“Marriage”
Pastor David Moore
Old Testament reading: Genesis 2:15-25:
The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it. And the Lord God commanded the man, “You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat from it you will certainly die.”
The Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.” Now the Lord God had formed out of the ground all the wild animals and all the birds in the sky. He brought them to the man to see what he would name them; and whatever the man called each living creature, that was its name. So the man gave names to all the livestock, the birds in the sky and all the wild animals. But for Adam no suitable helper was found.
So the Lord God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep; and while he was sleeping, he took one of the man’s ribs and then closed up the place with flesh. Then the Lord God made a woman from the rib he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man. The man said, “This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called ‘woman,’ for she was taken out of man.” That is why a man leaves his father and mother and is united to his wife, and they become one flesh. Adam and his wife were both naked, and they felt no shame.
Deuteronomy 24:1-4: If a man marries a woman who becomes displeasing to him because he finds something indecent about her, and he writes her a certificate of divorce, gives it to her and sends her from his house, and if after she leaves his house she becomes the wife of another man, and her second husband dislikes her and writes her a certificate of divorce, gives it to her and sends her from his house, or if he dies, then her first husband, who divorced her, is not allowed to marry her again after she has been defiled. That would be detestable in the eyes of the Lord. Do not bring sin upon the land the Lord your God is giving you as an inheritance.
The Bible says marriage is important. Marriage has a deep grip on the human psyche, and it was designed by God. The day God created man, God created marriage. He knew it was not good to leave him alone. God created us for marriage. ~D. Moore
Theme today: Jesus is asked about marriage by this Pharisees.
New Testament reading: Matthew 19:1-12:
When Jesus finished saying these things, he left Galilee and went into the region of Judea to the other side of the Jordan. Large crowds followed him, and he healed them there. Some Pharisees came to him to test him. They asked, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for any and every reason?” “Haven’t you read,” he replied, “that at the beginning the Creator ‘made them male and female’, and said, ‘for this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh’? So they are no longer two, but one. Therefore what God has joined together, let man not separate.” “Why then,” they asked, “did Moses command that a man give his wife a certificate of divorce and send her away?” Jesus replied, “Moses permitted you to divorce your wives because your hearts were hard. But it was not this way from the beginning. I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for marital unfaithfulness, and marries another woman commits adultery.”
The disciples said to him, “If this is the situation between a husband and wife, it is better not to marry.” Jesus replied, “Not everyone can accept this word, but only those to whom it has been given. For some are eunuchs because they were born that way; others were made that way by men; and others have renounced marriage because of the kingdom of heaven. The one who can accept this should accept it.
God created marriage. No government subcommittee envisioned it. No social organization developed it. Marriage was conceived and born in the mind of God.
If we created marriage, then we can re-create it. But if God revealed marriage, then it’s His alone to define. ~Ray Ortlund
We rejoice that marriage is given by God, blessed by our Lord Jesus Christ, and sustained by the Holy Spirit. Therefore, let marriage be held in honor by all. ~D. Moore
The marriage covenant is about the future, the promise of future love. The covenant of marriage is a promise of future actions of forgiveness in continuing the hard work of love.
Purpose of marriage? Antidote for loneliness, procreation, pleasure, spiritual and emotional growth.
Marriage is a (a)________.
To love at all is to be vulnerable. ~C. S. Lewis
Marriage without friendship is like a bird without wings. ~D. Schact
Marriage is (b)__________.
Marriage has to be a (c)________.
Marriage is a (d)_______.
Matthew 6:33: …seek ye first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things will be added unto you.
This week, no matter where you are in life, think about the theme of marriage. God created us for relationships. The first one is a relationship with Him. The next relationship, with Christ at the center, is with another person, or not. God has called you to be the steward of the Christian faith whether you are single or married. The covenant of marriage is a promise of future action of love (forgiveness, friendship, wanting the best for another person.) The covenant is not rooted in emotion.
This week, pray that Christ would come alongside you as you contemplate the relationships in your life and ask yourself if you are listening to and acting on your calling.
God bless, have a good week.
Answers: (a) covenant (b) friendship (c) priority (d) calling