Five R's of a Healthy Happy Marriage - Ex 20:1-7 - Outline & Audio

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Text: Exodus 20:1-17

Introduction.

1. It is easy to list the problems in America's marriage today.

2. Not so the answers.

3. But there are answers.

Body.

I. Respect.

A. Honor your father and mother, the 5th commandment. (Exodus 20:12) Repeated by Paul. (Ephesians 6:2-3)

B. Special emphasis.

1. Life. (Exodus 20:13)

2. Marriage. (Exodus 20:14, 17)

3. Property. (Exodus 20:15)

4. God and His commandments - Ecclesiastes 12:13

C. God's plan is based on respect and is the basis of a strong and healthy family.

1. Husbands and Wives. (Genesis 2:18-24 and Ephesians 5:21-33)

2. Children. (II Timothy 1:5 and 3:15-17)

3. Children learn respect by seeing respect for church.

4. Christians by attending, giving and loving.

II. Resolve.

A. God's plan is for a permanent lifetime commitment. We need to look beyond physical and outward circumstances. (Genesis 2:18-24 and Matthew 19:3-9)

B. Parenting takes great resolve and commitment to complete the task. (Ephesians 6:4)

C. Resolve brings about tolerance, patience, and understanding to handle health, crises, accidents and parenting pressures from both within and without.

III. Resilience.

A. The ability to endure hardship, discomfort and frustration needs coping skills, conflict resolution skills, and problem solving skills. (II Corinthians 11:23-33, II Timothy 4:6-8, Hebrews 12:2 and I Peter 2:22-25)

B. What is needed is flexibility to see all sides:  A balance of closeness, room to grow and a sense of humor.

IV. Responsibility.

A. Especially in decision making and leadership.

B. Marriage is not for children.

C. Choices carry consequences.

D. Careful and prayerful decisions must be based on the information with God's help.

E. The ability to complete a job is a sign of responsibility.

1. Paul started. (Philippians 1:6)

2. Paul had not yet arrived. (Philippians 3:13-14)

3. Paul had finished only at the end of his life. (II Timothy 4:7)

V. Religious foundation.

A. God required this from the beginning. (Deuteronomy 6:6-9)

B. We all need the help of others in correction because of love. (Ephesians 6:4, Colossians 3:21 and Galatians 6:1-2)

Conclusion.

1. Much of the advice we get today is not concerned with being sound as Paul used the term in II Timothy 1:13.

2. I have tried to present some biblical as well practical guidelines to help all of us with this wonderful adventure called marriage.

-- Adapted from Gospel Advocate March of 1998 by Don Treadway, December 2001 --