Marriage in the Now

The Sadducees were talking marriage, but were more interested in trapping Jesus into an embarrassing if not incorrect response. Perhaps they'd have been better off to talk about what makes a good marriage here on earth than what makes a marriage in heaven.

[NOTE: The text focuses on the Sadducees' view of the resurrection, which they denied. In this exchange, they base their objection on the customary view of marriage in which two people are made one flesh. The following material focuses on the marital bond, rather than on the issue of resurrection.
That said, the preacher should exercise sensitivity when preaching about marriage. Most congregations are populated by people who have gone through a failed marriage, having done their best to preserve it. There are others who have chosen to remain single. The preacher needs to show that he or she understands this matrix while at the same time lifting up God's ideal for marriage itself.]

Lots of press about marriage and cohabitation these days. Two things leap out: Cohabitation is up. Divorce is up, especially in the Bible states of Oklahoma, Mississippi, Louisiana and others.
In certain circumstances we expect divorce. Abuse. Adultery. Abandonment. Felony conviction. And most of those who have ...