1) The document discusses the biblical purpose and design of marriage according to Genesis 2:18-25, including procreation, cooperation, and illustration. 2) It focuses on the leadership role of husbands in marriage as described in Ephesians 5:23-31, exhorting men to lead their wives in love, through God's word, in righteousness, with selflessness, and in intimacy. 3) The next session will focus on the role of wives in marriage, challenging them to "Dare to BE DIFFERENT."

1. Marriage Thriving or Surviving? Husbands: Daring to LEAD!

2. Then the LORD God said, "It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him." Now out of the ground the LORD God had formed every beast of the field and every bird of the heavens and brought them to the man to see what he would call them. And whatever the man called every living creature, that was its name. The man gave names to all livestock and to the birds of the heavens and to every beast of the field. But for Adam there was not found a helper fit for him. So the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and while he slept took one of his ribs and closed up its place with flesh. And the rib that the LORD God had taken from the man he made into a woman and brought her to the man. Then the man said, "This at last is bone of my bone and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man." Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh. And the man and his wife were both naked and were not ashamed. Genesis 2:18-25

3. God created marriage! Marriage is good! God gave marriage it’s purpose! Genesis 2:18-25

4. Marriage was designed for procreation ! Marriage was designed for cooperation ! Marriage was designed for illustration ! Purpose of marriage!

5. Ephesians 5:23 “ For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which He is Savior” Husbands: Daring to Lead!

6. He must LEAD in LOVE! “ Husbands love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her…” 5:25 Husbands: Daring to Lead!

7. Biblical love is an act of the will accompanied by emotion that leads to action on behalf of it’s object! Lead in Love!

8. He must LEAD in the WORD! “… to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word.” 5:26 Husbands: Daring to Lead!

9. He must LEAD in RIGHTEOUSNESS ! “… and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless.” 5:27 Husbands: Daring to Lead!

10. He must LEAD in SELFLESSNESS! “… husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies…he feeds and cares for it..” 5:28-30 Husbands: Daring to Lead!

11. He must LEAD in INTIMACY! “ For this reason a man will leave his father and mother be united to his wife and the two will become one flesh.” 5:31 Husbands: Daring to Lead!

12. Marriage Thriving or Surviving? Next Week: Wives: Dare to BE DIFFERENT!