Good morning. Certainly thankful
for the opportunity to be with you all this morning. Abby was pretty torn about staying
back. This congregation is very dear,
very dear to us. And your pastor, your pastors,
I know he's dear to you and he's dear to us. I can't think of
Many men I esteem more than your pastor. He's just a dear friend
and a dear brother in Christ. I'm certainly thankful for him
and him and Mandy. I'd ask you to open your Bible
with me this morning to Genesis chapter 2. Genesis chapter 2. Ron mentioned we're getting ready
for a wedding back home. Lucy, her and Jack getting married
here Thursday. And we're so excited, so excited
for them. Just lots of activity and lots
to get ready for. And I believe that's what's led
me to this passage of scripture. And I pray the Lord would enable
me to preach from it. here this morning in Genesis
2. I believe this is the first recorded
wedding in scripture. And as we look at this, I pray the
Lord would let us enter into it. You know, this is a true
story. You know, I think we use that
word story sometimes and, you know, we think of like a child's
story or something like that. But what's written in God's Word
is true. As amazing as these things are,
they are true. This is a true story. It's a miraculous story. What a miraculous story to think
that God could take a rib and make a bride for Adam, make a
wife for Adam. And I believe if we could see
it in light of God's word, it'd certainly be good instruction
for us. I doubt there's a man or a woman
in here that we couldn't use some instruction with regard
to being a husband, to being a wife. But you know above all
that, If just those three things, if that's all we learn while
we're sitting here, we've missed it. Above all, I pray He would enable
us to see Christ and His bride. That's my desire here this morning. And listen to who's speaking
here. Look at verse 16, or I'm sorry, verse 18. of Genesis 2. And the Lord God said. You see who's talking here? The
Lord God. And what did He say? He said,
it's not good that a man should be alone. It's not good. It's not pleasant. It's not agreeable. It's not useful. for a man to
be alone. He said, I'll make a helpmate
for him. Oh, a helpmate. One to love,
and one to love him. One to comfort, and one to comfort
him. It's not good that a man be I
was thinking about that as I was driving down here by myself. I got down to about where the
narrows are, there along the river. That's such a beautiful
sight, just to look out and behold that water. And I think about,
Abby and I have driven by that so many times. And just, I don't
know, it was one thing to behold the beauty of it, but it just
didn't seem nearly as much not to be able to share that with
her. It's not good. It's not good for a man to be
alone. Almighty God, He determined that Eve would be Adam's bride
before He even created her, before He even made her. And what about
Christ's bride? What about His bride? Ephesians
1, 4, we read this, that God chose us in Christ from before
the foundation of the world. That we should be holy and without
blame before Him in love, having predestinated us unto the adoption
of children by Jesus Christ to Himself. that we should be holy
and without blame before Him in love. Adam is going to have
a bride. Any question about that? And
listen, Christ, the Lord Jesus Christ is going to have His bride. Let's read on in our text here.
You still have Genesis 2. Look at verse 18. The Lord God
said it's not good that the man should be alone. I'll make a
helpmeet for him. And out of the ground the Lord
God formed every beast of the field and every fowl of the air. And he brought them unto Adam
to see what he'd call them. And whatsoever Adam called every
living creature, that was the name. You ever wonder why dogs
called a dog? Because Adam, that's what Adam
said. Why cows called a cow? He named every creature. And Adam gave names to all cattle
and to the fowl of the air and every beast of the field. But
for Adam, There was not found a helpmate for him. Let's read
on here verse 21. And the Lord God caused a deep
sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept. And he, God, took one
of his ribs and closed up the flesh instead thereof. And the
rib which the Lord God had taken from Adam made he a woman and
brought her to the man. He took a rib. God took a rib
and He closed up the flesh. He took a rib. A single particular
rib. A bone. Just an old crooked bone. And from that is going to spring
forth life. The root word. You go home and
you look up that word rib. Now the root word for that, the
word from which rib is derived, it means this, it means limp.
It means halt. Isn't that a good description?
That's how we're described. That's how we're described in
God's word. Again, this crooked bone, Adam's
rib. Can life come from that? Our
friend, if God's pleased to bring life from it, it will, right?
Is anything Is anything too hard for God? In Ezekiel, what did
he do back there? He took a whole valley of dry
bones and he raised up a great and exceeding army. He breathed
life into them. He created life. He gives life. You know, in Luke 14, our Lord,
He told that parable of a certain man. He had a great supper. And
he bade many to come. And they all made up excuses.
One fellow said, I've bought some land. Another said, I've
taken a wife. Everybody had a reason. What'd
he tell him? He told his servant, he said,
you go out and you bring in the poor. You bring the maid. You bring the halt. And he did,
didn't he? And he brought him, he brought
him in. Ephesians 2, 1 says this, you, you hath he quickened that
were dead in trespasses and sin. Life, life to Adam's bride. That which was hauled he gives,
he gives life. He took a rib. Listen, not a
superior part of the body. He didn't take something from
Adam's head to reign and rule over Adam. Oh, not something
above him, not something to have power over him. Man's the head. Man's the head. Scripture's clear
about that. That's what God's Word declares. Ephesians 5.23 says the husband
is the head of the wife. But listen, even as Christ is
the head of the church. But listen to me. That bone wasn't
taken from an inferior part either. It's not an ankle bone. It's
not a toe bone to walk on and trample on. No. No. Not something below him. 1 Peter 3. Turn to 1 Peter. Hold
your place there in Genesis and turn to 1 Peter 3. First Peter 3, look beginning
with verse 1. Likewise, likewise ye wives,
be in subjection to your own husbands, that if any obey not
the word, they also may without the word be won by the conversation
of the wives, while they behold your chaste conversation coupled
with fear. Who's adorning? Let it not be
the outward adorning of the plating of the hair, or wearing of gold,
or putting on of apparel, but let it be the hidden man of the
heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and
quiet spirit which is in the sight of God, great price. For after this manner, in old
time, holy women also who trusted in God adorned themselves, being
in subjection to their own husbands, Even as Sarah obeyed Abraham,
calling him Lord, whose daughters ye are, as long as ye do well,
and are not afraid with any amazement. Likewise, ye husbands, dwell
with them according to knowledge, giving honor unto the wife as
unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace
of life, that your prayers be not hindered. The wife is to
be in subjection to the husband. But you see that verse 7, likewise. That means in the same
manner, there's an honor, there's a respect, there's a recognition
to be given to the wife by her husband. He says, you're joint heirs. You're joint heirs of the grace
of God. You know, it'd be nice to be
an heir of anything, but he says, you're joint heirs of the grace
of God. Think about who your wife is.
She's a daughter of the king. To mistreat her, To abuse her? To treat her with contempt? Oh,
no. Oh, no. To do so would incur
the wrath of her father. I just love that. Heirs together of the grace of
God. What a blessing. What a blessing. Well, back to our text. Genesis
2, verse 21. He took a rib. He took a rib,
not above him, not below him, a rib. You think about what that
rib is close to. There's no mistakes with God,
is there? Isn't it wonderful when He just
lets us just see a glimpse, dear to Him. that ribs dear loved
by him under his arm under his constant care and protection
isn't that true of his love for his bride for his for his church
Ephesians 5 to I'll just read it to you walk in love as Christ
also have loved us and given himself for us. In Psalm 91, 4 it says this,
he shall cover thee with his feathers and under his wings shalt thou
dwell constantly under his care and consideration. Consider his
love Consider his love for his bride. Christ loved his bride. Boy, our love just pales in comparison,
doesn't it? He loved his bride with an everlasting
love, an eternal love. He loved us and he laid down
his life for us. He gave his life for his bride. Scripture says this, greater
love hath No man than this. Then he laid down his life for
his friends. And listen, if we love him, there's
only one reason for that, isn't there? It's because he first
loved us. The woman made for the man, near
to his heart, protected And you know, I think about, I'll just
say this, the picture kind of breaks down here, but I don't
believe the teaching does. You think about that, husbands
and wives, you think about what that rib protects. Huh? My most vital, my most vital
organs. Isn't that good instruction for
us as husbands to protect our wives and for wives to protect
and care for their husbands? I promise you there's things
that could be said about me. Does the Lord do that? What does
He do for His bride? Oh, He painstakingly cares for
her, provides for her, forgives her. You're joint heirs. Joint heirs
together, by the grace of God. Well, he took a rib. I believe that's the most tender
part of the body. I don't know if anybody in here
has ever had a broken rib before. I have, and I'm telling you,
I don't know if there's a more tender part of the body. To laugh, to cough, to sneeze,
to do anything, if that rib hurts, the whole body, the whole body
hurts. I've known husbands and wives,
for that matter, when their dear loved ones were sick or hurting,
They nearly be incapacitated as a result of it because of
their love and their compassion for them. When that one spouse
hurts, well, the other one does too. What about Christ and His bride? Does He know when His bride hurts? In Hebrews 415, we read, for
we have not a high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling
of our infirmities. He. You think about that. Almighty God. What's man? What is man that he's even mind-blown? Almighty God. Yet he's able to
sympathize with his people. He was in all points tempted
as we are. Now here's the big yet without
sin. Yet he understands our weakness. He understands our pain and our
tears. Our temptation. He's one. He's one with his people. He knows our infirmities. Well, back to Genesis here quickly. Genesis 20 or Genesis 2, he took
a rib. God took a rib and closed up
the flesh. You know, in the process of taking
that rib, Adam's side was pierced. He said
he closed it up, right? So it had to be pierced. Why? For his bride. Adam's side was pierced by God
for his bride. Can we see Christ in that? Our Lord's side was pierced. Why? Was it because some angry
soldier decided to just gouge him with a sword that day? He was pierced for his bride. Substitution. As my substitute. His hands were pierced, his feet
were pierced, his side was pierced. In John 19.34, one of the soldiers
with a spear pierced his side and forthwith came there out
blood and water. I was thinking, can you imagine? I'm confident that soldier just
showing off or just being a fool, he did that. But you know that
was prophesied in the Old Testament. That was determined by Almighty
God. You think about that sword. The precision of where that had
to go for that water and blood to come out. That was ordained
of God. And out came water and blood.
justification and sanctification. We sing that song. Let the water
and the blood from thy wounded side which flowed be of sin the
double cure. Save from wrath, make me pure. Christ died on the cross. He laid down his life He was
pierced. He was pierced. Scripture says
He died for our sins according to the Scriptures. God, listen
to this, God commendeth His love toward us in that while we were
yet sinners, what had we done for God? Nothing. Sin against Him. Christ died
for us. He died for our sins according
to Scripture. Does it sound like we've done
anything to merit His approval? To merit salvation while we were
yet sinners? He said this, I lay down my life
for the sheep, for his bride. Nothing earned, nothing merited,
nothing but his free and sovereign grace in the Lord Jesus Christ. He took a rib. He took a rib. Adam's side pierced for his bride. Christ's side pierced. for his bride. He, we read that
back there in Isaiah, he was wounded for our transgressions. He was bruised for our iniquities. The chastisement of our peace
was upon him and by his stripes we were healed. Back to Genesis 2, I'll move
on, I'll move on. 22 with that rib which the Lord
God had taken from man made he a woman a Rib with a rib Consider
his sovereignty in over all things all things Isaiah 45 verse 5
I am the Lord there is none else there is no God beside thee I
girded thee and though thou hast not known me, that you may know
from the rising of the sun and from the west that there is none
beside me. I'm the Lord. There's none else. He said, I form the light. I
create darkness. I make peace. I create evil.
I, the Lord, do all these things. He's sovereign in all things,
isn't He? And here, He made a woman. He made a woman and He brought
her to the man. That's God's order, right? That's
not man's order, that's God's order. Man's not of the woman,
but the woman of the man. The man wasn't created for the
woman, but the woman was created for the man. Turn with me one
more time here to Genesis 2, verse 23. Adam said, This is now bone of my bone,
flesh of my flesh. She shall be called woman because
she was taken out of the man. Therefore, shall man leave his
father and mother, shall cleave his wife, and they shall be one
flesh. And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and they
were not ashamed. Quickly, just let me make a couple
comments here. Look there at verse 23 again.
He brought her to the man. What'd he say? This is bone of
my bone. This is flesh of my flesh. He said that man shall leave
his father and mother and shall cleave to his wife. What do those words speak of?
Union. One. They're one. One in purpose. One in heart. One in desire.
Does this not point to Christ and His bride? Huh? One in Christ. In His time, God's
going to bring His chosen bride to His Son. Going to bring His
bride to Christ. And He does so by His effectual,
irresistible grace. Ain't no stopping it, is there?
Huh? He goes out and he finds that. Think about old Mephibosheth
down there. They said, go get him. Go fetch
him. And that's what he did, didn't
he? There wasn't no arguing. There
wasn't, I'm not going. No, he went. What about that
sheep out there in the wilderness? He left the 99. And what did
he do? He went and he searched till he found it. And what did
he do? Well, if you want to come home,
just follow. No. No. He found it. picks it up,
puts it on his shoulder, and he carries it home. And when
he gets home, he said, rejoice with me. I found my sheep, which
was lost. Oh, he's effectual, irresistible. He does so by the power of his
spirit. Grabs him, brings him to himself.
You think about this. The marriage union is compared
to Christ's union with his bride. He left his father's house. Think about it. He left glory
and came down here for his bride. He loves her. Not just some days
I love you and some days I don't. He loved her with an everlasting
love. And they are united. That's what scripture declares.
And does he provide for her? Oh my, does he provide for his
bride? Protects her? Gives her his name? Forever? Isn't that reason? Isn't that
reason to love and be subject to him? Verse 25, and they were both
naked, the man and his wife, and they were not ashamed. Not
ashamed. His bride is covered in a perfect
righteousness. Clothed, don't we sing that song? Clothed in beauty, not my own. Clothed in his perfect righteousness.
He's put away our guilt. He's put away our sin, He's put
away our shame, sanctified, that's what, cleansed, washed. He presents it, He said this,
He presents us to Himself a glorious church without spot and without
wrinkle or any such thing. We're holy. We're unblameable. We're un-reprovable in His sight,
in the sight of Almighty God. Let me read one more scripture
in closing. Isaiah 54 verse 5 says this, thy maker is thy husband. The Lord of hosts is his name,
thy Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel, the God
of the whole earth shall he be called. I pray the Lord would use this
passage to teach us. And I do. I pray he'd make us
better husbands, he'd make us better wives, but above all,
above all, that He would teach us of His Son, that He would
let us see the Lord Jesus Christ and cause us to rest, to rest
in Him.