SERMON ON MARRIAGE DELIVERED AT
FOURSQUARE GOSPEL CHURCH, JEBE, ILOYE
SUNDAY WORSHIP SERVICE
TOPIC: TILL DEATH DO US PART – SAVE YOUR MARRIAGE
TEXT; MALACHI 3:14-16; MATTHEW5:31-32
VENUE: FOURSQUARE GOSPEL CHURCH, JEBE
DATE: 29TH MARCH 2009
Introduction
The Lord Jesus established the truth that there is no marriage in heaven, at least between man and woman. Jesus is however preparing us – the church - as His bride.
Permit me to ask this question. If you are given choice to marry in heaven, will you marry your spouse on earth?
Marriage is two becoming one. That in itself is the problem!
Four out of every ten marriages are said to end up in divorce.
When river Niger and river Benue joined, they became one; one loosing its name and the two going on with the name of one of them: river Niger.
In the business world, this is called merger. In marriage, God calls it oneness.
Marriage could be seen as the mutual agreement of a man and a woman to live together as husband and wife with the approval of their social group. This mutual agreement is supposed to last a life time, till death do them part!
They are married for better or worse.
This is an indication that the two are covenanting not to allow any future occurrences that may come their way to separate them. Through thin and thick, in joy and sorrow, in want and plenty, they’ll stick together.
The acts of becoming One sooner than expected, starts to reveal to the parties why they cannot be one: reality of the two coming from different background, their strengths and weaknesses, fears and aspirations, and many other differences.
These soon results to a lot of other problems if not well managed by the duo. The outcome could damage or wreck the relationship.
HOW CAN. WE ALL SAVE OUR MARRIAGE?
Let’s look at some advices that will help us keep our marriages till death do us part. We shall use the acrostic word D-I-V-O-R-C-E to save our marriage.
1. Devotion
Show the highest devotion to your marriage
Remember the 7 Stages in marriage
a. Honeymoon
b. Normative
c. Nagging
d. Explosive
e. Avoidance
f. Divorce
g. Harmony
2. Intimacy
- Be friends
- Do things together
- Be ready to forgive.
- Spend time to be alone together
-
3. Vow
Always remember your covenant and keep it: TILL DEATH DO US PART!
Volunteer to pay the necessary price for the success of your marriage. The payoff far outweighs the sacrifice. It pays.
4. Openness
Be open to one another. S/he is your best friend and confidant.
Manage together your temperamental differences:
a. Sanguine (confident, optimistic, cheerful, hopeful, positive)
b. Choleric (bad tempered)
c. Melancholy (sad, depressed, downhearted)
d. Phlegmatic (apathetic, indifferent, unconcerned)
No chameleonic character allowed.
5. Responsibilities – Fulfill your responsibilities.
Marital Responsibilities
Wives. Eph. 5:22, Col. 3:18
- submit to their husband in everything.
• Just as the are to submit to Christ
• Just as the church is subject to Christ
•
Husbands
- love their wives
• Just as Christ loved the church – sacrificial
• Just as they love their own bodies.
- Husband to love the wife and Christ loved
- sacrificially : - Unchanging, Jh. 13:1
- enduring : - Divine Jh 15:9
- faithfully : - unconditionally
- Permanent : - Incomparable (Second to none)
Watch out for Marriage killers!
a. Unfaithfulness
b. Role clash
c. Over commitment
d. Lack of communication
e. Lack of trust and respect
f. In-laws
g. anger
6. Communication
- Together
While love is that which brings two people together in marriage, it takes more than love to keep a marriage. While love could be seen as the heartbeat for a successful marriage, communication is the blood that keeps the heartbeat of love going and growing stronger and stronger. In other words, effective communication will keep purifying the love so as
to keep off it all the big and little foxes that can destroy the vine call marriage.
Engage in daily dialogue
Listen to one another
- To God. Develop the habit of praying together
7. Enjoy all aspects of your life together
- Life
- Sex
- Money
- Possessions
- visions
Talk on your long lasting marriage expectations. Always renew your commitment to make your marriage relationship work or last – till death do you part.
You are meant for one another!
