Why Update?: Making The Old New Again Series

Introduction: (Laura) We loved our house even before we moved into it. The people who owned it before us were friends and they loved and cared for that house – they had great memories and lots of personal history associated with that house. We could see that just by walking in. After we bought it we wanted to make it our own so we did a lot of work to the inside – mostly, paint and wallpaper. We went with the styles and colors that we “in” at the time. It was an older home but with the updates it was as if it were brand new.

(Michael) Fast-forward 10 years. We knew we had to make some repairs to our home and that prompted discussions about some other things inside the house. Our once up-to-date stuff – wallpaper and paint – were no longer up-to-date. In fact, in 10 short years they were now out-of-date. So, my little home decorator here set out to choose colors and put into motion ideas she had had to set the place right and make that old house new again. And you know what, that’s okay; that’s a good thing. In fact, it’s biblical. God loves to make the old new again.

(Laura) We are in a series entitled “Home Improvement” and this is week #3. Today’s topic is “Why Update?” (Making the Old New Again.) Today we plan to get personal, very personal. Our goal is not to embarrass anyone, we just want to help you recover the luster if you’ve lost it or protect what you have from potential decay. So, relax and smile. This will be over before you know it.

(Michael) Sounds like a dentist appointment.

When you were a kid playing games with the other neighborhood kids and something in the game didn’t go quite right you might call out “do-over.” The kid in the lead would of course protest but you were undeterred – you just wanted another shot at whatever it was to increase you chance of winning. Did you know that God is into “do-overs?” In the OT He proclaimed every 50th year to be the great year of do-overs. Everyone got a fresh new start.

(Laura) In fact, everyday is a do-over. Lamentations 3:22, 23 (ESV) says “The

steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are

new every morning; great is your faithfulness. That means you can have a fresh new

start – in your life, in your walk with God, and in your marriage.

(Michael) the Bible says that God makes all things new. So let’s talk about how to

make some things new in your relationship. We’ll talk about three things – not

wallpaper, paint, and tile but vision, connection, intimacy.

Vision = direction (Where are you headed)

Connection = friendship (Where hearts become one)

Intimacy = sex (Where love is “made”)

1. Vision = Direction (Where are you headed)

A. Vision is not the first thing people think of when they think of a

successful marriage. But whether people realize it or not, every successful endeavor begins with a vision.

1. We had a vision of what we wanted our marriage to be when we first set out. The same holds true of our family.

2. Amos 3:3 (NKJV) Can two walk together, unless they are agreed?

B. Vision is about what you see for your future, where you want to go in your life. Sometimes as we grow and/or as our life-circumstances change our vision undergoes adjustment. We need to make sure we’re on the same page.

1. Talk about your future together. Share your dreams.

2. Assess your ability to make those dreams become a reality. Be sensible about your aspirations.

3. these are not individual dreams but dreams of your future together.

C. Agree on your vision – the picture of your desired future.

1. Amos 3:3 (NKJV) Can two walk together, unless they are agreed?

2. If you are going to “walk together” you are going to have to agree.

3. In the Hebrew “together” = “as a unit, as one”

4. Where have we heard these words before? In the most oft repeated verse in the Bible – Gen 2:24 (KJV) Therefore, shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.

5. Every time we teach on marriage it always comes back to this. Oneness is the key to happiness in marriage. And that starts with agreeing on where we want this marriage, this life together, to go – vision.

6. We move toward oneness when we come into agreement over our desired future.

D. Make your vision new again by:

1. Putting the kids to bed, ordering some food, lighting a candle and talk over the future.