Relationship Series
MARRIAGE - A Covenant of Love and Honor

Sunday May 18, 2025 - Pastor Wungreiso Valui

Matthew 19:4-6

This sermon explores the foundation of marriage, highlighting the first marriage in the Bible, the first mention of love in the context of marriage, and the first signs of strain within a marital relationship. It will also examine why marriages fail and what we can learn from these early biblical examples.

Marriage is not just a contract, it's a holy covenant. Unpack biblical principles for love, mutual honor, and spiritual partnership in marriage in your group

And He answered and said to them, 'Have you not read that He who made them at the beginning made them male and female,' and said, 'For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh'? So then, they are no longer two but one flesh. Therefore, what God has joined together, let not man separate. Matthew 19:4-6 (Jesus reaffirms Genesis 2:24)

Adam and Eve - The First Marriage

What we learn from God

1. The first marriage was sacred, established by God in purity and purpose, before the introduction of physical intimacy.
2. God Himself initiated and officiated the first marriage (Genesis 2:22-24). Their union had a purpose: to reflect God's image, to steward God's creation, and to multiply life.

Isaac & Rebekah: First Mention of Marital Love in the Bible

"Then Isaac brought her into his mother Sarah's tent; and he took Rebekah and she became his wife, and he loved her. So Isaac was comforted after his mother's death." Genesis 24:67

Why is this significant? "He loved her" - First Mention of Marital Love in the Bible

1. It wasn't based on years of dating, flirting, or physical attraction-it came after covenant and commitment.
2. The sequence is striking: marriage came first, love followed, suggesting that Divine love can grow from trust, faith, and God's leading, not just emotion.

Samson and His Philistine Wife - Why His Marriage Failed (Judges 14-15)

Samson impulsively married a Philistine woman, against God's counsel. Samson was strong physically but weak spiritually because he followed his eyes, not God's voice.

1. A godly marriage requires shared faith, values, and mission (2 Corinthians 6:14).
2. He chose by sight, not by Spirit: Get her for me, for she pleases me well.- Judges 14:3
3. Samson pursued a Philistine woman against God's command (Deut. 7:3-4).
4. It was lust-driven, not spirit-led.
5. What begins in lust or impulse, without godly counsel and shared faith, often leads to conflict and brokenness.
6. Samson's marriage shows that strength in battle doesn't guarantee strength in relationships-a cautionary tale for all.

Challenge Question:

Are you pursuing or sustaining your marriage based on God's covenant design, or are you relying on personal desires, emotions, or cultural expectations?

Application:

Reflect this week on how your relationship aligns with God's purpose for marriage. Reaffirm your commitment not just to your spouse, but to the mission of your marriage-oneness, faithfulness, and reflecting God's image together.