Marriage and the Body - Sermon Notes

These are sermon notes from Sunday, October 7 from Pastor Brian Dunn who was our visiting pastor:


Marriage and the Body - Romans 12:3-8
What do you think of when someone says the word "unity"? Unity...it can be complete strangers bonding together for a common purpose, helping each other, cheering each other along. The only thing that we see like that today is a football game or maybe some big music concert. Unity within the church walls are also common, not only all Christians splitting into denominations. 

Looking at out past...we see our forefathers dying just for the sake of peace and harmony. Fighting through the difficulties and winning the victory (even through death) for ultimate unity. One role of harmony that we see is the work of appealing to someone as opposed to commanding them based off of your power. When you are nicely asked to do something as opposed to being ordered to do it, you feel more willing to do it. We could use this, but there are other methods as well. As Paul starts this passage it isn't a nice appeal so that they will obey. Rather, it is an encouragement to be built up and use our gifts from God. 

One way we are built up is by helping one another. We have each been generously blessed with special talents for each of us to benefit from. So it should be only right to help one another so we can grow and cultivate all manner of talents. But even more important than growing in many gifts is the need to focus on our ow talents o strengthen and grow those ..using them to glorify God, our Creator. 

This will not only point accurately to Christ, our greatest example, but also it will display the perfect example of unity. The metaphor of the Church being the body is acutely correct. When we as a church do not function properly according to Scripture, then we destroy and hold back what the body of Christ could be. When you receive a serious injury you could bear that damage for the rest of your life. Even f it isn't consistently painful, it could still ache and cause you to be sore. In the same way, if one of us isn't functioning properly, then the rest will be affected.

Christ is the leader of this Body...He leads us but with tender love. In the same way, the husband is to gently and tenderly lead his wife and children. God has given him an example in Christ of how to lead with strength and courage. One of the common myths of today is equality...both sexes must be even and perfectly equal. Because of this, many of the men today do not feel it is their duty to step up and take leadership, authority, and dominion over his own household.

If a man leads his home properly, then his wife would most likely have no problem in submitting and obeying him. If we say this today though, we are shunned and hated...the call for today is for equality. As a wife, you are called to submit to Christ first, but your husband second. Submit to your husband as the Church submits to Christ. Wouldn't it be a beautiful thing to see couples, completely devoted and committed to one another? What could that possibly look like?

If we properly place authority where it belongs in our lives, then we will have much less trouble submitting to those authorities: first Christ, always Him first...Christ and His holy Word. We must initiate our proper role in marriage. Wives, don't wait for him to lead. Men, don't wait for her to respect, honor, and obey you. Christ initiated His love and salvation for us when we least deserved it so we are called to instigate that which is called for in the covenant of marriage. Look to Christ for his will in your lives and He as an ever faithful Bridegroom will lead you without fail.