Wedding

Congratulations to my nephew Brandon and his beautiful bride Candace. They were married Saturday and I had the privilege to perform the wedding. The following is the bulk of the message.

Scripture states that “A man will leave his father and mother and shall cleave to his wife and they shall become one flesh.” The Apostle Paul explains fuller by writing that “He who loves his own wife loves himself, for no one ever hated his own flesh but nourishes it and cherishes it.” Brandon, Candice the two of you should be so close that the others best is your best. Brandon, if you love yourself you will love Candace. Candace if you love yourself you will love Brandon. Let me extend this thought further. Brandon if your friends love you they will love Candace. Candace if your friends love you they will love Brandon. For the two are now one. “For no one ever hated his own flesh but nourishes it and cherishes it.”

Scripture gives us a couple who demonstrate this idea of being one. They are a couple to imitate. Their names are Aquila and Priscilla. They are mentioned in Scripture only six times, but from those few verses we gain a wealth of information on how to have a strong, happy marriage, how to be one. They are never mention separately. Never just Aquila, never just Priscilla. Always Aquila and Priscilla together. And that’s how you should be known. Always Brandon and Candace, Candace and Brandon. Strive to let everyone at work and all places know who your spouse is. Be proud of them. Speak highly of them, because when you do, you speak highly of yourself. “For no one ever hated his own flesh but nourishes it and cherishes it.” You will be as Aquila and Priscilla known always together as one.


Aquila and Priscilla did two things that make for a strong marriage. First they worked together. Scripture first mentions the couple in the city of Corinth where we are told they are tent makers. It was a Jewish custom for families whether rich or poor to teach their sons manual labor. Tent making was one of those vocations they taught. And so Aquila probably learned tent making from his father. Priscilla probably learned it from Aquila. Marriage is work. Both of you will be working and building your own tent. You will be building a home. Each of you will bring to this marriage skills and abilities that are vital for the building of it. Whether it is something useful like automotive maintenance, cooking a meal or writing a budget you will, at times, learn a new skill from the other. We don’t know if Priscilla enjoyed the skill of tent making but she learned it, because it was needed for her family. As you practice self sacrifice you will love each other more. You will meet each others needs without expecting anything in return. You will think the other more important than yourself, but if you love the other you love yourself. “For no one ever hated his own flesh but nourishes it and cherishes it.”


The most important example from Aquila and Priscilla is that they worshiped together. In Paul’s letter to the Corinthians he sends them greetings from Aquila and Priscilla, together with the church in their house. Christ was at the very center of their home and their marriage. Let the worship of Christ and His work be at the very center of your marriage. Pray together at home. Read the New Testament together. Do not neglect gathering with other believers at your church, in the worship of God. The closer to Christ you become the closer you will be to each other. Do not neglect what scripture calls your spiritual act of worship. Become involved together at your church. Be active. You can be greeters at the door, pass out bulletins, teach a Sunday school, work the food pantry or the clothes closet, or sing in the choir. Find a place of service and serve together.

And so Brandon and Candace, as you leave your fathers and mothers and cling together, may you truly become one flesh, united in work, worship and love.

What's A Man Worth?

What's a man worth?
Does anyone know?
Is he measured by riches,
By friend or foe?
Can we tell by his virtues,
His station in life?
His accent? His color?
His peace, or his strife?
The length of his hair,
The shape of his nose,
His smile or his handshake
The cut of his clothes?
What's a man worth?
We turn to our Guide.
And Christ gives His answer,
"For each man I died."

Author unknown.

Rebel

We are to die to self and live for Christ. Andrew Murray says that mankind has fallen from life in God into a life of self -- a life of self- love, self- esteem, and self- seeking, a life concentrated on the perishing pleasures of the world. He calls this the kingdom of self. I like the term. Jesus calls us to the kingdom of God. “The kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the good news. Mark 1: 15.” Repent? From what should we repent? From the kingdom of self, sin. All sin which includes greed, drunkenness, slander, stealing, envy, sexual immorality and so on comes from self. Repent from sin, stop living life the way you want to, and live it God’s way. And what is God’s way. Jesus is God’s way. Jesus answered, I am the way and the truth and the life, no one comes to the Father except through me. John 14: 6. C. S. Lewis writes that “fallen man is not just imperfect, needing improvement; he is a rebel who must surrender his weapons. It is not that man is only a little less then he should be but that he actively rebelled against his very best, what he was intended to be.”
And what is the good news? For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. John 3: 16. Repent and accept Jesus death on the cross as the punishment for your sin. Give up living life your way. Surrender and ask Jesus to forgive you for your sin and to come into your life and heart and lead you in the way you should go. That if you confess with your mouth Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead you will be saved. Romans 10: 9. You will leave the kingdom of self and enter into the kingdom of God. You will be reconciled to God through Jesus Christ our King. There is nothing to fear from God. God is Love. While we were yet sinners Christ died for us. Though you are hostile toward God, he loves you. Though you resent God for spoiling your good times he loves you. Though you have ridiculed God and laughed at Jesus and all of his followers, he still loves you and pursues you. There is nothing that you have done that Jesus will not forgive. He was betrayed, rejected, beaten and scourged, abandoned, and crucified. Yet on the cross as the religious leaders mocked him saying,” He saved others but he can’t save himself, let him come down now from the cross. He trust in God let God rescue him now if he wants him, Matthew 27: 41-43”, what did Jesus do? He said Father forgive them for they do not know what they are doing. Luke 23: 34.” We have done this and more and yet Jesus will forgive us.
Repent and believe the good news. Surrender and pray for forgiveness. Accept Jesus unfailing love for you and ask him into your heart and life. The kingdom of God is here please enter in.

Grace

Grace. If there is one word that I want to understand fully it is this one. I have experienced the grace of God, and yet I really do not know what grace is. How can I experience something and not know what it is? I feel like Paul, “I see in a mirror dimly.” With me there is the realization that I fully do not understand the grace and love that God bestows upon me. I am still so blind in so many areas concerning Christ, especially grace. I have looked up definitions of grace, but from the written page they come across coldly. In Vines Expository Dictionary the definition of grace is in part, favorable regard, loving-kindness and goodwill generally. Jesus while we were still at enmity with Him responded with grace. Even now despite the pride, selfishness, condescension, materialism, etc...etc...etc... which still exist within, Jesus treats me graciously. He has a favorable regard, loving-kindness, and goodwill toward me. Amazing. If I truly believe that God is gracious to me, despite myself, why the difficulty in being gracious toward others? Do I have a high regard for the inattentive waitress? Grace. Do I show loving-kindness for my co-worker who insults? Grace. Do I have goodwill generally for the person who may or may not be taking advantage of social services or am I just angry? Grace. Do I have a favorable regard for my supervisor? Grace. Do I show loving-kindness to my wife when we are at odds? Grace. Do I have goodwill generally for the brother or sister in Christ who seems always to hold a different opinion at Church business meetings? Grace. Grace is wonderful and easy to receive but sometimes difficult to give. May we choose to be gracious and pray for the strength.

“Bless those who persecute you; bless and curse not. Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep. Be of the same mind toward one another; do not be haughty in mind, but associate with the lowly. Do not be wise in your own estimation. Never pay back evil for evil to anyone. Respect what is right in the sight of all men.” Romans 12: 14-17.

“Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned, as it were, with salt, so that you may know how to respond to each person.” Colossians 4: 6.