The Foundation For Marriage Series

THE FOUNDATION FOR MARRIAGE

(Marriage 1)

I read the other day, about an 83 year old man who had lived his entire life as a bachelor. One day the man gathered his 4 nephews and announced that he was planning to get married. His nephews were in shock. One spoke up and said, “Uncle, are you getting married because the woman is beautiful?” “No,” he said. Another nephew asked, “Uncle, are you getting married because this woman is a great cook?” Again he said, “No.” The 3rd nephew questioned, “Are you marrying this woman because she’s rich?” “Of course not,” was his reply. The final nephew said, “Uncle, if you’re not marrying this woman because she’s beautiful, or because she’s a great cook, or because she is rich, then why are you marrying her?” He smiled for a moment and with a wink he said, “I’m marrying her because she can drive at night!” (Tom Dooley - SermonCentral.com)

People marry for many different reasons, some good, and some not so good. But, the Bible has a lot to say about marriage.

This morning I would like us to look together back in the beginning of the Bible, when God was first building everything, when He was first setting up how everything was going to work. Turn with me this morning please to Genesis 2:18-25. Look there with me as God establishes the first family, the first home, as He institutes the first marriage.

- Read Genesis 2:18-25

In this passage we are introduced to Adam and also to 2 of the reasons, some of the most important reasons for marriage.

If we were to go back and look through chapter 1 of Genesis we would learn several items about Adam. We would learn of his noble birth.

1. Nobel Birth - The Bible tells us that Adam was formed out of the dust of the earth and that God breathed life into his lungs. Adam was built out of the same stuff as the mountains and the trees, the animals and the planets. And yet Adam was different. He had something about him that made him different than everything that had been created. He was created in the image of God.

The Bible tells us that God would regularly come down to earth and walk through the garden with Adam. Now God didn’t come down and visit with the animals. He didn’t come down to talk with the fish or the birds. He didn’t even come down to view His handiwork in the landscape. God came down to visit with Adam.

Adam was of noble birth. He had a special relationship with God that nothing else in creation had.

2. Richly endowed - Adam was also richly endowed. In this passage we read that God had Adam name all of the animals. So, Adam had the ability to think and to talk. He had intelligence. He also had immortality. There was no death or disease in the world yet. Adam didn’t have to worry about getting sick. He had no fear of death. He didn’t have to worry about what to wear. He didn’t have any clothes and if he did, he didn’t have a wife yet to tell him that what he had on didn’t match.

Adam lived in a garden. There was food around him. He never had to shop. He didn’t have any dishes to do. He never had any laundry.

Adam had many of the things in life that people seek today. But, in spite of all the things Adam had, in spite of the fellowship He had with God, there was still something missing. Adam was alone. That is one of the primary reasons for marriage and the first one mentioned in the Bible. Eve was formed and marriage was instituted for companionship.

I. THE PURPOSE OF MARRIAGE

1. Companionship - People today often think that marriage was set up so people could have children. Hey, that’s a biggie. And, it is true that God uses marriage as a picture of the church’s relationship to Christ. But, that is not why, way back at the beginning, the Bible says God created marriage. It says, God created woman because man was alone.

And you know what, it didn’t take Adam long to discover that he was alone. It didn’t take long for loneliness to set in, because Adam and Eve were both created on the 6th day.

Adam looked around, he saw all of the animals had partners, and that just magnified his loneliness. Reminds me of my single days, when it seemed like everyone else in the world had their companion, their special friend, except me.

Let me ask you my friend, how much time do you spend with your companion? How much time do you spend with the man, the woman God has given you as your special companion?