A Vision for Marriage
Love, Dating and Sexuality • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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A Cultural Shift:
A Cultural Shift:
Most cultures throughout history have viewed marriage and having children as a positive thing.
There has been a shift:
Contrast the two Cinderella’s
1950’s version - Marriage is portrayed as a beutiful thing.
2021 - Marriage is portrayed as bondage that will block Cinderella from her personal goals.
What’s the shift?
Humanism: Life is centered around mankind.
Pursue what pleases me, because life is about me.
There is no transcendant God, so focus on the here and now.
Do what makes me happy.
Don’t let anyone tell you how to live.
Christian perspective: Life is centered around God.
Life is about God, and I am his creation.
There is more to life than just the here and now, so I live with an eternal perspective.
The choices I make today are important; so I often delay short term pleasure for a more valuable long term goal.
Since God is the creater, I look to him to his Word to show me how to live.
Marriage is a gift from God
Marriage is a gift from God
Then the man said, “This at last is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man.” Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh. And the man and his wife were both naked and were not ashamed.
The first marriage in history.
Ordained by God. Created by God. Given by God.
Adam receives his wife as a wonderful gift:
He’s filled with joy! The first love song in history!
Romantic sexual intimacy is celebrated.
It brings joy, companionship and fills a desire.
Marriage is used for your personal growth
Marriage is used for your personal growth
Selflessness
Trust
Teamwork
Conflict resolution
Humility
Bearing with each other
Leaning on each other.
If you lean into it and seek God in it.
Marriage results in a team.
Marriage results in a team.
A new unit: Gen. 2:24
Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.
It can be a partnership for greater impact and strength Eccl. 4:9-10
Unite for serving the Church, leading others to Jesus and making disciples.
Hosting people in your home.
Hosting groups.
Investing in other families and younger couples.
Being an example of a Godly marriage.
This is one of the many reasons why choosing a spouse who is following Jesus wholeheartedly is so crucial. 2 Cor. 6:14
2 v 2 basketball
Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light with darkness?
Marriage is a means for multi-generational impact for Christ.
Marriage is a means for multi-generational impact for Christ.
Blessing or burden?
If life is all about:
Short term pleasure.
Living in luxury
Getting recognition
Having a ton of money
You
…Then yes, children are a burden.
If life is all about:
God
Others
Making a lasting impact for Christ
Then multiplying godly offspring is one of the biggest blessings
Most of your greatest accomplishments in life will come with difficulty and persistance.
Raising kids is no different.
Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb a reward.
First chapter of Genesis: Gen. 1:28
Genesis 1:28 (ESV)
And God blessed them. And God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it.
The goal is to raise up godly offspring
Malachi 2:15 (ESV)
And what was the one God seeking? Godly offspring…
And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.
Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.
I want to raise up my four children to:
Know Christ’s deep love for them.
Love God and Love others.
Have a desperate desire to see world come to know Jesus.
To begin making Disciples with their lives.
Then, for them to get married and do the same with them.
You will never get the opportunity to invest in someone as deeply as you will your own children.
Picture Here: Multi-Generational Faithfulness
If Christ hasn’t returned in 100 years (or 1000), how many offspring will their be as a result of my marriage that are impacting the world for Christ?
33 years = 16 grandchildren and 4 children
68 years = 64 Great Grandchildren
103 years = 256 Great great Grandchildren, 336 descendants
200 years = 21k+
300 years = 87k+
500 years = 349k+
1000 years = likely surpassing several million
Obviously, these calculations are highly speculative.
But you get the point.
Let’s be people who have long-term vision instead of short term vision.
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