Renewing Your Vows

Mike and Angie had been married for 50 years. Mike knew he wanted to do something very special for their upcoming anniversary. Like all marriages that had experienced some bumps along the way. Mike wanted to reaffirm Angie that he loved her now more than ever. To do this he planned a surprise ceremony to renew their vows. The kids, grand kids, and even two great grand-kids where there; all dressed in their best. The two great grand-daughters were the flower girls.

Angie woke up one day, Mike was already gone but laying on the bed beside her was a wedding dress (sized perfectly) and note. It read, “happy anniversary. Time to get ready for your big day. I’ll be waiting for you at the altar.” Shortly after the daughters and the professional hair dressers arrived.

As promised Mike was waiting at the altar to reaffirm his bride in his undying commitment.

Today,

We have

same opportunity.

Perhaps,

a significant amount

of time has passed

since you said

your vows

to your beloved.

Or perhaps,

you have had bump

you want to recommit.

Today,

the purpose of communion

reaffirm your commitment

to the bridegroom

Jesus Christ.

Communion it just that.

it is renewing your vows.

In Rev 2

Letter to 7 churches

Ephesus:

Revelation 2:3–4 HCSB

You also possess endurance and have tolerated many things because of My name But I have this against you: You have abandoned the love you had at first.

They are commended

for many things.

Yet,

at end,

They are admonished

for leaving first love.

That seems to happen

in this life.

Perhaps because

the way we view love.

People say,

I fell in love.

How?

Walking along

oops.

tripped.

fell in love.

on accident.

If that is how

you “fall in love.”

Then,

certainly,

you can just

“fall out of love” too...

This is what

Jesus says to those

who live after the

apostolic church.

It started so well.

Everything was good.

But then,

things just dried up.

Now,

if that could happen,

so soon after Pentecost,

could it also happen

to us?

I’m afraid to say,

but definitely yes.

Let’s take a look

at Jesus’ prediction

of the last days.

Matthew 24:12 HCSB

Because lawlessness will multiply, the love of many will grow cold.

The end-times is

characterized by:

“Love of Many growing Growing Cold”

But look at the text.

Why does love grow cold?

Because of lawlessness.

It grows cold

because people neglect

God’s holy law.

God’s law,

a hedge of protection

against sin and selfishness

is torn down.

People seek their

own selfish desires.

And love for God

dies from the hearts.

I wonder,

if perchance

it could have

happened to you too.

Has your spiritual life

become a round of

ceremonies with

little meaning?

Have you continued

to do the things

you are supposed to

But you don’t have

spiritual motivations.

Have you been

coming to church

putting on the

“happy Sabbath smile”

but you are not

happy in Christ?

Do you feel like a hypocrite?

Have all your good standards

waned over the years?

What can we do?

How can we restore

broken love for God.

How can we get

our first love back?

Malachi 3:7 HCSB

“Since the days of your fathers, you have turned from My statutes; you have not kept them. Return to Me, and I will return to you,” says the Lord of Hosts. But you ask: “How can we return?”

Again,

connection between

losing love

and the commandments.

The question is asked:

How can I return?

Solution is given:

What is solution?

Return to me

Sounds so simple...

because it is...

Let’s go back to Revelation

Revelation 2:4–5 HCSB

But I have this against you: You have abandoned the love you had at first. Remember then how far you have fallen; repent, and do the works you did at first. Otherwise, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place—unless you repent.

Again,

the solution is given:

First it says:

“Remember how far you have fallen”

In other words,

evaluate your situation

realize where you are

realize how far you have fallen.

You can’t resolve

the situation

if you don’t know

how bad it is...

Once you realize

our situation

the solution...

“Repent, and do the works you did at first”

They tell married couples

DATE YOUR MATE

In other words,

do the stuff you did

while you were courting.

It is the same,

in our relationship

with Jesus.

What was it like

when you really

in love with Jesus?

Repeat your steps

do the same again.

John 15:1–5 HCSB

“I am the true vine, and My Father is the vineyard keeper. Every branch in Me that does not produce fruit He removes, and He prunes every branch that produces fruit so that it will produce more fruit. You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. Remain in Me, and I in you. Just as a branch is unable to produce fruit by itself unless it remains on the vine, so neither can you unless you remain in Me. “I am the vine; you are the branches. The one who remains in Me and I in him produces much fruit, because you can do nothing without Me.

The secret

to a happy

fulfilling

spiritual life

is abiding (remaining).

To abide means

to live it that situation.

To remain

means to stay in

that state of being.

The spiritual life

is a life of

consistency.

Something we don’t

see a lot today.

Commitment

Loyalty

Consistency.

Not common today.

Everything is so,

transient

temporary

fickle

indecisive

plastic

disposable

microwave generation

God says,

relationships take

consistency

constancy

Loyalty

How many have been

married for

more than

5 years

10 years

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

50

55

60

What does it take?

impart to us...

Those who are married

realize Hollywood lies.

There is no perfect

happily ever after

marriage is hard work.

Proverbs 5:18 ESV

Let your fountain be blessed, and rejoice in the wife of your youth,

Marriage to Christ

Christian journey

Hard work too.

Why?

sin

selfishness.

Jesus says,

go back to

the first love.

Go back to when

we were dating.

Remember your

dating of your spouse?

What was it like?

so excited to be

with that person.

Remember dating Christ?

(if you don’t

you are not Christian).

What was it like?

What created that?

Recreate that experience.

God back to first love.

That is purpose

of Sabbath.

and Communion.

Let’s renew the vows.