A Love that Lasts
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7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. 8 Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away.
1 CO
Here are some ways that love lasts...
1. Make a Covenant commitment.
1. Make a Covenant commitment.
You only need a commitment when you don;’t like what you are doing. There will be days in your marriage that you will not want to be doing it.
This takes the option of divorce out of the equation.
2. Celebrate differences.
2. Celebrate differences.
Men and women are different.
Dispel the compatibility myth.
You don’t need to be married to yourself.
She’s hot, your cold; She’s looking for Halmark, You’re looking for ESPN;
When Kathy says I don’t have anything to wear, it means she wants to shop for a new outfit. When I say I don’t have anything to wear, it means all my clothes are dirty.
We celebrate the fact that we are different because together we are the complete package.
3. Work on communication.
3. Work on communication.
Avg. 4 min per day in meaningful communication.
Avg woman 30,000 words Avg. Man 15,000
Make sure you communicate well.
Men - 4 most romantic words…
and then what happened?
and then what happened?
4. Feed the Romance.
4. Feed the Romance.
It’s not the fire places fault if there is no fire in it.
Some of ya’ll … the last time you said turn out the lights and lock the door was when his parents showed up in the driveway.
5. Put Jesus at the center.
5. Put Jesus at the center.
1 Unless the Lord builds the house, the builders labor in vain. Unless the Lord watches over the city, the guards stand watch in vain.
In order for relationships to work, let the One who designed them define them
In order for relationships to work, let the One who designed them define them
God defines marriage with a Word most people don’t know or understands.
Covenant Commitment
Covenant Commitment
Mal 2:13-
13 Another thing you do: You flood the Lord’s altar with tears. You weep and wail because he no longer looks with favor on your offerings or accepts them with pleasure from your hands. 14 You ask, “Why?” It is because the Lord is the witness between you and the wife of your youth. You have been unfaithful to her, though she is your partner, the wife of your marriage covenant. 15 Has not the one God made you? You belong to him in body and spirit. And what does the one God seek? Godly offspring. So be on your guard, and do not be unfaithful to the wife of your youth. 16 “The man who hates and divorces his wife,” says the Lord, the God of Israel, “does violence to the one he should protect,” says the Lord Almighty. So be on your guard, and do not be unfaithful.
Jesus says this is the relationship he has with us…
20 In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you.
Luke
Covenant Relationship is sealed by blood. In a covenant relationship we are in a blood relationship.
Relationship Commitment isn’t needed while everything is going great.
Covenant is based on mutual commitment.
Covenant is based on mutual commitment.
It means you are willing to be miserable while you work it out.
Contract is based on distrust.
Contract is based on distrust.
Covenant surrenders rights and assumes responsibility.
Covenant surrenders rights and assumes responsibility.
Contract protects rights and shirks responsibility.
Contract protects rights and shirks responsibility.
Covenant has the interest of the other in mind.
Covenant has the interest of the other in mind.
the greatest relationship in the world is where 2 servants are in love. The worst relationship in the world is where 2 Masters are in love.
Contract has personal convenience in mind.
Contract has personal convenience in mind.
You may feel like you can’t do these… You can’t… by yourself.
2 Keys
2 Keys
Love is not a feeling, it’s a choice.
Love is not a feeling, it’s a choice.
It’s amazing how many people follow their feelings. You cannot base your life on feelings.
Love is a choice. Love gives others what they need.
Col
14 And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.
You put on love. You make a choice. When you make the choice, God will help with the feelings.
ILL - guy that went through a divorce and withdrew for a while. When he finally came back to church he was amazed that they seemed to love him even more.
Capacity to love comes from receiving love.
Capacity to love comes from receiving love.
19 We love each other because he loved us first.
1 John
17 Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. 18 And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. 19 May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God.
Eph 3:17
17 Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. 18 And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is.
Eph 3:
Ask God to let everyone feel this
Couples - bless them
Singles - give them hope, joy, let them feel the love and support of the church