Topics: sacrificial love, sanctifying love, Godly husbands
I. Love with a sacrificial love
* Godly husbands focus on how they can minister to their wives!
- Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her (Ephesians 5:25).
- But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us (Romans 5:8).
- Now Jacob loved Rachel, so he said, "I will serve you seven years for your younger daughter Rachel." Laban said, "It is better that I give her to you than to give her to another man; stay with me." So Jacob served seven years for Rachel and they seemed to him but a few days because of his love for her (Genesis 29:18?20).
II. Love with a sanctifying love
* Godly husbands seek to be an inspiring spiritual leader for their wives!
- So that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, that He might present to Himself the church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she would be holy and blameless (Ephesians 5:26, 27).
- But when the kindness of God our Savior and His love for mankind appeared, He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out upon us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior (Titus 3:4-6).
III. Love with a self-like love
* Godly husbands show love and care for their wives as they do for themselves!
- So husbands ought also to love their own wives as their own bodies. He who loves his own wife loves himself; for no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ also does the church, because we are members of His body (Ephesians 5:28-30).
- For the whole Law is fulfilled in one word, in the statement, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." But if you bite and devour one another, take care that you are not consumed by one another. But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh (Galatians 5:14-16).
Sermon by Pastor Rod Akins, January 11th, 2026.
Life Group Flow and Discussion Questions
Be a Spirit-filled Husband
An important Guideline of Life Groups: Your Life Group needs to encourage and inspire singles, divorced, widowed, widowers and married couples to walk by the Spirit in their relationships! Embrace the truth that being a Spirit-filled Christian is the key to victorious living (Colossians 1:29).
Getting Started:
- How can husbands practically show that they truly love their wives, just as Christ also loved the church? How would you rate your marriage?
- Men are called to be "dignified" (Titus 2:2, 7), which means worthy of respect: Do you demand respect or do you deserve respect?
Discussing Truths:
- Being a Spirit-filled Christian means we learn from our mistakes. Are you able to humbly ask forgiveness and apologize when you've not been loving?
- Biblical love keeps no record of wrongs (1 Corinthians 13:5). Will you forgive the person who hurt you and move forward?
- How are you responding to the Bible mainly in these four areas (2 Timothy 3:16, 17)?
Now What? Application:
- When you have disagreements, that doesn't mean you don't love or respect one another. How will you live differently than our culture in the area of unconditional love?
- Husbands: Seek to be the kind of loving man God has called you to be! Don't give up!
