Jesus and Marriage

Our society is going through a time of huge cultural shift.

The 1960s, indigenous was been called the sexual revolution. Acceptance of sex outside of marriage was prominent and it was promoted divorce increase drugs were in abundance. The feminist movement through abortion was then legalized homosexuality was brought out of the closet turned so-called clear philosophy and queer theory were developed. America is great when America is good, so sad that we forgotten that we we talked about America being great and we want dramatically to be great, but America is great when America is good, so we're not too surprised. Are we had the decline of our country will include increasingly we are forgetting God were turning our backs on biblical truth, neither one in three managers ended in divorce.

Millions of children. Yes, millions, millions of children are raised in one pin homes pornography in our country is at epidemic proportions.

We have same-sex marriage with transgender is him. We have confusion on what it means to be a man and a woman and we wonder what will be next. I told the church.

We believe that truth is not arrived at by cultural consensus or political expediency or sentimentality or personal opinion, we believe, as I said last week that truth is revealed that we have a God the living God speaks and God misspoken unmistakably in this book, the Bible, which is the very word of God. So we believe that when the Bible speaks God is speaking and so as we come to any subject, we do what we always do. We open the word of God and ask ourselves what has God said on this subject, and with respect your views and my views. Your happiness and my happiness your psychological well-being and my psychological well-being. Your personal experiences in my personal experiences are not largely irrelevant. We want to consider today what Jesus said we believe that Jesus is God incarnate, and we have his words in Scripture, particularly in the four Gospels Matthew Mark Luke and John never going to look at one of these Gospels we have. If you been coming to Calgary church over these months was in the years after death, but we're going consecutively through the book of Genesis and we come to chapter 19 and their subjects this morning is Jesus and marriage. This is the first on a series, but this is a very foundational message and it is very very important that we grasp the truths that are presented by Jesus in this message because these are going to be the foundation of the teaching on subjects such as divorce, the gay debates LGBT Q plus transgender is him and so on. This is a foundational message Jesus and marriage.

Marriage is the cornerstone manages the foundation the building block is a word of civilization strike the world and has so functioned for thousands of years. Don't forget marriage has existed for thousands of years and all kinds of civilizations done through human history.

But now, certainly in Western civilization marriage, as it has been known is under attack. In fact, some political and social revolutionaries want to completely demolish what they call traditional marriage they think.

By so doing we will introduce true freedom when no boundaries, no prejudices throwing away all this antiquated out of date nonsense about marriage so they believed, so if you have your Bible turn to Matthew chapter 19 when looking generally the cities of the first 12 verses. But today were going to confine teaching to the first six verses that this is what Jesus is saying when you listen carefully, because this is foundational to the series as I have said Matthew chapter 19 verse one, that when Jesus had finished these sayings and sayings that we have previously discussed, you went away from Galilee and entered the region of Judea beyond the Jordan, in large part clouds followed him, and he healed them there and fantasies came up to them and tested them by saying, is a lawful to divorce one's wife for any cause he answered you not read that he who created them from the beginning, created made them male and female, and said that for a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife and the two shall become one flesh. So there are no longer to about one flesh was therefore God has joined together, let not man separate want to say first of all, as we read these verses that marriage is ordained by God between between a male and female that important for us to understand the teaching of Scripture is that marriage is ordained by God as between a male and a female.

Did you notice how Jesus answered as if artisans come to trying chapter the testing on the very smart with the Lord Jesus is much wiser and notice what he says in verse four to the answer when he answers the questions he says have you not read that he create, he who created them from the beginning made them male and female he takes them right back to the beginning. That is the beginning of creation and the beginning of human history. Marriage is not a social construct.

Marriage is not a human invention. Marriage is ordained by God is essential that we understand that here is Adam he's living in perfect paradise in the garden of Eden when we wonderful new living perfect environments. Everything there is plenty and plenty of animals, but Adam needs a companion.

He needs a helper.

I go back with me to Genesis chapter 2 to go back to the beginning Jesus is referring to in Matthew chapter 19 Genesis chapter 2 verse 18 then the Lord God said is not good that man should be alone.

Adam is alone in the perfect garden of Eden that is not good for him to be alone I will make him a helper suitable for him. Corresponding to him fit for him is the translation yesterday out of the ground the Lord God formed every beast of the field and every bird of the heavens and brought them to the man to see what you would call them whatever the man called every living creature was his name.

The man gave names to all livestock and the birds of the heavens and to every beast of the field, but for Adam there was not find I helper fits for him item is alone. He needs a companion. He doesn't need a dog or goldfish our cats. He needs a wife is told. Scripture says God says them. It's not good for the man to be alone and so God graciously brings to Adam, the first man I helper suitable for him. Corresponding to him fit for him.

God provides to Adam a perfect fit. He will provide what is lacking and Adam and will do and will do what Adam by himself cannot do that is Adam compliments sorry, Eve complements Adam physically, emotionally and spiritually, Eve. Please note is equal with them as she is also made in the image of God.

Genesis 127 when God made us in his image. He made us male and female so she is equal with Adam and as we read in the revelation of Scripture wives and husbands stand equal man please listen man and women are equal in the eyes of God. Peter says in first Peter three verse seven that we are joined tears of the grace of life equal with the man and on the stage is made.

Genesis 2 verse 21 is this intriguing so the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man while he slept.

One of his ribs. Close up his place with flash and the rib that the Lord had taken from the man he made into a woman and brought her to the man notice item is made from one of Eve's ribs. She comes from his site must've been a stunning woman right perfect margin Adam Singer for the first time.

Matthew Henry's commentary says, referring to Eve coming from the side of he says there's something this is very good.

The woman was not made out of his head to rule over him, not RW's feet to be trampled upon by him, but I do besides to be equal with him, under his arm to be protected and near his heart to be loved the good description of marriage that it is to the marriage relationship is one of intimacy is one of closeness is one of harmony.

The, the woman complements the man the woman is equal with the man but please note, the woman is different from the man male and female and they demonstrate their perfect fit when they man and woman become one flesh.

Verse 24 Genesis 2. Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh. This is going to be courted by Jesus as a red in Matthew chapter 19 verse four.

Invite Genesis 224 is the most important verse in the Bible to do with marriage is all of the ingredients of a true marriage. So what's happening here in the garden. The man and the woman are brought together by God. The first marriage is between Adam and Eve and has God as a witness and relates Genesis in Matthew chapter 19 verse six what therefore God has joined together, let not man put asunder naughty first marriage. God is there when you're married, we believe very strongly that God joins us together. That is very very important people say will manage just a piece of paper. Marriage is just as human contract will manages a contract that suddenly has legal implications.

No one's argument against that. But marriage is more than a contract.

Marriage is a covenant entered into between one man and one woman, and witnessed by God with our money couples.

Probably churches we stand here as I leave them in their vows. There reminding that they're making their vows to one another.

Guess what they're doing that in the presence of God that they are entering into a holy covenant not just a contract with a holy covenant. This is a spiritual bond because God in the Mayberry stealing his way with a very wonderful way is putting them together. The Christian marriage then is when a man and a woman individually committed to Jesus Christ and committed to one another, a commitment to Christ and a commitment to one another and so marriage can I remind you, is a very very serious commitment is a joyful commitment but is very serious. One study found the most admired qualities in a spouse where integrity catering sensitivity and a sense of humor and laughter in your home problem since of humor but a sense of commitment was crucial. I was glad to read that a sense of commitment was crucial. I would add that husband having a poor memory can also help was no point in two people remembering the same mistakes but marriage is a serious commitment and it is sadly obvious. What I'm saying the obvious.

It is between male and female back to Matthew 19 verse four have you not read that he who created them from the beginning we just saw that in Genesis 2 made them male and female God commands male and female. In Genesis 1 verses 27 and 28 to be fruitful and multiply you saying that to male and female. So God's plan for marriage is one man and one woman not to man not to woman but a man and a woman. Jesus says here in verse five, a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife the manholes fast cleaves not to another man, but to a woman. So from the big from the beginning. There is a clear distinction between male and female equal but different on the Lord Jesus in verse five. Here in Matthew chapter 19 is quoting Genesis 2 verse 24. The most quoted verse on marriage and all of the Bible. So here's the point. Please get it because this is a time today. According to Scripture, according to Jesus, God created to sexually distinct human beings, male and female gender is created by God. It's not something we choose. It is created by God, and the physical. The emotional psychological differences between men and women of God given I was raised in a family ball boys, five brothers and first two grandchildren were boys. I like boys I understand boys never understood woman still haven't but I understand the male brain research, granddaughter is a little girl. She is so cute she think she's a little princess. We tell her princess, really.

We set ourselves up for something that would grant in later years, and we're in the dinner table number years ago. She is no 89 plan nine should die every year we had one.

Thank you.

Good night just nine which is much younger every other age dinner table and she's not happy with something on the plate and I just kind of basically saying I'll come and eat it up and she begins to parts. I think what women learn this very very highly and she responds in a way that my grandsons would never respond when the difference between men and women is obvious to his house there was a confusion as to whether someone is a man or a woman, man, we always look good looking in the morning, the way our wives kinda deteriorate during the night, but having man hey listen normally pastors beat up on man, so wives think the joke man. You know it's true I'm in my life always was good.

Of course, our culture is bombarding us with a view that same-sex unions are normal and to be applauded and the very powerful gay lobby arguably influenced our Supreme Court in 2015. Find a right to gay marriage in the Constitution.

How ridiculous it was a slim majority. Here is our Constitution to think on finding fathers would never have thought that in that wonderful Constitution that is our right to gay marriage. Have we really reached the place probably we have when we can define marriage in any way we want with the teaching of God's word is clear. It is very very clear. Marriage is not a private matter between two consenting people who say they love each other.

That's not marriage.

Marriage is ordained by God as between a man and a is my first point is the clear teaching of Scripture and we can load them in silence and noticeable position. Secondly, marriage involves leaving and cleaving verse five. Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife and the two shall become one flesh manages information biblically of a new family unit. Please notice that the leaving comes before the cleaving sexual union.

That is the cleaving the becoming of one flesh that comes after the leaving that sexual union according to the Scriptures is to be within marriage not before marriage and not with mileage but within marriage so singles it was going. You don't live with your boyfriend before you get married you say well we love each other what his plan is so convenient we can share bills and this is is it so practical befalling Scripture or no teaching of Scripture is that you keep yourself sexually pure until marriage that may be regarded as old-fashioned may be regarded as ridiculous. It may be regarded as impractical with that is the teaching of Scripture and the best preparation for purity within marriage is punitive before marriage that that is as a couple. A man and the woman begin to get to know each other that they exercise self-control sexually. That is wonderful training so that once they are mounted. There is also self control. What is Jesus saying it marriage. The man leaves his father and mother. The most important relationship for a husband is not his relationship with his parents, not his relationships with his siblings out his friends on his dog by his wife together in marriage and you family a new unit in society is being farmed.

So parents place here seems difficult for some of when your children get married let them go is important for them this young couple of older couples in case may be, they are to form a separate home and new family unit. The psychological date, emotional apron strings as it were to be caught.

The man must leave his father and mother is true according to Scripture, we must always honor and respect his parents.

I believe I did that when I got married I laughed. I didn't have my parents telling me what I should live telling me how many children I should have saying you've got to be with us every Sunday for lunch and all of that kind of thing though, we still honor and respect them, but we leave and we cleave to our live and the new family unit is farmed out if the man is a mommy's boy, that mom is why Obama's boy do I mean right because when the mummy's boy. Sometimes you get man of the 23rd of therapies and that they have this very close relationship with her mother in this wonderful but is really a bit dysfunctional because when they got married that mother is always interfering in the marriage problems occurred. No, this is so practical isn't Jesus is saying a man is to leave his father and mother. The husband leaves and the parents leave them alone in the such a marriage. This couple will love one another will respect one another will be kind to one another will pray together laugh together will cry together and the closest of all human relationships manage wonderful glad that God gave us this amazing gift of marriage. It involves leaving and a cleaving was his 19-year-old man sitting on a park bench, sobbing and sobbing, and the young man was walking by and he said to the old man is, what is it what what's what's going wrong and through the tears.

The old man said. He said I well he said them. I'm crazy in love with my 27-year-old wife and arms answered the problem with that and between the two years old man said well you don't understand. Every morning before she goes to work she gets up quickly.

Breakfasts kisses me and leaves. She rushes home for lunch and makes my favorite sandwich and before Salish always gives me a big hug at night, she cooks a gourmet meal tells me how much he loves me. We sit down on the couch and cuddle and watch TV. This Pineville line is so emotionally hardly able to to speak and in the young man put his arm rounded and said oh I get it. You've now discovered she was just after your money. No said the old man said. I can't remember where I live.

I like that you got this beautiful white regular novitiate is but so man you got to remember which… You leave and leave. Now I realize with many singles here you say well wasn't sure if I was going to come. It was in this is about married couples was also but you prepare for marriage. Well, you pray, you have to acknowledge that it may not be God's will for you tomorrow.

Not everyone gets married somewhat called three single seek God's will and be committed to be a man or a woman of God. I meet people. Young mind young young woman, and they want to marry a strong Christian and I think why would a strong Christian want to marry you because you're not strong Christian, how important is that you are a woman of God that you are a man of God that you are making wise decisions that you in prayer about your future husband or wife that you're committed to sexual purity that you're committed to God's timetable.

You're not in a rush to wait on God you believe in God is well able sovereignly to bring the right person to your life, and that your life is committed on committed to Jesus Christ and that when you meet this man or woman you're going to marry that the marriage will be a manager in the Lord and will be funded on Jesus Christ in marriage to people of different sexes become an indissoluble units of one flesh, and that takes precedence over all other relationships is so important. Dog is it word glues us together.

We hold classes we cleave to one another will become one flesh in marriage first marriages again by God is between a male and a female.

Secondly, marriage involves a leaving and a cleaving.

Thirdly, marriage is an exclusive and permanent relationship. I'm going to see that more next week. Marriage first is an exclusive relationship.

Jewelers verse five a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife looking. James was cleave to his wife and the two shall become one flesh.

This becoming one flesh refers to the sexual union that consummates the marriage symbolizing the love between a man and a woman who out, abandoning themselves to each other in the most intimate, transparent and pleasurable and mysterious relationship. Husband and wife. Wonderful suicide there so many problems in marriage, when Gordon given this this beautiful gift that he brings into your life is one person so that we, as it would abandon ourselves before the fall of Adam and Eve were naked liberal boy five sides but as a symbol of the risk. Nothing between them but they have this transparent relationship. I realize no Shuman relationship. Even the best of marriages is perfect.

But this is God's will for us. He brings to us the right person so that the there is this abandonment of this great intimate transparent pleasurable delightful yet mysterious relationship that once you make your choice what you manage all other men and women of bones are present. Many, many people here today your marriage. All other men and women of bones but items of Hebrews makes that very clear. Hebrews chapter 13 Hebrews 13 verse four. Let marriage be held in honor among all we do that marriage is honorable. God made us as sexual beings.

There's nothing Thursday.

There's nothing wrong with it know it's honorable. Let marriage be held in honor among all and let the marriage bed be undefiled for God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterous is pretty strong. The values you make to each other were not only to love each other but to be faithful to each other to be loyal to each other, adulterating, and all other sexual immorality is strongly forbidden God, thou shalt not commit adultery as part of the 10 Commandments isn't it an marital unfaithfulness cuts at the very heart of this holy covenant that violates this holy covenant and it is very very serious to intrude into someone's marriage is destructive is against the commands of God.

Don't do it. Marriage is an exclusive relationship.

Someone here got some interest in a married man amounted woman you got some interest in, and someone else be very, very, very careful. Your commitment is to your life is to your husband. All other people that I Devine's marriage is an exclusive relationship. Secondly, marriage is a permanent relationship. Verse six what therefore God has joined together, let not man separate managers for life so very careful who you marry Russian be very very careful and the Lord said that the man is the holdfast is to cleave to his wife. This word holdfast is a very strong word is like being glued together welded together. The point is this marriage is not a temporary arrangement is what couples may move in with each other have sex with each other and we worked out.

It may not.

But there's not really much of a commitment that is more relationship of convenience where they may even use each other for their own selfish, selfish desires. Marriage is not like that marriage is not a temporary arrangement.

We don't get marinades until we fall in love with someone else will get married until we think oh I met so-and-so he or she is much more exciting and I've never felt so fulfilled. I meant I've had men and women tell me this over and over again all my marriage is boring and I met so-and-so, and I've never felt so alive.

In fact, I don't really think I ever loved him. I don't think I ever really loved that I've never met so-and-so and I deserve to be happy for the difficult marriage and God wants me to be happy and I deserve to be happy this time to and this marriage to leave the apartment so Jesus you are to hold fast as most managers of the trials of disagreements of difficulties to be worked through. But I read Psalm 127 verse 111, unless the Lord builds the house, they labor in vain. Make sure your home, make sure your mileage is built on the Lord. He will help you. He will guide you with. If you stray from that yes the very foundation of your mileage can begin to crumble your toehold fast and tremendous damage is done when husbands and wives separate and divorce were going to think of divorce. Next on the Lord willing. Great damage is often done to their children and to others close to them no advantage that is this permanent on a kind of super glue between husband and wife in some legal contract. There's often a right to review the may be an option to renew. But there's no such options in this marriage covenant marriage is for life. I want to make one important caveat, please hear me.

There are women who are in managers with abused with the husband puts them husband's abusive term in many different ways and it is appropriate very appropriate in these cases for wife to separate from this.

This man was abusive to her and to her children as an exceptional case but were thinking in general terms of the teaching of Scripture. So if you're thinking of getting a divorce.

You say I'm tired of my spouse and I met this other person who makes me so alive. I want you to listen to the words of Jesus with God has joined together, let not man separate.

You made vows before God and the very nature of the marriage was recognized the tough times, for richer or poorer. Always good lyrics are not always someone loses their job. Business goes bankrupt, which richer or poorer, in sickness and in health right the recognition that things can go wrong.

Enjoy and in so so when we were young when they goodbye was with was always going to be joy is going to be richer is going to be rather everything is going to be great. No problems may come into your marriage, your wife gets sick, your husband may lose his job difficulties, and to the best of marriages only, and this is why we make the vows before God.

The marriage vows. There's a recognition that tough times may come by the marriage bond is so strong that it is only to be separated by death itself. It is not only an exclusive relationship then it is a permanent relationship.

Marriage is a big point marriage is God's idea when reminding for wise and therefore humble. We follow God's commands. We follow the teaching of Jesus to pray for money, couples in a minute Tim and Vicki are going to come effectiveness than the common sense to hand in hand up and asked my wife to come here look at my when you take your husband or your wife times. Maybe you haven't done that for years and it's time you did it take on the come up. Just take your wife or husband's hands and pray for your allies here at Calvary with some wonderful marriages. Some mediocre and some marriages that really struggling when we going to do would ask God for help.

You need help in your mileage live in a society where divorce is rife.

We need God's help we need his blessing when the pray that you will have joy and peace in your marriage first recorded miracle by Jesus was at the wedding when his joy overflows God's will is that his joy and his peace overflows in your marriage. Sam Harding said on the phone to hold my wife's hand or my husband's hand. These he's betrayed me is like to me.

I realize difficulties come in. If you have offended your spouse. During this time of prayer and Vicki are going to sing in the world are missing use that as a time to get that right before God and to reaffirm your love for your spouse to reaffirm your loyalty to your life in Jesus Christ. There is always hope for life/after by abuse and not the morality and coldest. Don't tell me that God is not able to do a medical in your life is in this church, Calvary church is a place of grace in place of hope of healing and of love place of new beginning. This can be today can be a new beginning for your marriage when you say from this day we are going to follow Jesus Christ's also going to pray for singles, but you will be a man or woman of God you keep yourself sexually. I know that's difficult in this sleazy dictate world but you will stand for Jesus Christ's and God's grace will lead you if it's as well that your mommy to a man to a woman who's also going to stand with you for the Lord Jesus Christ our father and the God take over wives or husbands hands.

We thank you for the we thank you for this gift of marriage we reaffirm our love and their loyalty to one another. We do that right now. We confess father.

When will unkind when withdrawn one another help his father, forgive us pray your blessing on every marriage.

Some marriages are vibrant, may they continue to grow and shine with the beauty of Christ, other marriages are struggling to show during the lie to each other.

There's been deceit the meaning of being a morality father forgive them, humble them, reaffirm them, but they have to be committed to this man and this woman, we pray for the singles. We thank you for the many singles and come to Calvary and I thank you for them to pray that they will be strong that there will be sexually pure Summer dating, perhaps somewhat engaged and I pray for each one father that the as they look for a man or a wife that they will look for a man who is a authentic follower of Jesus Christ. Help them not to enter into relationships which are immoral or destructive, but rather which are godly, lead them in the paths of righteousness and blessed us. We do ask in Christ's name