Old Testament Marriage - Faithful Together Series - May 24, 2020

We often turn to the Bible for guidance on important matters to us like marriage and family. But to turn to the Old Testament one has to understand the radically different culture it was written in. With very little in common with the practices and expectations of modern marriage and family life, the Old Testament focuses on maintaining extended family alliances, arrangements, property rights - all things alien to the modern Western individual.

Deuteronomy 25:5-10

5 When brothers reside together, and one of them dies and has no son, the wife of the deceased shall not be married outside the family to a stranger. Her husband's brother shall go in to her, taking her in marriage, and performing the duty of a husband's brother to her, 6 and the firstborn whom she bears shall succeed to the name of the deceased brother, so that his name may not be blotted out of Israel. 7 But if the man has no desire to marry his brother's widow, then his brother's widow shall go up to the elders at the gate and say, "My husband's brother refuses to perpetuate his brother's name in Israel; he will not perform the duty of a husband's brother to me." 8 Then the elders of his town shall summon him and speak to him. 9 then his brother's wife shall go up to him in the presence of the elders, pull his sandal off his foot, spit in his face, and declare, "This is what is done to the man who does not build up his brother's house." 10 Throughout Israel his family shall be known as "the house of him whose sandal was pulled off."

Household Codes - Faithful Together Series - May 17, 2020

In the Gospels we see Jesus preaching that we are all brothers and sisters who follow God. In Paul we are told that we are "neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free". Yet, by the end of the Bible we are told that women must obey husbands, slaves must not rebel, widows must register and on and on. The third installment of the Faithful Together sermon series, today we explore the change from a very egalitarian vision of community to reverting to gender roles, authority, and laws regulating family and personal life - what we call the "household codes".

Galatians 3:21-29

21 Is the law then opposed to the promises of God? Certainly not! For if a law had been given that could make alive, then righteousness would indeed come through the law. 22 But the scripture has imprisoned all things under the power of sin, so that what was promised through faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe. 23 Now before faith came, we were imprisoned and guarded under the law until faith would be revealed. 24 Therefore the law was our disciplinarian until Christ came, so that we might be justified by faith. 25 But now that faith has come, we are no longer subject to a disciplinarian, 26 for in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith. 27 As many of you as were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. 28 There is no longer Jew or Greek, there is no longer slave or free, there is no longer male and female; for all of you are one in Christ Jesus. 29 And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's offspring, heirs according to the promise.

Colossians 3:18-22

18 Wives, be subject to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord. 19 Husbands, love your wives and never treat them harshly. 20 Children, obey your parents in everything, for this is your acceptable duty in the Lord. 21 Fathers, do not provoke your children, or they may lose heart. 22 Slaves, obey your earthly masters in everything, not only while being watched and in order to please them, but wholeheartedly, fearing the Lord.

Who Is My Brother or Sister? - Faithful Together Series - May 10, 2020

The first in the series on family and marriage, called “Faithful Together”, here we explore the double-edged sword that is having a large, tight-knit, extended family that can be both a big support and a source of control. When Jesus says that whoever does the will of God is his brother or sister or mother, he’s saying that he’s forming a new community based on faithfulness to God, which is an act of grace for those who do not have family support.

Matthew 12:46-50

46 While he was still speaking to the crowds, his mother and his brothers were standing outside, wanting to speak to him. 47 Someone told him, "Look, your mother and your brothers are standing outside, wanting to speak to you." 48 But to the one who had told him this, Jesus replied, "Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?" 49 And pointing to his disciples, he said, "Here are my mother and my brothers! 50 For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother."