Celebration of Marriage
I. We should celebrate marriage because...
A) Marriage was created for us by God to mirror His image on Earth.
Genesis 1:27 (KJV)
27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.
Two distinctly different humans (male & female) working together reflect the image of God.
B) Marriage was designed to complete us.
Genesis 2:18-20 (KJV)
18 And the LORD God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him.
19 And out of the ground the LORD God formed every beast of the field, and every fowl of the air; and brought them unto Adam to see what he would call them: and whatsoever Adam called every living creature, that was the name thereof.
20 And Adam gave names to all cattle, and to the fowl of the air, and to every beast of the field; but for Adam there was not found an help meet for him.
To mutually complete one another means to create something together that cannot exist apart and in a way nothing else can (God let Adam see this in the animals). (Make each a better person)
C) Our spouse was created and given to us as a gift from God.
Genesis 2:21-23 (KJV)
21 And the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept: and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof;
22 And the rib, which the LORD God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man.
23 And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man.
Adam chose, as we must choose, to receive our spouse as God's perfect provision for us. We must focus on God's character and His goodness in providing our spouse. Adam received Eve because he knew and trusted God, not because of Eve's performance. (Eve was far from perfect)
D) Through marriage, we are given intimacy - to truly know and be known by a life-long friend.
Genesis 2:23-25 (KJV)
23 And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man.
24 Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.
25 And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed.
The husband - wife relationship should be the primary relationship in the family (vs. 24)
We can share with our spouse, things that cannot be shared with anyone else. (Do you have transparency in your marriage?, are you ashamed?)
E) We should celebrate marriage because it multiplies a Godly Legacy.
Genesis 1:28 (KJV)
28 And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.
It is extremely important for children to see their parents working together!! They learn their sexual identity, the role of a husband/wife, and an understanding of unconditional love from their parents' relationship. (What are you teaching your children)
II. We should guard our marriages because...
A) They are under attack by satan. His opposition is based on in-dependence.
Genesis 3:1-5 (KJV)
1 Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?
2 And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden:
3 But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die.
4 And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die:
5 For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.
B) God's image has been defiled.
Romans 3:23 (KJV)
23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;
C) Marriage is threatened by guilt, shame, and fear.
Genesis 3:7-10 (KJV)
7 And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons.
8 And they heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God amongst the trees of the garden.
9 And the LORD God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou?
10 And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself.
D) Casting blame.
Genesis 3:12-13 (KJV)
12 And the man said, The woman whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat.
13 And the LORD God said unto the woman, What is this that thou hast done? And the woman said, The serpent beguiled me, and I did eat.
E) A Godly legacy has been challenged by a godless legacy.
Genesis 4:8 (KJV)
8 And Cain talked with Abel his brother: and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and slew him.
III. What is our responsibility to our marriage?
A) Understand that God designed marriage to be an interdependent relationship.
1 Corinthians 11:11-12 (KJV)
11 Nevertheless neither is the man without the woman, neither the woman without the man, in the Lord.
12 For as the woman is of the man, even so is the man also by the woman; but all things of God.
B) Both the husband & wife have equal value.
Galatians 3:28 (KJV)
28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.
IV. What is our responsibility to our spouse?
A) The husband's responsibility. Jesus is our example.
1) Love them like Jesus
Ephesians 5:25 (KJV)
25 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;
1) Love your wife... not enough to die for her, but enough to LIVE for her.
2) Do what is best for HER.
3) Love is a sacrificial action in obedience to God, not our wife's performance.
2) Build them up... cherish them
Ephesians 5:28-30 (KJV)
28 So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself.
29 For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church:
30 For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones.
1) Encourage her and enable her to grow and develop her gifts and abilities.
2) be trustworthy.
3) respond to her needs
4) make her load lighter, not heavier.
5) set a Godly example for their home.
6) try to understand her. Listen without trying to 'fix' her problems. (SEE 1 PETER below)
1 Peter 3:7 (KJV)
7 Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honour unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered.
3) Lead like a servant.
A) Leadership is based on God's plan, not our abilities. It does not mean men are superior to women!
1 Corinthians 11:3 (KJV)
3 But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God.
B) Leadership in marriage is based on Jesus' example.
Mark 10:44-45 (KJV)
44 And whosoever of you will be the chiefest, shall be servant of all.
45 For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.
C) Leadership provides physically, emotionally, and spiritually for his wife.
1 Timothy 5:8 (KJV)
8 But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel.
B) The Wife's Responsibility
1) Love your husband
Titus 2:4 (KJV)
4 That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children,
1)Love is a choice. Accept your husband as he is. (This does NOT mean to condone or accept a sinful lifestyle!) Understand that he is human and will sometimes fail.
2)Love is sacrificial. - Make him your priority relationship
2) Show physical affection.
Song of Songs 7:10-12 (KJV)
10 I am my beloved's, and his desire is toward me.
11 Come, my beloved, let us go forth into the field; let us lodge in the villages.
12 Let us get up early to the vineyards; let us see if the vine flourish, whether the tender grape appear, and the pomegranates bud forth: there will I give thee my loves.
3) Support your husband. (RESPECT)
Proverbs 12:4 (KJV)
4 A virtuous woman is a crown to her husband: but she that maketh ashamed is as rottenness in his bones.
When men feel respected, they tend to work harder at being better.
He needs your support at home, in his job, in public. (BRAG ON HIM)
A) In the Bible, this is what is meant by submission.
Ephesians 5:22 (KJV)
22 Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord.
Submission does mean
Encouraging him to lead by willingly coming under his leadership
Assisting his leadership by encouraging his initiative
Praying for him
Honoring God's word
This does NOT mean
To be inferior
Blind obedience
You are to be used
Allowing your husband to break the law or be physically abusive
Following your husband into sin