A COVENANT MARRIAGE

The Knot #3

Pastor Dennis Clanton

Woodland Church

Sunday, February 20, 2022

(Mark 10:7, NIV) “For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife,”

(Genesis 1:27, NLT) “God created human beings in his own image. In the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.”

(Genesis 2:24, KJV) “Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.”

(Amos 3:3, NLT) “Can two people walk together without agreeing on the direction?”

Marriage is not a picture of perfection; it is a picture of forgiveness.

1. MARRIAGE IS COVENANT.

(Malachi 2:14, NASB) “The Lord has been a witness between you and the wife of your youth, … she is your companion and your wife by covenant.”

2. MARRIAGE IS INTIMATE.

(Hebrews 13:4a, Message) “Honor marriage, and guard the sacredness of sexual intimacy between wife and husband.”

(Proverbs 5:15–19, NLT) “Drink water from your own well— share your love only with your wife. Why spill the water of your springs in the streets, having sex with just anyone? You should reserve it for yourselves. Never share it with strangers. Let your wife be a fountain of blessing for you. Rejoice in the wife of your youth. She is a loving deer, a graceful doe. Let her breasts satisfy you always. May you always be captivated by her love.”

GROWTHWORK

1. Seek to please one another.

(1 Corinthians 7:33, The Message) “Marriage involves you in all the nuts and bolts of domestic life and in wanting to please your spouse,”

2. Affirm one another.

(Proverbs 12:25, LB) “A word of encouragement does wonders!”

3. Be affectionate with one another.

(Romans 12:10, NLT) “Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other.”

4. Be intimate with one another.

(1 Corinthians 7:2–4, Message) “Sexual drives are strong, but marriage is strong enough to contain them and provide for a balanced and fulfilling sexual life in a world of sexual disorder. The marriage bed must be a place of mutuality—the husband seeking to satisfy his wife, the wife seeking to satisfy her husband. Marriage is not a place to “stand up for your rights.” Marriage is a decision to serve the other, whether in bed or out.”

5. Serve Christ together.

(Colossians 2:6, NLT) “Just as you accepted Christ Jesus as your Lord, you must continue to follow him.”