Greetings all and Happy Sabbath!  It's good to be back home, even after being able to travel to so many wonderful events. One summer camp and not one, but two weddings!  Truly happy times.

Just a head's up - tomorrow in Charlotte and Hickory, we will be having a Sermon Discussion after services.  

Marriage

Marriage is a truly wonderful thing, especially when it's governed by principles laid out in the Bible. Genesis 2:18 tells us, "And the Lord God said, 'It is not good that man should be alone; I will make him a helper comparable to him.'"

God created marriage and designed it to be a blessing for mankind.  As we all know, the institution of marriage has been under attack for some time, and has been degraded to the point where people can't even correctly identify what marriage is any more.

What the Bible says

Despite the confusion some might have over marriage, the Bible is quite clear. In the rest of Genesis 2, we read that God made woman - just one - for Adam. He then united them in marriage, thus defining it for eternity.

Beyond that, what is a marriage? In verse 24 of this same section, we read, "Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh." Marriage is not just a physical union, it's a picture of complete unity.  And while that is a blessing for those men and women who are joined in marriage, it is a picture of something much greater.

The Bride of Christ

Over the past two weeks, we saw two beautiful brides. Both weddings went smoothly and were truly wonderful occasions to be a part of. As a man, I can't really say that I know what it's like to be a beautiful bride.  However, scripture tells me that some day, I will be one!

Ephesians 5 tells us that the church is a type of bride for Jesus Christ (more on that tomorrow). Marriage then, is a symbol of the type of relationship we are to have with our Lord & Savior. Just as in marriage a husband and wife strive to be perfectly united, we must be perfectly united with Jesus Christ!