Lies We Believe About Marriage Series

Opening Joke:

A young bride-to-be was at the rehearsal for her wedding. She was nervous and having a hard time

remembering what she was supposed to do when she walked down the aisle. The minister said, “Relax, it’s not

hard. First, all you need to do is slowly walk down the aisle. Second, walk straight at the altar. Third, when get

to the altar, turn and look at him—your husband to be. If you’ll just remember those 3 things, you’ll do just

fine.”

The next day, everyone was seated at the church and it was time for her to walk down the aisle. As the

organist played the Wedding March, she walked down the aisle saying out loud, “Aisle. . .altar. . .him. Aisle. .

.altar. . .him. I’ll alter him!” Thousands of brides have walked down the aisle saying the same thing—“I’ll

alter him. I’ll change him!” Kent Crockett’s Sermon Illustrations, www.kentcrockett.com

1. Introduction –

a. Why are we doing this series: We have been examining the lies we believe in our lives. Part of

the reason that we are examining these in a series is because we will act upon what we believe.

If we believe false information, it will profoundly affect us. You can imagine stopping at gas

station and asking directions. (Only women do this). They snicker and laugh and then give you

directions…to a street dead ending at a hog farm. You believed them but they told you a lie.

Now you have to turn around and start over.

b. It is the same with our lives. When you find out you have followed or believed false

information, you need to TURN AROUND (repent) and start over with the truth.

2. Today we are examining the lies we believe about marriage.

a. I am reasonably certain that most of us have believed our share of false information about

marriage and had a rude awakening after the honeymoon.

b. A young man asks his father,”Is it true? Dad, I heard that in ancient China, a man doesn’t know

his wife until he marries.” The father replies: That happens everywhere, son, everywhere”

c. If you thought that all your problems would be solved by marriage, you found out that they were

just beginning.

d. Marriage is a wonderful institution but it is the bringing together of two very different people

with very different goals, expectations, and needs and desires.

e. What should surprise us isn’t that 50% of marriages end in divorce but that 50% of them remain

married! Marriage is hard work!

f. Lets examine what the bible says about marriage and expose the falsehoods of marriage with

God’s word.

i. Matthew 19:3-11 Some Pharisees came to Jesus, testing Him and asking, "Is it lawful

for a man to divorce his wife for any reason at all?" And He answered and said, "Have

you not read that He who created them from the beginning MADE THEM MALE AND

FEMALE, and said, `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. What therefore God has joined

together, let no man separate." They said to Him, "Why then did Moses command to

GIVE HER A CERTIFICATE OF DIVORCE AND SEND her AWAY?" He said to them,

"Because of your hardness of heart Moses permitted you to divorce your wives; but from

the beginning it has not been this way. "And I say to you, whoever divorces his wife,

except for immorality, and marries another woman commits adultery." The disciples said

to Him, "If the relationship of the man with his wife is like this, it is better not to marry."

But He said to them, "Not all men can accept this statement, but only those to whom it

has been given.

bob Higgins Page 1 6/4/2006

1. Jesus goes back to the very beginning of creation to develop the authority for his

teaching. He covers divorce, marriage and the nature of marriage in this teaching.

ii. This morning, I will be making a few references to divorce. If you are divorced, I want

you to know that you are not a second class citizen in the Kingdom of Heaven. God sees

you in the present and not in the past.

1. He dealt with your past at the Cross and He desires to make your future

something special.

2. So as you listen I want to remind you, “do not take condemnation from my

teaching this morning.”

3. Marriage can be between people in love.”

a. In our society we have attempts to redefine marriage.

i. This is not the first time there have been attempts to redefine it. In the 19th century, the