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Here's our text for Sunday, June 3, 2007:
Now for the matters you wrote about: It is good for a man not to marry. But since there is so much immorality, each man should have his own wife, and each woman her own husband. The husband should fulfill his marital duty to his wife, and likewise the wife to her husband. The wife's body does not belong to her alone but also to her husband. In the same way, the husband's body does not belong to him alone but also to his wife. Do not deprive each other except by mutual consent and for a time, so that you may devote yourselves to prayer. Then come together again so that Satan will not tempt you because of your lack of self-control.
What's the Apostle Paul so down about marriage for? And it sounds as though the very thought of sex makes him physically ill?
Of course, he's graciously allows folk to get married and have sex...if they MUST, but he'd clearly prefer everyone to be like him (strong?) and deny themselves.
When we allow ourselves to focus only on a brief section of text in the Bible we often miss the real point of God's Word. We even can forget that this is God's Word and not just some guy named Paul who wrote down what he happened to think at one finite moment of time. God has a plan for us and it's detailed in all of the Bible, not just select Scriptures. Let's find just one thing from God here.
Paul wants folk to focus on their relationship with Christ so he asks us (he's careful not to tell us in the name of Jesus, but just to share this as his own opinion), to, if possible, abstain from marriage and that means from sexual relations alttogether. Big task he asks, isn't it? Kirk Thompson, the Lead Pastor at Pine Forge Seventh Day Adventist Church, where Hope worshipped on Sundays for 6 years before we built (Adventists worship on Saturdays), told me soon after I got to know him that growing up in Baltimore he had several Roman Catholic relatives who desperately wanted him to be a priest. He says he chose Adventism, the other side of his family, very quickly when he learned priests were celibate.
This reminds me of the old joke...a Roman Cardinal and Bishop died at the same time and approached the throne of God in Heaven. God, respecting the Cardinal's position, I suppose (it's just a joke!), asked to see him first. When the red cap came out of the throne room he was in tears. The Bishop asks him why and he says through his sobs, "He said we've made a terrible mistake! He said he told us to celebrate Him, not live celibate!!"
Paul does not call us to celibacy. He says it has virtue but hardly for all. He, and because this is God's Word, our creator as well, calls us to be in marriage, and in marriage to only choose celibacy by mutual choice! Makes sense, doesn't it? I've never known a happy marriage where one was celibate by choice and the other wasn't. Frustration leads to estrangement, and possibly adultery.
So this next weekend's message is for marrieds only, or those planning to get married? No.
You see, every word of Scripture is perfect for teaching, rebuking, instructing (see Paul's words to Timothy for these details). And they are perfect for instructing each of us, the single and the couple.
God is speaking to us about much more than marriage, or even sex. He's teaching us about RELATIONSHIP. All kinds of relationship.
Come this weekend expecting to hear words of instruction from God for YOUR life, not just some long-dead Corinthians, or for folk who need help with their sex lives.
Come to Hope this weekend expecting to find Christ, and His most perfect word for you.
Hope you'll come join us on Sunday for "The Rest of the Message!" May your home be blessed!
Pastor Ken
NOTE: Unless otherwise stated, all Bible verses quoted in this website are from the New International Version (NIV). Any words from those verses that are in "red" are words spoken by Jesus.
Pastor Ken sends a Weekly Newsletter that includes his devotional message for the week and an update of the current happenings at Hope Church. If you would like to receive his newsletter, just click below and he'll add your email address to his list of subscribers.