“Thoughts About Marriage” Part 2
Pastor David Moore
Old Testament reading: Proverbs 31:10‐31
A wife of noble character who can find? She is worth far more than rubies. Her husband has full confidence in her and lacks nothing of value. She brings him good, not harm, all the days of her life. She selects wool and flax and works with eager hands. She is like the merchant ships, bringing her food from afar. She gets up while it is still night; she provides food for her family and portions for her female servants. She considers a field and buys it; out of her earnings she plants a vineyard. She sets about her work vigorously; her arms are strong for her tasks. She sees that her trading is profitable, and her lamp does not go out at night. In her hand she holds the distaff and grasps the spindle with her fingers. She opens her arms to the poor and extends her hands to the needy. When it snows, she has no fear for her household; for all of them are clothed in scarlet. She makes coverings for her bed; she is clothed in fine linen and purple. Her husband is respected at the city gate, where he takes his seat among the elders of the land. She makes linen garments and sells them, and supplies the merchants with sashes. She is clothed with strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come. She speaks with wisdom, and faithful instruction is on her tongue. She watches over the affairs of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness. Her children arise and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her: “Many women do noble things, but you surpass them all.” Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised. Honor her for all that her hands have done, and let her works bring her praise at the city gate.
New Testament reading: Ephesians 5:21‐33
Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ. Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything. Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. After all, no one ever hated his own body, but he feeds and cares for it, just as Christ does the church—for we are members of his body. “For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.” This is a profound mystery—but I am talking about Christ and the church. However, each one of you must also love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.
Marriage is a partnership to set the other free to be who God created them to be, to help them become what God created them to be. ~D. Moore
Therefore, you have authority. The primary meaning of ‘authority’ is source. The secondary meaning has to do with power, influence. This word in the Greek ‘head’ meant source. Like the headwaters of a river, Genesis comes in because we know that Adam was the source for Eve. God took out Adam’s rib and fashioned Eve. So, in that sense, in terms of where Eve originated, Adam is the headwaters of Eve. ~D. Moore
They (Adam and Eve) were created to be one with God but were twisted and cursed because of disobedience, caused by Satan. ~D. Moore
When the job of naming was given to Adam, God was giving Adam the responsibility to care for the formlessness and shape it. ~D. Moore
Eve was created to be a helper to Adam. ~D. Moore
Genesis 2:18 The Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.”
Psalm 54:4 Surely God is my help; the Lord is the one who sustains me.
Hebrews 13:5‐6 “‘I will in no way forsake you.’ So that with good courage we say, ‘The Lord is my helper. I will not fear. What can man do to me?’”
When we see masculinity and femininity go bad, we live under a curse. The independence becomes tyranny and autonomy. The interdependence becomes dependence and masochism. The sum of each tends to feed on one another. ~D. Moore
Husbands and wives are to submit to one another, and in that the husband is supposed to have loving authority and the woman exercises her helpership. ~D. Moore
Men and women are supposed to work together in a marriage. The husband is to serve the wife and the wife is to love the husband. ~D. Moore
Marriage is a mystery in that it brings together two people who operate differently in life. In marriage the greatest thing is we find ourselves.
The man has to earn to the right to make a decision. The woman has to give him responsibility. Jesus was a helper, and Jesus is the head of the Church. Whether you are a woman or a man, Christ is there to help complete you. Jesus says, “Regardless of where you are, come to me and I can complete you.”
This week continue to think about the mystery of marriage and think about your values in your marriage. Then submit to serving your spouse and helping them become the man or woman God intended them to be.
God bless, have a good week!