I love the story that Rev. Michael Luke tells in his message on I Corinthians 7 titled “Waiting, Dating, and Mating” about the young minister at a small congregation, who made it a habit, as the new Pastor, of trying to get around and visit all the Sunday School classes. As the story goes…
One particular Sunday, he was sitting in on the 1st through 3rd grade class. The lesson plan had mentioned marriage more than once. So, the preacher thought it would be a good time to talk to these small children about the importance of marriage.
He asked the boys and girls in the class: “Does anyone know what God says about marriage in the Bible?” The children squirmed and fidgeted back and forth. After what seemed like an eternity, one little boy hesitantly raised his hand. “Yes,” said the Pastor. To which the boy responded “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.”
Marriage is the subject of a lot of jokes; but marriage itself is a no laughing matter. In fact, apart from one’s relationship with Jesus Christ as personal Lord and Savior, the most serious relationship one can have in life is with his or her spouse.
The first century church at Corinth was riddled with problems, not the least of which was gross immorality. Paul contended in I Corinthians 7 that the source of a lot of these issues had to do with their marital relationships. Simply put, the Corinthians needed to do some “home work”.
Biblically, marriage is foundational to any society, as marriage is the essential human relationship, from which all other social connections stem. This is the clear teaching of Genesis 2:18-24 (NIV):
18 The Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.” 19 Now the Lord God had formed out of the ground all the beasts of the field and all the birds of the air. He brought them to the man to see what he would name them; and whatever the man called each living creature, that was its name. 20 So the man gave names to all the livestock, the birds of the air and all the beasts of the field. But for Adam no suitable helper was found.
21 So the Lord God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep; and while he was sleeping, he took one of the man’s ribs and closed up the place with flesh. 22 Then the Lord God made a woman from the rib he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man. 23 The man said, “This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called ‘woman,’ for she was taken out of man.” 24 For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh.
Given the state of marriage in America today, it is no wonder then that we are plagued with so many of the problems we are in our society. As goes the family, so goes society. And as goes marriage, so goes the family.
If you are a man and the Lord has blessed you with a wonderful wife, or if you are a woman and God has blessed you with a wonderful husband, make certain that you let them know what they mean to you. Your marriage will only grow stronger as a result. And so will your family. And hopefully, so will your world.
And if you are not married, but are considering marriage, make certain that you pray through this, as it will be the most siginificant decision you will ever make (apart from the one to accept or reject Jesus Christ). Make certain that your chosen spouse is God's will for you, and then love that person above all other people, even as Christ loves the church (Ephesians 5).
One particular Sunday, he was sitting in on the 1st through 3rd grade class. The lesson plan had mentioned marriage more than once. So, the preacher thought it would be a good time to talk to these small children about the importance of marriage.
He asked the boys and girls in the class: “Does anyone know what God says about marriage in the Bible?” The children squirmed and fidgeted back and forth. After what seemed like an eternity, one little boy hesitantly raised his hand. “Yes,” said the Pastor. To which the boy responded “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.”
Marriage is the subject of a lot of jokes; but marriage itself is a no laughing matter. In fact, apart from one’s relationship with Jesus Christ as personal Lord and Savior, the most serious relationship one can have in life is with his or her spouse.
The first century church at Corinth was riddled with problems, not the least of which was gross immorality. Paul contended in I Corinthians 7 that the source of a lot of these issues had to do with their marital relationships. Simply put, the Corinthians needed to do some “home work”.
Biblically, marriage is foundational to any society, as marriage is the essential human relationship, from which all other social connections stem. This is the clear teaching of Genesis 2:18-24 (NIV):
18 The Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.” 19 Now the Lord God had formed out of the ground all the beasts of the field and all the birds of the air. He brought them to the man to see what he would name them; and whatever the man called each living creature, that was its name. 20 So the man gave names to all the livestock, the birds of the air and all the beasts of the field. But for Adam no suitable helper was found.
21 So the Lord God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep; and while he was sleeping, he took one of the man’s ribs and closed up the place with flesh. 22 Then the Lord God made a woman from the rib he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man. 23 The man said, “This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called ‘woman,’ for she was taken out of man.” 24 For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh.
Given the state of marriage in America today, it is no wonder then that we are plagued with so many of the problems we are in our society. As goes the family, so goes society. And as goes marriage, so goes the family.
If you are a man and the Lord has blessed you with a wonderful wife, or if you are a woman and God has blessed you with a wonderful husband, make certain that you let them know what they mean to you. Your marriage will only grow stronger as a result. And so will your family. And hopefully, so will your world.
And if you are not married, but are considering marriage, make certain that you pray through this, as it will be the most siginificant decision you will ever make (apart from the one to accept or reject Jesus Christ). Make certain that your chosen spouse is God's will for you, and then love that person above all other people, even as Christ loves the church (Ephesians 5).