Great Opposition -42-8-11--A Great Request -43-1-4--Great Hope -43-5-

I. Marital intimacy -1 Cor. 7-3-5- Prov. 5-15-19- Song of Solomon 4-1-5, 10-12- contrast Matt. 5-28----II. Growing attractiveness---1 Pet. 3-3-6-Prov. 31-30-31-1 Sam. 25-3, 23-35, 35-41

I. Adam's vocational setting -v. 15a---II. Adam's vocational tasks -v. 15b-- -a. Which translation is correct- -tend and keep- or -serve and obey----1- To -tend-work-cultivate- -avad- the garden-2- To -keep-guard- -shamar- the garden--b. A sinister overtone--III. Application--a. Here we learn that physical labor is not the consequence of sin.--b. Here we have a theological foundation for caring for creation.--c. Here are some implications concerning creativity.-- The creation of beauty in the world-- Commending the beauty of Christ--d. Here we have a hint concerning the spiritual aspect of the work God assigned to Adam and to us -Numbers 3-7-8-.

I. The Context--II. The Contrast -46-1-2---III. The Comfort -46-3-5---IV. Concluding Applications

I. An ample permission -v. 16-- --II. A simple prohibition -v. 17-- -a. A prohibited tree -v. 17a---1- Good or evil-a moral choice-2- The evil-moral autonomy---APPLICATION--1- A true test-2- True submission-3- True liberty--b. A portentous consequence -v. 17b---APPLICATION--1- True wisdom-2- True faith-3- True life

I. Adam's need- a counterpart -vv. 18-20-- -1- God's observation -v. 18a---- Human beings are not meant to live in solitude.--2- God's resolve -v. 18b---3- Man's awareness -vv. 19-20----II. God's provision- a woman -vv. 21-23-- -1- The woman's creation -vv. 21-22---2- Adam's response -v. 23---III. Practical implications---1- Equality-2- Diversity

I. Great Thirst -1-4---II. Great Sorrow -5-7---III. Great Hope -5, 11-

The First Marriage---Leaving--A man shall leave his father and mother -v. 24a---Cleaving--and be joined to his wife- -v. 24b---Weaving--and they shall become one flesh- -v. 24c---Revealing--They were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed- -v. 25---Practical implications---1- Marriage has been designed by God.-2- Marriage is to be monogamous.-3- Marriage is to be heterosexual.-4- Marriage is a binding commitment.-5- Marriage is for loving companionship.-6- Marriage is for mutual support.

A Gracious Invitation Refused Diversely--1. Gracious Invitation -v. 1-4-- -2. Refused Diversely -vv. 3b, 5---3. The King's Reaction -v. 7-- --A Gracious Invitation Received Hypocritically--1. Gracious Invitation -vv. 8-10---2. Received Hypocritically -vv. 11-12---3. The King's Reaction -v. 13-- --A Solemn Conclusion -v. 14---A Dual Lesson

Marriage is loving companionship -v. 18-. God's design for marriage is two becoming one -v. 24-. This requires communication.--Circuit-jammers to loving communication---1. Undertalk--2. False talk--1- Exaggeration-2- Misrepresentation--3. Unloving talk--1- Cancellation speech-2- Gunpowder speech-3- Contentious speech-4- Negative speech--4. One-way talk--1- Let your spouse speak without interruption.-2- Make a sincere effort to understand what your spouse is saying.