Marriage Covenant

Pastor Bill Bush · Feb 24, 2025

Pastor Bill and Carrie argue that marriage is not a contract built on expectations but a covenant built on mutual selflessness. Drawing from Ephesians 5, they contend that the goal of marriage is holiness — becoming more like Jesus for one another — not personal happiness. Only when spouses grasp that goal can they embrace their distinct positions: the wife offering respectful support (Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane) and the husband leading through sacrificial love (Jesus on the cross). Both positions require vulnerability, trust in God, and a willingness to prioritize responsibility over authority.

Pastor Bill Bush · Aug 27, 2018

Drawing from Ephesians 5:21, the sermon argues that God designed marriage as a covenant of selfless love, not a contract of mutual expectations. Because every person is naturally self-centered, treating marriage like a negotiated contract always produces resentment, fights, and disappointment. The only path to a truly healthy marriage is submitting personal expectations in order to pursue a spouse's deepest hopes and dreams — mirroring the sacrificial, unconditional love Jesus has for His church. That kind of covenantal love is only possible when both spouses have first submitted their lives to Jesus.