Marriage: Adam & Eve

00:00:00 Speaker 1: So they are no longer two but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, Let no man separate Matthew nineteen six. Heavenly Father, our hearts are filled with reverence for the sacred bond of marriage. This divine union designed by you calls us not only to a commitment to one another, but also reflects your steadfast devotion to us. Inspire us to mirror your unwavering love and faithfulness in our relationships. Help us to honor and cherish our partners, showing the same kind of selfless love and grace you extend to us daily. May our devotion to one another be a testament to your love, a beacon of hope and stability in a world where commitments are often taken lightly. Strengthen our bonds, O God, that we might withstand the trials and tribulations of life together. Teach us to communicate with kindness, to forgive generously, and to support each other unconditionally. Let our love be a living example of your eternal covenant with us, marked by loyalty, respect, and a deep commitment that reflects the very nature of your devotion. In the name of Jesus, who shows us the perfect way of love. 00:01:52 Speaker 2: We pray Amen. 00:01:58 Speaker 1: Thank you for praying with me to day. You're listening to the Jesus Podcast. Stick around for another dramatic saga inspired by the Sermon on the Mount. We've enjoyed this podcast and want to continue. Be sure to rate, subscribe, and leave a review so we can continue reaching people. Thanks for making the mission possible. Jesus' words weren't meant to be comfortable. They were meant to bring peace, hope, and transformation. Such things aren't gained through comfort and ease. Jesus raised the standard beyond mindless adherence to laws. 00:02:47 Speaker 2: He was after the heart. 00:02:52 Speaker 1: He didn't just call people not to murder. He wanted to root out their anger. He didn't just cry adultery. He called people to purify their thoughts. Christ wanted people's hearts, and what better way to refine one's heart than marriage. 00:03:15 Speaker 3: You have heard it said, whoever divorces his wife, let him give her a divorce certificate. 00:03:21 Speaker 2: But I say to you that everyone. 00:03:23 Speaker 3: Who divorces his wife, except on the grounds of sexual immorality, makes her commit adultry. And whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultry. 00:03:34 Speaker 1: His words sent chills up the spines of everyone present. They weren't easy words to hear. They raised the standard and revealed Christ's view of sanctity of marriage. 00:03:47 Speaker 3: Have you not read that He who created them from the beginning made the male and female, and said, therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife life, and the two shall become one flesh. 00:04:04 Speaker 4: So they are no longer. 00:04:06 Speaker 2: Two, but one. 00:04:08 Speaker 3: What God has joined together. 00:04:11 Speaker 2: Let no man separate. 00:04:17 Speaker 5: Marriage is a calling, a calling of love, devotion, and resilience. But it's also an image, an image of a love greater than ourselves, a devotion more powerful and a strength more enduring than our own. Welcome to the Jesus Podcast. I'm Ethan with pray dot Com. We've been going through series on the Sermon on the Mount. We've been connecting the teachings of Jesus to other biblical stories, showing how the entire Bible speaks to itself, reaffirming timeless truths for us all. If this podcast has blessed you, we would sincerely appreciate a review. We love reading them and hearing how they've impacted your faith. To day, we delve into another profound teaching from Jesus' Sermon on the Mount found in Matthew chapter five, verses thirty one through thirty two. This passage addresses the sanctity of marriage and the seriousness of divorce. We will connect it to the story of Adam and Eve in Genesis chapters two and three, exploring the original biblical intent of marriage and the impact of sin. Together, we'll discover how to uphold the sacred nature of marriage in our lives. 00:05:32 Speaker 1: The light of dawn bounced off the morning mist. The rays kissed the earth, awakening the flowers and creatures below. Leaves dripped morning dew, falling gently on to the soft earth. It was from the dirt that God would craft his masterpiece. The dirt began to stir, and the animal scurried and watched from their burrows, waiting to see what would happen. From the earth a clay, a figure began to take shape, like a potter's vessel, slowly forming on the wheel. The earth spun to the sound of music. The creator's hands moved precisely, crafting each detail with love and care. From the earth the first man, he emerged, a lifeless being of dust and storm. He stood there lifeless, an unoccupied body in need of a soul. The wind whistled through the garden and danced around the lifeless figure, God's life given power. The ruach blew into his nostrils. The man's chest rose, and then he exhaled his first breath. He opened his eyes to see the radiant garden glowing with color and life. He looked around and beheld the trees and every creature looking down on him from above. He turned, feeling the dirt underneath his toes. Then he heard a voice speak, Adam. It was his name and his identity. He was the Man, the image bearer of the Creator, stamped with someone divine and filled with a breath of life. Here I Am Adam said. The sound of his voice surprised him. He looked around to make sure it wasn't someone else speaking. He looked at his hands, arms, and feet. Here I Am Adam took a step forward, feeling every sensation of existence simultaneously. He felt the earth underneath him, the excitement of what was before him, and the awe of what was above him. He walked between the trees, exploring the boundaries of his new home. It was a garden set upon a high place, teeming with vibrant life and vibrating with possibilities. Cascading falls fell majestically, splitting the earth and flowing downward into great rivers. Adam followed the water upward. Something caught his eye. 00:09:07 Speaker 2: What's up there? 00:09:08 Speaker 1: He was drawn to a light emanating from the peak of the falls. He grabbed on the stones next to the falls and climbed up. The water fall was powerful, nearly blowing Adam off the rocks, but he persisted, hair dripping with water and determination. He finally summited the falls and looked at the source of light. There, at the top of evening was a tree growing above. 00:09:43 Speaker 2: All the rest. 00:09:45 Speaker 1: Its branches stretched out beyond the clouds, and its roots spread throughout the forest. It pulsed with power. It was the tree of life. The entire garden seemed to hum to his heart beat. Its fruit hung elegantly from its branches. Light and sound circled it, then left in a breeze to adorn the rest of the garden in splendor. Look around you, Adam, the tree of life pulsed with the sound of God's voice. Adam surveyed the garden. He saw birds flying above the tree tops and heard the sounds of creatures crying from below. 00:10:33 Speaker 4: Everything here is yours to enjoy, and they eat of every fruit in this Goden be filled to your heart's content. 00:10:44 Speaker 1: Adam's eyes were shining with possibilities. He saw the fruit of the trees and the soils potential to grow new things. He plucked a berry, rolled it between his fingers, and pressed it enough to squeeze the juice out. He examined it and then held it to his mouth to taste. The sweetness lit up his brain, and he could feel his body receiving it with gladness. He scaled the slope leading to another section of the garden. He pressed his hands against the damp moss and held his nose to the blooming flowers. A rustling in the bushes startled at him. He stepped back, poised to run. From the tall ferns, emerged a stag. Its antlers stood proudly atop its head like a crown. Adam laughed at the. 00:11:49 Speaker 3: Sight of him, Hello, there, who are you? 00:11:52 Speaker 1: The two circled each other curiously. The stag bowed its head, stomped its hoofs, and then pranced away into the forest. Adam ran after it, feeling the muscles in his legs extend and contract. He felt the resistance of the earth below and the rising of his heart beat. It was all new and exciting. The stag was in view. Adam leaped over a stream and dodged some low hanging branches. He slid through the dirt and water, rounded the corner of the path, and then stopped immediately when he reached the shadow of another large tree. Its trunk was thick and braided, like serpents coiled around each other. The branches shot outward and down, making its fruit low for picking. The fruit was a deep crimson and perfect for one's palm. Adam was drawn to it, but terrified by it. At the same time. His body tensed with every step as he ented closer to it. 00:13:11 Speaker 3: Every fruit of the tree right. 00:13:13 Speaker 2: Adam reached out his hand to touch the fruit. 00:13:15 Speaker 4: This is the tree of knowledge, the knowledge of good and evil. 00:13:23 Speaker 1: God's voice rushed through the forest like an evening wind. Adam recoiled and listened. 00:13:29 Speaker 4: You may eat of every tree in this God, but the tree of knowledge of good and evil you shall never eat. 00:13:39 Speaker 3: What will happen if I do. 00:13:41 Speaker 4: Knowledge of evil? Which leads to evil, which leads to death, the end of life. If you eat of that tree, you will surely die. 00:13:55 Speaker 1: Before Adam was a choice. You could freely take the tree of life, nourishing himself with God's eternal and abiding love. 00:14:06 Speaker 2: He could live. 00:14:07 Speaker 1: Under the comforting canopy of the Creator, obeying him and partnering with him to cultivate the earth. Or he could reach for the tree of knowledge. He could awaken his mind to the possibility of evil. 00:14:25 Speaker 2: He could seize. 00:14:26 Speaker 1: Autonomy for himself and live apart from God. 00:14:32 Speaker 2: The choice was his. 00:14:35 Speaker 1: God wouldn't force him to climb the hill an access eternal life, nor would he stop him from grasping at sin, even if it meant separation from all things good. Life was new to Adam, so the concept of death was strange. Yet, if God was the creator of life and all the beauty displayed before him, Adam trusted that God's word was true. Adam looked back at the tree. Something caught the corner of his eye. He peered closer, but saw nothing He could have sworn. He saw a part of the trunk moving. He took God at his word and stepped away. Adam followed the stag's tracks to a clearing in the trees. The stag was drinking from the stream. Just as Adam was about to approach it, he saw another deer approach, a doe with glistening eyes and a playful wag of its tail. The stag perked at her presence and approached. They circled each other playfully, then dipped their heads to touch. They drank side by side, then pranced around each other and back into the forest. Adam smiled and frowned in confusion. He felt a lack an ache in his heart. 00:16:25 Speaker 4: It is not good for man to be alone. I will find a companion suitable for him, one to contend with, grow with, and low to ply with, one to help love and be loved. 00:16:40 Speaker 1: In the turn, Adam ran through the meadows and under the trees, prancing with deer and rolling around with wolf cups. He studied each bird by its song and feather. He understood why some fish swam upstream while others remained at the banks of the ponds. All the creatures had companions, those to multiply with and sing the song of creation. Adam's heart kept aching, yearning for some one like that. That night, Adam rested on a grassy hill underneath the stars. The garden misst hovering above, weaving through the trees like wandering ghosts. Adam looked up, pondering his future, the purpose he had been crafted for. A warm breeze enveloped the valley, causing the grass to sway. God put Adam's mind at ease and cradled him to sleep, with a warm breeze and soothing a lullaby of swaying grass and cringets. That night, God opened Adam's side, as if making an incision with a divine blade. Carefully, thoughtfully, lovingly, God removed a rib from Adam. He didn't take a bone from his foot or a piece of his head. He took a rib, desiring to craft a companion to walk with him, not under him or above him, but beside him. God closed Adam's side and then used the rib to create a new life. Flesh sprouted forth from bone like vines around branches. God's glorious light danced around it as bone begat bone and flesh grew on flesh. Elegantly and masterfully, God fashioned a woman and placed her gently beside Adam. She lay peacefully and still in the tall grass. The breeze lifted her hair over. 00:19:21 Speaker 2: Her face. 00:19:23 Speaker 1: Gently, silently, God breathed life into her as well. 00:19:31 Speaker 2: Her chest rose and she exhaled. She was alive. 00:19:40 Speaker 1: The light touched Adam's cheek. His eyes opened sadly, then closed again. He opened them again in shock and sprang back. Another creature was beside him, sleeping soundly on the soft earth. The woman her eyes and looked around. Her eyes were filled with awe and curiosity. Adam stared at her closely. She wasn't like the fawn or the birds of the air. She was like him. Adam approached slowly. She propped herself up and stood across from him. They circled each other, playfully, mirroring each other's movements. Adam stepped to the side, quickly she stepped. 00:20:37 Speaker 2: To the other side. 00:20:40 Speaker 1: Adam smiled, then spun around. She mirrored his movement, returning his smile, but with far more grace. Adam jumped up and rolled down the grassy hill. Flower petals sprang up behind him. The woman laughed leaped after him. Adam watched her hips and legs move. He watched her chest rise and fall with each breath. She enraptured him. They danced around each other, bodies inching closer and closer with each spin. Finally, they stood face to face beside the waterfall. The sound of rushing waters mixed with their breath. The woman tilted her head at Adam and raised her hand to his. He did the same. The two touched fingers intertwined in perfect connection. She looked at their hands, then down at the water. She saw her reflection. She was becoming aware of herself. Adam smiled tenderly at her. You're like me, He was certain she was like him, but unsure who he was. He held a hand to his side and touched the scar where God had. 00:22:14 Speaker 2: Taken his rim. 00:22:15 Speaker 4: You from me. 00:22:18 Speaker 1: She looked at him with bright and knowing eyes. The wind from the rushing waterfall pushed her hair to the side. Adam sang to her, beside the falls. 00:22:33 Speaker 3: Your bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh. You're part of me, from me and with me. I'm a man, and you're a woman. 00:22:47 Speaker 1: Adam ran a hand through her hair and touched her cheek. Eve She leaned closer to him, and he to her. They embraced each other in the safety of the garden. They were naked and unashamed. Nothing separated them from each other, no lies, no fear, nothing to be hidden or withheld. Their bodies intertwined in the flowers and beside the rushing waters. Adam was no longer alone. He had a companion, a friend, a helper. 00:23:33 Speaker 2: The two would. 00:23:34 Speaker 1: Walk side by side, filling God's creation with more image bearers. All seemed perfect, good, just as God intended. It has been said, anyone who divorces his wife must give her a certificate of divorce. But I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife except for sexual immorality, makes her the victim of adultery, and anyone who marries a divorced woman commits adultery. Jesus emphasizes the sanctity of marriage and the gravity of divorce. In his time, divorce had become too casual, with men often dismissing their wives for trivial reasons, like overcooking the roast once too many times. That isn't a joke either, Since the Law of Moses gave certain provisions for divorce as long as they went through the proper process, people had no qualms ending their marriages over silly and frankly stupid things. Jesus reminds us that marriage is a sacred covenant before God, intended to be life long and unbreakable. He underscores that the only legitimate ground for divorce is sexual immorality, highlighting the importance of faithfulness and commitment and marriage. Marriage is meant to to be an enduring call to devotion and resilience, withstanding the storms of life. Now, if you've been married for long enough, you know that marriage is not for the feint of heart. Marriage is two imperfect people with their own wills and desires, contending for something greater than themselves. The story of Adam and Eve provides the foundation for understanding the sacred nature of marriage. In Genesis chapter two, we see the creation of the first man and woman and the establishment of the marriage covenant. Genesis chapter two, verses twenty one through twenty four describes the creation of Eve. 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 then closed up the place with flesh. Then the Lord God made a woman from the rib he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man. The man said, this is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh. 00:26:04 Speaker 5: She shall be called woman, for she was taken out of man. And that is why a man leaves his father and mother and is united to his wife, and they become one flesh. Marriage, as depicted here, is a divine union where two souls are mingled to cultivate love and safety. Eve was created from Adam's rib, symbolizing equality and companionship. She wasn't taken from his head to dominate him, or from his feet to be trampled by him, but from his side to walk alongside him as an equal partner and co image bearer of God. Marriage is a divine union established by God where two individuals become one flesh. This union is meant to be a life long commitment, reflecting God's covenant to love with his people. One flesh means that when you get married married you see the other person as equally important to yourself. They're a part of you, and their well being is now chain linked to yours. To love them well is to love yourself well. We see this in Paul's encouragement to husbands and Ephesians chapter five, verses twenty eight through twenty nine. He writes this to husbands in the same way husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. After all, no one ever hated their own body. But they feed and care for their body, just as Christ does the church. Marriage is also an equal partnership. Eaves Creation from Adam's rib highlights this. Husbands and wives are called to walk side by side, supporting and loving each other as equals. Rifts and marriage can occur when one person's needs dominate over the others. In a marriage, both parties must engage in selfless devotion to ensure the other is honored, loved, and nurtured. Marriage is also designed to be a relationship where love and safety are cultivated. It's a sanctuary where both partners can grow and flourish, supporting each other through life's challenges. The entrance of sin in Genesis chapter three disrupted the harmony of the first marriage. Adam and Eve's disobedience introduced shame, blame, and brokenness into their relationship. When sin enters a marriage, it brings to vision and heart. Genesis chapter three, verses twelve and thirteen shows the blame game. The man said, the woman you put here with me. She gave me some fruit from the tree and I ate it. Then the Lord God said to the woman, what is this you have done? The woman said, the serpent deceived me and I ate. Their unity was fractured as they shifted blame and stead of taking responsibility. This teaches us that sin not only affects our relationship with God, but also with each other. To preserve the sanctity of marriage, we must guard against sin and seek reconciliation and forgiveness. So how do we uphold the sacredness of marriage. It begins with a commitment to faithfulness. We must be committed to faithfulness in our marriages, honoring our vows, and working through difficulties with grace and patience. It requires mutual respect and love. Husbands and wives should trust each other with respect and love, recognizing each other as equals and partners in God's purpose. It is often said that men require respect and women require love. I would submit to you that both men and women need love. Although one gender might skew a bit in one direction over the other. We must also guard against sin. We must guard our marriages against the intrusion of sin. By maintaining open communication, practicing forgiveness, and seeking God's guidance, our marriages should reflect God's unconditional love and commitment. By loving and serving our spouses, we bear witness to God's love for his church. As we reflect on Jesus' words in Matthew Chapter five, Verses thirty one thirty two, and the story of Adam and Eve. Let us be reminded of the sacred nature of marriage. May we uphold the sanctity of this divine union, treating our spouses with love, respect, and equality. Let us guard our hearts and our marriages against sin, striving to reflect God's love in our relationships. Striving to reflect God's love in all of our communications with one another. Pray for the strength and the wisdom to honor the covenant of marriage as true citizens of Heaven. In our next episode, we'll talk about commitment and the foolishness of making rash oaths. You know what to do, Friends, follow, share and leave a review For more daily prayers, sermons, and wisdom to last a lifetime. Download the pray dot Com app to day