Bridge Church Vancouver

August 12, 2007

1 Peter 3:1-7 NIV

The most intimate of human relationships is marriage. 

Peter speaks God's counsel about how marriage is to be lived

by those who are aliens and strangers here,

who have been called out of darkness and ignorance

into God's marvelous light

to declare His praises and reveal His glory.

The character of God who gives these commands and this design

Wives, in the same way

The counsel Peter is about to give he has already given to believers in general

1 Peter 2:13  Everyone submits to human authority    FOR THE LORD'S SAKE

1 Peter 2:18  Slaves submit to masters

1 Peter 2:23  Messiah entrusted Himself to Him who judges justly

Now Peter applies this specifically to believing WIVES

Submission is pictured along with headship in

1 Corinthians 11:3 NIV

"Now I want you to realize that the head of every man is Christ, and the head of the woman is man, and the head of Christ is God."

So, submission in no way implies inferiority.  Jesus the Messiah is equal with God, fully God, yet He is submitted to the headship of the Father.

Done freely, by choice,  voluntarily

not by coercion or outside force

This God-given design of authority and order is for our blessing and benefit and joy

Ephesians 5

Puts this submission in the context of Spirit-filled living and applies it to every believer, follower of Jesus the Messiah.

Ephesians 5:8-21  submit to one another out of reverence for Messiah

Ephesians 5:22-33    also pictured is the husband's responsibility/assignment to LOVE his wife as Messiah loved the church and gave Himself up for her

This submission even applies when the wife is a believer and the husband is not.

Text suggests the husband is even hostile and resistant to the Gospel

"...do not believe the Word..."  a deliberate choice

Peter then tells a believing wife how she is to live in this circumstance.

This helps us see how we can relate to those around our lives who

have perhaps heard the Gospel but have been resistant to believing in Jesus.

vv. 1b-2

if any of them do not believe the word, they may be won over without words by the behavior of their wives, 2when they see the purity and reverence of your lives.

Won over = gained

Focus on behaviour that is

PURE, which is the by-product of the fear of the Lord or reverence for the Lord

e.g. Messiah's motivation

Isaiah 11:1-3  esp. 3a

Joseph's behaviour was PURE because he was conscious of God and desired to live in delightful communion with Him.

Genesis 39:1-9

Experienced God's blessings and wanted no interruption

Hebrews 4:13

Living each moment realizing we are in the Presence of God.

God knows all about us.

Then Peter continues to highlight TRUE, LASTING BEAUTY

vv. 3-4

3Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as braided hair and the wearing of gold jewelry and fine clothes. 4Instead, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God's sight.

While not neglecting our outward appearance, God calls us to focus on our inward self.

The hidden person of the heart.

This does not forbid wearing these items, but it simply highlights these are not to be our focus.

Inward character ...which if of GREAT WORTH in God's sight.

How God views us and life and our marriage...

God's viewpoint

1 Samuel 16:7  we look at the outward appearance but God looks at the heart

Jesus said it is out of the heart that the mouth speaks revealing what's in the heart

What is unseen is ETERNAL 

2 Corinthians 4:16-18

These qualities are PRECIOUS and UNFADING, INCORRUPTIBLE

Matthew 13:46 like the pearl of Great Worth

Gentleness = meekness

Matthew 11:2  Jesus' own description of Himself

Matthew 21:5  Jesus' described fulfilling Zacheriah's prophecy of His kingly presentation at the Triumphal entry into Jerusalem

Matthew 5:5 Jesus' pronouncement of blessing on those with this Kingdom quality

Quietness-by-product of trust in and hope in God

Isaiah 26:3

These qualities are beautifully displayed in

RUTH

1:16-18  her trust in God

2:2......8-13......17-18.....23     her virtuous character seen by all

3:1-14    her submission to her mother-in-law and integrity in relating to this Biblical custom

4:13-17 her beautiful marriage to Boaz and God's blessing of putting her in the lineage of Jesus the Messiah

vv. 5-6

5For this is the way the holy women of the past who put their hope in God used to make themselves beautiful. They were submissive to their own husbands, 6like Sarah, who obeyed Abraham and called him her master. You are her daughters if you do what is right and do not give way to fear.    

Example of Sarah relating to Abraham

Genesis 18

How Fearlessness is enabled in difficult circumstances or with a difficult spouse

Isaiah 41:10

John 14:27

Hope in God is the root of true beauty of character, gentleness and quietness.

And the by-product of this HOPE in God is submission to husband as a recognition of the Lord's good command.

The Lord can be trusted.

See His character revealed in the first two chapters of Peter's letter...

Peter then focuses on

HUSBANDS

v. 7

7Husbands, in the same way be considerate as you live with your wives, and treat them with respect as the weaker partner and as heirs with you of the gracious gift of life, so that nothing will hinder your prayers.

Literal:

"Husbands, likewise, dwelling together according to knowledge as with a weaker vessel the female, assigning honour as indeed co-heirs of the grace of life

for the not to be hindered  the prayers of you."

Knowledge = understanding

Husbands need to study their wives and know them well.

Conversation, lots of listening

Learn her dreams and hopes, her fears, her joys, her weaknesses and strengths, where she needs special protection, how to best stimulate her walk with Jesus.

Honour and Respect in thought and word.

Weaker = perhaps physically, perhaps more emotionally sensitive, more sensitive to harshness...certainly not intellectual or social or spiritual

Wife is like fine china, handled with respect and honour and gentle, sensitivity to protect and facilitate the beauty to shine out.

Ephesians 5:25-33  Husbands LOVE your wives as Jesus the Messiah loved the church

What do I think and say about my wife?

Proverbs 12:4  she is my crown, a woman of excellence, of noble character

A crown is beautiful in herself, imparting dignity and honour to the one who wears it

Noble character = one who loves knowledge and instruction from the Lord, a woman of valour, a virtuous woman

Proverbs 19:14  a prudent wife is from the Lord

Proverbs 18:22  he who finds a wife finds a good thing and receives favour from the Lord

Proverbs 31:10-31  an acrostic describing the blessing of a wife of noble character

[acrostic means each verse begins with a successive letter of the Hebrew alphabet]

IMPORTANCE of PRAYER

How important is prayer?

Look at the Life of Jesus:

Matthew 26:36-46   Last thing He did before He gave His life on the execution stake

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Cut in on, hindered....perhaps an unkind word, or a harsh word or insensitivity or

Our relationship with our wives impacts our prayer life and prayer is the believer's vital breathe.

God's staggering prayer promises:

John 14:12-14

John 15:7

John 16:24

Philippians 4:6-7

Philippians 1:9-11

Ephesians 1:17-21

Ephesians 6:10  be strengthened in the Lord   [this usually happens in communion with God in prayer