From: Pastor Ed [mailto:pastored@spiritofjoy.us]
Sent: Thursday, April 23, 2015 8:00 PM
Subject: Apr 24 - Malachi 2:14-15
the LORD was witness between
you and … your wife by covenant.
Malachi 2:14-15
ESV
When I do a wedding, there is a consistent pattern.
· We all stand as the bride walks down the aisle. (She’s always beautiful.)
· Dad gives his little girl away.
· Bride and groom exchange vows and rings.
· They kiss – often passionately – before processing out to joyful and triumphant music.
· Then as the congregation heads to the reception, I start chasing.
Yes, as the wedding party is posing for pictures, I’m chasing down signatures. I’m an officer of the state. In the eyes of the government, the wedding isn’t official until there are six signatures – 1) bride, 2) groom, 3) witness 1, 4) witness 2, 5) the clerk of court, and 6) me.
That’s what the state requires to create a secular contract.
What does God require? Indeed, what is different between a governmental contract and a holy covenant? What, indeed, is the scriptural model for marriage as a covenant?
What is the Marriage Covenant? – Part Two
That’s what we’ll be discussing for the next two days. In fact, today, let me give you the first four …
· A True Covenant is Two becoming One.
We see this model of two becoming one in treaties. Two countries, for example, adopt one common purpose – “If Russia invades, we’ll stand together as one.”
From the beginning, this was God’s design for marriage. (“the man [Adam] said, ‘This at last is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; this one shall be called Woman, for out of Man this one was taken … Therefore a man leaves his father and his mother and clings to his wife, and they become one flesh.” – Genesis 2:22-24)
This union was reaffirmed by Jesus, the Messiah. (“‘For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.’ So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate” – Matthew 19:6-7.)
This covenantal unity was further reinforced as the foundational teaching of the Church through the writings of apostles (see Ephesians 5:31 and 1 Corinthians 6:16).
· A True Covenant usually includes Blessings, even Protections.
Many covenants ended with a promise to bless and protect each other. In fact, in the case of treaties, that’s the whole point of the covenant – “I’ll defend you, if you defend me.”
Marriage is like that too. Traditionally men are viewed as the provider and protector, but the bride is absolutely called to defend her husband too – his honor, for example.
· A True Covenant is Instituted by God
Humans make treaties, contracts, and covenants between themselves all of time. God views some as eternally binding. God views others as non-binding. For example, if I “take out a contract” to have my neighbor assassinated, God does not honor that! Thus, the only true binding covenants are in accord with God’s will and God’s ordinances.
Marriage is in accord with God’s will and God’s ordinances! It is, in fact, instituted by God himself from the foundations and beginning of the world – see Genesis 2.
· A True Covenant is Grounded on an Irrevocable Promise
In Moses farewell address to Israel, the prophet pointed to the One who would never say farewell: Be strong and of good courage, do not fear …; for the Lord your God, He is the One who goes with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you” – Deuteronomy 31:6.
Moses was reminding the people that God’s covenant was – and is – irrevocable.
He would never leave nor forsake them.
And that’s what we promise in marriage too. “Till death do us part” means, “I’d rather be cut in half than to ever quit fighting for this marriage.”
QUESTION: see below
In Christ’s Love,
a guy who chases
brand-new brides
(… and grooms and
bridesmaids and best men)
QUESTION: Rate how you do at each of these covenantal tasks. Answering the following questions will perhaps give you clues as to how to enrich the covenant of your marriage.
__ A True Covenant is Two becoming One. Are you one – united in purposes, goals, and prayers – or are you still two who share a few a things?
__ A True Covenant usually has Blessings, even Protections. In what ways do you guard, protect, encourage, and bless your beloved?
__ A True Covenant is Instituted by God. If God is the foundation of marriage, is he the foundation of your day-to-day life?
__ A True Covenant is Grounded on an Irrevocable Promise. Do you treat your marriage as an optional convenience or as something you’d better work on because your covenantally “stuck-together forever”?!
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