WEBVTT 00:00:01.000 --> 00:00:05.839 Please take your Bibles and let's open them up this morning to Genesis chapter 2. 00:00:06.140 --> 00:00:10.660 Our passage this morning is Genesis chapter 2 verses 18 through 25. 00:00:11.259 --> 00:00:14.500 And when you found it, let's stand in honor of the reading of God's Word. 00:00:14.640 --> 00:00:18.960 Genesis chapter 2 verses 18 through 25 this morning. 00:00:18.960 --> 00:00:48.939 Then the Lord God said, 00:00:48.960 --> 00:00:52.000 And to the birds of the heavens and to every beast of the field. 00:00:52.120 --> 00:00:55.439 But for Adam there was not found a helper fit for him. 00:00:56.439 --> 00:00:59.679 So the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man. 00:01:00.340 --> 00:01:04.659 And while he slept, took one of his ribs and closed up its place with flesh. 00:01:05.439 --> 00:01:11.579 And the rib that the Lord God had taken from the man, he made into a woman and brought her to the man. 00:01:12.379 --> 00:01:13.500 Then the man said, 00:01:13.980 --> 00:01:18.040 This at last is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh. 00:01:18.040 --> 00:01:22.780 She shall be called woman because she was taken out of man. 00:01:24.020 --> 00:01:28.640 Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife. 00:01:28.920 --> 00:01:31.280 And they shall become one flesh. 00:01:32.040 --> 00:01:35.760 And the man and his wife were both naked and were not ashamed. 00:01:37.020 --> 00:01:41.380 Grass withers and the flower fades for the word of the Lord endures forever. 00:01:41.379 --> 00:01:44.299 Father, we thank you for this word. 00:01:44.479 --> 00:01:48.500 And we pray now as we open it up and we seek you in it. 00:01:48.519 --> 00:01:51.459 God, would you give us clarity and understanding. 00:01:51.699 --> 00:01:56.640 Would you open our ears and our hearts that we might hear and understand and love the truth this morning. 00:01:56.759 --> 00:01:57.719 We pray in Christ's name. 00:01:58.379 --> 00:01:58.640 Amen. 00:01:59.579 --> 00:02:00.539 You may be seated. 00:02:00.540 --> 00:02:00.600 Good. 00:02:03.120 --> 00:02:10.420 I wonder where do you turn to get your understanding and your definition of marriage. 00:02:10.419 --> 00:02:21.079 Of course, for most of us as we grow up, kind of our first exposure to marriage, we get our first understanding from our parents, our mother, our father, whoever it is that's in our household raising us. 00:02:21.139 --> 00:02:24.339 That's our first exposure to what marriage might be. 00:02:24.439 --> 00:02:30.560 But as we grow older, maybe we gain our understanding of what marriage is from political affiliation. 00:02:30.560 --> 00:02:39.340 Or for most people, I would venture to say most people, gain their understanding of what marriage is simply by looking out at the culture at large. 00:02:39.979 --> 00:02:44.840 What does culture deem to be good and appropriate and right? 00:02:44.920 --> 00:02:47.099 What's the acceptable norm all around us? 00:02:47.980 --> 00:02:55.699 This morning, as we come to Genesis chapter 2 and we see this foundational text on marriage, 00:02:55.699 --> 00:03:03.419 what I want us to see this morning is that Christians don't ultimately look to any of these things for their understanding of what marriage is. 00:03:04.439 --> 00:03:18.039 Christians must root their understanding of marriage not in experience, not in preference, not in political affiliation, and not in culture, 00:03:18.439 --> 00:03:21.639 but in the unchanging word of God. 00:03:21.639 --> 00:03:25.899 Christians, it turns out, you may realize this, hopefully you do by now, 00:03:25.959 --> 00:03:31.179 Christians, we believe a lot of unpopular things, but I think that in our day and time, 00:03:31.299 --> 00:03:36.619 our view of marriage may be one of the most unpopular beliefs that we hold. 00:03:37.339 --> 00:03:42.739 This passage in Genesis 2 and the truths that it teaches us are completely contrary, 00:03:43.060 --> 00:03:46.599 against the grain of what our secular culture believes. 00:03:46.599 --> 00:03:52.219 We read last week in our service from our statement of faith concerning the family. 00:03:52.799 --> 00:03:57.000 This article from our statement of faith, what we agree to believe as members of this church. 00:03:57.079 --> 00:04:02.799 I'm going to read it again, and I just want you to notice here how strange these words are to our secular culture. 00:04:03.199 --> 00:04:03.299 Okay? 00:04:04.340 --> 00:04:11.299 We believe that marriage is the uniting of one man and one woman. 00:04:11.419 --> 00:04:11.879 Stop there. 00:04:13.419 --> 00:04:13.900 Already. 00:04:13.900 --> 00:04:17.040 We're feeling the tension, aren't we? 00:04:18.160 --> 00:04:22.600 Already, same-sex unions are ruled out, not marriage. 00:04:23.100 --> 00:04:27.899 Already, multiple partner unions are ruled out here in the first phrase, not marriage. 00:04:28.699 --> 00:04:29.060 Keep going. 00:04:29.879 --> 00:04:37.759 We believe that marriage is the uniting of one man and one woman before God in covenant commitment for a lifetime. 00:04:38.240 --> 00:04:38.800 Stop there. 00:04:38.800 --> 00:04:52.920 Here, we affirm that the glue that holds marriage together ultimately isn't feelings or compatibility or ease of relationship or chemistry, whatever that may be. 00:04:53.000 --> 00:04:59.680 Of course, in a sin-cursed world, there are biblical reasons to divorce, but we affirm that they are few. 00:05:00.480 --> 00:05:01.439 That'll have to be another sermon. 00:05:01.439 --> 00:05:08.680 But we believe that the marriage covenant is the bond that glues a healthy marriage together. 00:05:08.819 --> 00:05:10.860 It's covenant commitment for a lifetime. 00:05:10.980 --> 00:05:18.319 That marriage covenant ought not be entered into casually, and it cannot be broken easily simply by signing some legal papers. 00:05:19.199 --> 00:05:19.560 Keep going. 00:05:19.560 --> 00:05:31.199 We believe that God has established marriage as his only intended channel for human sexual expression and procreation, 00:05:31.420 --> 00:05:36.939 and that God calls all unmarried people to celibacy and to devotion to himself. 00:05:37.279 --> 00:05:38.220 So, here we go. 00:05:38.340 --> 00:05:40.300 Casual hookup culture gone. 00:05:41.100 --> 00:05:42.040 Out the window. 00:05:42.040 --> 00:05:52.420 Even, loving, faithful, committed, yet sexual relationships outside of marriage is ruled out. 00:05:52.879 --> 00:05:53.100 Gone. 00:05:53.819 --> 00:05:57.439 Any sexual expression outside of marriage is gone. 00:05:57.860 --> 00:05:58.259 One more. 00:05:59.320 --> 00:06:07.439 We believe husband and wife are both made in God's image and have equal value before God, 00:06:07.439 --> 00:06:14.199 while at the same time possessing distinct and complementary roles within marriage. 00:06:14.699 --> 00:06:15.500 Stop there. 00:06:16.600 --> 00:06:20.720 In other words, we believe that men and women are not interchangeable. 00:06:21.540 --> 00:06:27.579 They have complementary roles to play and to fulfill within the marriage covenant for their good. 00:06:27.659 --> 00:06:29.120 Do you see how strange we are yet? 00:06:31.000 --> 00:06:36.259 Everything that we believe concerning marriage is completely counter-cultural. 00:06:36.259 --> 00:06:43.920 And what I want us to understand here as we begin looking at this text this morning is that culture will continue to ebb and flow. 00:06:45.060 --> 00:06:48.459 Definitions will continue to change and expand. 00:06:49.259 --> 00:06:56.459 Political parties will continue to shift what's acceptable and normal in our culture at large will continue to progress. 00:06:56.459 --> 00:07:04.219 But Christians must plant their feet firmly down on the unchanging word of God. 00:07:04.599 --> 00:07:04.839 Amen? 00:07:04.839 --> 00:07:13.459 So let's look at our passage this morning and what we're going to see here is four counter-cultural truths about marriage. 00:07:14.199 --> 00:07:18.079 Four counter-cultural truths about marriage. 00:07:18.259 --> 00:07:23.699 First, we see marriage has a God-defined value. 00:07:24.799 --> 00:07:26.459 A God-defined value. 00:07:26.579 --> 00:07:27.979 Look there with me starting in verse 18. 00:07:27.980 --> 00:07:30.700 And remember where we've been to this point. 00:07:30.800 --> 00:07:36.180 We've seen the first week of creation already in chapter 1 with this sort of cosmic view. 00:07:36.300 --> 00:07:38.200 This is the view from the air, so to speak. 00:07:38.300 --> 00:07:45.080 But now, remember in chapter 2, he circles back around and he zooms in here kind of on the ground level. 00:07:45.620 --> 00:07:48.740 And so now we're back to day 6, the sixth day of creation. 00:07:48.980 --> 00:07:50.640 We're back to the creation of man. 00:07:50.639 --> 00:07:57.579 And what we saw in chapter 1, you remember, was that at every turn in the creation story, seven times in fact, 00:07:57.680 --> 00:08:00.899 God pronounced a value over what he had made. 00:08:00.959 --> 00:08:01.659 Do you remember what he said? 00:08:02.500 --> 00:08:03.879 It is good. 00:08:04.579 --> 00:08:06.300 It is good. 00:08:06.879 --> 00:08:08.519 It is good. 00:08:09.000 --> 00:08:13.500 All leading up to the sixth day when he says all of this is very good. 00:08:13.500 --> 00:08:15.420 But here now, verse 18, look there. 00:08:15.860 --> 00:08:20.759 Then the Lord God said, it is not good that the man should be alone. 00:08:22.040 --> 00:08:25.480 This is like a record scratch moment here in the garden. 00:08:25.579 --> 00:08:26.620 What do you mean not good? 00:08:27.379 --> 00:08:29.720 It breaks the flow of what we've seen so far. 00:08:29.839 --> 00:08:32.080 Good, good, good, good, good, good, good. 00:08:32.179 --> 00:08:32.919 Very good. 00:08:33.019 --> 00:08:33.940 Not good. 00:08:35.179 --> 00:08:36.120 Now what do you mean? 00:08:37.080 --> 00:08:41.379 Well, apparently in God's design, the creation of man was not yet complete. 00:08:41.379 --> 00:08:48.379 It was not yet deemed very good until he says, I will make him a helper fit for him. 00:08:48.460 --> 00:08:51.939 And then in God's determination, it was very good. 00:08:52.320 --> 00:08:55.279 You know, some of us are prone to isolation. 00:08:56.220 --> 00:08:58.100 You call us introverts, whatever it may be. 00:08:58.200 --> 00:09:00.740 Some of us just really prefer to be alone. 00:09:01.360 --> 00:09:06.240 And I think what we can gain from this is that, yes, moments of solitude are good. 00:09:06.320 --> 00:09:08.679 We see that even with Jesus in the New Testament. 00:09:08.679 --> 00:09:11.039 He pulls away from moments of solitude. 00:09:11.039 --> 00:09:15.379 But a life of isolation is not good. 00:09:16.480 --> 00:09:23.839 Mankind was created from the beginning to enjoy relationship and community with other humans. 00:09:24.599 --> 00:09:31.899 And one of the highest experiences of that sort of community is in the intimate relationship of marriage. 00:09:32.919 --> 00:09:36.039 God here, he institutes marriage in the garden. 00:09:36.139 --> 00:09:37.179 And he gives it a value. 00:09:37.419 --> 00:09:39.959 It is very good. 00:09:39.960 --> 00:09:44.200 Now, of course, some people may be called to singleness. 00:09:44.440 --> 00:09:46.860 And I do want to mention that here in a sermon on marriage. 00:09:47.440 --> 00:09:50.120 And if that's the case for you, then praise God. 00:09:50.200 --> 00:09:53.220 If you're called to a life of singleness, praise God. 00:09:53.400 --> 00:10:01.000 Use your unique capacity and availability and your unique gifting for the glory of God as a single man or a single woman. 00:10:01.000 --> 00:10:06.740 But I would venture to say the majority are not called to this. 00:10:07.279 --> 00:10:14.080 And in our individualistic age and our individualistic culture, we really need to ask ourselves, 00:10:14.080 --> 00:10:18.639 do we prefer singleness because of calling or because of convenience? 00:10:18.639 --> 00:10:35.019 Now, it's clear to me that our culture has so embraced individualism as a highest value and so embraced self-autonomy as a highest value that marriage, 00:10:35.019 --> 00:10:41.120 the whole idea of marriage is becoming less and less good in the eyes of our secular culture. 00:10:41.919 --> 00:10:47.639 Now, I went searching for some stats this week and I came across a couple of articles that I think you would find interesting. 00:10:47.799 --> 00:10:55.379 One article I read said that the United States has been experiencing a decades-long marriage recession. 00:10:55.379 --> 00:11:03.720 In fact, the rate at which adults marry today has never been lower in recorded American history. 00:11:03.899 --> 00:11:04.539 Think about that. 00:11:05.679 --> 00:11:11.000 A study from KGN law firm said that marriage rates have fallen in the U.S. over time, 00:11:11.139 --> 00:11:15.559 starting at 8.2 marriages per 1,000 in the year 2000, 00:11:15.980 --> 00:11:21.159 and falling to only 5.1 marriages per 1,000 by the year 2020. 00:11:21.159 --> 00:11:29.399 In 2011, the never-married population among men 20 to 34 was 67%, 00:11:29.399 --> 00:11:34.679 but by 21, that increased to 72% of men. 00:11:35.919 --> 00:11:43.100 Among women in this age group and period, the never-married population increased from 57% to 63%. 00:11:43.100 --> 00:11:48.240 You see the decline here of the vision of marriage as a good thing. 00:11:49.240 --> 00:11:50.379 Listen, here's something interesting. 00:11:51.159 --> 00:11:58.980 That same study found that nearly 100% of highly religious men, 97%, 00:11:58.980 --> 00:12:02.159 were likely to be married by their mid-40s, 00:12:02.579 --> 00:12:07.459 while only 65% of non-religious men were likely to be hitched. 00:12:07.539 --> 00:12:10.159 Now, I have no idea what they mean by religious, 00:12:10.860 --> 00:12:14.360 what their definition of that is, what religion they may be talking about, any of that, 00:12:14.360 --> 00:12:18.080 but I am convinced that now and into the future, 00:12:18.080 --> 00:12:21.899 if marriage is going to be seen as good anywhere, 00:12:22.180 --> 00:12:24.740 it must be in the church. 00:12:24.740 --> 00:12:32.200 If anybody is going to champion marriage as very good, 00:12:33.100 --> 00:12:38.539 it's not going to be our schools or our culture or our politicians or anybody else. 00:12:38.700 --> 00:12:41.240 It must be the church. 00:12:41.240 --> 00:12:46.440 We, as God's people, must show the world what marriage is. 00:12:47.060 --> 00:12:51.919 And we must communicate to the world that it is very good in the eyes of God. 00:12:52.019 --> 00:12:56.320 This means that we ought not talk about marriage the way that everybody else talks about it. 00:12:57.320 --> 00:12:59.919 You know the way that our culture talks about marriage? 00:13:00.019 --> 00:13:01.600 The old ball and chain, right? 00:13:02.440 --> 00:13:05.000 We gripe and moan and complain. 00:13:05.159 --> 00:13:06.240 You see it on television. 00:13:06.399 --> 00:13:08.960 You hear it at the workplace, out of the lips of your friends. 00:13:09.220 --> 00:13:11.300 We ought not talk about marriage like that, should we? 00:13:12.200 --> 00:13:15.920 We ought not think about marriage the way that others think about marriage. 00:13:15.920 --> 00:13:19.920 We ought not go about marriage the way that our culture goes about marriage. 00:13:20.700 --> 00:13:25.540 If anybody is going to champion marriage, it must be the church. 00:13:25.680 --> 00:13:27.220 How strange is it? 00:13:27.259 --> 00:13:28.379 We're strange, Christian. 00:13:28.379 --> 00:13:35.200 How strange is it in the eyes of the world for a young man and a young woman to get married young and have kids young? 00:13:35.279 --> 00:13:37.399 Those are supposed to be your wild and free years, right? 00:13:39.220 --> 00:13:48.740 How strange is it to prioritize the health of your marriage, even over your career, even over your social life, to have this as a priority? 00:13:48.740 --> 00:13:55.159 How strange is it for a man and a woman to persevere through difficult seasons in their marriage, 00:13:55.159 --> 00:13:59.039 to not simply call it quits and split and call it irreconcilable differences? 00:14:00.480 --> 00:14:06.399 How strange is it in our culture to keep intimacy within the bounds of the marriage covenant? 00:14:07.500 --> 00:14:13.539 To not just grab all the benefits of marriage for yourself without actually committing to the covenant relationship. 00:14:15.120 --> 00:14:20.079 Friend, I hope you see Christians are strange and are getting stranger by the minute. 00:14:20.080 --> 00:14:27.980 We don't believe that marriage is just take it or leave it, good if it's convenient, some formality or tradition. 00:14:28.240 --> 00:14:32.840 We believe that in the eyes of God, it is very, very good. 00:14:34.900 --> 00:14:40.040 Second, we see marriage has a God-defined mission. 00:14:41.000 --> 00:14:42.300 A God-defined mission. 00:14:42.460 --> 00:14:48.840 Part of our culture's confusion about marriage is that we have completely lost sight of the mission of marriage. 00:14:48.840 --> 00:14:49.980 You know, marriage has a mission. 00:14:50.800 --> 00:14:51.560 You realize this? 00:14:51.680 --> 00:14:58.660 Beyond just self-fulfillment, beyond just finding that person that you just love and want to spend the rest of your life with, 00:14:58.740 --> 00:15:01.639 beyond just you just being happy, as good as those things are, 00:15:01.800 --> 00:15:05.220 there's a mission, a bigger mission, a big picture here for marriage. 00:15:05.940 --> 00:15:08.160 Look there with me back up again to verse 15. 00:15:08.159 --> 00:15:13.579 You remember from last week, this command that God gave to Adam. 00:15:13.679 --> 00:15:19.879 The Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and to keep it. 00:15:19.939 --> 00:15:21.860 Adam has a job to do in the garden. 00:15:22.980 --> 00:15:24.719 God gave Adam a task. 00:15:25.120 --> 00:15:26.000 You remember what it was? 00:15:26.579 --> 00:15:28.279 Be fruitful and multiply. 00:15:29.299 --> 00:15:30.799 Fill the earth and subdue it. 00:15:30.860 --> 00:15:33.799 And I imagine Adam's just looking around him like, 00:15:33.799 --> 00:15:35.059 Who's going to help me do it? 00:15:35.939 --> 00:15:38.000 I can't do this by myself. 00:15:38.079 --> 00:15:38.659 And he's right. 00:15:38.740 --> 00:15:40.319 He needs help. 00:15:41.099 --> 00:15:47.479 So God proves this point to him by parading all of the animals in the garden right there in front of him. 00:15:47.519 --> 00:15:48.459 Look there at verse 19. 00:15:49.459 --> 00:15:53.759 Out of the ground the Lord God had formed every beast of the field and every bird of the heavens 00:15:53.759 --> 00:15:57.339 and brought them to the man to see what he would call them. 00:15:57.959 --> 00:16:01.819 And whatever the man called every living creature, that was its name. 00:16:01.820 --> 00:16:07.740 The man gave names to all livestock and to the birds of the heavens and to every beast of the field. 00:16:07.860 --> 00:16:12.379 But for Adam, there was not found a helper fit for him. 00:16:12.440 --> 00:16:16.140 It's like Adam is watching all of these creatures come by. 00:16:17.120 --> 00:16:19.440 And all of them are coming with their pairs. 00:16:20.260 --> 00:16:24.260 And all of them are made, as we saw in chapter 1, they're all made according to their kinds. 00:16:24.960 --> 00:16:26.960 And he's like, well, this is great, but where's mine? 00:16:28.180 --> 00:16:29.320 God, where's mine? 00:16:29.320 --> 00:16:31.060 None of these creatures go with me. 00:16:31.820 --> 00:16:37.580 God parades all of these animals in front of Adam to show him he needs a helper. 00:16:38.140 --> 00:16:39.920 And none of these animals are going to cut it. 00:16:40.740 --> 00:16:48.680 He needs somebody like him who can be his partner to help him with the mission God has given him. 00:16:48.800 --> 00:16:49.560 So verse 21. 00:16:49.559 --> 00:16:54.099 The Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man. 00:16:55.099 --> 00:16:58.959 And while he slept, he took one of his ribs and closed up its place with flesh. 00:16:59.019 --> 00:17:05.759 And the rib that the Lord God had taken from the man, he made into a woman and brought her to the man. 00:17:05.799 --> 00:17:07.639 And just look at how Adam responds. 00:17:07.640 --> 00:17:11.060 I love this. 00:17:11.780 --> 00:17:13.840 It's like those old Bugs Bunny cartoons. 00:17:13.980 --> 00:17:14.759 You know what I'm talking about? 00:17:14.820 --> 00:17:18.880 When he sees something that he likes and his eyes turn into hearts. 00:17:19.340 --> 00:17:24.560 And his heart starts pumping 10 feet out of his chest and steam's coming out of his ears. 00:17:24.640 --> 00:17:25.500 You know what I'm talking about? 00:17:25.500 --> 00:17:30.420 Adam lays eyes on Eve and all of a sudden he becomes a poet. 00:17:31.299 --> 00:17:34.160 This is the first recorded poetry in human history. 00:17:34.359 --> 00:17:35.819 This at last. 00:17:36.539 --> 00:17:37.319 And don't you love that? 00:17:37.420 --> 00:17:38.839 I mean it's been half a day, Adam. 00:17:39.180 --> 00:17:39.599 Come on. 00:17:39.960 --> 00:17:41.180 This at last. 00:17:41.740 --> 00:17:44.940 This bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh. 00:17:45.039 --> 00:17:46.259 She's like me. 00:17:47.180 --> 00:17:48.519 She goes with me. 00:17:48.619 --> 00:17:49.779 She's my partner. 00:17:49.779 --> 00:17:52.200 She shall be called woman. 00:17:52.500 --> 00:17:54.420 For she was taken out of man. 00:17:54.539 --> 00:17:56.599 Men, would you just take notes here? 00:17:57.980 --> 00:18:01.299 Now just look how Adam rejoices over his bride. 00:18:02.379 --> 00:18:03.980 How he delights in her. 00:18:04.319 --> 00:18:10.460 Eve's first words that she hears in her life are the sound, the words, the voice of her husband 00:18:10.460 --> 00:18:13.839 just showering her with praise and delight. 00:18:13.839 --> 00:18:24.859 At last, Adam has a helper so that now together they can together as a unit get to work fulfilling 00:18:24.859 --> 00:18:27.059 God's mission for them. 00:18:27.819 --> 00:18:29.240 See the mission here. 00:18:30.220 --> 00:18:37.699 They can together as husband and wife now be fruitful and multiply, fill the earth and subdue it, 00:18:37.980 --> 00:18:40.279 have dominion over it. 00:18:40.279 --> 00:18:46.759 But they don't have to wonder or ask, what in the world is the purpose of our marriage? 00:18:47.599 --> 00:18:49.160 What is our marriage all about? 00:18:49.220 --> 00:18:50.960 What are we doing here in this relationship? 00:18:51.480 --> 00:18:59.019 They have a clear, God-defined, shared vision for how they will go about glorifying God together 00:18:59.019 --> 00:19:00.899 through their marriage. 00:19:01.000 --> 00:19:06.180 And church, I believe this is absolutely key for a healthy marriage. 00:19:06.180 --> 00:19:14.799 church, you have to understand together and be committed together to your mission. 00:19:15.200 --> 00:19:16.779 Ask yourself, do you have this? 00:19:17.840 --> 00:19:19.160 The married people in the room? 00:19:20.539 --> 00:19:22.740 Are you committed to this mission together? 00:19:22.880 --> 00:19:28.900 Do you share a vision together for how you will go about the work of honoring and serving the Lord together? 00:19:28.900 --> 00:19:33.860 Expanding the reach of the kingdom of God here on earth together? 00:19:34.860 --> 00:19:42.759 Filling the earth with image bearers together, both physically by reproducing children and multiplying, 00:19:42.900 --> 00:19:49.800 that's physical multiplication, but also spiritually, how you'll invest in others and make disciples 00:19:49.800 --> 00:19:52.880 and multiply spiritual influence together? 00:19:52.880 --> 00:19:58.020 There may be a lot of reasons why you may not have this. 00:19:58.240 --> 00:20:01.600 Again, we live here on this side of the fall. 00:20:02.780 --> 00:20:06.440 Sin has come and disrupted this whole thing. 00:20:06.640 --> 00:20:11.760 Most marriages are far from this picture of this ideal that we see in the garden. 00:20:13.120 --> 00:20:15.780 And it may be that you're married to an unbelieving spouse. 00:20:15.779 --> 00:20:21.259 It may be that one partner is further along, one partner is unwilling, 00:20:21.559 --> 00:20:25.480 all of us have our own degrees of selfishness that we have to deal with, 00:20:25.599 --> 00:20:31.579 but here what we see in the garden, in God's design, the mission of marriage. 00:20:32.420 --> 00:20:37.740 Adam and Eve are made to serve and worship the Lord, to obey Him, to honor Him, 00:20:37.740 --> 00:20:40.879 to fill the earth with His glory together. 00:20:40.880 --> 00:20:50.480 Father, if you are married, the mission of your marriage is to magnify the glory of God 00:20:50.480 --> 00:20:54.580 in the gospel of Jesus Christ through your marriage. 00:20:55.460 --> 00:20:58.540 Marriage has a God-defined mission. 00:20:58.740 --> 00:21:06.440 And for the mission, third, for the mission, marriage has God-defined roles. 00:21:07.260 --> 00:21:10.180 Now, talk about being countercultural. 00:21:11.880 --> 00:21:15.260 Most secular people, when they hear something like that, 00:21:15.360 --> 00:21:19.640 like roles in a marriage relationship, they call that old-fashioned. 00:21:19.840 --> 00:21:22.120 In fact, that might be the nicest thing that they might call that. 00:21:23.160 --> 00:21:24.140 And they're right. 00:21:24.240 --> 00:21:27.900 This is all the way Genesis 2 type of old-fashioned. 00:21:28.240 --> 00:21:31.800 We're going back to the design here, all the way in Eden. 00:21:32.160 --> 00:21:36.820 We see that God defines the roles here for husband and wife. 00:21:36.980 --> 00:21:38.940 Adam is made as the leader. 00:21:38.940 --> 00:21:38.980 He's the leader. 00:21:39.559 --> 00:21:40.600 He's the head. 00:21:41.440 --> 00:21:43.539 And Eve here is made as his helper. 00:21:44.660 --> 00:21:47.380 Let me just show you a few places where we see this here in the passage. 00:21:47.539 --> 00:21:51.059 For one, we see man was created first, not woman. 00:21:52.259 --> 00:21:56.580 God could have easily created both at the same time, but He didn't. 00:21:56.720 --> 00:21:59.440 And the Apostle Paul apparently found that significant. 00:21:59.700 --> 00:22:03.460 He used it as the basis for some of his instructions in 1 Timothy 2. 00:22:03.460 --> 00:22:07.660 Again, this is not a statement of worth. 00:22:07.779 --> 00:22:09.140 I want to make that abundantly clear. 00:22:09.779 --> 00:22:11.480 But it is significant. 00:22:11.640 --> 00:22:14.039 Man here from the beginning takes the lead. 00:22:15.079 --> 00:22:18.880 Man is given the word first, not woman. 00:22:20.140 --> 00:22:21.740 Before Eve was even created. 00:22:21.920 --> 00:22:23.960 Here in verses 15 through 17, 00:22:23.960 --> 00:22:28.240 God lays out all of the covenant stipulations, 00:22:28.559 --> 00:22:31.039 all of these life and death conditions. 00:22:31.460 --> 00:22:35.180 God gives Adam the law before Eve was even created. 00:22:35.360 --> 00:22:41.160 He gives the instructions for how they would live and continue in this blessed fellowship with the Lord in the garden. 00:22:41.160 --> 00:22:45.180 Meaning, it was Adam's primary responsibility 00:22:45.180 --> 00:22:48.720 to make certain that the commands of the Lord were kept. 00:22:48.720 --> 00:22:55.259 And presumably, it was Adam's primary responsibility to relay those instructions to Eve 00:22:55.259 --> 00:23:00.180 and to teach her to make sure she understood their responsibility together in the garden. 00:23:01.240 --> 00:23:04.360 And what we'll see in a couple weeks in Genesis chapter 3, 00:23:04.480 --> 00:23:08.720 when Eve sins and when she eats of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, 00:23:09.259 --> 00:23:11.100 who is it that God calls into account? 00:23:11.940 --> 00:23:14.480 It's Adam who bears the burden. 00:23:15.180 --> 00:23:18.140 It's Adam who's called into account before the Lord. 00:23:18.140 --> 00:23:22.280 Why? Because that's the burden of leadership that Adam bears in the garden. 00:23:23.660 --> 00:23:27.340 We see woman was made out of Adam's side, not the other way around. 00:23:27.500 --> 00:23:29.520 She's not made from the dust like Adam was. 00:23:29.580 --> 00:23:31.220 She's made from Adam. 00:23:31.420 --> 00:23:35.860 We see she's given this title, this purpose, that she would be his helper. 00:23:36.880 --> 00:23:39.259 A helper fit for him. 00:23:39.340 --> 00:23:41.280 You see the dynamic here taking shape. 00:23:41.400 --> 00:23:43.360 There's leader and there's helper. 00:23:43.359 --> 00:23:51.699 Now, of course, our natural response to this is, well, that term's a little derogatory, isn't it? 00:23:52.699 --> 00:23:53.939 A little demeaning, maybe? 00:23:54.779 --> 00:23:56.619 That's not the case at all. 00:23:56.699 --> 00:24:02.259 We should remember the Lord himself is called helper more than a few times in the Psalms. 00:24:02.259 --> 00:24:05.599 Moses calls God his helper. 00:24:06.279 --> 00:24:10.240 In Exodus chapter 18, the Holy Spirit is called the helper. 00:24:10.460 --> 00:24:12.700 It's not a statement of value. 00:24:13.079 --> 00:24:16.500 It's an assignment of a role and function. 00:24:18.180 --> 00:24:26.539 Lastly, here we see man is given this unique authority over his wife within the covenant relationship. 00:24:26.539 --> 00:24:29.920 He names her, not the other way around. 00:24:29.920 --> 00:24:33.560 Now, go back to this scene of God bringing Eve to Adam. 00:24:33.700 --> 00:24:35.840 It's such a beautiful scene. 00:24:35.940 --> 00:24:39.360 This is the first giving away in human history. 00:24:40.460 --> 00:24:41.539 I remember my own wedding. 00:24:41.660 --> 00:24:42.220 There I am. 00:24:42.600 --> 00:24:43.220 I'm standing. 00:24:43.360 --> 00:24:43.920 I'm sweating. 00:24:45.060 --> 00:24:45.820 I'm waiting. 00:24:47.080 --> 00:24:51.779 And all of these bridesmaids and groomsmen come marching down the aisle. 00:24:51.900 --> 00:24:53.100 And I smile at them. 00:24:53.200 --> 00:24:55.240 But I'm not there for them. 00:24:55.320 --> 00:24:56.519 That's not why I'm there. 00:24:56.519 --> 00:25:01.259 They pass by and then finally, at last, here comes my bride. 00:25:02.240 --> 00:25:05.240 And her father is walking her down the aisle. 00:25:06.139 --> 00:25:13.180 And in a symbolic way, we've all seen this in a marriage ceremony, in a symbolic way, her father hands her to me. 00:25:13.299 --> 00:25:14.119 It's a shift. 00:25:14.379 --> 00:25:15.660 It's a shift of authority. 00:25:15.819 --> 00:25:18.639 No longer is she primarily under her father's authority. 00:25:18.639 --> 00:25:21.299 Now she's been given over to her husband. 00:25:22.220 --> 00:25:25.480 That's exactly what we see happening here in the garden. 00:25:25.659 --> 00:25:29.259 Adam sees all these bridesmaids and groomsmen coming down the aisle. 00:25:29.359 --> 00:25:30.899 All these animals pass by him. 00:25:30.940 --> 00:25:32.339 He's like, okay, get on. 00:25:32.519 --> 00:25:32.899 Go on. 00:25:32.980 --> 00:25:33.419 Get out of here. 00:25:33.519 --> 00:25:34.119 They're not for me. 00:25:34.500 --> 00:25:38.139 Finally, God brings his bride down to him. 00:25:39.119 --> 00:25:41.680 He proceeds down the aisle with Eve. 00:25:42.299 --> 00:25:44.399 He hands her over to Adam. 00:25:44.500 --> 00:25:45.720 And he names her woman. 00:25:46.440 --> 00:25:47.899 For she was taken out of man. 00:25:47.900 --> 00:25:49.300 So here's the idea. 00:25:49.460 --> 00:25:51.120 Again, I want to be crystal clear about this. 00:25:51.240 --> 00:25:56.259 Adam and Eve are equal partners in the task God has given them. 00:25:57.200 --> 00:26:01.180 And they come with God-defined roles. 00:26:02.360 --> 00:26:05.000 Adam and Eve have equal worth. 00:26:05.780 --> 00:26:07.920 They're both made in the image of God. 00:26:08.040 --> 00:26:09.420 They're of equal value. 00:26:09.519 --> 00:26:10.960 There's no difference in value. 00:26:10.960 --> 00:26:16.660 And there is distinction in role and function. 00:26:17.819 --> 00:26:21.140 Adam is given a role of leadership and authority in the family unit. 00:26:21.299 --> 00:26:25.440 And Eve is given the role of followership and support and help in the family unit. 00:26:26.279 --> 00:26:29.559 This is God's design here from the beginning. 00:26:29.759 --> 00:26:32.819 God has designed men and women differently. 00:26:33.600 --> 00:26:35.220 To serve differently. 00:26:35.380 --> 00:26:38.900 To complement each other in marriage and in distinct ways. 00:26:38.900 --> 00:26:39.300 Why? 00:26:39.740 --> 00:26:44.259 For the purposes of advancing his kingdom here on earth. 00:26:44.340 --> 00:26:51.259 But once again, sin has made this incredibly difficult, hasn't it? 00:26:52.800 --> 00:26:54.700 The design isn't the problem. 00:26:54.840 --> 00:26:55.940 The design is good. 00:26:56.560 --> 00:26:58.140 All of this is before the fall. 00:26:58.140 --> 00:27:07.240 But our sin comes in and takes this good complementary relationship of leading and submitting of head and helper. 00:27:07.620 --> 00:27:09.300 And it makes it all just so hard. 00:27:09.420 --> 00:27:11.200 I know you know this, right? 00:27:12.040 --> 00:27:13.660 Please don't say amen, fellas. 00:27:14.420 --> 00:27:14.680 Okay? 00:27:15.140 --> 00:27:15.940 Word of wisdom. 00:27:16.960 --> 00:27:20.080 All of us have seen what sin can do to a marriage. 00:27:20.079 --> 00:27:30.179 Men either sin by abusing our God-given authority or we give it away. 00:27:31.699 --> 00:27:38.359 Either on one hand we're harsh, domineering, at the very worst abusive. 00:27:38.639 --> 00:27:42.019 And let me just say that that is not godly authority. 00:27:42.019 --> 00:27:46.399 That is not what it means to love and to lead your wife as God designed it to be. 00:27:46.400 --> 00:27:53.259 Or on the other hand, men, we sin by sinfully just not leading at all. 00:27:54.660 --> 00:27:58.820 We let go of this God-given role in the family and we're passive. 00:28:00.740 --> 00:28:06.040 Women, on the other hand, especially with the rise of feminism in the late 60s and 70s, 00:28:06.400 --> 00:28:12.120 can be prone to sin in the direction of grappling for the position of leader and head 00:28:12.120 --> 00:28:13.560 and wanting to take that on themselves. 00:28:13.559 --> 00:28:17.059 They either desperately want to be the leader of the relationship 00:28:17.059 --> 00:28:22.220 or the husband is so darn passive that they feel like they have to be the leader 00:28:22.220 --> 00:28:23.700 because somebody's got to. 00:28:26.119 --> 00:28:34.619 Either way, again, we recognize sin comes in and absolutely disrupts this whole thing. 00:28:34.740 --> 00:28:37.299 We've all experienced this in various ways, haven't we? 00:28:37.299 --> 00:28:41.279 But Christian, what I want to say to you is 00:28:41.279 --> 00:28:47.440 that even if your marriage is far from this ideal that we see here in the garden, 00:28:48.519 --> 00:28:50.039 take heart this morning. 00:28:50.859 --> 00:28:54.960 Because in Christ, if you are in a Christian marriage, 00:28:55.059 --> 00:28:57.680 in Christ, by the power of the Holy Spirit 00:28:57.680 --> 00:29:01.159 and the grace of God at work in you, 00:29:01.480 --> 00:29:02.899 at work in your spouse, 00:29:02.899 --> 00:29:05.619 there is hope for you. 00:29:05.619 --> 00:29:11.779 Your marriage truly can begin to look more and more like what it was always supposed to be. 00:29:11.859 --> 00:29:16.139 A Christian marriage doesn't have to continue in patterns of sin. 00:29:16.279 --> 00:29:16.959 Praise God. 00:29:18.179 --> 00:29:20.159 A Christian marriage, by God's grace, 00:29:20.299 --> 00:29:24.519 truly can make progress to be what it's meant to be. 00:29:24.839 --> 00:29:26.199 And when it does, 00:29:27.659 --> 00:29:29.500 when our marriages begin to thrive, 00:29:29.500 --> 00:29:35.119 when our church is full of happy, healthy, thriving marriages, 00:29:35.119 --> 00:29:39.059 when a husband is serving and leading and loving his wife 00:29:39.059 --> 00:29:42.339 and a wife is respecting and following her husband 00:29:42.339 --> 00:29:47.000 and both of them together are living for the glory of God in the world 00:29:47.000 --> 00:29:52.019 and both of them are enjoying this gift of marriage as a very good thing, 00:29:52.019 --> 00:29:59.440 then the message of marriage will shine brightly for you and for all who see it. 00:29:59.500 --> 00:30:08.019 Fourth, we see marriage has a God-defined message. 00:30:09.359 --> 00:30:11.220 Look there down at verse 24. 00:30:13.099 --> 00:30:17.039 And here we see that Moses is sort of reflecting on this account 00:30:17.039 --> 00:30:20.319 and he adds this kind of summary statement there in verse 24. 00:30:20.319 --> 00:30:24.639 Therefore, therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother 00:30:24.639 --> 00:30:27.299 and hold fast to his wife, 00:30:27.779 --> 00:30:31.519 and they shall become one flesh. 00:30:32.899 --> 00:30:38.099 In marriage, we see this beautiful picture of union 00:30:38.099 --> 00:30:40.500 between husband and wife. 00:30:40.599 --> 00:30:43.639 The two shall become one flesh. 00:30:44.700 --> 00:30:46.859 Of course, physically, that's part of that, 00:30:46.859 --> 00:30:48.699 but men is just one part, okay? 00:30:48.759 --> 00:30:49.359 Just one part. 00:30:50.279 --> 00:30:52.159 This is total oneness. 00:30:52.559 --> 00:30:56.579 Spiritually, emotionally, intellectually, morally, 00:30:57.319 --> 00:31:00.519 they are bound up together in union. 00:31:00.740 --> 00:31:03.199 And this union between husband and wife, 00:31:03.199 --> 00:31:05.259 it speaks a message. 00:31:05.779 --> 00:31:09.399 It proclaims the message of the gospel. 00:31:09.400 --> 00:31:14.400 Paul, I want you to flip over with me to Ephesians chapter 5. 00:31:15.380 --> 00:31:17.200 You flip with me to Ephesians chapter 5, 00:31:17.259 --> 00:31:19.519 to the passage that was read this morning. 00:31:21.019 --> 00:31:22.860 We'll start in verse 22, 00:31:23.180 --> 00:31:25.320 because Paul draws this connection for us 00:31:25.320 --> 00:31:27.519 to show that all along, 00:31:27.620 --> 00:31:30.780 in this relationship that God instituted in the garden 00:31:30.780 --> 00:31:31.840 called marriage, 00:31:32.480 --> 00:31:35.380 the message of the gospel has been proclaimed. 00:31:35.380 --> 00:31:38.300 Paul says, 00:31:38.420 --> 00:31:40.960 Wives, submit to your own husbands, 00:31:41.140 --> 00:31:42.180 not to every man, 00:31:42.940 --> 00:31:44.240 to your own husbands, 00:31:44.860 --> 00:31:45.980 as to the Lord. 00:31:46.900 --> 00:31:48.760 For the husband is the head of the wife, 00:31:49.140 --> 00:31:52.520 even as Christ is the head of the church, 00:31:53.060 --> 00:31:53.740 his body, 00:31:54.460 --> 00:31:55.980 and is himself its savior. 00:31:57.120 --> 00:31:59.020 Now, as the church submits to Christ, 00:31:59.160 --> 00:32:02.080 so also wives should submit in everything to their husbands. 00:32:02.079 --> 00:32:05.399 I remember when I was in college, 00:32:05.519 --> 00:32:07.919 I served under a pastor there, 00:32:08.000 --> 00:32:09.699 and he was doing premarital counseling 00:32:09.699 --> 00:32:11.220 with two non-believers, 00:32:11.359 --> 00:32:11.960 who asked him, 00:32:12.220 --> 00:32:13.759 Would you perform our marriage? 00:32:13.960 --> 00:32:16.559 And he was walking them through this passage, 00:32:16.699 --> 00:32:17.740 Ephesians chapter 5, 00:32:17.819 --> 00:32:20.279 to explain the message of marriage. 00:32:20.460 --> 00:32:21.779 And at this point, 00:32:22.199 --> 00:32:23.079 as you could imagine, 00:32:23.159 --> 00:32:24.299 the woman spoke up and said, 00:32:24.359 --> 00:32:25.359 Are you serious? 00:32:27.359 --> 00:32:28.379 Are you for real? 00:32:28.419 --> 00:32:29.859 Wives, submit to your husband. 00:32:29.939 --> 00:32:31.059 You know what year this is? 00:32:31.059 --> 00:32:32.279 Are you crazy? 00:32:33.940 --> 00:32:35.419 And then they kept reading. 00:32:36.440 --> 00:32:39.339 And they saw what the husband was called to do. 00:32:39.539 --> 00:32:40.299 Verse 25, 00:32:41.659 --> 00:32:46.159 Husbands, love your wives as Christ loved the church. 00:32:46.159 --> 00:32:47.940 How did Christ love the church? 00:32:49.319 --> 00:32:51.000 How did Christ love the church? 00:32:52.159 --> 00:32:54.599 He gave himself up for her. 00:32:55.779 --> 00:32:57.940 He died for her. 00:32:57.940 --> 00:33:00.779 That he might sanctify her, 00:33:00.880 --> 00:33:03.799 having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, 00:33:04.100 --> 00:33:08.100 so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, 00:33:08.220 --> 00:33:11.759 without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, 00:33:11.920 --> 00:33:14.259 that she might be holy and without blemish. 00:33:15.120 --> 00:33:15.799 In the same way, 00:33:15.860 --> 00:33:18.420 husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. 00:33:19.120 --> 00:33:21.580 He who loves his wife loves himself. 00:33:21.579 --> 00:33:24.359 For no one ever hated his own flesh, 00:33:24.519 --> 00:33:26.559 but nourishes and cherishes it, 00:33:26.859 --> 00:33:29.319 just as Christ does the church, 00:33:29.839 --> 00:33:32.079 because we are members of his body. 00:33:32.500 --> 00:33:35.359 Therefore, quoting Genesis 2, verse 24, 00:33:36.419 --> 00:33:38.279 a man shall leave his father and mother, 00:33:38.399 --> 00:33:39.960 and hold fast to his wife, 00:33:40.000 --> 00:33:43.299 and the two shall become one flesh. 00:33:43.359 --> 00:33:44.759 Now listen to this, verse 32. 00:33:44.759 --> 00:33:48.000 This mystery is profound, 00:33:48.740 --> 00:33:53.619 and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church. 00:33:54.680 --> 00:33:57.420 However, let each one of you love his wife as himself, 00:33:57.519 --> 00:34:00.440 and let the wife see that she respects her husband. 00:34:00.579 --> 00:34:02.019 Do you see the message here? 00:34:04.420 --> 00:34:08.760 Baked into the design for man and woman in marriage, 00:34:08.760 --> 00:34:10.960 marriage in union together, 00:34:11.700 --> 00:34:15.800 is God's plan of redemption in Christ. 00:34:17.460 --> 00:34:22.060 This is why Paul calls it a mystery here in chapter 5 of Ephesians. 00:34:22.140 --> 00:34:24.040 It's not mysterious or unclear. 00:34:24.040 --> 00:34:27.040 A mystery is a truth once concealed, 00:34:27.740 --> 00:34:29.040 but now revealed. 00:34:30.300 --> 00:34:33.980 Paul says the truth of the gospel has been concealed, 00:34:34.120 --> 00:34:36.740 has been held up here in this gift of marriage, 00:34:36.739 --> 00:34:39.139 just been proclaimed this whole time, 00:34:39.239 --> 00:34:41.059 through marriage, from the beginning. 00:34:41.919 --> 00:34:43.459 And now that Christ has come, 00:34:44.119 --> 00:34:46.159 and he's lived, and he's died, 00:34:46.259 --> 00:34:48.459 and he's risen to purchase his bride, 00:34:48.519 --> 00:34:50.199 now we look at marriage, 00:34:50.199 --> 00:34:51.879 and we get the message. 00:34:53.879 --> 00:34:56.439 How unbelievably wise is our God? 00:34:58.059 --> 00:34:59.859 Here even before the fall, 00:35:01.219 --> 00:35:03.399 here even before sin enters the world, 00:35:03.400 --> 00:35:09.860 God is teaching mankind about redemption in Christ. 00:35:11.720 --> 00:35:13.079 Marriage is a picture. 00:35:14.300 --> 00:35:16.460 It's a temporary pointer 00:35:16.460 --> 00:35:20.400 of how Jesus Christ shed his own blood 00:35:20.400 --> 00:35:21.760 to create the church, 00:35:21.940 --> 00:35:24.519 not just a rib, but his own life. 00:35:25.780 --> 00:35:28.619 It's a picture of how Christ, Jesus, 00:35:28.619 --> 00:35:29.699 is our head, 00:35:30.639 --> 00:35:31.599 our authority, 00:35:32.460 --> 00:35:33.380 our leader, 00:35:33.539 --> 00:35:35.019 who loves us, 00:35:35.119 --> 00:35:36.699 and nurtures us, 00:35:36.779 --> 00:35:38.119 and cleanses us, 00:35:38.219 --> 00:35:40.199 and represents us. 00:35:41.199 --> 00:35:42.819 It's a picture of how we, 00:35:42.940 --> 00:35:43.460 his bride, 00:35:43.559 --> 00:35:46.159 receive our life directly from him, 00:35:46.239 --> 00:35:48.639 and how now we come alongside him 00:35:48.639 --> 00:35:49.599 as his helper, 00:35:49.960 --> 00:35:51.480 as his body here on earth 00:35:51.480 --> 00:35:53.000 to accomplish the mission, 00:35:53.099 --> 00:35:54.940 the task of filling the earth 00:35:54.940 --> 00:35:56.199 with the glory of God. 00:35:56.199 --> 00:35:59.960 Now, our oneness with our spouse, 00:36:00.119 --> 00:36:01.399 the most intimate connection 00:36:01.399 --> 00:36:03.339 that you can have with anybody here on earth, 00:36:03.419 --> 00:36:05.399 is just a temporary pointer 00:36:05.399 --> 00:36:07.480 to our eternal oneness, 00:36:07.579 --> 00:36:09.460 our union with God through Christ, 00:36:10.119 --> 00:36:12.199 which is our deepest 00:36:12.199 --> 00:36:14.819 and truest need. 00:36:17.079 --> 00:36:18.559 Friend, if you're here, 00:36:18.619 --> 00:36:19.539 and you're not a believer, 00:36:19.679 --> 00:36:22.259 what you need more than anything in the world, 00:36:22.359 --> 00:36:23.419 more than a spouse, 00:36:23.420 --> 00:36:25.880 and more than a healthy, 00:36:26.079 --> 00:36:26.820 happy marriage, 00:36:26.900 --> 00:36:28.320 what you need more than anything 00:36:28.320 --> 00:36:31.960 is to listen to the message of marriage, 00:36:32.659 --> 00:36:34.360 and to be united to God 00:36:34.360 --> 00:36:35.599 through faith in Christ, 00:36:37.000 --> 00:36:38.039 to see the message 00:36:38.039 --> 00:36:39.599 that Christ, Jesus, 00:36:39.700 --> 00:36:41.539 has come to save sinners 00:36:41.539 --> 00:36:43.320 like you repent 00:36:43.320 --> 00:36:44.619 and believe the gospel. 00:36:44.619 --> 00:36:47.719 single people, 00:36:47.839 --> 00:36:49.039 as much as you may desire, 00:36:49.619 --> 00:36:50.239 espouse, 00:36:50.400 --> 00:36:51.339 desire Christ 00:36:51.339 --> 00:36:53.400 10,000 times more. 00:36:55.000 --> 00:36:55.900 Married people 00:36:55.900 --> 00:36:57.940 in an imperfect marriage, 00:36:58.440 --> 00:37:00.440 as much as you may wish 00:37:00.440 --> 00:37:01.440 that your marriage were better 00:37:01.440 --> 00:37:02.639 or healthier 00:37:02.639 --> 00:37:04.019 or happier, 00:37:04.359 --> 00:37:06.480 rejoice in the love of God 00:37:06.480 --> 00:37:08.039 for you in Christ, 00:37:08.139 --> 00:37:09.159 and by God's grace, 00:37:09.279 --> 00:37:10.599 take whatever steps are needed 00:37:10.599 --> 00:37:12.179 to move your marriage 00:37:12.179 --> 00:37:13.419 closer to this picture 00:37:13.419 --> 00:37:14.619 of Christ and his church. 00:37:16.500 --> 00:37:17.859 Let all the joys 00:37:17.859 --> 00:37:19.139 and the pleasures 00:37:19.139 --> 00:37:20.139 and the blessings 00:37:20.139 --> 00:37:21.839 of a good marriage 00:37:21.839 --> 00:37:23.119 point your heart forwards 00:37:23.119 --> 00:37:23.779 to the day 00:37:23.779 --> 00:37:25.059 when Christ will come 00:37:25.059 --> 00:37:26.679 to retrieve his bride, 00:37:27.219 --> 00:37:29.539 and all of God's people 00:37:29.539 --> 00:37:31.719 will sit and feast 00:37:31.719 --> 00:37:32.919 in fullness of joy 00:37:32.919 --> 00:37:33.839 at the marriage supper 00:37:33.839 --> 00:37:34.480 of the Lamb. 00:37:38.019 --> 00:37:39.239 Amanda and I, 00:37:39.419 --> 00:37:40.460 early on in our marriage, 00:37:40.460 --> 00:37:42.400 took a trip to Rwanda, 00:37:42.780 --> 00:37:44.699 and I still don't know 00:37:44.699 --> 00:37:45.159 if this was just 00:37:45.159 --> 00:37:46.119 a tourist trick 00:37:46.119 --> 00:37:47.159 or if it was just 00:37:47.159 --> 00:37:47.900 great timing, 00:37:48.019 --> 00:37:48.500 I don't know, 00:37:48.619 --> 00:37:50.360 but we were in a small house 00:37:50.360 --> 00:37:51.420 made out of mud 00:37:51.420 --> 00:37:52.840 with a family, 00:37:53.059 --> 00:37:54.019 and we were watching them 00:37:54.019 --> 00:37:55.460 cook and clean 00:37:55.460 --> 00:37:56.920 and just observing 00:37:56.920 --> 00:37:57.840 and seeing how they went 00:37:57.840 --> 00:37:58.619 about their life 00:37:58.619 --> 00:37:59.960 when all of a sudden 00:37:59.960 --> 00:38:00.639 we look out 00:38:00.639 --> 00:38:01.519 the front doorway, 00:38:01.760 --> 00:38:03.019 this entryway of the house, 00:38:03.079 --> 00:38:04.340 and there's a figure 00:38:04.340 --> 00:38:05.880 coming over the hills. 00:38:07.340 --> 00:38:08.760 As we watch the figure 00:38:08.760 --> 00:38:10.820 come closer and closer, 00:38:11.000 --> 00:38:12.240 we saw he had 00:38:12.240 --> 00:38:13.420 a large animal 00:38:13.420 --> 00:38:14.220 with him, 00:38:14.320 --> 00:38:16.000 and finally, 00:38:16.200 --> 00:38:17.260 he makes his way 00:38:17.260 --> 00:38:17.840 all the way 00:38:17.840 --> 00:38:18.520 to the house, 00:38:18.580 --> 00:38:20.000 and we see it's a young man 00:38:20.000 --> 00:38:20.700 with a cow 00:38:20.700 --> 00:38:21.720 tied to a rope, 00:38:21.760 --> 00:38:22.720 and I still don't know 00:38:22.720 --> 00:38:23.580 where they came from, 00:38:23.660 --> 00:38:24.800 but here they were. 00:38:26.380 --> 00:38:27.560 He handed that rope 00:38:27.560 --> 00:38:28.380 off to a member 00:38:28.380 --> 00:38:29.100 of the family, 00:38:29.260 --> 00:38:29.960 and they all started 00:38:29.960 --> 00:38:31.780 talking and laughing 00:38:31.780 --> 00:38:34.320 and just jabbering, 00:38:34.360 --> 00:38:34.620 and of course, 00:38:34.660 --> 00:38:35.260 we couldn't understand 00:38:35.260 --> 00:38:36.520 a word that was said 00:38:36.519 --> 00:38:37.239 until eventually 00:38:37.239 --> 00:38:38.340 somebody explained 00:38:38.340 --> 00:38:39.619 to us what was happening. 00:38:39.739 --> 00:38:40.059 They said, 00:38:40.179 --> 00:38:41.059 he is coming 00:38:41.059 --> 00:38:42.500 to pay his dowry. 00:38:43.960 --> 00:38:45.059 He's come to pay 00:38:45.059 --> 00:38:46.340 the bride price. 00:38:47.579 --> 00:38:49.099 He's come all this way 00:38:49.099 --> 00:38:50.500 bringing this gift, 00:38:50.659 --> 00:38:51.900 this sacrifice 00:38:51.900 --> 00:38:53.039 in exchange 00:38:53.039 --> 00:38:54.440 for his bride, 00:38:54.639 --> 00:38:55.239 and we don't do it 00:38:55.239 --> 00:38:56.420 like that in the United States, 00:38:56.460 --> 00:38:56.759 do we? 00:38:59.000 --> 00:38:59.659 But I thought, 00:38:59.800 --> 00:39:00.840 what a picture 00:39:00.840 --> 00:39:01.920 of the gospel. 00:39:01.920 --> 00:39:05.619 the Son of God 00:39:05.619 --> 00:39:06.380 himself 00:39:06.380 --> 00:39:09.579 journeyed all the way 00:39:09.579 --> 00:39:10.659 from the throne room 00:39:10.659 --> 00:39:11.240 of heaven 00:39:11.240 --> 00:39:11.960 down here 00:39:11.960 --> 00:39:13.320 to our mud 00:39:13.320 --> 00:39:14.300 and our mess 00:39:14.300 --> 00:39:15.220 and our filth 00:39:15.220 --> 00:39:16.159 and our sin, 00:39:16.539 --> 00:39:18.280 and he went 00:39:18.280 --> 00:39:19.159 to the cross, 00:39:19.840 --> 00:39:21.420 and he offered up 00:39:21.420 --> 00:39:21.960 himself 00:39:21.960 --> 00:39:23.220 as a sacrifice 00:39:23.220 --> 00:39:25.559 so that he might 00:39:25.559 --> 00:39:27.180 purchase a bride 00:39:27.180 --> 00:39:28.599 for himself. 00:39:28.599 --> 00:39:31.019 From heaven 00:39:31.019 --> 00:39:31.619 he came 00:39:31.619 --> 00:39:32.400 and sought her 00:39:32.400 --> 00:39:34.039 to be 00:39:34.039 --> 00:39:35.500 his holy bride, 00:39:36.219 --> 00:39:37.239 and with 00:39:37.239 --> 00:39:37.980 his own 00:39:37.980 --> 00:39:38.480 blood 00:39:38.480 --> 00:39:39.440 he bought her, 00:39:40.159 --> 00:39:41.460 and for her life 00:39:41.460 --> 00:39:42.460 he died. 00:39:42.599 --> 00:39:43.000 That 00:39:43.000 --> 00:39:44.799 is the message 00:39:44.799 --> 00:39:46.319 and the beauty 00:39:46.319 --> 00:39:47.900 and the glory 00:39:47.900 --> 00:39:49.400 of marriage. 00:39:50.679 --> 00:39:51.400 Father, 00:39:51.539 --> 00:39:52.299 we thank you 00:39:52.299 --> 00:39:54.400 for this picture 00:39:54.400 --> 00:39:55.019 of the gospel 00:39:55.019 --> 00:39:56.099 that you've given us. 00:39:56.099 --> 00:39:58.519 and we pray 00:39:58.519 --> 00:39:58.940 for 00:39:58.940 --> 00:40:01.059 any non-believer 00:40:01.059 --> 00:40:02.460 in the room 00:40:02.460 --> 00:40:02.839 that they would 00:40:02.839 --> 00:40:03.819 look to the message 00:40:03.819 --> 00:40:04.539 of marriage, 00:40:04.860 --> 00:40:05.739 to the message 00:40:05.739 --> 00:40:06.440 of the gospel, 00:40:06.679 --> 00:40:07.639 and be drawn 00:40:07.639 --> 00:40:08.759 to faith in Christ. 00:40:10.019 --> 00:40:10.699 And we pray 00:40:10.699 --> 00:40:11.599 for each one of us, 00:40:11.759 --> 00:40:11.880 Lord, 00:40:11.960 --> 00:40:12.559 for those that are 00:40:12.559 --> 00:40:13.059 struggling 00:40:13.059 --> 00:40:15.059 in imperfect marriages 00:40:15.059 --> 00:40:16.559 and difficult marriages, 00:40:16.739 --> 00:40:16.880 Lord, 00:40:16.920 --> 00:40:17.440 would you give us 00:40:17.440 --> 00:40:18.000 grace 00:40:18.000 --> 00:40:20.339 to persevere 00:40:20.339 --> 00:40:22.119 and to see it 00:40:22.119 --> 00:40:22.940 as very good 00:40:22.940 --> 00:40:24.099 despite its flaws, 00:40:24.099 --> 00:40:26.440 and to labor 00:40:26.440 --> 00:40:27.819 by your spirit 00:40:27.819 --> 00:40:29.699 to work hard 00:40:29.699 --> 00:40:31.000 to move our marriage 00:40:31.000 --> 00:40:31.860 back to this image 00:40:31.860 --> 00:40:32.319 that we see 00:40:32.319 --> 00:40:32.799 in the garden. 00:40:34.219 --> 00:40:34.480 God, 00:40:34.519 --> 00:40:34.940 would you point 00:40:34.940 --> 00:40:35.500 all of us 00:40:35.500 --> 00:40:35.960 in hope 00:40:35.960 --> 00:40:37.440 to the union 00:40:37.440 --> 00:40:38.299 that we might have 00:40:38.299 --> 00:40:38.759 with you 00:40:38.759 --> 00:40:39.819 through Christ, 00:40:40.480 --> 00:40:41.299 not just here 00:40:41.299 --> 00:40:41.960 on this life, 00:40:42.079 --> 00:40:43.339 but into eternity. 00:40:44.360 --> 00:40:45.059 We love you, 00:40:45.099 --> 00:40:45.259 Father. 00:40:45.319 --> 00:40:45.839 We pray all this 00:40:45.839 --> 00:40:46.440 in Jesus' name. 00:40:47.440 --> 00:40:47.679 Amen. 00:40:47.679 --> 00:40:47.819 Amen. 00:40:47.819 --> 00:40:47.819 00:40:47.819 --> 00:40:47.819 00:40:47.819 --> 00:40:47.819 00:40:47.819 --> 00:40:47.819 00:40:47.819 --> 00:40:47.819 00:40:47.819 --> 00:40:47.819