In our first message on marriage from Genesis 2 we learned that God created marriage perfect and good along with everything else that He created, but we know that marriage is broken. How, when, and why did it get broken? That is what we're looking at in this message.

What is marriage? Where did it come from? Is marriage just a social and cultural construct that man is free to redefine at will, or is it something more? What sayeth the Scriptures?

This past Sunday Pastor Trey continued our current series preaching a sermon from Genesis 12:10–20 entitled "Lying to Survive, Part 1". In it, we joined Abraham as he's forced to migrate to Egypt where we see his first failure in the faith. But will that stop God's plan to bless him? Find out int his riveting River sermon! For more information on River Community Church and its ministries, please visit https://www.rivercommunity.org

The sermon centers on the divine purpose of marriage as a sacred covenant designed by God to reflect Christ's love for the Church and to bring Him glory, grounded in Revelation 4:11 and 1 Corinthians 10:31. It emphasizes that marriage is not merely a personal or romantic endeavor but a spiritual journey of sanctification—where two sinners grow in holiness through mutual accountability, grace, and the transformative work of the Holy Spirit. The preacher calls couples to maintain an outward focus, bearing spiritual fruit, serving others, and surrendering their marriage entirely to God's will, trusting that His process of conforming them to Christ's image is both necessary and purposeful. By reframing marriage within the broader biblical narrative of justification, sanctification, and glorification, the message invites believers to embrace the challenges of the present as part of a greater, eternal purpose, finding joy and meaning in the daily commitment to please God together.

The sermon centers on the imperative of spiritual growth in the Christian life, anchored in 2 Peter 3:18, calling believers to continually grow in grace and the knowledge of Jesus Christ. It emphasizes that true maturity comes not from time alone but from intentional, humble pursuit of Scripture, prayer, and spiritual disciplines, warning against complacency and the dangers of being led astray by unlearned or unstable teachings. The message applies this principle to marriage, urging couples to grow together in Christ through selfless love, humility, and shared spiritual habits, while also stressing the necessity of seeking biblical counsel and accountability to overcome relational failures. Ultimately, the sermon calls for a lifestyle of continual dependence on God's grace, where humility, repentance, and obedience are the foundation of lasting spiritual and marital health.