The Story of Covenant Love

The Purpose of Family:

1. To be a reflection of His nature
2. To be an extension of His authority
3. To preserve the culture of His kingdom
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   MATTHEW 19:1-6 NIV
   When Jesus had finished saying these things, he left Galilee and
   went into the region of Judea to the other side of the Jordan. Large
   crowds followed him, and he healed them there. Some Pharisees
   came to him to test him. They asked, “IS IT LAWFUL FOR A MAN
   TO DIVORCE HIS WIFE FOR ANY AND EVERY REASON?”
   “Haven’t you read,” he replied, “that at the beginning the Creator
   ‘made them male and female,’ and said, ‘For this reason a man will
   leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will
   become one flesh’? So they are no longer two, but one flesh.
   THEREFORE WHAT GOD HAS JOINED TOGETHER, LET NO ONE
   SEPARATE.”
   Two Competing Value Systems:
   CHRISTIAN: HUMANISTIC:
   Marriage based on covenant Marriage based on feelings
   Meeting other’s’ needs Other person meeting your needs
   Two people becoming one Two people remaining independent
   Goal is to please God Goal is to please self
   Governed by the Word Governed by emotions and opinions
   Committed for life Divorce is an option
   Covenant:
   • Strongest word in the Bible describing both our relationship with
   God and with each other
   • Reflects a solemn agreement between two parties in which
   there is total commitment by each party
   • First truth to enter human consciousness
   • Includes your life, your possessions, your children
   GENESIS 17:1-7 NIV
   When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the Lord appeared to him
   and said, “I am God Almighty; walk before me faithfully and be
   blameless. Then I will make my COVENANT between me and you
   and will greatly increase your numbers.” Abram fell facedown, and
   God said to him, “As for me, this is my COVENANT with you. You will
   be the father of many nations. No longer will you be called Abram;
   your name will be Abraham, for I have made you a father of many
   nations. I will make you very fruitful; I will make nations of you, and
   kings will come from you. I will establish my COVENANT as an
   everlasting COVENANT between me and you and your descendants
   after you for the generations to come, to be your God and the God of
   your descendants after you.”
   “Anyone who chooses to enter a covenant must make a complete
   surrender of self to the one with which they are covenanted. You
   must so love and trust that you are willing to merge separate
   individuality into a dual personality of which God becomes an integral
   part.” — Dr. Henry Clay Trumbull, Expert on Primitive Covenants
   “As high as God is above man, so high are the sanctity, the rights and
   the promise of a marriage covenant above the promise of worldly
   love. It is not your worldly love that sustains marriage but, from now
   on, the marriage covenant that sustains your love.”
   — Dietrich Bonhoeffer (German theologian)
   Covenant Parallels:
   MARRIAGE: JESUS:
   Give of yourself Jesus gave of Himself
   Give something of value (ring) Jesus gave His life
   Exchange of names We adopt His name
   Terms set forth (vows) New covenant terms
   Shedding of blood Jesus shed His blood
   Covenant meal to seal marriage Communion meal
   3 Kinds of Love:

1. Eros: physical love — found in your body
2. Phileo: emotional love — found in your soul
3. Agape: God’s love — found in your spirit
   3 Components of Love:

1. Passion: the desire that leads to romance, physical closeness, sex
2. Intimacy: involves closeness, like-mindedness, emotional bonding
3. Decision: commitment that encompasses short-term decision that
   “we love each other” with long-term commitment to maintain that love
   1 CORINTHIANS 13:4-8 NLT
   Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or
   rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps
   no record of being wronged. It does not rejoice about injustice but
   rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never
   loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every
   circumstance. Prophecy and speaking in unknown languages and
   special knowledge will become useless. BUT LOVE WILL LAST
   FOREVER!