3/14/21
Living sacrificially and denying ourselves is at the heart of discipleship. As Luke 9:23 reminds us, 'Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.' In marriage, this sacrificial love mirrors Christ's love for us, which was extravagant and selfless (Ephesians 5:1-2 MSG). Understanding and meeting each other's needs with honor, respect, and open communication build a strong foundation. Let's embrace sacrificial love and cultivate a marriage that reflects Christ's love for his church.
Denying yourself and living sacrificially
Then he said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny
themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me”. (Luke 9:23
NIV)
“Most assuredly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the
ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much
grain”. (John 12:24 NKJV)
• Our individual relationship to Jesus is the foundation of our marriage
• In our individual relationships, we are transformed to be more like
Jesus
Watch what God does, and then you do it, like children who learn
proper behavior from their parents. Mostly what God does is love you.
Keep company with him and learn a life of love. Observe how Christ
loved us. His love was not cautious but extravagant. He didn’t love in
order to get something from us but to give everything of himself to us.
Love like that. (Ephesians 5:1-2 MSG)
• Real love = Real sacrifice
Men and women are equal in marriage, but God created us
with a different set of needs.
1. Discover your spouse’s needs
Out of respect for Christ, be courteously reverent to one another...
(Ephesians 5:21-24 MSG)
• The way we treat, value, and love each other is out of respect for
Christ
What Men Need:
• Honor and respect
• Support
• Sex
Do not deprive each other of sexual relations, unless you both agree
to refrain from sexual intimacy for a limited time so you can give
yourselves more completely to prayer. Afterward, you should come
together again so that Satan won’t be able to tempt you because of
your lack of self-control. (1 Corinthians 7:5 NLT)
Husbands, go all out in your love for your wives, exactly as Christ did
for the church-a love marked by giving, not getting... (Ephesians
5:25-28 MSG)
What women need:
• Security
• Affection
• Communication
2. Discover how to talk to each other
“If you want to enjoy life and see many happy days, keep your tongue
from speaking evil and your lips from telling lies. Turn away from evil
and do good. Search for peace, and work to maintain it. The eyes of
the Lord watch over those who do right, and his ears are open to their
prayers. But the Lord turns his face against those who do evil.” (1
Peter 3:10-12 NLT)
Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you
may know how you ought to answer each one. (Colossians 4:6 NKJV)
3. Discover how to resolve conflict
Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only
what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it
may benefit those who listen. (Ephesians 4:29 NIV)
Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of
peace. (Ephesians 4:3 NIV)
The main reason for unresolved conflict in relationships is selfishness.
• Unspoken expectations destroy marriages
Your “go to” questions:
• What can I give to this relationship
• How do these words help
• Is this in my head or did I communicate it
#LivingSacrificially #DenyYourself #Discipleship #MarriageFoundation #SacrificialLove #ChristlikeLove #MeetNeeds #HonorEachOther #CommunicationIsKey