The Weight of Wedlock

Dear Faith Family,

Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.  This mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church, (Ephesians 5:31-32).  

I saw Jesus with His bride last Saturday. 

The piano melodied the invitation.  The dearly loved rose to their feet.  The doors to the sanctuary opened.  A flash of white and in came the bride, her arm clutched to her daddy’s.  A glance back to the front proved that her groom-to-be was quickly coming undone. 

What a weekend!  They did “I do’s”, they danced, they departed.  We listened, we watched, we reminisced, we celebrated, and, yes, we worshipped!  Our nephew’s love for his bride was all too obvious.  Their commitment to God and to each other was contagious.  So, what’s all the fuss about?  Like, why is marriage such a big deal? 

And here it is, Paul talked about this thing called marriage in Ephesians 5.  It is interesting to note the significance of the whole husband and wife relationship.  It rises above the level of the feelings at hand.  The weight of wedlock is, well, weighty.  But why? 

In a letter (Ephesians) where unity is at least a theme if not the theme, Paul (true to his run on sentence structure) pours a doctrinal foundation before carefully laying the bricks of application.  The foundation was poured in the early chapters of Ephesians.  Our relationship with Jesus is that sure foundation.  Upon the foundation of that relationship every other relationship gets to experience unity. 

Of all the earthly relational places that Paul could have begun, he started not with the parent / child relationship, not with business relationships.  Instead, he begins with the husband / wife relationship. 

It's that important.  Let’s face it, if the husband / wife relationship fails, all other relationships will eventually fail.  Do you want to be a good parent?  Be a good husband or wife.  Paul’s order of relationship isn’t alphabetical or random.  He begins, in fact, where God began with Adam and Eve.  He begins with husband and wife.  It is that important. 

Still not sold of the significance of matrimony?  Look a little closer at Ephesians 5.  Paul intertwines the relationship of husband and wife with the relationship of Jesus and His church!  Marriage is a picture of Jesus with His bride!  Wait, wait.  Don’t read on.  Not yet.  Stay right there for a moment.  Marriage is a picture of Jesus and His bride!  That’s what all the fuss is about!  That’s why it’s such a big deal!

The husband / wife relationship is a live feed of the relationship between Jesus and His bride, the church!  Ok.  Two questions:  How does your marriage look like Jesus’ marriage?  How do the marriages around you look like Jesus’ marriage?

Celebrating a big deal,

Pastor Karl