And Then There Was Light

Scripture:
Genesis 1:14-19
Revelation 20:11-15

I remember when I was in the Navy taking some guests through the ship on a tour.  In the offices where I worked I turned out the lights to demonstrate complete and total darkness.  There was no light anywhere, not even a hint under the door.  The darkness was so complete that you couldn’t even see your hand touching your nose.  Not even a minute passed when I turned on the lights and we were blinded by the sudden brightness.

God not only made the sun to shine by day he also used the moon to give light at night.  In Genesis God made the sun to govern by day and a lesser light to govern the night.  The moon without the sun’s light reflecting off it would be in total darkness leaving the earth in darkness as well.  Genesis 1:28:

God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground.”

God who has full dominion over all creation gave authority over the earth to man.  Just as the sun give light to the moon to shine on the earth the Son gives light and life to man.  We are the light of the world with Christ shining through us.  As the sun’s light is reflected of the moon Christ’s light is reflected in our lives.  Without Jesus we are in complete darkness lost and alone.  Revelation 20:15 “Anyone whose name was not found written in the book of life was thrown into the lake of fire.”  Do we want to be cast into the lake of fire?  Do you want someone you know cast in it?  We are the salt of the earth the light the world sees in the darkness of night.  Let us shine bright and true for Christ…

They Became One Flesh...

Scripture:
Ephesians 5:22-33
James 4:17

All husbands want submissive wives.  They will eagerly point out the scripture that tells their wives to submit.  They usually stop after verse 22.  The question is not whether wives should or should not be submissive.  The question I want to ask is the husband living his part of the scripture.   

Paul compares the relationship of the husband and wife to that of Christ and the church.  Christ is the groom, head of the church.  Christians are the bride of the church.  We are to be submissive to Him.  As a Christian we do not question our role in being submissive to Jesus.  It is expected and accepted.  True we might have a hard time with it from time to time.  Husbands need to remember that just as a Christian can have difficulties with submission to God so does a wife with her husband.

I want to focus on the comparison of the husband as head of the household and Christ as head of the church.  Why are Christians able to submit to Christ, this is because of several reasons?  One reason is Jesus first loved us.  He loves us unconditionally and completely no matter what we say or do.  Two, Christ came to serve not be served, Matthew 20:28 “just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”  Three, Jesus also suffered a horrible death for the salvation of His bride.

What is the role for the husband?  As Christ served, so must the husband serve his wife.  Just as Jesus gave of himself so must the husband give for his wife.  Jesus sacrificed his life for the life of His bride.  Husbands should be willing to give of themselves.  Jesus is a teacher, comforter, provider, protector He is all things.  Husbands are told to uphold their wives blameless before the Lord, Ephesians 5:26.  

It is my belief that if husbands stepped up and fulfilled their obligations to Christ as husbands and truly honored their wives as Christ honored the church wives would be willing to submit to their husbands.  Submission to their husbands does not make them sub servant to their husbands.  Galations 3:28 “There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” Genesis 2:18 “The LORD God said, ‘It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.’” Wives are not servants or slaves to their husbands but helpers.  Most couples will truly complement each other.  Each couple has their weaknesses and strengths.  His weakness will be her strength and her weakness will be his strength.  There by creating a whole or complete unit.  Genesis 2:24 “That is why a man leaves his father and mother and is united to his wife, and they become one flesh.” Is half your body greater than the other?  All parts are equal and it takes all parts to make a complete body.  In the same way it takes all Christians to make up the body of Christ.   To continue the thought process it takes a husband and wife, equal parts, to be complete in the marriage.  One last thought we are all incomplete without Christ…

To Bless or To Be Blessed...

Scripture:
Psalm 103:19-22
1 John 2:23-3:3

In Days Of Thunder there is a scene when Nichole Kidman gives Tom Cruise a mouth full.  In the scene they are in a car he is driving and he is chasing a taxi cab.  When he finally stops the car she proceeds to tell him about control.  Her statement is a simple but true one.  Control is an illusion we really don’t have it.  We think we are in control and we strive to control everything around us.  We find out the hard way that we really do not control anything.

God has created everything.  He, Psalm 103:19, “…Has established His throne in the Heavens, and His sovereignty rules over all.”  True control lies in the hands of the Father.  God’s authority is complete and unquestionable.  He has dominion over everything.  Psalm 103:19-22 tells us to praise and bless God.  Who is worthy of our praise who else should be blessed.  We are not worthy of praise.  We are not worthy of blessings.  God out of his unyielding love through grace and mercy will shower us with His blessings…

A Parent's Love

Scripture:
1 Corinthians 13:4-6
James 1:13-22

A parent’s love for their child is the closest to agape love as you can get here on earth.  To love someone with no strings attached; to love someone unconditionally no matter what; to love someone regardless.  Perfect agape love is unconditional and is given no matter what.  It is complete with no hold barred.  Agape love is when you love someone else first, even if they do not return that love.

To many times we put conditions to love.  We look for what we can get out of it or back in return.  If a parent can love their child regardless how much more does God love us?  I remember when I first held our oldest daughter.  Just moments after she was born I was filled with love and joy.  I loved her even before she was born.  That love spilled out in joy when I got to hold her the very first time.  There was, is, nothing she can do that would dim that love.  

God knew us before we were born.  Jeremiah 1: “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you,
   before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.”  God loves us even before we came into existence.  He knows us intimately before our parents even look upon us.

If we are to be doers of the word of God we must learn to love unconditionally.  Everything that we are and everything we do depend upon our loving others.  Jesus told the profits the greatest two laws.  In verse forty he stated that all the other laws are based upon these two.  Matthew 22:35-40

³⁵ One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question: ³⁶ “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”

 ³⁷ Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’³⁸ This is the first and greatest commandment. ³⁹ And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’^{[b 40} All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”

Guard Your Heart

Scripture:
Galatians 5:22-23
Philippians 4:2-7

It only takes one bad thing to ruin a reputation.  You can perform hundreds of excellent deeds, all of which are good and wonderful.  However, it only takes one mistake and that is what people will remember.  If we are not careful our relationships will end in tragedy if we focus on the one bad thing.  Two things to help us build strong relationships that will stand the test of time.

First we must keep our focus on God.  If we focus on God He will be the center of the relationship.  I have used a triangle in the past for an example of the relationship between a husband and wife.  OK other people have used it too.  I had a pastor when I was in the Navy share this example in a sermon.  Anyway if you use the triangle in any relationship you can visualize how focusing on God and growing closer to him will allow the two people to grow closer to each other.  We must put God on the top and we are placed on the bottom corners.  

Second thing is love.  We need to focus on God’s love not only for ourselves but His love for others.  After all He loves that other person just as much as He loves me.  Since that is the case should I not have a little more patience with that person?  Shouldn’t I be a little more tolerant and accepting?  If God loves them and accepts them as they are who am I to do any different?  Am I bigger than God that I can disregard His love and will for other people?  What would happen if we all did that?

God’s love needs to flow through us for other people to receive.  We need to over look our differences and mistakes.  We need to focus on the hundred good things and forget the one bad.  If we could do this for everyone just maybe this world would be a better place. Philippians 4:7 “And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”