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Serving the Lord
Part 4: Serving the Lord Through Our Marriage
By Rev. Bruce A. Shields
This document is a Sermon Outline. You may hear the full audio of the sermon by following the link to the Online Audio Files located above for this and other Full Sermon Audios. For a complete list of Sermon Outlines, visit TruthDigest.org or Truth Digest on Facebook; for our Official Church website, visit PS127.org, or find us on Facebook at House of Faith Church. #worship #godheals #newtestament #jesuslovesyou #churchfamily #godsword #loveoneanother #holy #godislove #church #jesus #god #bible #christian #love #faith #worship #jesuschrist #gospel #prayer #christ #christianity #pray #holyspirit #godisgood #hope #blessed #armorofgod
SERMON TIMELINE
1. Introduction to Serving
2. Serving the Lord Through Our Faith
3. Serving the Lord through our Relationships
4. Serving the Lord through our Marriage
INTRODUCTION
Today is Sunday. February 25th, 2024
Over the last few weeks, we have looked closely at how we can be “doers” of the word and serve the Lord in various aspects of our lives. It can sometimes be challenging to put our knowledge of the word and love for the Lord into tangible actions to serve faithfully.
Some ways of serving are apparent, such as missionary, teacher, and pastor. However, the work of the Lord goes much further than this, and there are many ways we can faithfully serve the Lord in our daily lives without trying to be Moses.
In fact, we are not called to be Moses, Paul, King David, or anyone else in the word of God. We may relate with these people and feel a bond or connection to them because of the writings in scripture, but we are not called to be them. We are called to be imitators of God, to have a mind like Christ, to listen to the leading of the Holy Spirit, and to serve the Lord however He chooses.
This may look like a street preacher sharing the Good News with strangers or spending many hours each week in deep intercessory prayer for others. It may be serving the Lord through community service and volunteer work at shelters or gathering food and goods for those with emergency needs. It may be teaching children at your local church or leading a bible study at home.
I want us to expand our minds in this series and train ourselves to not only listen to the prompting of the Holy Spirit but act on it and be ever mindful and aware of opportunities in our lives to serve the Lord and bring Him glory.
That is why He has called us, purified us, empowered us, and leads us.
Many times, when our faith in Christ is attacked, slanderous accusations, such as “mindless sheep,” are sometimes used as a statement of ignorant or puppet followers.
But I want you to consider when the scriptures speaking of the sheep and shepherd were written, who they were written for, and what the purpose of the vocabulary is meant to accomplish.
Firstly, we know the Good Shepherd is Jesus, and He cares for His sheep, knows them by name, and would leave the 99 for the one who wandered.
His rod and staff, the shepherd trade's tools, comfort us. The staff had a hook for pulling sheep from the thicket, returning them to the flock, or redirecting their path. The rod was for discipline and correction of the stubborn and protection of the flock from snakes, wolves, and lions.
But the sheep…us. We are not mindless followers as accused. Sheep in biblical times needed care. They needed guidance and protection in the wilderness because they could not protect themselves. This is a perfect picture of us.
But sheep are far from mindless wastes. They were more than just useful. They were treasured by the shepherd. Their wool was valuable, as was their milk and meat. Flocks were wealth. The sheep served many purposes for the shepherd and were highly sought after and treasured by him.
This is why we are spoken of in this manner, and Jesus is the Sheperd. So the listeners would understand the relationship between us and the Lord, which they did. Today, however, most people have never set foot on a farm, let alone have the slightest idea of what sheep are useful for.
So to the ignorant aggressors against faith and the word of God, we remain to them mindless sheep while simultaneously to our Lord, we are precious and valuable, worth far more than gold and silver.
So as we explore our usefulness to the Lord and the many ways we may serve Him, let's look at how we can serve Him in our marriage.
SCRIPTURE READING
Hebrews 13:1-6
“Let love of the brothers continue. 2 Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by this some have entertained angels without knowing it. 3 Remember the prisoners, as though in prison with them, and those who are mistreated, since you yourselves also are in the body. 4 Marriage is to be held in honor among all, and the marriage bed is to be undefiled, for the sexually immoral and adulterers God will judge. 5 Make sure that your way of life is free from the love of money, being content with what you have; for He Himself has said, “I will never desert you, nor will I ever forsake you,” 6 so that we confidently say, “The Lord is my helper, I will not be afraid. What will man do to me?”
Today’s Topic: Serving the Lord: Through Our Marriage
In Hebrews 13, Paul describes various ways we serve the Lord in our lives. Listed among them is Marriage.
He says Marriage is to be honored among all, and the marriage bed is to be undefiled. The sexually immoral and adulterers God will judge.
I don’t think I need to explain to you the things that defile a marriage bed today. I believe we all know pretty well what sexual immorality and adultery are and that God will judge those.
I want us to focus on the message we serve the Lord in our marriage. We need to hold our marriages in honor, all of us. We serve the Lord and His Kingdom when we serve Him in our marriage.
I. LOVE AND RESPECT
a. Respect, love, and submission go both ways.
i. This
is arguably the most crucial aspect, as Ephesians
5:21-25 emphasizes the love and respect spouses should have
for one another, mirroring the relationship between Christ and the church.
1. Husbands,
if your character or behavior towards your wife ever comes into question, ask
yourself if you were treating her in the way Christ treats the Church.
2. Wives,
if your character or behavior towards your husband is ever questioned, ask
yourself, is this the way the Church should treat the Lord?
ii. Understand
this. Your husband is not the Lord (Capital “L”).
1. The
Lord did not put your husband as overlord or master of what you say and do, but
uses His love and relationships with the Church as examples for husband and
wife when considering their love and relationship with each other.
2. A
proper marriage is a witness and a blessing to the Lord and the Body of Christ.
iii. This
concept, interpreted as both spouses submitting to one another and to God (Ephesians 5:21), emphasizes putting your spouse's needs and God's will above your own.
1. This
doesn't imply one spouse having absolute authority but rather a focus on
cooperation and joint decision-making.
2. Ephesians 5:21-25
b. Communication
i. Maintaining
open and honest communication is essential for a healthy relationship. Proverbs 15:22 emphasizes the
importance of counsel and communication.
1. Proverbs 15:22 “Without
consultation, plans are frustrated, But with many counselors they succeed.”
2. No
person of sound mind has ever said, I hope my marriage fails.
3. The
council of righteous men and women in godly relationships can help you. Seek
council on matters, and your frustrations will turn into successes.
a.
This was the foundational thought
behind Birth of a Family.
ii. Live
with Integrity and Honesty: Committing to honesty and integrity within your
marriage and in all aspects of life reflects a commitment to God's character,
as He is seen as the epitome of truth and faithfulness.
1. Proverbs 12:22
“Lying lips are an abomination to Yahweh, But doers of faithfulness are His
delight.”
c. What this tells us
i. These
verses outline the mutual love and respect that should be present in a
marriage, mirroring the relationship between Christ and the church.
II. UNITY AND SUBMISSION
a. Submitting to one another
i. 1 Peter 3:1-6 “In the same way, you wives, be subject to your own husbands so that even if any of them are disobedient to the word, they may be won without a word by the conduct of their wives, 2 as they observe your pure conduct with fear.
ii. 3 Your adornment must not be merely external—braiding the hair, and wearing gold jewelry, or putting on garments; 4 but let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the incorruptible quality of a lowly and quiet spirit, which is precious in the sight of God.
iii. 5 For in this way in former times the holy women also, who hoped in God, used to adorn themselves, being subject to their own husbands, 6 just as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord (lower case “l” [κύριος: koo'-ree-os] used in this way as masculine “head of the house”). You have become her children if you do good, not fearing any intimidation.”
1. Better translated, “Whose daughters you are, as long as you obey the Lord (capital “L”), which will remove all fear.”
iv. Engaging in activities like praying, reading the Bible, and attending church services together can strengthen your bond and joint commitment to faith. Colossians 3:16 highlights the importance of building each other up with spiritual songs and hymns.
b. Putting the other before yourself IS love (I Corinthians 13)
i. Philippians 2:1-4 “Therefore if there is any encouragement in Christ, if there is any consolation of love, if there is any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and compassion, 2 fulfill my joy, that you think the same way, by maintaining the same love, being united in spirit, thinking on one purpose, 3 doing nothing from selfish ambition or vain glory, but with humility of mind regarding one another as more important than yourselves, 4 not merely looking out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others.”
ii. Expressing love and respect through physical touch and intimacy reflects God's love for the church (Ephesians 5:25-28). However, it's essential to understand that this should always be a consensual expression within the bounds of marriage.
iii. Supporting each other's personal spiritual growth through prayer, encouragement, and offering space for individual spiritual disciplines can deepen your individual and joint connection to God.
iv. Serving others within your community or church together as a couple reflects God's love and demonstrates the teachings of Christ to love thy neighbor (Galatians 5:13).
c. What this tells us
i. These verses emphasize prioritizing unity and cooperation within the marriage. While not always explicitly using the word "submission," the idea of "looking to the interests of others" and prioritizing togetherness can be interpreted as a form of mutual submission within the marriage covenant.
III. WITNESS AND SERVICE
a. Be a witness to others and your spouse.
i. Matthew 5:16 “Let
your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works,
and glorify your Father who is in heaven.”
b. Forgive and Seek Forgiveness
i. Recognizing
that everyone makes mistakes and practicing forgiveness reflects God's
forgiveness for us. Additionally, being open to receiving forgiveness from your
spouse when you have wronged them fosters reconciliation and strengthens the
bond (Matthew 6:14-15).
c. What this tells us
i. These verses highlight the potential for a
Christ-centered marriage to be a witness, firstly to our spouse and secondly to
others, and serve as a reflection of God's love and character in the world.
ii. Spouses can support each other in their
individual service and ministries, acting as a united force for the work of
God.
CONCLUSION
Our marriage covenant we make with our spouse and our
Father in heaven is a picture of Christ’s covenant with His church and our
Father in heaven.
This is why the sanctity of marriage is so essential
and why biblical marriage must not be redefined because it is a direct link
between Christ and His church.
Our marriage, being a picture of the New Covenant relationships
between Christ and the Church, is a witness to others and a way we can serve
the Lord through our lives as doers of His word.
NEXT WEEK: Serving the Lord Part 5: Serving in our Home
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