Big Idea: The way we love each other in our family points people to the love of Jesus. 

Parent Prep: This is our second week in our special series on family. This week we talk about 'submission' and 'love'. These are both virtues that Jesus modelled for us, perfectly. He submitted to the Father – knowing the Father's love would glorify Him and not put Him to shame. In the same way, in marriage, wives are encouraged to trust the love of their husband, that he would esteem her and see her flourish- as the church does because of Jesus. Husbands, in this passage, are encouraged to love their wives as Jesus loves the church – that means laying their lives down and 'giving himself up fo her.' We call this kind of reciprocal love and trust 'mutual submission.' We are told that this love we have for each other is what will point people to Jesus. It is supposed to be so self-sacrificing and beautiful, that people observe the love in our marriages, and want to know where it comes from. But it's not just for husbands and wives. It's for all believers in the family of God. The key to understanding these instructions is found in verses 1,2 and 21. "Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ." This verse precedes the specific instructions to husbands and wives, because it's not just an instruction for husbands and wives. It's for all those who love Jesus. We should love each other as Christ has loved us: freely giving ourselves up for the flourishing of others in our family. In this way, both in our household families (bayith), and our wider church family (michpacha) our love would be so selfless, that we would point others to Jesus, that they would call on His name and desire to join God's family, too.

Read Ephesians 5: 1& 2, 21-25 in a children's Bible, or in this easy-to-read version here.

Talk

Re-read verse 1& 2 together. Make a list together of the ways that Jesus has loved your family. (Forgives us always, loves us no matter what we do, always for us, never abandon or turn away from us, delights in us, is always our friend. Laid His life down for us. He is slow to anger, always kind.). These are great things that Jesus has done for us! 

Listen 

Do you think these things are hard or easy to do for one another? Have children turn to their siblings, or other members of the family (grown ups included!) and say aloud, "I always," before you read the statements to eachother of what Jesus has done for you. It should read like this:

Child (to sibling or other family member): "I always forgive you. I am slow to anger, and always kind to you. I love you no matter what. I am always your friend." 

Are these statements true about your love for each other in your family? Why or why not? 

Loving each other in our family as Jesus has loved us is hard work! Why do you think Paul tells us to do this if it is so hard?

Read verse 2 again. It was a sacrifice for Jesus to love us and die for us. It wasn't easy for Him either. But just like Jesus, we can do these hard things because we can ask the Holy Spirit to help us. He promises to give us the strength to love each other this way, even when it is difficult. And just like Jesus, we know more joy when we love people the way He calls us too. 

Do

Write a family manifesto. Using the list you made of how Jesus loves your family, on a piece of paper, write the heading:

In this family, we love as Jesus has loved us. 

So we will always try to:

Then, write the list of ways your family wants to commit to loving each other. At the end of your manifesto, write the following (or similar) words form Philippians 4:13,

We can do these things with the help of Jesus. He is the one who gives us the strength we need.

Consider placing your poster in a frame, and hanging it in your home, or on the fridge where people can see it. Pray together that your love for one another would be a testimony to the goodness of God and be a light that shines for other families to see. 

Have a great week, see you Sunday!