In Honor
Genesis 2: 18-23
Then the LORD God said, “It is not good that man be
alone; I will make him a helper fit for him.” So out of the
ground the LORD God formed every beast of the field
and every bird of the air, and brought them to the man
to see what he would call them; and whatever the man
called every living creature, that was its name. The man
gave names to all cattle, and to the birds of the air, and
to every beast of the field; but for the man there was not
found a helper for him. So the LORD God caused a deep
sleep to fall on the man, and while he slept took one of
his ribs, and closed up its place with flesh; and the rib
the which the LORD God had taken from the man he
made into a woman and brought her to the man. Then
the man said, “This at last is bone of my bones and
flesh of my flesh; she shall be called woman, because
she was taken out of man.
With that the wedding march started as man and woman became one
in the name of God,
Genesis 2:24
Therefore a man leaves his father and his mother and cleaves
to his wife, and they become one flesh.
Holy is the institution of marriage, which was not created and
enforced by the sin of the flesh but by God the Father. Marriage,
which is not a vacation but a 24-hour, seven day a week job.
“I take you to be my wedded spouse, to have and to hold, from this
day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness
and in health, to love and to cherish”….
Commitment is essential to a successful marriage,
Genesis 24: 58-60,
…for marriage is a time of joy, a time to cherish, a time
of struggle, till death do us part, according to God’s
holy ordinance; and thereto I pledge you my faith.
The problem is many get the words turned around,
Ephesians 5: 21:27
Be subject to one another out of reverence for Christ.
(Notice it does not say out of reverence to me.) Wives,
be subject to your husbands, as to the Lord. For the
husband is the head of the wife, as Christ is the head of
the church, his body, and is himself its Savior. As the
church is subject to Christ, so let wives also be subject
in everything to their husbands. (Notice God’s word
does not say the wife shall be the slave of her husband.)
(Now this is where most people tend to end this scripture
and not hear the rest.) Husbands, love (not yourself, your
job, the world or another) Husbands, love your wives, as
Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, (be
devoted, loyal, and be unto nothing else of this world)
that he might sanctify her, (to bless her) having cleansed
her (not abused her or ignored her) by the washing of
water with the word, that he might present the church to
himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such
thing, that she might be holy and without blemish. (Love
what is on the inside, not the flesh)
*[Thoughts in Parenthesis mine]
The wedding ring is the outward and visible sign of an inward and
spiritual grace, signifying the uniting of this man and woman in holy
matrimony
Ephesians 5: 28-29
Even so husbands should love their wives as their own
bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. (Honey,
you’ve gained some weight haven’t you? (look in the
mirror at yourself, love handles) For no man ever hates
his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, as Christ
does the church… *[Thoughts in Parenthesis mine]
By the powers given unto me by the state of Ohio and the blessings
of the church I pronounce you man and wife.
Ephesians 5: 30-33
…because we are members of his body. For this reason
a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to
his wife, and the two shall become one. This is a great
mystery, and I take it to mean Christ and the church;
however; let each one of you to love his wife as himself,
and let the wife see that she respects her husband.
For as much as this couple have consented together in holy wedlock,
and have witnessed the same before God, and this company, and
thereto have pledged their faith each to the other, and have declared
the same by joining hands and by giving and receiving rings; I
pronounce that they are husband and wife together, in the name of
the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Those, whom God
hath joined together, let no one put asunder. Amen
I REALLY ENJOYED THE WEDDING. WHY DON’T YOU INVITE ME
INTO YOUR DAILY LIVES? God
Fifty years ago today, Herbert E. Lutz and Mary Catherine Zerkel
stood before pastor Rev. Perkins, God, and their loved ones and
were married at the Terre Haute UMC on one of the hottest days of
the summer and then went North to Canada for their honeymoon.
Today, Sunday July 31, 2005 is a day in honor of their marriage, love
and family. Why do we honor you Herb & Mary? Because we love you
and you are an example in a world of failed marriages that the
institution of marriage can work.
Look where you are today in a church that not only loves you but
appreciates you and your gift of music. Blessed by a beautiful family,
daughters Stephanie, Kathy and Karen, their spouses David who now
lives with God and Tony. Grandsons: Phillip, Chris, Cameron, Charles,
Anthony, and Stephen. Dogs: Abbey and Peanut, grand-dogs: Brutus,
Buckeye and Lucky Grand-cats: Jessie, Silvy, Casey and Archie. And
don’t forget your other son, you know the preacher, Walter.
In this world everyday living is a challenge and to keep a marriage is a
matter of strength and faith. A matter of being prepared,
Ephesians 6: 10-11
Finally, be strong in the Lord, and in strength of his might.
Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to
stand against the wiles of the devil.
For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, our Lord and
Savior Jesus Christ, to be born as a babe and to die on the cross at
Calvary and to rise on the third day so that all who know Jesus Christ
as their Lord and Savior may have eternal life.
In His, NOT OURS, IN HIS wisdom God created the institution of
marriage solely between a man and a woman for marriage is holy and
marriage is living in the happiness of God’s eyes. Marriage, is God’s
means of men and women being fruitful so that this world may
continue to grow and exist. What amazes me is the couples who live
together and think nothing of it until you mention the word marriage.
Their response is, MY GOD YOU WANT ME TO DO WHAT?
What I want is for you to quit having a sleep over and get married and
be one as husband and wife…. God.
For it is one thing to have a sleepover, it is another to be married…for
the difference between living together and marriage lies in the
difference of two words. One word has nine letters; the other word
has ten letters. It is that one letter that makes the difference and
makes some people shutter for living together no longer becomes a
convenience but a commitment.
There was an elderly couple who had been married for several
thousand years and the wife learned to tolerate her husband’s
forgetfulness. One morning he said to her, honey what would you
like for breakfast. Knowing he would forget as soon as he left the
room she thought I’ll keep it short. Honey, yes dear, honey, I’d like
to have some wheat toast, coffee, and some orange juice. The
husband wrote her wishes down and left the room. After a little while
he returned to his wife’s side with her breakfast, she looked at it and
the husband asked, dear, what is wrong? To which she replied, I
knew you would forget the hot chocolate and sausage patties!
And they’re still blaming Adam for eating the apple!!
Let us remember that there are those who are, will continue, to live
against the will of God. Let ye who has not sinned throw the first
stone! For we must not forget that marriage is a seven letter word
that is a reflection of God unto this world. A reflection of God between
a man and a woman, husband and wife. Husband; love your wife as
God loves you.
To Herb and Mary, to the couples in this church family, to my wife,
thank you for not giving up during the tough times, and being
committed to the one you love.
In the year 2004, Clark County, OH. had a population of approximately
145,000, and there were 784 marriage license issued and 747divorces.
When one examines marriage they see there are marriages that have
a Colonel I’m In Charge and a Lt. Honey-do.
It was late in the darkness when a ship received a command: TURN
YOUR VESSEL 20 DEGREES NORTH NORTHEAST NOW! The ship’s
commander replied, THIS IS COL. I’M IN CHARGE WHO ARE YOU?
After a few seconds, Col. I’m In Charge, my name is Lt. Honey-do, Col.
I’m In Charge TURN YOUR SHIP NOW 20 Degrees North Northeast.
Col. I’m In Charge replied, I AM NOT TURNING THIS SHIP ANY
DEGREE. DO YOU UNDERSTAND LT. HONEY-DO THAT I HAVE BEEN
ON THE OPEN SEAS BEFORE YOU WERE EVEN BORN? Col. I’m In
Charge, I respect who you are and your years of experience but you
must NOW TURN YOUR SHIP 20 DEGREES NORTH NORTHEAST!
DO YOU HEAR ME? Col. I’m In Charge replied, I HEAR YOU LT.
HONEY-DO, STATE WHERE ARE YOU? Calmly Lt. Honey-do replied,
Col. I’m In Charge, I’m off your bow; I’m in a lighthouse.
So often marriages get into trouble and fail because the marriage,
Col. I’m In Charge proceeds in the blindness of darkness, of the
world. Col. I’m In Charge proceeds in the blindness of the darkness of
the world and fails to follow the light of God wondering why the ship
sank.
Marriage is not easy but it can be navigated if God is in charge.
Let us pray,
Father, your word is a lamp unto my feet in a world of darkness and
deceit. We thank you Father for the example that marriage can
work as we gather in your house this day to worship and
praise your name and to celebrate Herb and Mary’s
fiftieth wedding anniversary. To celebrate the
sanctity of marriage, thank you Father for
not giving up on your children when so
many tend to give upon themselves
and each other. God bless
America, God bless the
institution of
marriage.
Amen
07/31/2005 JWM
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