Week 1 - Selfishness

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Sermon Notes

Ephesians 5:21–33 (NIV) 21 Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ. 22 Wives, submit yourselves to your own husbands as you do to the Lord. 23 For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. 24 Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything. 25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her 26 to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, 27 and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. 28 In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. 29 After all, no one ever hated their own body, but they feed and care for their body, just as Christ does the church—30 for we are members of his body. 31 “For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.” 32 This is a profound mystery—but I am talking about Christ and the church. 33 However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.

“Selfish people tend to only be good to themselves… then are surprised when they are alone.” ― Steve Maraboli

Philippians 2:3 (NIV) Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves,

James 3:14–16 (NIV) 14 But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. 15 Such “wisdom” does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. 16 For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice.

1. SELFISHENSS IS DEMONSTRATED BY DESTRUCTIVE ACTIONS

1 Timothy 6:10 (NIV) 10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.

2. SELF-SACRIFICE IS DEMONSTRATED BY CONSTRUCTIVE ACTIONS

Takeaways:

1. Verbalize your commitment to each other to have a Biblical marriage.

2. Determine to eliminate strife that comes from selfishness.

3. Develop a commitment to trust God in obedience.

4. Express gratitude to your spouse when they create a selfless culture in your home.

God says your marriage should be a reflection of the love between Christ and the Church.