Alive In Christ: Family Matters Part 3

ORDER OF WORSHIP:

We Worship Jesus Who Lived Among Us

Welcome
Song of Praise  “O For A Thousand Tongues”
Call to Worship Psalm 92:1-4
Song of Praise  “Good Good Father”
Confession of Faith Apostle’s Creed
Song of Praise  “Agnus Dei”
Prayer of Adoration
Greet One Another
Ministry Spotlight Redeemer Women
Prayer of Intercession
Giving of God’s Tithe and Our Offerings
Scripture Reading Colossians 3:19
1 Corinthians 13:4-8a
Song of Preparation  “Jesus Messiah”
Sermon “Alive In Christ: Craig Swartz
Family Matters Part 3
Prayer of Commitment
Song of Response  “It Is Well”
Benediction

SERMON NOTES:
Colossians 3:18

Shel Silverstein:

“Put another log on the fire.
Cook me up some bacon and some beans.
And go out to the car and change the tire.

Wash my socks and sew my old blue jeans.

Come on, baby, you can fill my pipe
And then go fetch my slippers.
And boil me up another pot of tea.
Then put another log on the fire babe,
And come & tell me why you’re leaving me.”

1. THE  NATURE OF BIBLICAL LOVE

Definition of Covenant:

“An agreement, usually formal, between two or more persons to do or not do something specified.”

W. H. Auden:

“Any marriage happy or unhappy is infinitely more interesting than any romance however passionate.”

Paul Simon:

“I’ve built walls a fortress, steep and mighty that none may penetrate

I have no need of friendship, friendship causes pain.
It’s laughter and it’s loving I disdain.
I am a rock, I am an island.

Don’t talk of love well, I’ve heard the words before
It’s sleeping in my memory and I won’t disturb the slumber
Of feelings that have died if I never loved, I never would have cried
I am a rock, I am an island.”

1 Peter 3:7

J. B. Phillips translation of 1 Peter 3:7

“You husbands should try and understand the wife you live with, honoring them.”

2. THE  NATURE OF BIBLICAL LOVE

Ephesians 5:25-28

Philippians 1:6

C.S. Lewis:

“When I have learnt to love God better than my earthly dearest, I shall love my earthly dearest better than I do now. In so far as I learn to love my earthly dearest at the expense of God and instead of God, I shall be moving towards the state in which I shall not love my earthly dearest at all. When first things are put first, second things are not suppressed but increased.”

3. THE  NATURE OF BIBLICAL LOVE

Robertson McQuilken:

“Recently it has become apparent that Muriel is contented most of the time she is with me and almost none of the time I am away from her. It is not just ‘discontent.’ She is filled with fear—even terror—that she has lost me and always goes in search of me when I leave home. So it is clear to me that she needs me now, full-time…The decision was made, in a way, 42 years ago when I promised to care for Muriel ‘in sickness and in health…till death do us part.’

So, as I told the students and faculty, as a man of my word, integrity has something to do with it. But so does fairness. She has cared for me fully and sacrificially all these years; if I cared for her for the next 40 years I would not be out of her debt.”