This sermon delves into the importance of understanding and embodying the principles of enduring suffering with grace and humility, drawing parallels to Christ's example of suffering without retaliation. It emphasizes the significance of wives being in subjection to their husbands and husbands honoring their wives as essential components of a God-glorifying marriage. The message underscores the impact of living in obedience to God's commands within the marital relationship, highlighting the connection between honoring one's spouse and the effectiveness of prayers being answered.

Many passages in the Bible that I have staggered over, I could take you to places that I stopped and I wasn't able to read past there for a long, long time until I just digested what God said. My conscience wouldn't allow me to read another word, so I went over and over and over and over until I felt God said, now you have the right to read on. One of the passages which I think you all know and love has so much to do with why a marriage is honored by God. And Peter, the godly Peter wrote these words in his letter, 1 Peter 3, he says, likewise, ye wise, he starts at the wise. I love the word likewise in the King James. When you see the word likewise, you say, like what? So you have to look at the chapter before to see what he starts with. And of course, he's speaking of Jesus. Likewise. So looking at the passage before, the verses before in chapter 2, verse 19, this is thankworthy, Peter says. This is thankworthy. If a man, for conscience toward God, endure grief, suffering wrongfully, what has this got to do with marriage, you say? Well, that's why he starts with the wise, because they're the only ones that will accept this. Oh, God has to start so often in a home with a wife. They're so precious, so able to be molded in God's hands and able to bow and be nothing, so that the home can come to God in fulness. Likewise. I do love that word. Brother, if this gives troubles, just put it over to the other one. So we're looking at what? Likewise, like who? For this is thankworthy, if a man, for conscience toward God, endure grief, suffering wrongfully. For what glory is it when you be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? But if when you do well and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God. For even here unto where ye call, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example that ye should follow his steps, who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth, who when he was reviled, reviled not again. When he suffered, he threatened not, but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously. I love these words, leaving us an example that ye should follow his steps, who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth, no reason for him to be treated wrongly, no reason. But when he suffered, he threatened not. He was reviled, he reviled not again. Isn't that precious? And this aspect of Christ's likeness, God turns now. And he says in chapter 3, likewise, he wise, like Jesus, suffered, not reacting, not defending himself. Oh, if you go back to Isaiah 53, he was just, he didn't say a word. Like a lamb at the slaughter, sheep before his shears is dumb, so he openedeth not his mouth. There's no reaction, there's no defense. Can God look to a woman and say, I want this of you, my daughter? Likewise, weighs a lot when you know like who and what of him God wants in your life. Likewise, he wise, be in subjection. I don't know if that word's in the dictionary anymore. You've got to go to antique book rooms perhaps to find that it's out of our vocabulary even in the church today. People don't like to hear the word subjection. He's living in the year 2001, where's he coming from? Be in subjection to your own husbands. God says to this generation, you defy God if you don't. Likewise, he wise, be in subjection to your own husbands. That if any obey not the word, they also may without the word be won by the conversation of the wise, by their wise life. That's a staggering statement. While they behold your chaste conversation, coupled with fear, whose adorning, let it not be that outward adorning of plating the hair and of wearing of gold or of putting on of apparel, but let it be the hidden man of the heart and that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price. For after this manner in the old time, the holy woman also, who trusted in God, adorned themselves, being in subjection to their own husbands. Even as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him Lord. His daughters, he are as long as ye do well and not afraid with any amazement. Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them, remain faithful to them. Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, using your common sense that God's given you all, quickened by the Holy Spirit in its context. Dwell with them according to knowledge, remain with them, faithful to them. Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honor unto the wife. Oh, if you don't, husbands, you defy Christ. It's not only obeying God by thou shalt not commit adultery. Do you obey God for a marriage to be God glorified, giving honor unto the wife? Do you? Do your children know that you honor their mother in the way you speak, giving honor to the wife? As unto the week of Esau, as being heirs together of the grace of life, that your prayers be not hindered. I like that little phrase, attached to marriage, that your prayers be not hindered. I think basically, it's saying that if you live right, if you obey God, his commandments, in marriage, God will answer your prayers. If you are what God wants you to be toward your wife, what God wants you to be toward your husband, your prayers will be answered if you obey God. Generally, that's through the whole Bible. 1 John 3 verse 20. Beloved, if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things. Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God, and whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep the commandments of God.