Week 8 Small Group (Monday). Focussing on Colossians 3:18-21
A Christian Family is first and foremost marked by unity with Christ. True life is when we lay down our life for each other and the Christian family is based on the model that Jesus had for His church. Marriage is a metaphor for Jesus and His church. Men hold the role of Jesus, while women represent His church. It is a living parable, a picture of the gospel. ➕
The best example here would be a pilot and a co-pilot. 👩✈️👨✈️ Both are equal at the front of the plane, both with a role to play in getting the family safely to their destination. Both equally qualified, but using different skills to complement each other. The co-pilot is to submit to the decisions of the pilot, but both would be involved in the everyday decisions being made.
2000 years ago, it was the command on the husbands that was the controversial statement. Husbands to love their wives, and not in response to the submission of the wives, but as the initiation. Just as Jesus first loved His church (Romans 5:8). A husband’s love is one of self-sacrificing and great service. Christian husbands are to protect their wives, just as Jesus loves, protects, and sacrificed for His bride.
Children are to obey their parents. This is to teach them to obey rules when they are grown up and to teach them to walk with Jesus later in life. Jesus obeyed His father – all the way to His death upon the cross. Parents, in turn, are not to cause frustration and friction, but rather love and cherish their children.
Keeping the thinking going...
A great resource for any relationship within a Christian family would benefit from the knowledge of the 5 languages of love series of books. 💜🧡💛💚💙
