) But repentance alone is not enough. The so-called "Sinner's Prayer" that you hear so much about today from denominational preachers does not appear anywhere in the Bible. Indeed, nowhere in the Bible was anyone ever told to pray the "Sinner's Prayer" to be saved. By contrast, there are numerous examples showing that prayer alone does not save. Saul, for example, prayed following his meeting with Jesus on the road to Damascus (Acts 9:11), but Saul was still in his sins when Ananias met him three days later (Acts 22:16). Cornelius prayed to God always, and yet there was something else he needed to do to be saved (Acts 10:2, 6, 33, 48). If prayer alone did not save Saul or Cornelius, prayer alone will not save you. You must obey the gospel. (2 Thess. 1:8)

You must confess that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. (Romans 10:9-10) Note that you do NOT need to make Jesus "Lord of your life." Why? Because Jesus is already Lord of your life whether or not you have obeyed his gospel. Indeed, we obey him, not to make him Lord, but because he already is Lord. (Acts 2:36) Also, no one in the Bible was ever told to just "accept Jesus as your personal savior." We must confess that Jesus is the Son of God, but, as with faith and repentance, confession alone does not save. (Matthew 7:21)

Having believed, repented, and confessed that Jesus is the Son of God, you must be baptized for the remission of your sins. (Acts 2:38) It is at this point (and not before) that your sins are forgiven. (Acts 22:16) It is impossible to proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ without teaching the absolute necessity of baptism for salvation. (Acts 8:35-36; Romans 6:3-4; 1 Peter 3:21) Anyone who responds to the question in Acts 2:37 with an answer that contradicts Acts 2:38 is NOT proclaiming the gospel of Jesus Christ!

Once you are saved, God adds you to his church and writes your name in the Book of Life. (Acts 2:47; Philippians 4:3) To continue in God's grace, you must continue to serve God faithfully until death. Unless they remain faithful, those who are in God's grace will fall from grace, and those whose names are in the Book of Life will have their names blotted out of that book. (Revelation 2:10; Revelation 3:5; Galatians 5:4)