This message was about marriage and what the Bible says about how a man and women become unified under God by referencing scripture in Matthew.
Ahh Sunday. A new experience in a new church. Today I’m venturing to Destiny Church in Rochester, MN.
Today was one of those special I-got-invited days. A great friend of mine, Esther, invited me to come see what harvest at Destiny was all about. It was a different Sunday than I was used to in Rochester because this church was actually right where I lived (a nice convenience). It was nice to not feel rushed to get to church. Starting right is the best.
I arrive and see cars parked on the street outside the parking lot. I choose to allow good faith that buried deep in the lot there is a spot up close for me. Good faith finds way more than one spot, but I don’t take them all. I gather my journal and Bible then let out a long, slow meditative breathe to gather myself as well. I hold the door for a woman and her son as they walk in, and follow behind. The greeter, Marcy, appears to know everyone as they arrive, I’m enjoying my stay here already. The mother and son accept a program and proceed inside. My turn. I step up, Bible and journal in my left and an open extending right to receive a program. This is where something awesome happened.
Instead of handing me a program Marcy shakes my hand! She already knew I hadn’t been there before. She really did know everyone as they arrived—awesome. Then as we are briefly conversing the next group of people arrive and greet the greeter immediately. More points for Destiny. As I’m walking away from the greeting area I see Esther, and another friend she had invited to church that day. Esther invites me to sit by them, so absolutely I will. I walk in the chapel and immediately I notice there is long line of places to hang your coat so I tend to that before meeting up with Esther and her friend.
We’re sitting in the left most wing of four total—in the about the center isle, seated at the end of the row. As service is about to start the Pastor Rod Marquette make announcements and leads us in prayer. Another great thing about about this service is that people have the opportunity to step forward and pray/worship God on the same level as the pastor. People in the front row literally only need to stand and take a few steps forward and they’re in the pastors vicinity. Pastor Rod leads us in prayer and some congregation members chime in with their words to wrap up the blessing. Worship songs begin.
There are two large flatscreen TVs on each side of the band displaying lyrics. The worship songs are full of a very high energetic spirit. They started slower as they were supposed to, but actually higher than what would be considered average in their first song. You sensed the spirit’s presence was strong right away. They played between 30-40 minutes.
Some interesting things happened during these songs though, I’m excited to tell you. I witness a woman up front dancing with a silk flag. Then I look and I see a man up front doing the same—and
dancing even! He’s actually dancing in the type of shuffle-dance I do when I’m really happy. I see a man in the back doing the same thing and there is a young man, maybe about 4 years old spinning the flags as well. I think this is absolutely awesome—I hadn’t seen this before. I wanted to take a picture, but decided not to because there were people sitting behind me and I didn’t want them to feel uncomfortable. I stop and think that’s really too bad, because I would have put that picture in this post. I stop and think some more, “why don’t I just walk back there and take the picture anyway?” I so do. I get up and walk back there and snag a photo.
Not soon after taking this photo I’m motioned by the man, who would later introduce himself as Gabrial, toward a chair full of more silk flags. Well this is of course a sign.
I grab a flag, receive a quick lesson from Gabe, and initiate my first ever rain dance.
I see a woman in back snagging photos of Gabe, the boy and myself while this is all going down. That excites me. Esther turns around and snags one on her phone as well, silly Esther :).
I sit back down, worship music ends, and Pastor Connie Marquette invites us to greet one another. The man who dances like I do comes and introduces himself. Like me, he feels so much energy and so much spirit he doesn’t realize he’s actually getting somewhat of a workout—he’s perspiring. I love it—there is so much passion and spirit in this atmosphere. I meet the others in my vicinity, including a women sitting behind us named Alicia. Esther invites Alicia to come sit by us, she does. I’m now surrounded by three beautiful women. This church was definitely aligning with my way of thinking.
The Sermon
The message from Pastor Rod today was about the principles of marriage. I had been going through the Book of Matthew previous to church and my bookmark was on Matthew 19:1 when I opened it. Sure enough Pastor Rod announces the first reading of the sermon; Matthew 19:1-6.
1When Jesus had finished saying these things, he left Galilee and went down to the region of Judea east of the Jordan River. 2Large crowds followed him there, and he healed their sick.
3Some Pharisees came and tried to trap him with this question: “Should a man be allowed to divorce his wife for just any reason?”
“4Haven’t you read the Scriptures?” “They record that from the beginning ‘God made them male and female.’ 5And he said, ‘This explains why a man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, and the two are united into one.’ 6Since they are no longer two but one, let no one split apart what God has joined together.”
To break this piece of scripture down Pastor Rod takes us back to Genesis 1:26-27
“Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, to be like us..”
“So God created man in his own image. In the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.”
Notice the way its reemphasized three times there. First its “man,” then its “them,” and finally its “male and female.”
Genesis 2:23-24
Then the Lord God made a woman from the rib, and he brought her to the man.
“At last!” the man explains. “This one is bone from my bone, and flesh from my flesh! She will be called ‘woman,’ because she was taken from ‘man.
This explains why a man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, and the two are united into one.
Matthew 19:5-6
5And he said, ‘This explains why a man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, and the two are united into one.’ 6Since they are no longer two but one, let no one split apart what God has joined together.”
My interpretation from the Matthew reading uses man in the plural form encompassing man and woman as one—one flesh. Once man and women become one flesh they aren’t to be separated. By living with the belief that everything happens for a reason its difficult to argue a man and woman who were made one were to ever separate—unless one is unfaithful. God’s brought them together to become one. Man is to protect, nurture, lift his wife and children, be patient and always faithful.
Your Turn
Has reading this scripture changed your views on how you view the sanctity of marriage? Does it align with your previous beliefs?