WEBVTT

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 We can glorify, amen.

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 Take your Bibles, turn over to Genesis chapter 2 this morning.

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! Genesis chapter 2, we're going to be going through some things about family and just relationships

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! within the family and some things here for the next month or so. Today, we're going to start on the

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 very foundation of God's design for marriage in Genesis chapter 2. I think it's important because

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 when we speak of marriage, what comes to mind? You know, we live in a generation where that's kind

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 of a term that gets thrown around but oftentimes is not really much thought given to it. There's a lot

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 of assumptions given to the word oftentimes about what does it mean and how does it apply to us,

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 you know, and even in that, what do we base our understanding on? You know, because we, like I

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 said, today in society, as we'll see here as we walk through this morning, I want you to understand

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 that the institution of marriage has changed in the minds of most people today. When you mention

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 marriage, the biblical concept isn't the first thing that comes to mind. We've had a cultural shift

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 because of what people think and how they process and the only way to counter that is to get back and

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 think, what does God have to say about it? How does God present this? How did God introduce it?

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 Because we understand this, it's moved from being central to our society. You know, something that's

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 been a foundational principle, a foundational element, a bedrock of societies. And we see in our current

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 condition in our nation, they're moving away from that and they're being promoted counter to that,

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 this idea of marriage. And it becomes an option. You know, it's something that people consider and

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 not something that people look at and say, is this something that I don't need to just consider? Is

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 this something that God has established and has set forth some things for it? And it's difficult today

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 because, you know, as I was researching a few things for this, I came across this from the Institute for

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 Family Studies. And it said this, it says, Americans today are much less likely to see marriage as

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 something that you need to do to be a complete person or to have a good life. In fact, fewer than

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 one in five Americans now believe that it's essential to be married to have a fulfilling life.

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 In other words, I want you to understand as we start out here, God's foundation of society is built

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 upon the principle of marriage. Now, I know that they're single people and I want to be a dynamic,

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 but you know, you need to wait and tell for God to provide because I also don't want people rushing

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 into marriage. You know, one of the things people do today, they rush in before they find out what

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 they need to do or what God says, and it causes a problem. You know, I heard one person say this,

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 it's better to be miserable single than it is totally, absolutely miserable married.

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 One's a solvable condition. The other one is, sticks with you the rest of your life. And that

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 seems harsh sometimes. I want you to understand what we're looking at here is something God established

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 for our benefit. Okay. God established for our benefit as an overarching principle of culture,

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 because ultimately families, which families are instituted by married couples, you can be by

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 birth is one thing, but God designed kids to be raised with a mother and a father in the same

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 household. And God designed that for a reason. Now, we know that sin has caused different problems and

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 different things, just like people begin to change their thinking of it. And oftentimes it's based upon

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 sins that have either happened to them or happened to somebody else. The fallen world we live in

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 impacts so much, because today marriage is viewed in many ways. To some, it's just a social institution.

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 You know, they'll tell you that marriage is a social construct. You know, that we came up with

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 in society, and you have people today who say silly things, well, it was made to oppress women. I mean,

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 if you start reading things, you'll find all sorts of strange ideas.

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 That people have about marriage. You know, but we've seen a major shift, because it's ironic,

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 because people don't want, they turn away from marriage oftentimes, but also they have another

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 phenomenon in the study that people consider marriage now. The same institute there for family

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 study had this statement, says marriage has become more of a capstone, where marriage is a signal of

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 everything that they had, that they had led up to the ceremony, rather than the beginning of a journey.

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 And that's really a lot of the concept today, because people hold off on getting married. We want to get

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 all these other things put together, and then we will consider getting married. In other words, they look at it

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 as the end solution instead of the beginning of this dynamic of relationships. You know, others, you know,

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 they look at it as social, but others also look at it as just a religious institution. You know,

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 oftentimes we get the idea that marriage is a religious thing. In a sense, it is in an overarching

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 because it was established by God, but a religion or a church doesn't have oversight of marriage.

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 I want you to understand that people, we're not tied to a church wedding per se. You know, people get

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 this idea, people come to me all the time with that concept. Well, I need to have a church wedding. Well,

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 a wedding, you can hold a wedding in a church, but that doesn't make it a church wedding because the

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 church doesn't sanction your wedding. That's a lesson for a whole other day to go through biblically on

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 that. All right. A religious concept we have today of weddings started in the seventh century. Weddings and

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 marriages have always been central to family. But I want you to see today, we need to think properly about

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 what does God want? Because sometimes people think it can be beneficial, but not necessary. You know, we have

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 one of the highest rates of cohabitation in our history. Over 50% of couples living together today are not married.

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 The problem is that we often look at marriage through the wrong lens. You know, our concept of marriage is set by

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 society, it's set by what government might say it is, it's set by what our friends are, our social constructs of what

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 things are about marriage. But I want to look today, not at what society has to say, because society likes

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 to break weddings and marriage into its parts. You know, they say today there's five reasons that

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 people marry today. One is religious, because they feel that it's their duty to get married. You even have

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 religious today who say you have to be married to get to heaven. I want you to understand it has nothing to

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 do whether you're married or not to get to heaven. Amen? But it is something that God designed. So, but

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 the second one was monetary, you know, monetary reasons to get married. You know, there's a lot of people

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 get married because of economic situations. Both ends of the spectrum. I'm not talking just poor people

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 or rich people, everything in between. People get married for monetary reasons. People get married for

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 what we can put today, we'll quote, love, you know. Well, I love them, so I want to marry them, you know.

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 The reality is oftentimes people that marry for romantic or love alone, it's more if they want to get rid of

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 their loneliness or their lusting. You know, that's the problem with our word love today, is oftentimes it

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 could be replaced with lust and nobody would know the difference. Because love is different.

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 You know, I think you ought to love, matter of fact, God commands us, as we'll see, God commands us to

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 love our spouse. Man, God commands you to love your wife. You don't get to wake up one morning and say,

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 I don't want to love her anymore. It's a command that God's given. It's a decision. Love, true love,

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 is a decision you make towards somebody. It has nothing to do with their actions.

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 It's a decision you make towards it. And we see this play out, you know, oftentimes, you know,

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 you used to hear, ever heard the term shotgun wedding? You know, people used to have guilt. Well,

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 a child needs to be raised in a family, and so we've messed around and got pregnant, so now we got to get

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 married. You know, you'll see that take place. Or the last one is status. People marry for position.

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 You know, a prominent person or a prominent place with this. You know, but I want you to understand

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 marriage was instituted by God. God, if you haven't stopped to think about it, God performed the first

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 wedding himself. And we're going to look at that here this morning, because in Genesis chapter 2,

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 we find God is the designer of marriage. So if you found Genesis chapter 2 this morning, let's stand

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 together here as we read the Word of God. And it tells us here, beginning in verse 18 of Genesis chapter

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 2, and it says this, and the Lord said, it is not good that man should be alone. I will make him a help,

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 make him a helpmate for him. And out of the ground the Lord formed every beast of the field and every

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 fowl of the air and brought them unto Adam to see that he would call them. And whatsoever Adam called

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 every living creature, that was the name thereof. And Adam gave names to all the cattle, to the fowl of

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 the air, and to every beast in the field. And for Adam there was not found a helpmate for him.

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 And the Lord caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept. And he took one of his ribs and closed

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 up the flesh instead thereof. And the rib which the Lord God had taken from man, made he a woman,

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 and brought her unto the man. And Adam said, this is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh. And

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 she shall be called woman, because she was taken out of man. Therefore shall a man leave his father

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 and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife, and they shall be one flesh. And they were both naked,

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 and the man and his wife were not ashamed. Let's pray. Heavenly Fathers, we come before you this

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 morning. Lord, we just thank you for your word. Thank you for what you revealed to us. Lord,

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 even the very basic building block of everything that we have today in relationships outside of you.

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 And that's the relationship that you instituted there in the garden on the day of creation. And

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 Lord, we pray that you just help us to see, and to understand, and to think biblically in regards

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 to marriage. Lord, that it's just not an institution, but Lord, it's a something that you designed and

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 had a purpose for in our lives, and to keep it as you have pictured it. And Lord, that we might model

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 it to the next generation. Lord, that they might know what you have and the benefits of it. And Lord,

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 we just give you all the praise in Jesus' name. Amen. Maybe you see that, you know, we find here,

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 this is the first wedding. God records it for us in the garden of Eden, the place that God had

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 prepared for them to thrive. You know, Adam is introduced in the garden and it receives instructions

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 and details. We told, the Bible says on the sixth day, God formed Adam out of the dust of the ground.

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 And we find on the sixth day that he formed him and it breathed into him the breath of life.

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 And we see this principle laid out that he became a living soul.

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 Mankind is distinct from all the other animals.

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 That's an important reality that God reveals in Genesis to us. That there's a distinction,

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 there's something different from everything else. And we see here that God gives him instruction,

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 he puts him in the garden, and he puts him in the place that he would have for him,

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 and he gives him some responsibility. You know, it's interesting that Adam had responsibility

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 before he got married. We can talk about that a lot more too, but I want you to consider there's

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 a responsibility factor in this. But God told him to dress and keep the garden. He had a responsibility

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 that was given to him and to understand the necessity of it. And he had a responsibility for his provision

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 and what he was going to have to take care of. But notice here that God had a plan for Adam

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 to provide a helper to come alongside, a companion. And God from the beginning designed us to do life

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 together. I want you to understand that God never intended for people to try to do things on their own.

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 We can have individual accomplishments, but it's always in the context of others.

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 And the importance of that connection, one with another. And so as we look here this morning,

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 look at verse 18 again in your text. I want you to see here that it's God here speaking to himself.

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 And the Lord God said, it is not good that man should be alone. I will make him a helpmeet

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 for him. You know, I want you to understand that God's design for marriage is for companionship.

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 You know, God says he wanted to design a helpmeet for Adam. It was about the need for companionship.

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 It is not good that man should be alone. You know, and you can make a whole lot of punchlines on that

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 one, right? But I want you to understand the principle here is the fact that God designed us to go

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 through life with others. And especially a relationship of marriage and this tie together.

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 We understand the importance of this, but I want you to see here that God didn't just create Eve

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 alongside of Adam. There's, I can say, sequence here is important because you see God form Adam out of

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 the dust of the earth. And then he puts him in the garden that God had prepared for him. And he says,

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 hey, you got some responsibilities. God walks him through the garden and says, here's this tree and

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 this plant and this over here. And this is what you can, this tree you don't eat of. He gave him some

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 responsibility and some accountability. And then God says, well, it's not good that man should be alone.

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 I want you to understand the phrasing here to us. Sounds like it was a, God gave it a second thought.

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 But when you understand the context here, God's not giving second thought. Oh yeah, I forgot to make

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 somebody for Adam. God did not. And he did this in this right, in this order for a reason, because

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 I want you to see, have you ever wondered why Adam names the animals next? Here's Adam. God's got a

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 place for him to live. He's got his provisions all set up. And he says, okay, Adam, it's not good for

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 you to be alone. Let's parade all the animals by so you can name them. That's an interesting thought.

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 Why did God put that sequence in? Because it tells us here, as we're going to look and see,

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 that God was allowing Adam to understand even his own need for somebody else. Because as he goes

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 through, look at this in verse 19, it says, out of the ground, the Lord God formed every beast of the

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 field, every fowl of the air and brought them unto Adam to see what he would call them. And whatsoever

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 called Adam called every living creatures, that was the name thereof. And Adam gave names to all the

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 cattle, to the fowl of the air, to every beast of the field. But for Adam, there was not found a

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 helpmeet for him. In other words, there was nothing of his kind, nothing that he connected with.

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 I want you to understand the importance of this picture. He realized that there was a need for a

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 suitable companion. Nothing else would suffice. You know, we talk about marriage today. And one of the

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 things that you see in society that when you read Genesis here is interesting, is the priority people

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 put upon their animals as their companions. An animal was never designed to be your companion.

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 Now, there's nothing wrong with having a pet, and pets are fun to have, and you know, you can enjoy

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 them, but they're not your companion in the sense that we need with human interaction. If you only talk

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 to animals all the time, people have a place for you. Because it's not natural. It's against nature.

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 You're rejecting what God created within us. They're looking to fulfill something someplace that

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 God says you'll never find it. They miss the very element that God would have, and God parades,

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 I think, the animals before him for Adam to realize, hey, everybody else, all these other animals and all

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 the things, but there's nobody suitable for me. There's nothing suitable for me. But I want you

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 to understand, God knew none of the animals were going to fill the need. I believe God did this so

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 Adam would understand that. You know, sometimes God brings us things to our attention, not for his

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 benefit, but for ours. To help us understand. To help us grab a hold of what we need to know,

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 because, you know, oftentimes we think we're smarter than God, and God says, well, you're not even smart

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 enough to know what you need. So I'm going to help you understand, so that you can put it into your mind

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 that you can think and comprehend. He needed one that would work alongside, to come alongside,

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 a comparable helper, one that would work alongside Adam to fulfill what God had instructed him.

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 I want you to understand, God already had a blueprint in mind for Eve.

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 God already knew what he was going to do, and we see here that God started preparing Adam

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 for his responsibility in the relationship. In marriage, God gives the responsibility and

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 accountability of the man to be the leader in the home. Now, that's not a popular statement today,

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 and it's taken out of context many times, because there's things that it means and things that it

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 doesn't. And we need to keep in mind that it's not a worldly mindset that's important, it's a biblical

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 mindset. Because God is a God of order. And we're going to see this order played out, because I want you

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 to see here that when the woman comes along with the responsibility and accountability to help him,

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 this doesn't mean there'd be no help from the man to the woman. You know, I want you to understand,

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 this is a mutual companionship. It's mutually beneficial. But God still has order and accountability

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 and responsibilities. And those things played out correctly function in the right format.

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 You know, I've often said, you know, things in one, when there's one head, there's a leader. When

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 there's two heads, it's a freak. Because two things are trying to go two different directions.

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 God puts the principle throughout the scripture of leadership and responsibility,

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 and then holds them accountable for it. It means when God looks down from heaven upon the family,

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 he sees a man in responsibility, leadership, whether it's good or bad, faithful or not,

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 to the calling of leadership, a true leader, of course, will help those who are alongside or helping

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 him. You know, the problem is, as soon as we mention helping and serving, it brings worldly thinking

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 into our mind. You know, the first time you hear the word, well, you need to serve. Oftentimes,

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 we have negative connotation in the world mindset with that, don't we?

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 You're demanding something from me. God says, no, it's something that you ought to desire to do.

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 Look over to Matthew chapter 20. Matthew chapter 20, here's a biblical principle that we have that

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 even applies in here. Because notice what Matthew 20, 27 tells us. It says this,

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 and whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your what? Servant.

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 Be your servant, even as the Son of Man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister and to give

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 his life a ransom for many. Jesus said, my life is an example in this area, and you'll see it tied

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 throughout scripture. That the principle of leadership and servanthood tie together. Problem is, in our

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 worldly mindset, leadership and authoritarianism go together. God says leadership and servanthood go

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 together. What's the problem? Is it God's principle the problem, or is our thinking the problem?

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 Our thinking is where the problem comes. And we begin assessing it based upon a worldly dynamic.

00:21:29.380 --> 00:21:35.500
 But I want you to understand that not only is she to be a helper, but she is also comparable to him.

00:21:35.560 --> 00:21:42.420
 A woman or wife is not just a mere tool or labor. She's an equal partner before in God's grace.

00:21:42.840 --> 00:21:50.580
 You know, 1 Peter 3, 7 calls them this. It says, being heirs together of the grace of life. A married

00:21:50.580 --> 00:21:59.260
 couple share a unique bond between themselves and before God. It's the way God designed,

00:21:59.380 --> 00:22:05.960
 those things. They're heirs together, you know. And when we understand, when you simply,

00:22:06.340 --> 00:22:14.080
 simply when you get married, God did not design it as a contest between two people,

00:22:14.580 --> 00:22:21.020
 but for companionship between two people. The principle we see is not to fight against one

00:22:21.020 --> 00:22:26.840
 another, but to tie together. Because we understand another biblical principle. Turn over to Ecclesiastes

00:22:26.839 --> 00:22:31.519
 chapter 4. Ecclesiastes chapter 4, in verse 11, it says,

00:22:31.740 --> 00:22:37.259
 again, if two lie together, they have heat, but how can one be warm alone? And if one prevail

00:22:37.259 --> 00:22:42.079
 against him, two shall withstand him, and a threefold cord is not quickly broken.

00:22:43.199 --> 00:22:48.679
 What's the principle? Two is better than one. Support, encouragement.

00:22:48.680 --> 00:22:57.740
 Somebody that's there with you. You know one of the devil's favorite tools? Loneliness. Right alongside

00:22:57.740 --> 00:23:04.759
 loneliness is another term we use called isolation. The devil loves to have us isolated. When you

00:23:04.759 --> 00:23:11.060
 isolate, you open the door because there's nobody there beside you. That's the reason for companionship.

00:23:11.059 --> 00:23:19.419
 Somebody is there that's close enough to speak into your life. We need to keep this in the forefront

00:23:19.419 --> 00:23:25.399
 of marriage. We need to take time and space to connect with your spouse. You know, one of the problems

00:23:25.399 --> 00:23:29.179
 today, people have problems, well, I fell out of love. You know, it wasn't that you fell out of love.

00:23:29.279 --> 00:23:34.139
 You stopped taking time. Before you were in marriage, you spent a lot of time. Afterwards,

00:23:34.140 --> 00:23:42.480
 life speeds up and gets crazy. But you have to keep in mind that same time is still required.

00:23:42.800 --> 00:23:47.700
 It might look differently, but that time is still essential. You know, it amazes me, another phenomenon

00:23:47.700 --> 00:23:52.620
 in our culture today, it's amazing how many people they say when you begin looking at statistics of

00:23:52.620 --> 00:23:59.440
 married couples that go on vacation by themselves. That's a scary thought process because as a couple,

00:23:59.440 --> 00:24:05.680
 you ought to go together. Matter of fact, you ought to like them enough that you want them to go with

00:24:05.680 --> 00:24:12.779
 you. You know, it does help. You know, it's one of them I enjoy hanging out with April. That's the

00:24:12.779 --> 00:24:19.500
 reason it's nice for us to get away because it benefits me, it benefits her. You need to have that

00:24:19.500 --> 00:24:26.680
 time together, not isolated because you know what happens when people isolate like that? It opens the

00:24:26.680 --> 00:24:31.740
 door to other problems. It opens the door for the devil to get in and be destructive. But I want you

00:24:31.740 --> 00:24:36.620
 to see here next, notice here that marriage is not only for companionship, but for mutual support.

00:24:37.380 --> 00:24:41.860
 Notice what it says here in the scripture. Look at verse 21 and it says,

00:24:42.000 --> 00:24:48.320
 the Lord caused Adam, and the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam and he slept and he took

00:24:48.320 --> 00:24:53.880
 one of his ribs and closed up the flesh instead thereof. And the rib which the Lord God had taken from

00:24:53.880 --> 00:25:02.380
 man, made he a woman and brought her under the man. Now we see here that it's designed for mutual support.

00:25:02.600 --> 00:25:09.320
 God's performed the first surgery here and takes from Adam's side. You know, as I was reading this,

00:25:09.380 --> 00:25:15.140
 I was just thinking, you know, every guy's got to have a scar and a story. You know, God gave Adam a

00:25:15.140 --> 00:25:21.980
 scar and a story right from the very beginning. You know, hey, you know, and we see here this

00:25:21.980 --> 00:25:30.559
 dynamic, though, that Adam's own body was used to make Eve. While Adam was formed from the dust of

00:25:30.559 --> 00:25:38.420
 the ground, Eve was made so that she was out of Adam. And to understand that they were essentially

00:25:38.420 --> 00:25:45.180
 one, even with the differences, they were more alike than different. I want you to understand that

00:25:45.180 --> 00:25:48.559
 there's a difference between men and women. I don't think anybody's going to argue that.

00:25:48.559 --> 00:25:54.200
 Now today in society, they get a little confused on some things, and that's some more wrong thinking

00:25:54.200 --> 00:25:58.259
 that they've allowed to creep into their mind that causes all sorts of deviations.

00:25:59.720 --> 00:26:06.480
 But I want you to understand that God made each other for mutual support. As a couple, you're there

00:26:06.480 --> 00:26:14.819
 to help mold each other. You're to complement one another in who you are. And it's another false

00:26:14.819 --> 00:26:19.539
 worldly concept of this idea. Have you ever heard anybody say, well, I want to get married so I can

00:26:19.539 --> 00:26:27.579
 be complete? The idea that some other human being is going to complete you is a lie from the devil.

00:26:29.119 --> 00:26:33.500
 If you're not complete before you get married, you're still as broken as you were before or after

00:26:33.500 --> 00:26:39.259
 you get married. God is the one that makes us complete. And his salvation is what we need to be

00:26:39.259 --> 00:26:45.799
 a person that God wants us to be, to be a complete person. Your spouse is not a completer of you.

00:26:45.900 --> 00:26:54.140
 They're a complement to you. They're one who comes alongside and sometimes will fill those gaps in

00:26:54.140 --> 00:27:00.980
 different areas of our lives. You know, you ought to work together that together you're better than you

00:27:00.980 --> 00:27:06.799
 were apart. Because you now complement, you have somebody else filling it in. It's that mutual support,

00:27:06.799 --> 00:27:15.220
 one for another. That mutual support that is there. You know, God presents her to Adam.

00:27:16.899 --> 00:27:21.000
 You know, Adam right away understood that there was something that happened. He says,

00:27:21.079 --> 00:27:26.799
 she's bone of my bone and flesh of my flesh. Now, when you study that out, it could mean a lot of

00:27:26.799 --> 00:27:32.200
 things for our understanding today because it's amazing that every bone in your body contains the

00:27:32.200 --> 00:27:39.500
 complete DNA sequence of a human being. God literally took from Adam and made Eve. All that

00:27:39.500 --> 00:27:43.100
 sequence. I mean, you can do a lot of science there if you want to, but I want you to understand,

00:27:43.220 --> 00:27:48.740
 God made it simple for us. He says, I took out of Adam and made Eve. Now that has some biblical

00:27:48.740 --> 00:27:54.680
 implications later on when it comes to our salvation, because by one man sin entered into the world,

00:27:54.680 --> 00:28:01.640
 but by Jesus Christ, we have life. He is the one that came and provided salvation for everybody.

00:28:02.200 --> 00:28:08.920
 There's some doctrinal things. We'll have time to get in this morning and into all that, but it's

00:28:08.920 --> 00:28:14.779
 important to understand that this support, it was to be a source of support to her husband and her

00:28:14.779 --> 00:28:20.880
 husband to her. You know, Ephesians 5, it tells us this in verse 28, it says, so ought men to love

00:28:20.880 --> 00:28:26.600
 their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself, for no man hath yet hated his

00:28:26.599 --> 00:28:33.699
 own flesh, but nourish and cherish it even as the Lord, the church. I want you to understand that

00:28:33.699 --> 00:28:39.000
 when you get married, you guys are together. There's a unique togetherness.

00:28:40.759 --> 00:28:45.519
 Just as Adam understood that she is not just anybody, she's Eve, she's bone in my bone,

00:28:45.519 --> 00:28:55.419
 flesh in my flesh. There's a unique connection that was made. God gave her to him. Marriage is a picture

00:28:55.420 --> 00:29:02.580
 of God's love for all those that would call upon him, just as God says a picture of a man marrying a

00:29:02.580 --> 00:29:08.539
 woman is the same picture of love that he's willing to do whatever, because when she hurts, he hurts.

00:29:08.840 --> 00:29:14.180
 It's important to understand your spouse is not there to complete you, but to compliment you.

00:29:14.320 --> 00:29:19.220
 The fact of the matter is that marriage can only thrive when both support each other,

00:29:19.220 --> 00:29:26.640
 emotionally, spiritually, and physically. The complete person complimented by your spouse.

00:29:28.400 --> 00:29:32.680
 You know, today I want to encourage you to consider, are you being the helper that you ought to be?

00:29:33.180 --> 00:29:40.720
 Are you supporting one another the way you ought to? That support that's needed, you know,

00:29:41.079 --> 00:29:45.460
 oftentimes you see people today, they complain about their spouse. You know, one of the most destructive

00:29:45.460 --> 00:29:49.120
 things in marriage is to complain about your spouse to somebody else. You know, it's funny,

00:29:49.200 --> 00:29:53.420
 they complain about their spouse, but it makes me question about your judgment, because your spouse

00:29:53.420 --> 00:29:59.500
 says a lot about you. If you chose to marry them, that says something about your judgment. I'll just

00:29:59.500 --> 00:30:03.299
 let that one settle a while. When you complain about your spouse, you know what it says? I have poor

00:30:03.299 --> 00:30:08.980
 judgment. I didn't base those things on the right things. But I want you to understand, God,

00:30:08.980 --> 00:30:15.620
 if we follow God's principles, any marriage, I believe, can work if people, both sides get on God's

00:30:15.620 --> 00:30:21.279
 principles. It might not be easy, but it can be done. When both the man and the woman follow God's

00:30:21.279 --> 00:30:25.839
 principles, things can be worked through. The problem is, is people don't like God's principles

00:30:25.839 --> 00:30:30.740
 and say, I'm not going to do it, and that makes it impossible for it to work through.

00:30:32.759 --> 00:30:38.019
 It's not God that's impossible, it's them. But I want you to see here, thirdly here, that marriage is

00:30:38.019 --> 00:30:44.660
 designed for unity. Notice here in verse 25, or excuse me, verse 24, and it says, and now this is

00:30:44.660 --> 00:30:51.839
 bone of my, I see, therefore shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall cleave unto his wife,

00:30:51.879 --> 00:30:59.539
 and they shall be one flesh. You know, marriage is designed for unity. One flesh, the principle here

00:30:59.539 --> 00:31:05.879
 is one that can't be understated. It was so important that God gave it to Adam and Eve. Now, if you

00:31:05.880 --> 00:31:12.240
 think about it, this is really a silly statement that God makes to Adam and Eve. He's telling Adam

00:31:12.240 --> 00:31:17.500
 to leave his mother and father and cleave unto his wife. He didn't have one. But why did God give that

00:31:17.500 --> 00:31:21.880
 principle? You know what? Because God understood it's a principle that they needed to understand from

00:31:21.880 --> 00:31:28.300
 the very beginning. Because it's something they needed to pass to their children. God gave them the

00:31:28.299 --> 00:31:32.779
 instruction of family, of preparing them, and moving through those things.

00:31:34.579 --> 00:31:41.659
 We see here this idea of one flesh. It's unity, and it is required for successful marriage. The idea of

00:31:41.659 --> 00:31:48.559
 one flesh is more than just a physical element, but also it's a bond emotionally and spiritually that

00:31:48.559 --> 00:31:57.440
 must take place. It's a unified relationship that's emphasized. You know, both Jesus and Matthew

00:31:57.440 --> 00:32:06.100
 chapter 19 and Paul in Ephesians 5 as he's speaking about this, refer back to this very passage of

00:32:06.100 --> 00:32:14.620
 leaving your parents a previous unit of family and making a new unit of family. That's hard for a lot of

00:32:14.620 --> 00:32:21.220
 people. Parents, I'm going to encourage you when your kids get out of the house and get married,

00:32:21.220 --> 00:32:24.460
 keep your nose of interjecting in their business.

00:32:26.799 --> 00:32:29.220
 You know, one of the biggest problems in marriage is parents.

00:32:31.940 --> 00:32:38.120
 Because they give the parents weight in their marriage, and God says, you are now a new unit

00:32:38.120 --> 00:32:42.259
 together. Now, I'm not saying that parents are out of the picture, but parents, your relationship

00:32:42.259 --> 00:32:49.539
 has changed. Your relationship is different. They are united. Make sure you stay in the right lane.

00:32:49.539 --> 00:32:53.399
 Just because you see something that doesn't make you happy doesn't mean you have to open your mouth.

00:32:53.720 --> 00:32:58.619
 Take it to the Lord. Help them. Have a relationship where they're comfortable enough to say,

00:32:58.700 --> 00:33:02.779
 hey, I don't understand. Do you have any suggestions to help? It's sometimes difficult,

00:33:02.980 --> 00:33:10.159
 but you know what? It's required. It's necessary. To break off those ties in that format.

00:33:11.220 --> 00:33:18.519
 This idea of one flesh, this is symbolic, not literal. Man's literal body doesn't not become the

00:33:18.519 --> 00:33:23.599
 woman's literal body, and the woman's body doesn't literally become the man's body. They become one

00:33:23.599 --> 00:33:30.339
 in the sense of unity, of persons, harmony, and agreement in all matters relating to their life

00:33:30.339 --> 00:33:36.240
 together. You know, much more is involved in a marriage than just a physical relationship.

00:33:36.599 --> 00:33:43.240
 That's an important part of a marriage relationship, but it's not the only part of a relationship.

00:33:43.240 --> 00:33:49.140
 The problem today, some people think that is the beginning of the relationship,

00:33:49.140 --> 00:33:54.279
 and when they don't understand the physical, coming together physically in a marriage relationship

00:33:54.279 --> 00:34:00.420
 is the capstone. It's the ultimate point, not the beginning point. If you start there,

00:34:00.519 --> 00:34:08.039
 you've got everything upside down. But this idea of oneness involves much more. God has designed it as a

00:34:08.039 --> 00:34:14.480
 unity in the realm of life, spiritually, psychologically. This involves our mind,

00:34:14.599 --> 00:34:22.360
 our will, our emotions, and physically. Oneness doesn't mean unison. That's another worldly dynamic.

00:34:22.519 --> 00:34:29.400
 Well, if we're united, we agree 100% on everything. I don't know how you expect to agree on 100%

00:34:29.400 --> 00:34:33.279
 everything with the person you marry when you don't even agree with yourself half the time next day.

00:34:33.280 --> 00:34:42.060
 You're setting a standard that's impossible. Unity means harmony. It means working together.

00:34:43.700 --> 00:34:49.940
 Working through, it involves mutual submission on the part of both the husband and the wife.

00:34:50.960 --> 00:34:54.900
 One flesh in a relationship is displayed in the fact of nothing to hide.

00:34:56.760 --> 00:35:00.620
 You know, look at that last verse there. It says,

00:35:00.619 --> 00:35:11.159
 Now the idea of nakedness here is not just a lack of clothing. It's a reality of openness

00:35:11.159 --> 00:35:18.380
 of nothing to hide between. That takes work. That involves trust. Because you know what? When you

00:35:18.380 --> 00:35:22.339
 marry somebody, you find out things about them that you would have never known otherwise. You find out

00:35:22.339 --> 00:35:27.319
 all the things, the good things, the bad things, the irritating things, the wonderful things. But that's

00:35:27.320 --> 00:35:35.240
 the whole package that you get. But it's how do you work through those things. Unity is working

00:35:35.240 --> 00:35:42.160
 together in harmony to accomplish what God would have for you. Because it reveals those things. But

00:35:42.160 --> 00:35:47.940
 to be open before one another, exposed as a person. You know, when we don't realize it, really,

00:35:48.039 --> 00:35:54.000
 when God says he knows the thoughts and intents of your heart, you stand naked in a sense before God

00:35:54.000 --> 00:36:00.119
 because he understands everything about you. That's the same picture that he has here.

00:36:01.219 --> 00:36:07.860
 Between a husband and wife is that openness of connection and loving them in spite of all the

00:36:07.860 --> 00:36:11.739
 other things you find out that they hid from you before you got married. You know, because I want to

00:36:11.739 --> 00:36:15.300
 tell you the truth. There's things you learn about somebody when you live with them. They might not

00:36:15.300 --> 00:36:20.420
 even know when it was an issue. You say, why didn't they tell me that or reveal that? They didn't know.

00:36:20.420 --> 00:36:26.320
 You know, you find out all sorts of things. But you know what? You love them for who they are.

00:36:26.559 --> 00:36:32.340
 Because love is a decision. You know, modern society has twisted and diminished what God has designed.

00:36:33.920 --> 00:36:37.559
 You know, today we have many who think it's optional or obsolete.

00:36:39.019 --> 00:36:41.360
 Or they make marriage about themselves.

00:36:42.099 --> 00:36:46.780
 But God's design for marriage reflects his love for you. It helps us to understand

00:36:46.780 --> 00:36:52.140
 how God unconditionally loves us. You know, Romans chapter 5 says this. It says,

00:36:52.260 --> 00:36:57.580
 For we were yet without strength in due time. Christ died for the ungodly. But God commended

00:36:57.580 --> 00:37:04.260
 his love toward us. And while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. God understood your heart and

00:37:04.260 --> 00:37:08.920
 he still loved you enough to die for you. That's the same picture of a couple's love one for another.

00:37:09.300 --> 00:37:14.600
 God doesn't love you because how good you are or how you benefit him. God said, I chose to love you.

00:37:14.599 --> 00:37:18.259
 Why did he do that? Ephesians 2 tells us this. It says,

00:37:18.719 --> 00:37:24.000
 And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slay the entity thereby.

00:37:24.460 --> 00:37:29.059
 For through him we both have access by one spirit unto the Father.

00:37:30.059 --> 00:37:35.119
 God did it because of his love for us that we might have a relationship with him.

00:37:35.460 --> 00:37:40.960
 And marriage reveals and connects us with that relationship to understand.

00:37:40.960 --> 00:37:45.420
 You know, this morning we have seen God's design for marriage

00:37:45.420 --> 00:37:49.019
 is one of companionship, mutual support, and unity.

00:37:50.860 --> 00:37:55.639
 You know, today many try to downplay and tarnish the concept of marriage.

00:37:55.639 --> 00:37:59.159
 But we need to remember that marriage is rooted in God's design

00:37:59.159 --> 00:38:05.740
 and is a testimony to his love and his faithfulness to us.

00:38:05.739 --> 00:38:10.579
 It's a picture to help us understand those things.

00:38:12.539 --> 00:38:14.479
 This morning, where are you with the Lord?

00:38:14.679 --> 00:38:16.419
 Maybe you're here today and you need to say,

00:38:16.479 --> 00:38:19.179
 Lord, I need to get a right perspective.

00:38:19.500 --> 00:38:21.000
 There's some problems in my thinking.

00:38:21.259 --> 00:38:23.979
 I need to get back to your design and what you would have

00:38:23.979 --> 00:38:27.959
 so I might understand even your love for me.

00:38:27.960 --> 00:38:31.460
 As heads are bowed and eyes are closed this morning,

00:38:31.639 --> 00:38:33.199
 as we take just a few moments here,

00:38:34.699 --> 00:38:39.039
 I want you to understand the importance of just before the Lord what God would have.

00:38:39.320 --> 00:38:40.980
 Maybe the Lord spoke to you this morning.

00:38:41.260 --> 00:38:42.820
 Maybe even spoke to you as a couple.

00:38:42.960 --> 00:38:44.920
 Maybe you need to just spend some time with the Lord.

00:38:45.159 --> 00:38:48.760
 Maybe you need to take a few moments to pray for somebody else that needs to understand

00:38:48.760 --> 00:38:52.500
 that God might open and reveal those things to them.

00:38:52.500 --> 00:38:58.260
 Heavenly Fathers, we just take a moment here, Lord, and just to look to you.

00:38:59.219 --> 00:39:01.699
 Lord, you're the author of marriage.

00:39:01.820 --> 00:39:04.039
 Lord, we've looked at a very important topic today,

00:39:04.579 --> 00:39:06.559
 very foundational.

00:39:07.039 --> 00:39:08.320
 Lord, something from the very beginning.

00:39:08.699 --> 00:39:11.059
 Lord, help us to not lose sight of the importance

00:39:11.059 --> 00:39:14.460
 and the elements of it and the purpose that you designed it for.

00:39:16.460 --> 00:39:18.340
 Lord, help us to draw close to you.

00:39:18.340 --> 00:39:22.900
 Lord, that we might understand who you are and what you've done.

00:39:24.340 --> 00:39:28.240
 Lord, if there's one here today that doesn't understand the love that you have for them

00:39:28.240 --> 00:39:32.460
 and offering them salvation, Lord, that they might come to know you today.

00:39:33.460 --> 00:39:35.760
 And Lord, we just ask it all in your precious name.

00:39:37.620 --> 00:39:39.400
 As the music plays, what about you?

00:39:39.400 --> 00:39:39.400