Worship in Marriage - Sunday Sermon

Sunday Sermon Review - August 5, 2012
Topic - Worship in Marriage

Marriage is like a pair of shears oft times working in opposite directions, but punishing anyone that comes between them.” - Sydney Smith

The service began with the group leading us in several songs - one of which was " How Great Thou Art". There was a children's feature where the first line of Hebrews 13:4 -  Marriage is honourable in all  was emphasized. It was explained to the children that they need to honor marriage by giving their parents space to spend time together ( just the two of them) in order to maintain a good friendship. The children were encouraged to send their parents on a little date and to not fuss if they need to stay with a babysitter at such a time.

This was followed by the reading of Ephesians 5:15-32.
Pastor Ben came up to preach on " Marriage as Worship".
He reminded us of the theme of the series that Worship is our Response to Who God is and what God has done for us. We need to place God as first and highest importance in our lives.

Marriage as an Act of Worship
Pastor Ben also referred to Hebrews 13:4  Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge.
Marriage is a covenant before God and witnesses to be faithful till death parts.
Just as it takes a village to raise a child, married people need support and blessing from their children, parents and others.
In order to worship God in marriage we need to realize that God is the one who gives us significance. As individuals we are loved and accepted by God. We need to be rooted in God in order to be successful in marriage.

Getting Practical in Honoring  Marriage
Your spouse should be your "Best Friend"!
Take time regularly and often to maintain friendship with your spouse.
Don't let anyone drive a wedge between you and your spouse.
If a couple has been apart due to work or other circumstance, encourage them to spend time together just with each other and don't invite them over to spend time with you when  in reality they need to spend time with each other.
Children - Give your parents time and space to spend quality time together. Pastor Ben suggested  older children  babysit their younger siblings ( for free!) in order to give their Mom and Dad time to get apart by themselves for a few hours.
Parents and Parents-in-law - don't interfere in the marriage of your grown children
Be a blessing to your children's marriage
Make sure you do not slander your child's spouse
You no longer have authority over your married children
You can encourage them but they must rely on each other (on their own spouse)  - not on you as parents
To Married People
Become God-centered
Let the reponse you are to your spouse reflect who you are in Christ.
Selfishness and self-centeredness are the core root of problems in marriage
We are to give up ourselves for our spouse and put his/her needs above our own
Our spouse cannot fulfill the longings of our heart that only God ia able to truely fill.
Your spouse has married a sinner.
Let your response to your spouse be a response to God rather than basing it on what your spouse has or has not done for you.
Be a living sacrifice for your spouse.
Love as God loves - base your love on how God loves.
Romans 12:1 says I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.

Note - next Sunday will be Worship in your Family

Ephesians 5: 22-28
²² Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord.
²³ For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body.
²⁴ Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing.
²⁵ Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;
²⁶ That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,
²⁷ That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.
²⁸ So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself.

God's Way verses Satan's Alternatives....

Have you ever considered how satan tries to make people believe that his ideas are good alternatives to God's true ways?
Take for example marriage. God says marriage is to be between one man and one woman.
Satan suggests sinful alternatives such as homosexual and lesbian relationships.
God's way is to save sex for after the wedding. Satan's sinful alternative is to not wait for marriage. Satan's way is fornication - sex with whoever you choose, the if it feels good then do it attitude.
God's way is to love your spouse deeply and dearly. Satan's way is lust and pornography.
God's way is for a couple to begin sharing a home together after marriage. Satan's way is for a couple to shack up together and then give the excuse that you need to try it out first before making any real decisions.
 God's ways are best because His way  provides protection from foolish choices that lead to unnecessary heartache and failure.
God's plan is for us to be filled with the Holy Spirit. Satan's sinful plan is for people to fill up on alchol, drugs and abusive substances.
God's plan is for women to be modest in the way they dress and to not be sensual and flirting in character. Satan's way is for women to wear the skimpy, the tight, the short, the low tops and to show skin inappropriately and to attract attention to your body.

Now let us examine another one of satan's counterfeits, one that is more difficult to understand.
 The one true holy God is a trinity. He is Father, Son ( Jesus) and Holy Spirit - three in One. Not three Gods but One God in three distinct persons. Just as God has three persons so Satan also tries to copy a trinity for himself  and it is displayed quite clearly Revelation.  So if you study the book of Revelation 12, satan is depicted as a great red dragon. Then in Revelation 13 the beast comes on the scene which is the Antichrist. It says that the dragon which is satan gives his power to the beast.  Then thirdly, also in chapter 13 another beast comes onto the scene which is a false prophet. The false prophet then makes the people on the earth worship the Antichrist. In order to be able to make any business transactions that is buy or sell anything, people are required to obtain a number in either their right hand or their forehead. Without this number people will not be allowed to do business. Revelation 13: 18 tells us what that number will be 666. -¹⁸Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six.
However, we who are Christians must be prepared to never accept this mark 666 as no one who does will enter the kingdom of Heaven.
To be sure there are many more of satan's counterfeits that we could discuss. Perhaps one comes to your mind even as you read this.