The Mystery of Marriage
Family of God,
This Sunday all of our Scripture readings (see links below) will center around the topic of marriage. We'll consider the creation of marriage, the attacks on marriage, and how God blesses people through marriage. If you're married, the Lord has much to say to you as husbands and wives. But even if you're not married, this topic is still vitally important.
First of all, marriage is important because God says it's important. Secondly, we have all been affected by marriage. Consider that we were all born into and raised in a home with parents who were either married, divorced, or unmarried. That had an affect on you. You have friends who got married and changed your relationship. We're constantly being bombarded with our modern day cultural opinions of marriage. Conversely, we've also all probably been affected by a marriage or two that has fallen apart. Regardless what you think about marriage or your experience has been with marriage, it's an important topic and is worthy of an honest discussion.
We'll focus on St. Paul's well-known and often (sadly) maligned words from Ephesians 5 where he calls marriage a 'mystery' and tells wives to submit themselves to their husbands. But before you husbands get too excited, the Lord has plenty to say to you as well and, in a way, it's even more challenging. The whole section is difficult. But it's also unmatched in the way it talks about, encourages, and glorifies marriage. And that's important, especially today.
I think marriage is perhaps the best and easiest way we can live our faith in the world. We know how it views marriage. To the world, marriage is 'unrealistic,' a 'life sentence,' and 'bondage.' Because of this, marriage and family statistics in North America are not shocking. When your buddies start talking about "the ol' ball and chain," or when your girlfriends start unloading about how lazy and worthless their husbands are, or your single friends gloat over how happy they are that they're not married, what's your response? Do you join in by trashing your spouse and your marriage? How do you talk about marriage in front of your kids? Do you inspire them to get married someday or have you taught them a career is more important than a family?
Marriage provides us daily, hourly opportunities to live our faith in the world. It allows us to confess marriage as a gift from God who created it. It prepares us to live sacrificial lives for someone other than ourselves. It teaches the next generation how to value a spouse and treasure children. Most importantly, it is the picture God gives us to exemplify the relationship between Christ our heavenly Bridegroom and His Bride, the Church.
It will be good for us to spend a Sunday listening to God's Word on marriage. We work on the things that matter in life. We work out to maintain our health. We strive to grow and improve in our professions. We help our kids grow in their studies, athletics, and friendships. We work on the things that matter in life. It's good for us to work on our marriages. It's good for us to remember that marriage is a divine institution, blessed by God, for which single people should aspire.
God be praised for His gift of marriage. I hope to spend the morning with you and your family doing exactly that. Blessings on your weekend!
In Christ,
Pastor Bater