Marriage: Leaving and Cleaving

Text: Genesis 2:23-25
Preacher: Mwindula Mbewe
Preached at Wedding of Edward Chata

These words in v23 are not romantic but dogmatic.
Marriage means two people becoming one flesh. For this to happen there must be a leaving and a cleaving.

1. LEAVING: Adam had no father or mother.
The leaving of father and mother doesn't mean that they will not be concerned about their parents. The bible teaches that children must honor their parents.
Leaving means forming a NEW FAMILY.
-There will be decisions that they will make or take that the families that they come from would not make.
-The new family must be respected because God has formed the family.
-Shame on anyone who seeks to undermine what God has put together.
-In marriage, water is thicker than blood.

2. CLEAVING
Cleaving is holding fast to a wife or husband. Marriage is about holding fast to a wife or husband and not letting go. The word cleaving means holding fast to or clinging as we read in 2 Kings 3:3.
The words used here imply the difficulty of marriage. Marriage is a lifelong endeavour.
Why did God design marriage this way?
Why did God design marriage in such a way that a man and a woman should say goodbye to the people who have meant so much to them?
Christ left his glories in heaven to come down and save us.
When Christ saves us from our sins he holds us fast.
Husbands hold fast to your wife and hold fast to her as Christ loved the Church and holds fast to it.

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