THE IDEAL OF MARRIAGE
I. Jesus said, “For this reason shall a man leave his father and mother, and cleave to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.” (quoting Genesis 2:24). Then Jesus continues, “therefore what God has joined together, man must not separate.” Mt 19:5-6
1. “Leaving father and mother” means the two are to form a new ______
2. The “one flesh” means they are to have a close ____________
3. The “not separate” means the ideal is to stay together until one of them ______.
II. What about singles?
Paul writes, “To the unmarried and widows, I say that it is good for them to remain single, as I am… but if you do marry, you have not sinned.” (1 Cor 7:8 and 28)
1. Was Jesus married? ____ 2. Does God prefer us to be married or single? ____
3. About single people, Paul writes, “Treat the young young men as brothers, and the young women as _____, in all purity. (1 Timothy 5:1). 4. What would that treatment be like? ___
III. What about sexual relations?
Paul writes that the husband is to give “what he ought to” (by which he means provide sexual fulfillment) for his wife,, and the wife for her husband, unless they agree to be apart temporarily for the sake of prayer. After that, he says, “let them come together again.” (1 Cor 7:3 and 5).
1. Part of being “one ____” is the closeness of sexual relations. Is this God’s plan?
IV. What about being faithful?
Let marriage be held in honor among all, and let the marriage bed be undefiled, for God will judge the sexually immoral and the adulterers. (Hebrews 13:4)
1. The “let the marriage bed be undefiled” means that sexual relations is only for the one you are ___________ to.
V. How does Jesus give us a pattern for marriage, even though he was not married? Jesus said, “I have not come to do my own will, but the will of Him who sent me.” John 6:38. Paul writes, “Then the son will submit himself to the father, that God may be all in all.” 1 Cor 15:28. In all things, the Son submitted to the _______. Did this give Jesus less value? ___
In this verse, Jesus shows that the word “submit” is not a negative word, but describes the perfect relationship between God the Son and God the ______.,
When Paul writes “Wives, submit to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord,” (Col 4:18) he shows that the “wife to husband” relationship in this way is like the “Jesus to the _____” relationship, Does this make her of less value? ___
When God created woman (Genesis 2:18), he said “I will make him a helper suitable for him.” This means the wife supports and is adapted to the _______.
Compare it to a close dance, such as a waltz. One dancer flows along with the lead of the other. If neither one follows, the dance will ________. What is the duty of the man in the dance? _______
VI. The “wife to husband” relationship is also like the “church to Jesus” relationship. Paul writes, “Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church, and gave himself up for her.”
1. In this verse, how does the husband show love for his wife? ____________
2. What must come first in a husband’s life? ___________________
The verse continues, As the church submits to Christ in everything, so also wives are to submit to their husbands.” Eph 6:24 3. In what way is the wife’s role like Christ’s? ______ 4. Is the husband to submit to anyone? _______
VII. The head and body comparison. Paul also writes, “the husband is the head of the wife, aa Christ is the head of the church.” Eph 6:23
1. How successful would a body be without a head? ____
2. What would happen to the church if it was not in harmony with the head? ___
3. What about a marriage without a head? ___
4. What would happen if the head didn’t do its duty? _________
VIII. We do NOT put pressure on our marriage partner, by telling them what “they” should be doing, but we accept that each partner’s actions are between that person and God, and that the role the person is playing is being done “for God.”
When the wife follows the head, she is giving glory to ____. When the husband sacrifices for the wife, he is giving glory to _____. Using marriage as our example, we have a better understanding of the relationship between Christ and his _______, and between Christ and us, his ________.