The Holy Marriage of Isaac White
and Shaynah Ney
August 10, 2024
Paradise Ridge, Moscow, Idaho
Text: Eph.
5:22-33
“Husbands,
love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her” (Eph.
5:25; ESV). A Christian husband
is to die for the sake of his wife. This
business of “Wives, submit to your own husbands, as
to the Lord” (v. 22) gets all the press, and it’s true enough, and
we’ll talk about that in a minute. But
the really scandalous thing in this text is the admonition to you,
this evening, Isaac. Give yourself
up. Completely. Sacrifice yourself. Die to yourself. Die physically, if necessary, if that’s what
it takes to protect Poppet, provide for Poppet, lead Poppet in the way of
Christ, along with any children God may give you as a result of your
union. It’s a happy day for you. I don’t want to take away from that. But that’s the long and the short of it
tonight. Get over yourself. Get ready to die. That’s what you’re promising here in your
vows.
And then, yeah, back to this
politically incorrect bit, “Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the
Lord.” “Wow, Paul. Patriarchal much? Get with the program, man!” No, it doesn’t mean what your 21st
Century American ears think it means.
This has nothing to do with the battle of the sexes. It’s not about women being inferior, or some
such nonsense. It’s not about who’s the
boss. No. No.
The Christian wife is to submit to her Christian husband’s
divine call to love her, and give himself up for her, as the embodied
icon of Christ for her. She is to receive
his self-giving, his self-sacrifice, to protect her, to provide for her, to
lead her in the way of Christ, along with any children God may give as a result
of the marital union. That’s your
divine call, Poppet. Again, happy day,
but this is what it comes down to. Get
over your own self-sufficiency. Get
ready to receive Isaac’s self-giving sacrifice, and order your life in that. That’s what you are promising here in
your vows.
And it is all this beautiful picture
of the Lord Jesus Christ and His holy Bride, the Church. That is what we’re given to be as Christian
husbands and wives. The living icon of
Christ and the Church. Christ, the
Bridegroom, loving His Bride, the Church, unto the shedding of His own blood,
unto His death for her on the cross. The
Church, receiving that sacrifice, submitting now in love and thanksgiving to
the One who has given His all for her, His life, His very self, the Crucified,
the Risen and Living One. Receiving His
protection. Receiving His
provision. Following in the way that He
leads. Bathed in His righteousness. Wrapped up in Him, thus clothed in radiant
splendor, without spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing, holy, and without
blemish.
What does that look like,
concretely, in your marriage? Isaac, at
the very least, it means sacrificing your own preferences, your own safety,
pleasure, and comfort for the sake of Poppet.
It means putting her first. Good
old-fashioned chivalry may be a fine place to start. Open the door for her. Offer her a chair. Give her your jacket. You know the drill. It means making sure there is food on the
table, and a roof over her head. It also
means taking the bullet for her, literally, if it comes to it. That is one of the reasons you’re joining the
military. You hear a strange noise in
the middle of the night, you don’t send her down to check it out. You go.
If someone needs to defend your home, that’s you. You do it.
And above all, you lead your wife and family to Christ. You take them to Church. You lead the charge in worship. You don’t let them miss. You lead them in prayer. You lead them in devotions. You teach them the Scriptures. It isn’t easy. It’s a sacrifice. But that is how you serve as the living
picture of Christ to your wife and family, and to the world.
Poppet, at the very least this means
supporting Isaac and building him up in his God-given role. It means trusting him, receiving his
sacrifice with grace and humility, and using his gifts to you wisely. Sometimes it means encouraging him to
remember his role. It means providing a
place for him, a home beside you, and in your arms. It means providing a place for the nurture of
a family in the fear and admonition of the Lord. Follow Isaac in the way of Christ. If he leads the charge to Church, you’re
right there with him. Pray with him, and
for him. Hear the Word of the Lord with
him. You, also, teach your children the
Scriptures. What I’m describing is not
the world’s idea of a powerful woman.
What I’m describing is a better way, and a womanhood more powerful than
anything the world could ever imagine.
You’re the living picture of Lady Church to your husband and family, and
to the world.
Both of you, this means forgiving
each other constantly, covering up one another’s weaknesses and faults, bearing
with one another in patience and longsuffering.
It means caring for one another, for better, for worse, for richer, for
poorer, in sickness and in health; sticking it out together, struggling always
to cleave to each other in love and fidelity.
Never letting go. Just as Christ
will never let go of His Church. Just as
the Church clings to her Jesus for dear life.
You are the picture of that.
What a tremendous privilege! None of us does it all that well. That is why we need the Lord’s cleansing and
mercy. We have it, thank God. And that is why you can confidently make your vows today, and take upon yourselves
this role, this divine calling. Christ
gave Himself up for you. Now you are
giving yourselves up for and to one another. And what God has joined together, let no one
put asunder. In the Name of the Father,
and of the Son X,
and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
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