Relational Wholeness

1) Journey to Wholeness & 2) Relational Wholeness

Last week

Loneliness is a problem.

Even without sin, humans need others

The journey of realizing the problem is critical to understanding God

Genesis 2:20–25 “20 He gave names to all the livestock, all the birds of the sky, and all the wild animals. But still there was no helper just right for him. 21 So the Lord God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep. While the man slept, the Lord God took out one of the man’s ribs and closed up the opening. 22 Then the Lord God made a woman from the rib, and he brought her to the man. 23 “At last!” the man exclaimed. “This one is bone from my bone, and flesh from my flesh! She will be called ‘woman,’ because she was taken from ‘man.’ ” 24 This explains why a man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, and the two are united into one. 25 Now the man and his wife were both naked, but they felt no shame.”

What is Wholeness? And why are there 2 parts?

What is Wholeness?

Completeness or entirety

v20b - What is a helper?

“Helper” vs ezer

Today - tasks that either could do, and often a greater and lesser

400 years ago, helper had a different meaning.

Thermometer (1593)

Telescope (1608)

King James Version 1611

Helper was used in terms of tools and machinery

Ezer is an “ally” that brings something beyond one's ability

Moses

Exodus 18:4 “4 His second son was named Eliezer, for Moses had said, “The God of my ancestors was my helper; he rescued me from the sword of Pharaoh.”

Israelites on a journey

Psalm 121:1–2 “1 I look up to the mountains— does my help come from there? 2 My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth!”

David

Psalm 33:20 “20 We put our hope in the Lord. He is our help and our shield.”

God is our ezer - men treat women like you treat God

Why does this matter?

There is not a disparity between man and woman.

Our thinking about the gifts of males and females. Whatever you are, you need the equal opposite.

When we read the Bible, we see a dividing line between the world pre-sin and post-sin

v21 & 24 - Sleep and Rib

Sleep and surgery

The logical thing to do is just make another that is slightly different from the dirt.

God built from the same substance.

Hebrew word also Rib means side.

Exodus 25:14 “14 Insert the poles into the rings at the sides of the Ark to carry it.”

Exodus 26:26–27 ““Make crossbars of acacia wood to link the frames, five crossbars for the north side of the Tabernacle and five for the south side. Also, make five crossbars for the rear of the Tabernacle, which will face west.”

Not head - not foot.

Substance is the same. Wholeness

Completeness or entirety

A fully functioning Man and a fully functioning Woman.

Built to complete each other in new ways.

Community, Relationship, Society & Unity

v22 - This is the originator and orchestrator.

v23 - Meeting Woman

Woa Man!

Ishshah was taken out of Ish

Not a proper name - like Eve.

That happens after the consequences in

Genesis 3:20 “Then the man—Adam—named his wife Eve, because she would be the mother of all who live.*”

The first human response to God.

These verses give clarity on the importance of the relationship / The purpose of marriage.

1) Union between 2 whole people - becoming 1 whole new.

Window into the Trinity

2) One man and one woman in a committed wholistic relationship before God is the ideal that every person following God strives for.

Anything besides this is sin.

We are all guilty. - Jesus says even the thought of lust is sin.

Jesus forgives, but this is the standard, and I fully think that Heaven will have the highest standard of relationship. Let's start moving towards heaven now.

Your kingdom come, your will be done - on earth as it is in heaven.

3) True marriage is naked and has no shame.

to know and be fully known

Intimacy and vulnerability

Wholeness never degrades or minimizes anyone.

If you minimize your spouse or yourself

Relational Wholeness requires equality

God blessed - Gen 1:28

Great Commission

Wholeness empowers and sees value

value and empower others

Heart talk

Conclusion

The purpose of marriage is a glimpse into relationships beyond our current understanding.

Where you know the other and are fully known.

There is no hiding.

Wholeness in relationship is the best part of creation!

If you are married…

You are on a journey to Wholeness

The goal is to know and become fully known. This is a job.

Build your marriage toward honesty and vulnerability before God!

Put your heart on the table and care for their as more important than your.

If you are single...

You are on a journey toward relational wholeness

Marriage is not a cure-all

God can do amazing things in that season.

Jesus talks about the family of God, not biological family.

If all 3 persons of the Godhead can be 3 whole people who are one, we can be whole people, a part of a new whole.