On January 18, 1982 the worst accident in the history of the US Air Force Thunderbirds took place. Four T-38 Talons were training at Indian Springs in Nevada. They were flying in a diamond formation practicing a loop where the aircraft would climb several thousand feet in formation and then pull over in a slow, inside loop descending at more than 400 mph. The planes were supposed to level off at about 100 feet above the ground. Instead, all four planes flew into the ground at high speed in perfect formation. It killed all four pilots instantly.
An epic crash and burn story might seem like an odd way to introduce a sermon on marriage. After all, isn’t this exactly what we’re trying to avoid in our homes and in our marriages. None of us stands before God and our family and friends and say “I do” hoping our marriages flame out in spectacular fashion.
But in the cause of this crash, is the most perfect illustration of the biblical principle we’re talking about Sunday, and one of keys to keep of marriage from hitting that ground at high speed. You see of the four planes that crashed only one of them had a problem. Only one pilot had an issue. It was the lead plane.
Investigators found that the lead plane had a jammed stabilizer preventing that pilot from pulling up in time. The other three pilots, in accordance with their training, did not break formation, and followed the lead plane into the ground. They were lined up with him. They were staying with him.
In this tragedy, following the leader had catastrophic results because the leader was going the wrong way. However, military pilots are trained to do this for good reason. Flying in formation can help them go further, faster. It enables to better fulfill their mission and defend their airspace.
They learn to fly as one. In every formation there is a leader and the rest are wingmen. A wingman takes his cues from the lead plane. Where the leader goes, the wingman goes. What the leader does, the wingman does.
In Ephesians 5:22-23 Paul calls on wives to submit to their husbands. This is a highly controversial and much misunderstood passage. However, what God is asking of couples is that they learn to fly in formation with each other. The husband needs to be a great leader (not flying them into the ground) and the wife needs to be her husband’s best wingman.
Join us Sunday as we look at this important Scripture.