One Moment in Eden (short sermon for marriage service)

Genesis 2: 5-25

The creation of man and woman

The Bible, in Genesis chapter two, tells us about the destiny of human and also the first marriage between a man and a woman.

Genesis 2:7 says, “Then the Lord formed the man from the dust of the ground. He breathed the breath of life into the man’s nostrils, and the man became a living person.”

Man’s body is a lifeless shell out of the dust of the ground, only until God brings it alive with his ‘breath of life.’ Once God removes his life-giving breath, our bodies will return to dust. Therefore, our life and worth come from God. We need to be humble before God.

Then 2: 8-14 say, “Then the Lord God planted a garden in Eden in the east, and there he placed the man he had made. The Lord God made all sorts of trees grow up from the ground—trees that were beautiful and that produced delicious fruit. In the middle of the garden he placed the ‘tree of life’ and the ‘tree of the knowledge of good and evil’. A river flowed from the land of Eden, watering the garden and then dividing into four branches. The garden was also filled with gold, beryllium, and onyx stones.”

Then the Lord God ‘placed’ the man in the Garden of Eden to “rest and be safe” and to fellowship with God. (Gen3:8). So the man, Adam’s responsibility is to worship God, to upkeep Eden, take dominion of creation, by obeying God’s command.

God then instructed the man, the keeper of Eden, “You may freely eat the fruit of every three in the garden; except the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. If you eat its fruit, you are sure to die.” (vv. 16-17)

But at this point in time, Adam did not have someone that is of his kind to interact with and reproduce descendants. Then the Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper who is just right for him.” (2:18)

God put Adam into a deep sleep and took one of his ribs and closed up its place with flesh. God used that rib to create a woman and brought her to Adam (vv. 21-22).

When Adam saw the woman, he exclaimed, “At last I found her! She is created from the bone of my bones and from the flesh of my flesh. She shall be called ‘woman’, because she was taken from ‘man’ ” (v. 23).

God could have made Eve from the dust of the ground. However, he chose to make her from the man’s flesh and bone. In so doing, he illustrated for us that in marriage man and woman symbolically are to be united into one.

And they are equal in terms of substance and status. She was not made out of his head to rule over him, nor out of his feet to be trampled upon by him, but out of his side to be equal with him, under his arm to be protected, and near his heart to be beloved.

Wherever the man has a shortfall, the woman is able to help him. The man cannot fulfil his created purpose alone. The two complement each other.

Finally, in 2:24, God established the institution of marriage by declaring: “A man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.” 

Marriage between a man and a woman is not just a human social construct but is rooted in the God created order. Marriage forms a physical and emotional bond. The relationship between husband and wife is the most intimate relationship that is ordained by God.

2:25 say, “At that time, the husband and wife were both naked but they felt no shame.”

This indicates that the couple was completely open to each other. They have a mutual trust for each other. There is nothing that comes in between the two of them. They do not put up their guards against each other.

So let’s sum up conclusion one:

God’s entire purpose of creation is to bless human beings so that they will live happily and blissfully on earth. Human beings are also to represent God, to govern the earth for the benefit of all creatures.

However, as the creation story develops, Adam and Eve did not manage Eden properly. Instead they fall for the serpent’s temptation and ate from the tree of knowledge of good and evil.

Eating the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil represents a human desire for autonomy and wisdom that belong to God’s alone.

Choosing human wisdom over God’s instruction brings death and destruction. Human’s close relationship with God was broken. They were expelled from the Garden of Eden. They lost the blessings that were there in the beginning. They suffered ‘spiritual death’ and ultimately also suffered physical death.

Because of the sins of humankind, the world descends into painful abyss: death becomes reality; violence and struggles abound; war and killing abound; the relationship between men and women and all human relationships is filled with tension; we witness environmental harm caused by unsustainable development; personal interests and lust for power leads to political persecutions, corruption, and injustice.

However, God according to his salvation plan sent His own Son, Jesus to become a human being and dwell among us. Jesus overcame the temptation of the devil, reversing Adam’s failure; Jesus bled and died on the cross to redeem the world and sinners. And Jesus resurrected from the dead so that those who believe in Him will have a new life.

If we confess with our mouths and believing in our hearts that Jesus is the Lord of our lives. He will forgive our sins. And bless us with life abundantly.

So, let’s sum up conclusion two:

Just as the first marriage took place in Eden, every Christ-centred family is a re-establishment of Eden. In this family – new Eden, which has Jesus Christ as the head, husband and wife will receive from God, the blessing of ‘rest and safety, and multiply” to have dominion over God’s creation.

May God’s gracious presence bless and uphold these marriages; fill their marriages and lives with truth and cover them with blessing.