Putting Marriage in Perspective: Temporary and Secondary to the Church
My smallgroup, primarily made up of singles, has finally reached Song of Songs in our study through the Bible. So for the next two weeks we get to read God's divine stamp of approval on and illustration of the joys of sex within marriage. We just finihsed Ecclesiastes, however, forcing us to consider in our view of everything in life, its eternal significance. This is why I love John Piper.
In Ecclesiastes, I was reminded of Piper's message to not waste your life, but to glory only in the cross (compared with Steve Jobs message). Now in Song of Songs I pointed the group to supplement our study of the Bible with John Piper's God-glorifying message: Sex and the Supremacy of Christ (Part 1; Part 2).
A few days ago, on YouTube, I stumbled upon this video. It is an excerpt from the sermon Single in Christ: A Name Better Than Sons and Daughters: Meshing the message of Song of Songs (and even more importantly Ephesians 5) and the message of Ecclesiastes. While recognizing both the blessing and significance of marriage, sex, and the family, we must not idolize them. Here's some tantalizing quotes to get you to watch.
"I am declaring the temporary and secondary nature of marriage and family over and against the primary and eternal nature of the church, the family of God."
"Do not elevate natural process - like procreation, childbearing, and marriage - to anything bigger than what they are: temporal, physical means of keeping the world going and illustrations of Christ and the Church, that when comes...fade away!"
If you are single, you may find helpful the resource guide on singleness that I put together.
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