We have been walking through Ephesians for about the last 15-20 weeks. These last two weeks have had us in Ephesians Chapter 5, looking at what Paul, and ultimately Jesus, have to say about marriage. This is a significant passage because marriage is such a big part of our world and our society. These 12 verses are not the cure all for marriage problems, but they lay out a blueprint that we should aim to follow, and when we chase that goal our marriages will begin to take their cue and their direction from it and will become strong and healthy.
The catch: the goal stated in this passage is not a healthy marriage. It’s not being a good husband or wife or even sacrificial, agape kind of love. The stated goal of this passage is to reflect and magnify the relationship Jesus has with his bride, the church.
The passage gives us very practical and deep thoughts on how to be godly husbands and wives because the way we do those roles are directly stated as illustrations of who Jesus is, how he leads and loves his people, how they respond to and respect him, and how powerful and affective the gospel is.
That being true, it’s important for us to realize, like we said on Sunday, Jesus is not the means to any goal. He is not a means to a good marriage or to any other thing. Jesus, himself, IS the goal. He is the pursuit. Paul said it in Philippians 3:10. Knowing, loving, following, serving, being known by Jesus…that is the goal. Just Jesus, not what that brings or who it may make us. All of those are huge, joyous results of it that God, in his wisdom, made a necessary and inseperable part of the journey. But the things we receive, they are not the goal.
What does this have to do with single people? Most single people want to be married. Most single people have crushes, want to be pursued, want to pursue, like to be kissed, like to give or receive flowers, and on and on and on. So as we pursue these things and trust Christ and his process, we realize, when we begin to understand God’s heart and his word, that there is no way to do any relationship successfully and purposefully apart from having your heart, mind, and life absolutely devastated by the gospel of Jesus.
That is the goal.
Tags: Aaron Clayton, Dating, Ephesians 5, Marriage, Relationships
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