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Pastor Scott L. Harris
Grace Bible Church, NY
June 9, 2024
◘ Marriage: The Role of the Wife
Selected Scriptures
Introduction
I will be continuing the sermon series on marriage this morning. In order to experience marriage in the way intended by God, you have to know and follow His design for it. ◘The first sermon covered the fact that God created man according to His own will for His own purposes. We are not autonomous to pursue our own desires. Our first quest is to know God and find out His will for our lives. That begins with being made in God’s image so we are to be a reflection of Him. The first responsibility God gave Adam was to subdue the earth and have dominion over the animals. (See: The Creation of Man)
◘ The second sermon was on the fact that God established marriage so He defines it. Man’s effort to usurp this by redefining it and making up his own standards for it only results in perversions which are detrimental to man and for which God will judge. Genesis 2 reveals that God changed the “not good” of Adam being alone by ◘ fashioning a woman from one of his ribs to be the “helper suitable” to him and which concluded all that God had done in the six days of Creation pronouncing it “very good.” God had multiple reasons for establishing marriage beginning with the symbiotic relationship of intimate companionship between them enabling them to better carry out God’s mandates as an united couple than the sum of both of them working as individuals. They would also be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth. It was easier for Adam and Eve to carry out God’s mandates to be His regents on the earth because they could work together in perfect unison and harmony as expressed in their being naked, completely exposed physically, mentally and emotionally, without shame because there was no sin. (See: God Established Marriage)
◘ After the fall into sin, marriage would take on additional purposes including being both a training ground in and the expression of a holy life. Marriage would provide the only proper place for physical intimacy and thus prevent the immorality of fornication and adultery. It would be the relationship in which the commitment to each other would allow sacrificial love to grow and deepen encouraging righteousness and correcting sin in an environment of mutual support striving for the same godly goals. This is possible in the Christian marriage for the Holy Spirit changes us to become more like Christ throughout life so that we speak the truth in love and forgive one another as He has forgiven us. The Christian marriage is to be reflective of the mystery of Christ’s love for the church and the church’s respect and submission to Him. (See: Marriage: Its Purposes & Symbolism)
◘ Last week I focused on learning to build and maintain hedges around your marriage to keep out hindrances and ungodly influences, and to diligently guard the gate of what is allowed in. That sermon can be reduced down to the simple admonitions to 1) Determine your God given priorities and then pursue and keep them, 2) Reduce time with or remove yourself from people and activities that hinder you from those priorities even if otherwise they might be considered good. 3) Block ungodly influences that would pervert your God given priorities. 4) Pursue godly influences and activities that will help you keep your God given priorities. (See: Marriage – Maintaining the Hedges)
Next Sunday is Father’s Day and I will keep a long standing tradition I have had of preaching on a subject related to the holiday by giving a sermon on the Role of the Husband. In anticipation of that, this morning my sermon will be focus on the role of the wife.
◘Overcoming Obstacles
It was not that many generations ago that what I am going to point out today about the role and responsibilities of the wife was commonly believed and the way most people lived in American society because the Bible was commonly respected as the source of truth. ◘As the authority of the Scriptures came under attack in the 1920’s with most of the mainline denominations falling to liberal theology, the way was paved for even more anti-Biblical philosophies to arise such as evolution, various forms of Marxism and feminism. We now live in a society in which the absurdities of depraved minds are forced on the culture by the elite in government, education and media. Even large portions of the medical community have been turning away from basic science such as sex is determined by your chromosomes in order to kowtow to the demanded philosophical foolishness of those in positions of power and influence lest they be ostracized, socially cancelled, demoted or even fired.
Proverbs 14:1 begins, “The wise woman builds her house.” Ladies, if you want to follow God and His design for you in being a wise woman that builds her house and avoid the tragic consequences of the foolishness that pervades our society, ◘ you must avoid the obstacles to laying a solid foundation. That begins by valuing God’s truth over what is now commonly accepted in society. “Let God be found true, though every man be found a liar” (Romans 3:4). “The Fear of Yahweh is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding” (Proverbs 9:10). ◘You must be willing to stand alone if need be regardless of the social pressure to conform to everyone else. Joshua challenged the people to choose whether they would serve Yahweh or the false gods the lands they were conquering (Joshua 24:15). You must choose as well. Will you serve God or the false idols of all sorts in our society? Jesus’ teachings are contrary to the desires of a sinful society and in John 6 Jesus challenged His disciples about whether they would follow Him or also withdraw and go away as the crowds had just done. You must choose as well on a daily basis whether you will follow Christ or the crowd. Your choice will be determined by what you love most. Love of God lays a firm foundation. Love of the things of the world and yourself (1 John 2:15-16) is a major obstacle that prevents a proper foundation.
◘ Another major obstacle to overcome in this society is the philosophy of feminism which I mentioned last week. It dominates our culture and strongly influences even the evangelical church. Some formerly Biblical solid churches have shifted and adopted the egalitarian view in which women are allowed or even pushed to take on equal positions and roles of men even up to being church leaders and pastors. ◘This is directly due to feminism in contradiction to the clear teachings of the Scriptures. Paul is very direct in 1 Timothy 2:12-15 as well as 1 Corinthians 14:34 that within the church women are not to be in a position in which they teach or hold authority over men. Women cannot meet the qualifications of an elder in 1 Timothy 3 or Titus 1 which includes being the “husband of one wife” – a “one woman man.” I will state it bluntly that any church that has a woman in a position of elder or pastor is no longer a church that has the Bible as its supreme and final authority. It is rejecting God’s word in favor of the culture, and that is sure sign of a church on a downward path leading to theological aberration and then to heresy since the musings of men are more important to them than the declarations of God.
◘ Feminism values the characteristics of masculinity related to power and authority and not the qualities of what is actually feminine such as the chaste and respectful behavior and a gentle and quiet spirit commended in 1 Peter 3. A wife that is infused with the values of feminism will follow the path of the foolish woman of Proverbs 14:1 that tears her home down with her own hands. If her personality is strong or brash, she will be contentious and vexing to her husband. If she is of a more quiet demeanor, she will usurp him through manipulation. Both undermine the husband’s authority and responsibility resulting in either open conflict if he is striving to fulfill His God given role or inducing indifference if he wants peace at any cost. He will simply reduce his involvement with her and find things he would rather do such as hobbies or working extra hours to “provide” for the family as an excuse to stay away. A godly wife will build her husband up to be the man God wants him to be while the foolish feminist wife will suppress him to be the man-child she wants him to be. Strangely, a common complaint among women affected by feminism is that they cannot find a man they can respect.
◘ Ladies, to fulfill your role as wife, or for that matter, as a woman, overcome the obstacles and take to heart and put into practice Paul’s admonition in Romans 12:2 to “not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” Do not love this world or the things in it as warned in 1 John 2:15-16 for the love of the Father is not in those that pursue the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, or the pride of life all of which are all passing away. Resolve to be the wise and godly woman that builds up her home, seeks to be recognized for her godly character, and desires to please the Lord Jesus Christ above all else.
◘Foundations for a Wife to Build Her Home
The foundation upon which a wife is to build her home goes back to the purpose given to her in Genesis 2. ◘God fashioned Eve to be “a helper suitable” for Adam as explained in the second sermon of this series. Paul comments on this in his discussion of prayer in a church meeting in 1 Corinthians 11. He states in verse 3, “But I want you to understand that Christ is the head of every man, and the man is the head of a woman, and God is the head of Christ.” He continues on in verses 4-7 to discuss head coverings when praying stating at the end of verse 7 though verse 12, 7 “. . . but the woman is the glory of man. 8 For man does not originate from woman, but woman from man; 9 for indeed man was not created for the woman’s sake, but woman for the man’s sake. 10 Therefore the woman ought to have a symbol of authority on her head, because of the angels. 11 However, in the Lord, neither is woman independent of man, nor is man independent of woman. 12 For as the woman originates from the man, so also the man has his birth through the woman; and all things originate from God.” The discussion about head coverings when praying will have to wait for another time, but what I want you to see in this passage is that God has a hierarchy of order in marriage. Contrary to the claim of evolutionary philosophy that women preceded man, an absurd claim since both the male and female are needed to produce progeny, God formed Adam from the dust of the ground before He fashioned Eve from his rib. Feminists strive to give the female the superior position since she gives birth to the offspring. ◘They accuse Paul of being a male chauvinist since he places man as the head of the woman, but Paul is simply stating the order and hierarchy in which God created things. He makes the same point in 1 Timothy 2:12-14. The woman originated from the man and therefore man is the head of the woman. At the same time, he humbles man by pointing out that every man since Adam has been born through the woman. He then humbles both by pointing out that all things originate from God.
◘ While headship is the superior position of authority and responsibility, it has no relevance to value. Paul points that out in Galatians 3:28 that all believers regardless of ethnic origin, economic state or gender are one in Christ. All Christians are of equal value in Christ, but every Christian has a different position of authority and responsibility related to those same factors and their particular gifts. The gospel is to the Jew first and then the Greek (Romans 1:16, 2:10). Servants are to be submissive to their masters with all respect (1 Peter 2:18), and masters are to treat those under them with justice and fairness (Colossians 4:1). The wife is to be submissive to her husband and show him respect and he is to love his wife sacrificially with the same care as for his own body providing for her and protecting her (Eph. 5:22-33). The church congregation is to submit to their leaders who are in turn are to serve them by watching out for their souls (Hebrews 13:17). The husband and wife are of equal value before Christ, but with a hierarchy of different roles that compliment the other to form a unified family. This is called the complimentary view of men and women and applies to both marriage and gender roles within the church.
Complimentarianism is a curse to those infected with feminism, but the godly woman is humble and willingly accepts the position in which God places her in the family, the church and society. ◘She will take glory in how God has made her and rejoices in whatever way He allows her to serve him whether great or small in the eyes of others, for her goal is to please Christ who is her Creator, Lord, and Savior. Society may demean her as a housewife and mother and consider her service in the church as of little value, but she knows that God judges success by His own values and not those of society. She understands that in being one with her husband, whatever He accomplishes is also a compliment to her. She knows being a good and godly mother is critical in laying the foundation for whatever her children will accomplish in life. She is grateful for whatever part she has within the church, the body of Christ, for each individual part enables the success of the whole body to function properly and fulfill the purposes God has for it.
◘A Wife Who Builds Her Home on Sure Foundations
At the end of the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 7:24-27 Jesus said, 24 “Therefore everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts on them, may be compared to a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25 “And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and yet it did not fall, for it had been founded on the rock.” Jesus continued on to explain that the foolish are the opposite. They do not heed what Jesus teaches and build their house on the sand which then collapses when the storms of life hit it. The wise woman will build on the rock solid foundation of knowing that she is made by God for His purposes and true success in life is living according to those purposes. ◘She will build her house by living according to the principles and precepts of God’s Word. Her greatest joy will be when she stands before God and is welcomed into His presence with His commendation of having done well in being good and faithful in serving Him in all that He entrusted to her.
◘ What are the commands of God concerning her role as a wife? We have already seen that the primary directive to her is to be the helper suitable to her husband so that together they can carry out God’s general mandate to mankind and any specific calling God places upon her husband. The general mandate in Genesis 1:28 is to “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it; and rule over the animals. The two will work together to do this. As we have just seen, as the head, he has the responsibility to lead and she has the responsibility to be submissive to that leadership and follow.
◘ From a practical standpoint, subduing the earth will begin by subduing your home, and you can’t very well have dominion over the animals if you cannot rule yourself. As part of pre-marital counseling I cover who will be expected to do which chores in the home. The couple can figure that out anyway they both decide, but it does have to be worked out or the home will become dysfunctional. Two evils I have seen related to this are lazy men and undisciplined wives. ◘Lazy men expect their wives to do everything for them including earning income outside the home. ◘Undisciplined wives lack the self control to accomplish the tasks that belong to them resulting in the husband having to pick up those responsibilities after getting home from work. Husbands, don’t be lazy. Your wife is to be your helper and neither your provider nor slave. Wife, get it together. The success of your marriage and the ability of your husband to fulfill God’s mandate outside the home depends on you carrying your weight and assisting him. ◘Be a help, not a hindrance to him being able to be successful at whatever specific calling God has placed upon him in work and ministry. A wife that thwarts the husband in fulfilling the calling God has placed upon him will have to answer to God.
◘ Two quick warnings here to both men and women. If you are young enough to have children and the person you are dating does not want children, then move on to someone else who is interested in submitting to God’s will. If you are not married and you find he is lazy or she lacks self-control and discipline, then move on. You will not fix them by marrying them and will only end up frustrated and miserable. Be forthright and honest with them about these major flaws. Perhaps they will repent and change and become a good marriage partner for someone else in the future.
◘ Another primary directive is to be a companion to her husband. A husband and wife should be best friends with each other in the deepest, most intimate relationship possible among humans. That will include the physical relationship, but more important will be the ability to share thoughts, emotions, hopes and dreams. To have someone that will encourage you when are down, rejoice with you when you are up, lovingly correct you when you are wrong, and forgive you when you sin. To have someone that will implement all of the one another commands with you. Your spouse should be your best ally in learning to walk with Christ in holiness. A Christian marriage is to be both a training ground in and the expression of a holy life.
◘ The Scriptures do give some specific directions to the wife as the companion of her husband. Ephesians 5:33 states, “and the wife must see to it that she respects her husband.” The term for respect here, fobevw/ phobeō, in this context is to fear in the sense of awe, great reverence. This has to do with attitude and demeanor toward him even while recognizing that he has flaws, perhaps a lot of them. ◘The godly wife shows respect to her husband by listening to him attentively, seeks to understand his goals and desires, speaks to him with wisdom and deference, willingly follows his lead, encourages him to strive toward what is fitting to godliness including business ventures, continues to believe in him and encourage him even if his efforts fail at first. The man who has such a wife behind him will take on the world. A man with an ungodly proud wife that nags, criticizes and belittles will lose heart and perhaps even give up. (For an sermon on Ephesians 5:20-33 see: God’s Design for the Family, Part 1 – the Wife)
◘ 1 Peter 3:1-6 also speaks of the godly wife having chaste and respectful behavior and by that means she may be able to win over a husband that may be disobedient to the word. She has the “imperishable quality of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is precious in the sight of God.” These are characteristics that enable the companionship in a marriage to grow for they foster trust. A brash and boisterous woman is an irritant and full of folly (Proverbs 7:11; 9:13) which undermines the trust necessary for a godly marriage. (For a sermon on 1 Peter 3:1-6, see: Submission in the Home)
◘ Friendship in marriage is to go both ways with it deepening over the years due to both greater maturity and increasing love and trust between the couple. The Christian couple has the advantage in this because the Holy Spirit continues His work of conforming each into greater godliness reflect the image of Christ which enables the marriage to better reflecting the mystery of Christ and the Church. A couple that will follow God’s design for marriage will “grow together” over the years while a couple that will not is in grave danger of “growing apart.” That is why divorce is not uncommon after 20-30 years. Even if they stay married, it will be two individuals living separate lives in the same house instead of a couple living together.
◘ If your marriage is not going the direction you want, then change its direction by pursuing as individuals and as a couple God’s design for marriage. Humble yourselves to admit where you have been wrong and resolve to seek and follow God’s will instead of the ways of the world. Do that regardless of whether your spouse does likewise or not.
◘A Wife Who Adorns the Home She has Built
1 Peter 3:3-4 refers to the adornment of a godly wife as not just external, but rather the internal qualities of a godly character. While there are many examples of godly women in the scriptures, the most extensively described one is the unnamed woman in the poem of Proverbs 31:10-31. ◘She is the ideal given as a model for which every wife should strive. If want to gain a practical understanding of the role of a wife, this is the woman to study and then emulate. However, do not be discouraged if you are not yet like her. You do not have to reach perfection to become a greater blessing to yourself and all those around you. Any progress you make toward the ideal will be a blessing and praiseworthy. Men, encourage her in this endeavor. The following is a brief description of this woman’s qualities.
◘ Valuable (vs. 10) “An excellent wife, who can find? For her worth is far above jewels.” Like a jewel, she is of high quality and rare and therefore extremely valuable. It is worth the hard work of the search to find such a virtuous woman. The excellent wife is rare in part because there are few mature, godly women, but that is a status any woman can achieve if she will be diligent in her walk with Christ.
◘ Trustworthy (vs. 11) “The heart of her husband trusts in her, And he will have no lack of gain.” He can trust her wholly for she is seeking what is best for the family and not just herself. She will not squander the family finances on herself, but instead she brings profit into the family as we shall see in the verses that follow.
◘ Continually Good (vs. 12) “She does him good and not evil All the days of her life.” No wonder her husband can trust her, for she is consistently good to him. This demonstrates she is deeply committed and sacrificial in her love.
◘ Industrious (vs. 13) “She looks for wool and flax, and works with her hands in delight.” Work is a good thing and she is diligent. Whether she is producing something for her own family, to sell or for charity, she actively pursues it and enjoys doing so.
◘ Prudent (vs. 14) “She is like merchant ships; She brings her food from afar.” She sacrifices convenience and her own comfort to find the better goods and the best value.
◘ Diligent (vs 15) “She rises also while it is still night, And gives food to her household, And portions to her maidens.” She is not lazy, for her life is caught up with her concern for family and others instead of her own comforts and convenience. She is diligent at managing her household.
◘ Entrepreneurial (vs. 16) “She considers a field and buys it; From her earnings she plants a vineyard.” Her priority is her home, but she has the wisdom to make investments, in this case real estate and agriculture, which will add to the wealth of her family.
◘ Strong (vs. 17) “She girds herself with strength, And makes her arms strong.” She is not afraid of physical labor. She would have to be strong to do all she is described as doing, but there is more.
◘ Attentive (vs. 18) “She senses that her gain is good; Her lamp does not go out at night.” She is attentive to the outcome of her labor, investments and family’s well being. She even checks the oil in the lamp to make sure there is enough to last the night.
◘ Hard Worker (vs. 19) “She stretches out her hands to the distaff, And her hands grasp the spindle.” This verse describes her as busy in the work of spinning which is why she was looking for wool and flax in verse 13. She is preparing material for either her family, for sale, or for charity, for she is also compassionate as the next verse states.
◘ Compassionate (vs 20) “She extends her hand to the poor; and she stretches out her hands to the needy.” Beyond just the idea of providing the poor with material goods, she reaches out with a tender touch to comfort, counsel and encourage. This is a quality that is very pleasing to God.
◘ Confident (vs 21) “She is not afraid of the snow for her household, For all her household are clothed with scarlet.” She has anticipated the future and has prepared clothes for her family that will both protect them and look nice.
◘ Elegant (vs 22) “She makes coverings for herself; her clothing is fine linen and purple.” She used the colors available to her to make fine clothing of contrasting colors. Her many virtues have enabled her to gain fine clothing for her own apparel.
◘ Admirable (vs 23) “Her husband is known in the gates, When he sits among the elders of the land.” Because of what she does, her husband is freed up to be involved as a leader in public affairs and so she is to be admired.
◘ Capitalist (vs 24) “She makes linen garments and sells them, And supplies belts to the tradesmen.” Her industry and spirit have enabled her to operate a clothing and belt manufacturing business in addition to her other enterprises.
◘ Dignified (vs 25) All of these are wonderful characteristics, but the most important ones are found in the next two verses and in verse 30. “Strength and dignity are her clothing, And she smiles at the future.” Her real beauty is her personal dignity which is based in her strength and propriety. She smiles at the future for she has nothing to fear.
◘ Wise (vs 26) “She opens her mouth in wisdom, And the teaching of kindness is on her tongue.” A fitting ornament in her beauty is her wisdom and especially in its expression of kindness in her teaching. The wise live mindful of the Lord and that is what she teaches others.
◘ Watchful (vs 27) “She looks well to the ways of her household, And does not eat the bread of idleness.” She is self disciplined and diligent with her household as her priority.
◘ Honored (vs 28-29) The result of all this is honor by her family. “Her children rise up and bless her; Her husband also, and he praises her, saying ‘Many daughters have done nobly, But you excel them all.’” This is the natural reaction of children who are well reared and a husband that recognizes her excellent, noble and virtuous character. He recognizes her worth is far above jewels.
◘ Godly (vs 30) Her excellence of character has a solid basis. “Charm is deceitful and beauty is vain, But a woman who fears the Lord, she shall be praised.” Charm is deceitful because flattery is used to manipulate people into doing what you want. Beauty is vain because it is always fleeting and at best only lasts the few years of your short life. The characteristics that mark this excellent woman rise from within because she has the proper fear of the Lord and seeks Him with all her heart.
◘ Acclaimed (vs 31) Finally, we find that she is also acclaimed by the rest of society. “Give her the product of her hands, and let her works praise her in the gates.” She has brought much blessing to others by what she has done for them and they in turn give praise for it. Her godly character shines in all that she does including the products of her hands for they cannot be hid. Thus, she is acclaimed.
Such are the characteristics of the excellent wife. ◘ You may not be like that yet, but those are the characteristics you should strive to emulate. That all begins with recognizing that the purpose of your life is determined by your Creator and not you or society. Be diligent to seek the Lord and submit your will to His for that is where true success will be found. Proverbs 12:4 states, “An excellent wife is the crown of her husband, But she who shames him is like rottenness in his bones.” It is up to you whether you will be a crown or a source of rottenness.
(For a longer exposition of the Proverbs 31 woman see: The Excellent Wife)
◘ Men, let me remind you that you are to help her develop the characteristics of godly excellence by your own leadership and encouragement. Do not make the mistake of taking your wife or daughter for granted. Praise her and encourage her by letting her know the good qualities you see in her and how God is using her to bless your life. More on this next week in examining the role of the husband.
Additional sermons on women, wives, mothers: See “Mother’s Day” Sermons)
Sermon Notes – June 9, 2024
Marriage: The Role of the Wife – Selected Scriptures
Introduction
God created man according to His own will for _______________purposes
God established ______________so He defines it and determines its purposes and roles of husband and wife
Eve was fashioned from Adam’s rib to be his “_____________ suitable” to fulfill God’s mandates to them
Marriage is to be a training ground for ___________, a reflection of the mystery of Christ and the church
Build & maintain ________around your marriage to protect it from ungodly influence & keep your priorities
Overcoming Obstacles
Society becomes immoral & _______as it rejects Scriptural authority & embraces anti-Biblical philosophies
Valuing God’s __________ above all else avoids the obstacles of foolishness common in our society
Choose to serve God and resist the pressures to conform to the world even if you have to stand _________
Do not stumble over the pervasive influence of _____________ wherever it may occur
The Biblical view of man and woman is of being different yet ________________ to each other, not equal
Feminism values the characteristics of ________________and not the qualities of what is actually feminine
Do not be conformed to this _________ (Rom. 12:2), do not love the things of this world (1 John 2:15-16)
Foundations
God fashioned Eve to be “a helper suitable” for Adam; the husband is the _______of the wife (1 Cor. 11:3)
Male headship is due to the order and hierarchy in which ________ created things (1 Tim. 2:12-14)
Christians are of equal ____regardless of ethnicity, wealth or gender, but differ in authority & responsibility
The godly wife takes glory in how _______has made her & rejoices in whatever way He has her serve Him
Building on Sure Foundations
Hearing & heeding God’s ________is the solid foundation on which the house can be built (Matt. 7:24-27)
The wise woman builds her house by living according to the principles & _____________of God’s word
She is to be the helper suitable to her husband so that ________they can carry out God’s mandates & calling
Subduing the earth begins by subduing your ________ – do not let your home be dysfunctional
_______men expect their wives to do everything – often including earning an income from outside the home
Undisciplined women lack self-control to accomplish her tasks and so _________her husband with her work
Be a __________, not a hindrance or you will answer to God for thwarting God’s calling on your husband
Warning to singles: Do _____________someone who does not want children, is lazy or lacks self-discipline
A godly wife is a ____________to her husband – his best friend on earth, greatest encourager and comforter
The wife is to _______her husband – an attitude and demeanor of awe, reverence – even though he is flawed
She listens to him, understands his goals & desires, speaks with wisdom & deference, ___________his lead
She has a gentle & quiet spirit and wins him by her chaste & respectful ______________(1 Peter 3:1-6)
She does her part to ensure the friendship ___________over the years so that they grow together in marriage
If your marriage is not going the right direction, be humble, repent and pursue God’s _____________for it
A Wife Who Adorns the Home
A godly wife is adorned by the ___________qualities of a godly character – best described in Prov. 31:10-31
This “excellent wife” is the ideal that serves as a ___________for all women to strive toward
Valuable (10) She is rare because there are few ___________, godly women – but you can become one
Trustworthy (11) She seeks what is best for the ___________ instead of self
Continually Good (12) She is deeply committed and sacrificial in doing what is good for her ___________
Industrious (13) She is diligent to work to produce what is __________for her family, to sell or for charity
Prudent (14) She __________convenience and her own comfort to find the better goods and the best value
Diligent (15) She is not lazy – she is diligent at ________________her household
Entrepreneurial (16) Her priority is her ___________, but she has the wisdom to make investments
Strong (17) She is not afraid of ______________ labor
Attentive (18) She is _____________to the outcome of her labor, investments and family’s well being
Hard Worker (19) She is _____________to prepare goods for either her family, for sale, or for charity
Compassionate (20) She ___________________with a tender touch to comfort, counsel and encourage
Confident (21) She has anticipated and _________________ her family for the future
Elegant (22) Her many virtues have enabled her to gain fine clothing for her own _____________
Admirable (23) Because of what she does, her husband is freed up to be involved as a community ________
Capitalist (24) Her industry and spirit have enabled her to operate a ______________
Dignified (25) Her real beauty is her personal ____________ and based on her strength and propriety
Wise (26) Her wisdom is expressed in the ____________ in her teaching
Watchful (27) She is _____________________and diligent with her household as her priority
Honored (28-29) Her children and husband recognize her excellent, noble, virtuous _______________
Godly (30) The characteristics of her excellence rise from within because she has the proper ____of the Lord
Acclaimed (31) Her godly character shines in all that she does resulting in the community giving her ______
These are characteristics that you should strive to emulate – it begins by _____________yourself to God
Men, help her to develop these characteristics, ____her, encourage her, praise her, don’t take her for granted
KIDS KORNER
Parents, you are responsible to apply God’s Word to your children’s lives. Here is some help. Young Children – draw a picture about something you hear during the sermon. Explain your picture(s) to your parents at lunch. Older Children – Do one or more of the following: 1) Write down all the verses mentioned in the sermon and look them up later. 2) Count how many times “wife” is mentioned in the sermon. Talk with your parents about the hedges need in yourself and your family in order to keep worldly and evil influences out.
THINK ABOUT IT!
Questions to consider in discussing the sermon with others. List some of the major obstacles to building a godly home and how to overcome them. Why is the husband the “head” of the wife? What does this mean? How is feminism an obstacle to this? What is the foundation for a godly home & how is that built upon? How can the wife be a “helper suitable” for her husband? How can she show respect for him and be a companion to him? Examine the characteristics of the excellent wife of Proverbs 31 and determine how to follow her example.
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