The First Love Story [Scott Lehr]

·55 min·5 clips

Scott Lehr reveals how a mentor's challenge led him to a Mexican restaurant where he first saw his future wife.

This sermon from Southbridge Fellowship, titled "The First Love Story," is delivered by Pastor Scott Lehr as part of a series called "Origin Stories." He examines the biblical account of the first marriage in Genesis chapter 2, framing it as a foundational narrative for understanding human relationships. Lehr argues that this story provides essential design principles for marriage, singleness, and human connection. Lehr begins by reading Genesis 2:7, describing God forming Adam from dust and breathing life into him. He details the perfection of the Garden of Eden, mentioning its rivers like the Pishon, Gihon, Tigris, and Euphrates. The pastor highlights Genesis 2:18, where God declares it is not good for man to be alone, noting this is the first "not good" in the creation narrative. He explains God's subsequent action of having Adam name all the animals, from livestock to birds, to underscore that no suitable helper was found. Lehr describes God causing Adam to fall into a deep sleep, taking one of his ribs, and fashioning Eve from it. Adam's first recorded words, "bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh," are presented as a profound recognition of their shared substance. A key insight is that God instituted marriage as a man leaving his father and mother to unite with his wife, becoming one flesh, which Lehr states was counter-cultural for its time. He connects the statement that Adam and Eve were naked and felt no shame to a theological ideal of unmatched intimacy. Lehr emphasizes that before marriage, Adam had purpose, provision, and a relationship with God, establishing that meaning precedes marriage. He uses the example of Jesus and the Apostle Paul to argue that singleness is a valid and gifted state, not a deficiency. The pastor critiques the modern idea, exemplified by the film *Jerry Maguire*, that a spouse "completes" a person, stating this places an impossible burden on marriage. Lehr defines a "suitable helper" using the Hebrew word *ezer*, which is often used to describe God as a help and shield, rejecting any notion of inferiority. He stresses that marriage is designed for alignment on a shared mission, like being "equally yoked," rather than just emotional chemistry. The sermon uses an analogy of a Ferrari being misused off-road to illustrate how misapplying marriage's design leads to disappointment. A clip of the U.S. Olympic hockey team's golden goal is referenced to show how aligned individuals become exponentially stronger together. The tone is conversational, pastoral, and illustrative, blending personal anecdotes, humor, and scriptural exegesis. Lehr's style is educational and applicational, aiming to provide practical takeaways for different relationship statuses. This episode would deeply resonate with Christians seeking a biblical perspective on marriage, singleness, and relationships, particularly those within a complementarian theological framework. Listeners with no interest in Christian theology or who prefer purely secular, psychological approaches to relationships might find it less engaging.

As heard by us

Genesis, marriage, and loneliness are handled with plain talk, not sentimentality.

Genesis 2 is used to make a plain point: marriage is a gift, not a fix. The sermon starts with Adam formed from dust and God breathing life into him, then moves through the garden, the work, and the first wedding to show that meaning comes before marriage, and that wholeness…

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Why you'd press play

If marriage feels like the answer to everything, this Genesis 2 sermon pushes back.

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