Resurrected Relationships:

….within a marriage

 

 Genesis 2:18-25

1 Peter 1:3:

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ!

In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope

through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.

First Presbyterian Church, Brownsville, TN

March 30, 2008              Dr. Will Jones

 

Summary: Belief in the resurrection of Jesus infuses our lives with a power of love directly from God.  God’s love pours into our lives so that we may love others, especially in our most important relationships.  As creatures made in God’s image, we are meant to give and receive love.  The love and power behind Jesus’ resurrection will sustain a marriage and keep it alive and thriving. 

 

Outline:

I.        Christians have a “resurrection-shaped worldview” (N. T. Wright)

a.        The Resurrection changed everything for the disciples, the earliest Christians:

                                                               i.      This event of seeing Jesus alive affected the way they now saw the world and their place in it; the role that they had to play in God’s kingdom. 

                                                              ii.      1 Peter 1:3: through the Resurrection of Jesus:

1.        See God’s mercy (warm compassion)

a.        Who is God: God is love: concrete example of it now with the R. 

b.       Paul in Athens Areopagus: “We will hear you again on this”: “this” = R. 

2.        New Birth, i.e. new life: second chances

a.        R shows God’s love is stronger than sin.

b.       Sin killed Jesus; he became sin itself:

                                                                                                                                       i.      1 Peter 1:24 He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed.

c.         …but God raised him; brought forgiveness and new life for us despite sin

3.        Living Hope, i.e. death of despair

a.        Future to live for; inheritance; goal & purpose

b.       Brunner: living without hope is like living without oxygen

II.      The Resurrection changed the disciples to the core, and it does the same for us

a.        Where is your core? Who are you at your core? -- Relationships

b.       Look at God first: the Trinity:

                                                               i.      God’s life in relationship

1.        Never-ending relationship of love: F, S, & HS

c.         We are made in God’s image:

                                                               i.      Able to give and receive love; interpersonal love; w/God & with others

                                                              ii.      The most important command…; why? b/c that’s what you were created for;

d.       Who are you, deep down, at your core?

                                                               i.      How do you define yourself to others? 

1.        By your work? What you do? Hobbies? Where you live? Good, but not the best ways…

                                                              ii.      You are your relationships!

1.        Created to be relational beings…

2.        Who are you? (son/daughter, brother/sister, mother/father, friend, colleague, ex-husband/ex-wife, teacher, coach, step-parent…..)

III.   Resurrected Relationship…within a marriage

a.        Why this one first? Everyone is a son/daughter, more of them than anything…next week children and parents.  Plus, so many single people in our church 25%; should they just tune out?

b.       Marriage as an institution, as a relationship/way of living,

c.         Disclaimer and invitation: please come talk to me if I offend/raise issues for you

                                                               i.      My own family: we have seen it all when it comes to marriage

d.       God’s love in action in a marriage

                                                               i.      “Becoming Married” (Herbert Anderson & Robert Fite)

1.        journey metaphor: always something new

e.        Themes for a marriage relationship living with a Resurrection Worldview

                                                               i.      Sacramentality: holy estate; sacred union

1.        Gifts of grace & forgiveness

2.        Needs a community of faith in which to live

                                                              ii.      Indissolubility

1.        ‘Till death do us part

2.        Divorce is a tragic ending of something that began with great happiness.

3.        Complex promise today

a.        Life expectations used to be shorter

4.        We are less likely to invest in relationships that are temporary

5.        God’s love has no time-limits; love = permanence

a.        “When two people promise to love each other until death parts them, that promise of permanence creates an environment without conditions.”

6.        For those divorced: look back at “second chances” above: grace and forgivness

                                                            iii.      Intentionality: “Do you really know what you’re doing?” 

1.        Plenty AND want; joy AND sorrow; sickness AND health

2.        The ability to commit “prayerfully” & “responsibly”

3.        We are finite and fallible: we make choices with life-long consequences on the basis of limited knowledge

4.        Constant care

a.        Familiarity breeds contempt

b.       How to re-create relationship while appreciating familiarity/intimacy

c.         Communication

                                                            iv.      Fidelity

1.        Loyalty as an act of love

2.        “It could never happen to us!” – heading for a fall

3.         

                                                              v.      Covenant

1.        Overtones and undercurrent of faith in marriage

2.        God is present

3.        Seriousness of the relationship; bond

 

 

For a DVD copy of this sermon, click here …