Marriage Supper of the Lamb
Tim Keller | October 13, 1991
Overview
We look now at the peak verse of the most famous biblical passage on marriage. It’s Ephesians 5:32, where Paul says, “This is a profound mystery—but I am talking about Christ and the church.” He says everything he’s said about marriage has also been about Christ and the church.
This verse teaches there are some things we would never know about marriage if we didn’t know about how we relate to Christ by faith. Conversely, there are things we would never know about our relationship with Christ if we didn’t know about marriage. You can’t completely understand one without understanding the other.
I’d like to look at this under these two headings: 1) what does marriage teach us about our relationship with Jesus? and 2) what does our relationship with Jesus teach us about marriage?
Outline
Ephesians 5:21–33
The deep mystery in Ephesians 5:32 is how marriage is like the connection between Jesus and His followers. The sermon, “The Marriage Supper of the Lamb,” explains how marriage can help us better understand our relationship with Christ, and how our relationship with Christ helps us understand marriage.
1. How does marriage help us understand our relationship with Jesus?
Marriage teaches us about saying sorry and accepting forgiveness, showing that it’s possible to be forgiven. This is important in our relationship with Christ too. The story of Lee Atwater, a politician who asked for forgiveness before he died, shows how powerful saying sorry and receiving mercy can be. In marriage, it’s important to understand forgiveness, redemption, and God’s special love for us. We also need to feel genuinely sorry and be ready to change. This leads to a deep, personal relationship with Christ that’s more than just turning to Him when things get tough.
2. How does our relationship with Jesus help us understand marriage?
Marriage is a reflection of our relationship with Christ, so we shouldn’t make it into an idol or expect it to be perfect. Being married and being single both have their good and bad points, and happiness comes from commitment, not luck. Christians see sex as a holy act that shows our ultimate connection with Christ. For true closeness, it requires opening up, committing, and making a lasting promise to each other.
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