marriage Archives – Embrace What Matters

Cross Purposes

May 31, 2021

Part 1 of the series, "Marriage and Singleness." God created marriage for different purposes. One of the chief purposes was to give us the most complete picture of his nature, and to also show the ideal way that human beings can come together to love God and love each other well. However, our purpose for marriage is often at "cross-purposes" with God's. How can we pursue God's purpose for marriage in the midst of our fallenness? The answer is making the cross the fundamental purpose and driving-force behind our marriage. Only through the cross can two truly become one under God for a lifetime. (Note: Due to technical difficulties, you will experience some gaps and broken continuity during the message.)

Marriage and Singleness

The Gift of Singleness

June 7, 2021

Part 2 of the series, "Marriage and Singleness." Some people are just fine being single. They are perfectly content with their place in life and frankly, don't want to be patronized or felt sorry for based on their marital status. For others though, being single certainly has its challenges. For those who want to be married, there is a longing for that future spouse. For those single due to tragic events like the death of a spouse, separation, or divorce, the pain can be even more acute. So, to hear that singleness might be called a gift could understandably seem a bit offensive. This message looks biblically at those who are single and in what way this place in life could be considered a gift. God gives us many things. both directly and within our life circumstances. Is it possible that your place as a single person can be considered a gift to him, to yourself, and to others? Arriving at this truth, if accepted, may be eternally liberating.

Marriage and Singleness

It Is Not Good for Singles to Be Alone

June 14, 2021

Part 3 of the series, "Marriage and Singleness." The word "single" certainly seems to be associated with the word "alone." Whether you're single as a young person, never married but still want to be, whether you've lost a spouse due to death, separation, or divorce, or whether you look at your singleness as a lifetime calling––being single can leave a hole in your life that you constantly want filled. How can a single person view their aloneness, their place in God's Kingdom, their desire for wholeness that seems to come only from marriage and romantic relationships? Is there anything they can do to remedy these problems for however long they're single? This message attempts to answer these questions, both for the single person, but also for the church who is called to love, value, and support single people in their desire for purpose and relationship.

Belonging to Him

No Greater Romance

March 14, 2022

Part 23 of 23 in the series, "Belonging to Him." It may seem odd to imagine that we're called to have a "divine romance" with God. But the human marriage and intimacy with God have many parallels, seen especially in the Garden of Eden and in Revelation's Marriage Supper of the Lamb. In the time in-between, Jesus serves as our mediator, calling us to healing and restoration with God. And Jesus serves as our Suitor, the bridegroom who sacrificed himself so we could live with God happily ever after. There's no greater romance than that (sermon recorded in 2019).