Marriage forever…I promise!
The average marriage in Australia now lasts just 7.2 years. Sadly the church has now the same statistic within its own ranks. I have performed over 100 wedding services in my 35 years of pastoring and in every ceremony I have used the following vows –
“To have and to hold
From this day forward,
For better for worse,
For richer for poorer,
In sickness and in health,
To love and to cherish,
As long as we both shall live.
This is my solemn vow and promise.”
Often couples now utilise a term called “irreconcilable differences” as the reason for their ending their marriage to one another. In reality, when two individuals get married, there will always be irreconcilable differences because its two different people. It’s what makes marriage such a joy. How tragic and boring would it be to marry someone just like you?
Jesus said of marriage Matthew 19: “They record that from the beginning ‘God made them male and female.’ 5 And he said, ‘This explains why a man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, and the two are united into one.’ 6 Since they are no longer two but one, let no one split apart what God has joined together.”
He went on to say, Moses permitted divorce only as a concession to your hard hearts, but it was not what God had originally intended. 9 And I tell you this, whoever divorces his wife and marries someone else commits adultery—unless his wife has been unfaithful.
Marriage requires grace, forgiveness and compassion. Marriage is used by Paul as the symbol of our relationship with Jesus Christ. Ephesians 5:31 As the Scriptures say, “A man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, and the two are united into one.” 32 This is a great mystery, but it is an illustration of the way Christ and the church are one. 33 So again I say, each man must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.
This is why in the Old Testament, when the nation Israel went after false gods, the Lord described such worship as adultery! Psa 106:39 They defiled themselves by their evil deeds, and their love of idols was adultery in the LORD’s sight. This is a serious matter tragically overlooked today.
I am so glad that our Lord takes His vows of love toward us seriously and forever. Yet we so often fail Him, neglect Him and return not His love back to Him. But He remains faithful to us!
The church is to be the place where marriage is celebrated, honoured, edified, exampled, glorified and reflective of our love for Jesus Chris, His love for us and our love for one another!
This Sunday I will be speaking about the true definition of what love is. It’s so much more than a partnership, or the sharing of the same address.
God desires in your marriage His love to be displayed and enjoyed.
The Bible says this love, NEVER FAILS!