When Two Become One Series

When Two Become One - Genesis 2:15-25 - April 15, 2012

Series: After the Honeymoon – The Mystery of Marriage #1

Show video: “Vision for Marriage Ministry.”

We are free to change the world – what a great song! This morning we begin a new sermon series entitled, “After the Honeymoon” which we hope will do just that – to change, if not the entire world, then at least, your world. For marriages that are good to make them great. For marriages that are struggling to give them a new hope. For marriages that are hurting to find healing. For marriages that are yet to be, to give to them a firm foundation on which to build. There will be something in this series for everyone of us whether we are married, or single, because we are going to be looking at marriage by the book – God’s book – the Bible - and we know that “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.” (2 Timothy 3:16–17, NIV) You may not be married, you may not ever desire to marry, but guaranteed you know married people, and you probably know those who are struggling in their marriages, or who are dating and considering that next step and wondering if marriage is really the right way to go, or if marriage is even a necessary expression of their love for someone else. The things we talk about in this series will help you speak God’s truth about marriage into a world that, in many ways, has turned its back, on this gift from God.

My desire is that this series of messages look a little different than our usual series here at Parkside. What I am hoping to see is a number of you getting involved in sharing bits and pieces of your journey. So we’re going to begin asking you if you would share what you’ve learned, what you’ve struggled with, what you’ve overcome in your marriage. And the result is going to be a series of semi-impromptu interviews where you are giving us a glimpse into your life. Now I don’t want you to panic – we’re not going to force anyone to share. You’re not going to show up here some Sunday morning and suddenly find yourself thrust into the spotlight. What we’re going to do is to simply invite you – ahead of time – to share from your heart and to answer a few questions for us.

But even if we never get you up here to share, we still want to hear from you. In your bulletins you will find inserts that say, “Pastor, could you talk about this ….” And then there’s a space for you to share your thoughts. I want to know what questions, concerns, or issues that you’re hoping to see addressed at some point during this series. You can fill those out and hand them to me, or put them in my mailbox in the foyer, or slip them under the door of my office if you want to. You can e-mail them, snail mail them, post them on Facebook – it doesn’t matter – but I want to hear from you because I want this series to be as practical, and as relevant, as possible and that means I need to know what’s on your mind.

Now that being said, we do have a couple here with us this morning who has agreed to help us out today. I’m going to ask them to come and join me here at the front and have a seat. Now, I’m sure that most of you will know who they are, but just in case there are some here today who have not yet met them, I’m going to ask them introduce themselves, briefly tell us how they met, and how long they have been married. [Have couples introduce themselves.]

Alright, Matthew and Amy, I want to thank you in advance for being willing to come up and participate this morning. This is not an easy place to be because being up front and sharing from your own life makes you vulnerable. And you’ve agreed to do that. And that’s great because this is how we will learn together, and grow together in God’s house and as His people. The truth is that none of us have all the answers. We are on a journey together and as you share this morning you are representing others in this congregation, who we may not hear from during the course of this series, but whose stories are similar, in some way, to yours.

And just so everyone here knows, they don’t know what questions I am going to ask them. So this isn’t prepared, it isn’t scripted, we don’t know exactly where it’s going to go – it’s all just very candid. So let’s get started – now, Matthew and Amy, I was there for a portion of your journey and I was honored to have been able to perform your wedding ceremony …