Worship Helps Pentecost 20
Artist: Roelandt Savery
Date: 1626
Worship Theme: God’s plan for man was perfect. He created
woman for man. They were to “become one flesh”. Sin entered the world and
separation replaced union—separation from God and from one another. Bitter
marriages and divorces are two examples. But thanks be to God, Jesus even
suffered death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone
and create new life and new promise of union.
Old Testament: Genesis 2:18-24 The LORD God said, "It is not good for the man to be alone. I will
make a helper suitable for him." 19 Now the LORD God had formed
out of the ground all the beasts of the field and all the birds of the air. He
brought them to the man to see what he would name them; and whatever the man
called each living creature, that was its name. 20 So the man gave
names to all the livestock, the birds of the air and all the beasts of the
field. But for Adam no suitable helper was found. 21 So the LORD God
caused the man to fall into a deep sleep; and while he was sleeping, he took
one of the man's ribs and closed up the place with flesh. 22 Then
the LORD God made a woman from the rib he had taken out of the man, and he
brought her to the man. 23 The man said, "This is now bone of
my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called 'woman, 'for she was taken
out of man." 24 For this reason a man will leave his father and
mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh.
1. What lesson did God teach Adam by having him name the
animals?
2. What does the expression “one flesh” mean?
Epistle: Ephesians 5:21 Submit to one
another out of reverence for Christ. 22 Wives, submit to your
husbands as to the Lord. 23 For the husband is the head of the wife
as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior.
24 Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to
their husbands in everything. 25 Husbands, love your wives, just as
Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her 26 to make her
holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, 27
and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or
any other blemish, but holy and blameless. 28 In this same way,
husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife
loves himself. 29 After all, no one ever hated his own body, but he
feeds and cares for it, just as Christ does the church-- 30 for we
are members of his body. 31 "For this reason a man will leave
his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one
flesh." 32 This is a profound mystery-- but I am talking about
Christ and the church. 33 However, each one of you also must love
his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband. 6:1
Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. 2
"Honor your father and mother"-- which is the first commandment with
a promise-- 3 "that it may go well with you and that you may
enjoy long life on the earth." 4 Fathers, do not exasperate
your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the
Lord.
3. What are wives to do?
4. What are husbands to do?
5. What are children to do?
6. What are fathers, in particular, to do?
Gospel: Mark 10:2-16 Some Pharisees came and tested him by asking, "Is it lawful for a man
to divorce his wife?" 3 "What did Moses command you?"
he replied. 4 They said, "Moses permitted a man to write a
certificate of divorce and send her away." 5 "It was
because your hearts were hard that Moses wrote you this law," Jesus
replied. 6 "But at the beginning of creation God 'made them
male and female.' 7 'For this reason a man will leave his father and
mother and be united to his wife, 8 and the two will become one
flesh.' So they are no longer two, but one. 9 Therefore what God has
joined together, let man not separate." 10 When they were in
the house again, the disciples asked Jesus about this. 11 He
answered, "Anyone who divorces his wife and marries another woman commits
adultery against her. 12 And if she divorces her husband and marries
another man, she commits adultery." 13 People were bringing
little children to Jesus to have him touch them, but the disciples rebuked
them. 14 When Jesus saw this, he was indignant. He said to them,
"Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God kingdom of God
7. If marriage is to be for life, why did Moses hand down
some conditions that made divorce possible?
8. What remains God’s standard for marriage?
1. By having Adam name the animals, God taught Adam that
he was incomplete and needed companionship as well as someone to partner with
him for reproduction.
2. The phrase “one flesh” expresses the depth of unity in
marriage—physically, emotionally and spiritually. Since the woman was created
from man, the two originally were one, and when they come together, they again
are one.
3. Wives are to yield lovingly to their husbands as the
leader of the home, the same way we all yield to Jesus as our Leader and Lord.
4. Husbands are to love their wives as Christ loved the
church and gave himself up for her. Husbands are to love their wives as
their own bodies.
5. Children are to obey their parents “in the Lord”, that
is, for Jesus’ sake.
6. Fathers are to bring up their children in the training
and instruction of the Lord Jesus. Note that Paul never tells husbands to
make their wives submit, etc., or wives to make their husbands be responsible
for eternal matters in the home. How wise Martin Luther was, when he
wrote: Let each his lesson learn with care, And all the household well shall
fare.
7. Moses handed down some conditions for divorce only
because the people had totally disregarded God’s will for sex and
marriage. Their hearts were hard. Government had to deal with it
and regulate.
8. God’s standard for marriage is the union of a man and a
woman for life. “Therefore what God has joined together, let man not separate.”
Putting your faith
into action
When
God created Eve he created the family unit—a unit through which he chooses to
bless his people with sexual happiness, companionship, and children. What a
blessing a family is. Whether you are married or not; whether you have children
or not; you are part of a family—both your earthly family, but more importantly
your heavenly Father’s family, through which you receive forgiveness of sins,
eternal life, and salvation. In light of God’s blessing of family, may each of
our families strive to serve our heavenly Father better. May we be better
husbands, better wives, better sons and daughters, and better fathers and
mothers. May we be better stewards of the gifts he gives to us and our
families. May we teach better stewardship to our children. May we model better
stewardship to our spouse. In this way, our Father who blessed us with family
and also made us a part of his family will be praised.
Who is not tempted by lust? Paul says, “I do not do the good I want, but
the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing” (Romans 7:19). Likewise, “I myself serve the law of God with
my mind, but with my flesh I serve the law of sin” (7:25). Here he openly declares that he serves the law
of sin. David says, “Enter not into
judgment with Your servant, for no one living is righteous before You” (Psalm
143:2). Here even God’s servant prays
for the removal of judgment. Likewise,
“Blessed is the man against whom the Lord counts no iniquity” (Psalm 32:2). Therefore, in our weakness sin is always
present, which could be charged against us. Later he says, “Therefore let everyone who is
godly offer prayer to You” (32:6). Here
he shows that even saints ought to seek forgiveness of sins. They are more than blind who do not
realize that wicked desires in the flesh are sins, of which Paul says, “For the
desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are
against the flesh” (Galatians 5:17). The
flesh distrusts God, trusts in present things, seeks human aid in trouble, even
contrary to God’s will. It flees from
suffering, which it ought to bear because of God’s commands. It doubts God’s mercy and so on. The Holy Spirit in our hearts fights against
such tendencies in order to suppress and kill them and to produce new spiritual
motives. – Apology of the Augsburg Confession, Article V, Love and Fulfilling
the Law, paragraphs 47-49
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