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The Gospel and Transforming of Marriage

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I was reminded recently of a post over at Desiring God on Nine Ways The Gospel Transforms Marriage.  I thought remembering these would prove helpful as we think of the Father sending His Son to be the Savior of the world.  So, these 9 ways (drawn from Gary and Betsy Ricucci’s Love That Lasts) could be thought of 9 ways the true meaning of Christmas transforms marriage.  After all, Jesus is called Jesus because He would save His people from their sin (Matthew 1:21).  Here are 9 ways the Gospel directly affects marriage:

1) Because of the gospel, Christians have become new creations (2 Corinthians 5:17). Therefore, in our marriage, our past does not define us, confine us, or determine our future.
2) Because of the gospel, we are forgiven (Ephesians 1:7). Therefore we can live free of all guilt and condemnation for every sin, and we can trust that God, in his mercy, will be gracious to us. 
3) Because of the gospel we can forgive, just as Christ forgave us (Ephesians 4:32). Nothing done against us compares to our sin against God. Therefore all offenses, hostility, and bitterness between Christians can be completely forgiven and removed. 
4) Because of the gospel, we are accepted by God (Romans 15:7). Therefore we are not dependent on a spouse for who we are or what we need. 
5) Because of the gospel, sin’s ruling power over us is broken (Romans 6:6, 14). Therefore we can truly obey all that God calls us to do in our marriage, regardless of any circumstance or situation. 
6) Because of the gospel, we have access to God through Christ (Hebrews 4:14-16). Therefore we can at any time take any need in our marriage to the One who can do all things. 
7) Because of the gospel, we have hope (Romans 5:1-4). Therefore we can endure any marital difficulty, hardship, or suffering, with the assurance that God is working all to our greatest good (Romans 8:28). 
8) Because of the gospel, Christ dwells in us by his Holy Spirit (Galatians 3:13-14). Therefore we are confident that God is always with us and is always at work in our marriage, even when progress is imperceptible (1 Thessalonians 5:23-24). 
9) Because of the gospel, we have power to fight and overcome remaining sin, which continues to dwell and war within us (Romans 7:19-21, 24-25; Galatians 5:16-17). This indwelling enemy represents the essence of what is called the doctrine of sin.

Today, then, as you marvel at the birth of your Savior, consider what He did to decisively do something about marriage.

Weekend Preview – Christmas in 1 John

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This coming Sunday, 12/20/15, I’m hoping to do have a fun journey into some themes related to Christmas in the book of 1 John, which we’re currently working through as a church.

Here’s a graphic on one verse that has especially captured my attention:

This isn’t the first time I’ve done this.  I did a series called Christmas in Hebrews.  I’ve also done a sermon on Christmas in the Book of the Revelation.  So, take time to week and browse through the book of 1 John and see what Christmas themes you can find and let’s compare notes on Sunday.

Weekend Recap – Christmas Bursts Expectations

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My 12/13/15AM devotional from the end of the children’s Christmas program was entitled Christmas Bursts Expectations from 1 Samuel 16:1-13.  I tried to make some connections between Samuel going to find a king in Bethlehem, who ended up being a shepherd out in the field, keeping watch over his flock to the King that was born in Bethlehem and announced to shepherds in Luke 2.  It’s truly amazing to watch God burst our expectations of how we would fix a broken world.  And, He does it in a way that is not only effective but lasting.  So, I hope this thought is encouraging to you.

Weekend Preview – Advent on the Brain

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This coming Lord’s Day, 12/13/15, will be a full day at Crestview with our Children’s Christmas Program, Annual Member’s Meeting and Small Groups.  I thought I’d post this photo:

Seriously, I think we’ll be blessed as our children help focus us on what Christ as has done in coming to earth to save sinners like us.  I hope you come ready to enjoy Him together with others.  After all, the Father has sent His Son as the Savior of the world, and this calls for our praise.  

Christmas Eve Recap 2013

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We had a great night of worship as a church family together tonight.

We opened singing O Come, O Come Emmanuel and went into this video by Isaac Wimberley:

Advent: God With Us from The Village Church on Vimeo.

After singing Joy To the World, Hark! The Herald Angels Sing and O Come All Ye Faithful, Mandy Swisher sang O Holy Night using these lyrics:

Verse One (by Placide Cappeau, trans. John S. Dwight)
O holy night, the stars are brightly shining;
It is the night of the dear Savior’s birth!
Long lay the world in sin and error pining,
Till He appeared and the soul felt its worth.
A thrill of hope, the weary world rejoices,
For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn.
Fall on your knees, O hear the angel voices!
O night divine, O night when Christ was born!
O night, O holy night, O night divine!
Verse Two (by Kevin Hartnett)
Humbly He lay, Creator come as creature,
Born on the floor of a hay-scattered stall.
True Son of God, yet bearing human feature,
He entered earth to reverse Adam’s fall.
In towering grace, He laid aside His glory,
And in our place, was sacrificed for sin.
Fall on your knees! O hear the gospel story!
O night divine, O night when Christ was born!
O night, O holy night, O night divine!
Verse Three (by Kevin Hartnett)
Come then to Him Who lies within the manger,
With joyful shepherds, proclaim Him as Lord.
Let not the Promised Son remain a stranger;
In reverent worship, make Christ your Adored.
Eternal life is theirs who will receive Him;
With grace and peace, their lives He will adorn.
Fall on your knees! Receive the Gift of heaven!
O night divine, O night when Christ was born!
O night, O holy night, O night divine!
After reviewing the Christmas story from Luke 1, Matthew 1 and Luke 2, e closed singing Silent Night as we lit candles.  I hope this service helped inspire your worship of God enfleshing Himself.  Have a Merry Christmas.  

Weekend Recap – 12/22/13

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My 12/22/13AM sermon, God-Centered Christmas from Luke 2:1-7, is now online.  The sermon sought to showcase how God and Christ are seen in the Christmas story so that we might believe and worship God for His amazing plan in sending His Son.  I hope it does this for you and you spend time this week marveling at God becoming man.

My Christmas Heritage

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Remembered a story I had heard at my Grandpa Lemay’s funeral visiting with family and got permission to post it here.  It was written up for our family’s newsletter and called Christmas In Tonica.  The Gpa Lemay in this story is my great grandfather…

Grandpa Lemay accepted a job to run a farm implement store up North and moved his wife, six children and Grandpa Denny to the little village of Tonica, IL. Three weeks after arriving there the farm store burned to the ground. Grandpa picked up whatever odd jobs he could and looked for other work. Eventually the railroad decided to re-open the depot in Tonica and Grandpa was hired to run it. They all worked at the depot for weeks cutting down the tall grass, pulling weeds, scrubbing the inside, doing repairs, etc. Two days before it was scheduled to re-open, Grandpa received a telegram saying that they had changed their mind and decided not to re-open the depot after all. Grandpa was back to picking up odd jobs and the family struggled to make ends meet and put food on the table thru that fall and into the winter.

Christmas came and Grandpa Denny walked the children to church for the Christmas Eve service. Mom said that there was the most beautiful tree in the church and she sat there and just drank it in so that she could remember it when so got home, because there was not going to be any tree at their house. She had been hearing her friends talk about what they were going to get for Christmas and she knew that she and her brothers and sisters were not going to get anything. So, she sat there trying to listen to the service, but feeling sad and gloomy about the Christmas that wasn’t coming to their house. And then, she would feel guilty because that wasn’t what Christmas was about – it was about the birth of Jesus and she should be feeling happy and joyous about the birth of her Savior. It was a long, hard service for that little nine year old girl.

After church they began their trek home. The snow was falling softly and the world seemed quiet and peaceful. Grandpa Denny started them singing Christmas Carols to pass the time as they walked. Their house was up on a hill and shortly before you got to it, there was a creek with a wooden bridge across it. When they got to the bridge, Grandpa Denny exclaimed in his booming Irish baritone, “Raise your voices, children. How is the Lord going to hear you praising Him when you are singing like that? Raise your voices and praise the Lord, now.” Of course, they had no way of knowing that they were not just praising the Lord – they were also signaling the people gathered in their house.

Mom said that all of a sudden there were tiny little lights that looked like fireflies in their parlor. But, that couldn’t possibly be because the parlor was always closed off and no one ever went in there! But as they got closer the lights began to look like little flames – candle flames! Could it possibly be! Her heart was filled with such excitement as they all dashed into the house. And there, in the parlor, was a Christmas tree decorated with beautiful ornaments and covered with tiny lighted candles. While they were gone the neighbors had brought in the tree and decorated it. And they had brought one present for each of the children and food and candy and all sorts of goodies. The neighbors stayed and everyone visited and ate and laughed and wished one another, “Merry Christmas.”

And it was indeed the very Merriest Christmas. Mom lived to be 90 and she always said that was the best Christmas she ever had. As I was cleaning out her dresser after she passed away, I found one little silver Christmas tree candle holder carefully wrapped in tissue paper at the bottom of a drawer. It wasn’t from that night as it looked relatively new. I don’t know where she had found it, but I certainly know the memory that it held for her.