Object Lesson: Wives As The Weaker Vessel

OBJECT LESSON: WIVES AS THE WEAKER VESSEL

1 Peter 3:7- "Husbands, in the same way be considerate as you live with your wives, and treat them with respect as the weaker partner.." (KJV "weaker vessel.")

Now, does that sound sexist to you? She's to be treated like the weaker partner, the weaker vessel?

I want to show you this vessel- it's a mug with Atlanta Braves emblem on the front, but it's a rugged plastic mug. You can beat it around, you can drop it, it will last a long time. You can come up after the service and handle it and even if somehow you mess it up, it's only a couple of bucks. It's a strong vessel.

I want to show you another vessel. It's a weaker vessel, it's made of china, very breakable. This china was passed down to my wife by my grandmother, so if you handle this after the service, handle it with care, because my children still need a father and I promised my wife I wouldn't break it.

Now let me ask you something. Which vessel is weaker? Which vessel is more valuable? Sure...the china cup. It's weaker, but it's a lot more valuable, and so treat it with sensitivity, gentleness and respect. Isn't that what Jesus did? Eph. 5:26-27 tells us that he gave himself up for us in order to present the church (that's us) as holy and blameless. We didn't deserve that, but that's how he treats us... gently, tenderly.