Lesson Three - True Married Love

TEXT:  Song of Solomon

INTRODUCTION:

A.      CONTROVERSIAL,  ALLEGORY OF MARRIAGE.

B.      ONE OF A TRILOGY BY SOLOMON.

          1.       Proverbs, true wisdom.

          2.       Ecclesiastes, true meaning of life.

          3.       Song, true wedded love.

C.      EARLY, SOLOMON YOUNG AND AN EARLY MARRIAGE( 1:5-6 ).

D.      IMPORTANT CHARACTERISTICS OF IDEAL RELATIONSHIP

I.      THE NEED TO BE INFATUATED( 5:9-16;  4:1-7 ).

A.      NOT AGAPE OR LUST( Eph. 5:25 ). 

          NEEDED WHEN RELATIONSHIP IS OLD.

B.      PUPPY LOVE - HOW DO YOU VIEW YOUR MATE( Ralph & Doris. ).

C.      OPPOSITE - TAKE FOR GRANTED.

II.     CLOSENESS OF HEART( 8:5-6 ).

A.      OPPOSITE IS DISTANCE, BREEDS JEALOUSY.  NOT LITERAL DISTANCE

B.      NO MATTER HOW FAR ARE NEAR, EVEN WHEN NOT PRESENT..

C.      NOT SIAMESE TWINS - CAREFUL NOT TO SUFFOCATE.

III.    TIME-OUT( 7:10-13 ).

A.      AWAY FROM AFFAIRS OF LIFE, CARES, KIDS, OTHERS.

B.      TIME SPENT WITH ONE ANOTHER, VIEWING SUNSETS ANDRAINBOWS.

IV.   PROTECTION( 3:5-9 ).

A.      CONCERNED FOR WELFARE & FEELINGS OF SPOUSE.

B.      OPPOSITE IS COMPETITION AND COMBAT.

C.      Gal. 5:22-26.  MUST BE TRUE AT HOME, TOO.

V.    OWNERSHIP( 1:7;  4:16 ).

A.      MUTUAL SUBMISSION( Eph. 5:21 ).

B.      YOU HAVE A LOCK, HAVE A HEART, TOO( 1 Cor. 7:1-5 ).

C.      NO PLACE FOR SEXUAL WARFARE( Heb. 13:4 ).  TENDERNESS.

VI.   AFFECTION( 8:3;  1:2 ).

A.      GOES BEYOND AND ABOVE SEX.

B.      A PRODUCT OF AGAPE AND INFATUATION.

VII.  WHAT KIND OF RELATIONSHIP?

A.      HER VIEW OF HIM( 5:16 ), FRIEND.

B.      HIS REGARD FOR HER( 4:8-9 ), SISTER.

VIII. WORK( 8:8-9 ).

A.      ANYTHING OF VALUE... EFFORT.  MUST BE ABLE TO ADJUST, FLEXIBLE.

B.      THE ONLY ONE I CAN CHANGE IS ME!

CONCLUSION:

A.      THE KIND OF MARRIAGE YOU HAVE IS UP TO YOU.

B.      WILL YOU SUBMIT TO GOD'S WISDOM AND WILL?