Overview:
• What does a “good marriage” look like?
• How can you have a “good marriage”?
• What are the ingredients for enriching one’s marriage?
I. Are good marriages possible?
A. God established Marriage Gen. 1:27,31, 2:24
B. God intended marriage as a “good” thing. Gen. 2:18
C. Yes, good marriages are possible! What God makes is always good, very good!
II. What do good marriages look like?
A. OT example: Abraham and Sarah
1. 1 Peter 3:6
2. Genesis 12 ff
B. NT example: Christ and the church
1. Eph. 5:25
2. Eph. 5:26
III. How do good marriages work? Math. 19:10
A. Marriage: One man, one woman . . . for life! Math. 19:3-8 God intended marriage to be a lifelong relationship
B. With man, it’s impossible Is. 64:6 (none good, our best filthy rags)
C. With God, all things are possible Math. 19:17, 26 (God almighty-the source of all goodness)
IV. What are the ingredients for good marriages? 1 Cor. 13:13
A. Hope-Something to look forward to Jer. 29:11(future, hope), Col. 1:27 source of hope-Christ
B. Faith-Something to believe in Heb. 12:2 object of faith-Christ
C. Love-Someone to invest in Eph. 5:33 motivation and method 2 Cor. 5:14-motivation; 1 John 3:18 method, source of love-the Holy Spirit
V. Suggestions for cultivating, and enriching your marriage.
A. Submission-Supporting 2 Cor. 12:19
B. Sacrifice-Sharing Eph. 5:2; 1 John 3:16
C. Service-Caring Gal. 5:13-15; 6:2; 2 Cor. 12:15
Practical application: Possible Q & A about encouraging, exhorting, and instructing couples regarding good marriages.
Copyright©2003 Dr. Lewis Gregory, Source Ministries International
You are encouraged to reproduce and distribute this material in any format provided that you do not alter the wording in any way. Please give credit to the author in any printed publications.
