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February 5,
2012The family of God here at the Dowagiac Church of Christ wishes to extend to you a warm welcome. If you have questions about our worship services and why we do what we do, we will be glad to give you a biblical answer. The uniqueness of the Church of Christ is that we are trying to restore to the best of our ability those things that we see the first century church doing. We are also working hard at building the spirit, unity, and love that Jesus taught and prayed for. We have no clergy, but are working together as equal co-workers trying to serve one another and the area in which we live. Come study with us, grow with us, and serve with us as we strive to do God's will in all things.
FAMILY
NEWS
POTLUCK. Today is our regular monthly potluck. We not only enjoy good food and good conversation, but we talk about our plans for the future of this congregation. We need everyone's input and advice, so please plan to stay and be a part of our planning.
SOUND SYSTEM. Our sound system continues to improve, and we are gradually getting our worship leaders to use it effectively. If you are not hearing well, please see Karl Marcussen for a personal receiver.
KEEP UP WITH THE SICK. We really appreciate Julie and Karl keeping track of people who need our prayers, cards, visits, and phone calls. Be sure to get the sheet each week and be sure to do something with it! Make a phone call every day. Send a card or note to those that you have an address for. Make a visit once a week. This is something we all can do, and it is a wonderful way to minister to people who need encouragement and help. If you know someone who should be on the sheet contact Julie or Karl Marcussen.
BENEVOLENT WORK. We have purchased the materials to make blankets for a family in our area that have been burned out or have lost ways to keep warm in this cold time of year. Julie Marcussen is heading this up, and a work session is planned for today to make some of the blankets. See Julie if you can help.
TODAY'S LESSON
INTRODUCTION--Revelation 2:4-5
CONTRACTS--MARRIAGE AND DIVORCE
Our congregation has been injured repeatedly by divorce and the struggles that many members have gone through in their marriages. Marriage is hard because it involves commitment and staying faithful to that commitment for a long period of time. God has always put a high premium on faithfulness to commitment. In Genesis 17:1-14 God establishes a covenant with Abraham which was sealed by the act of circumcision. As long as Abraham kept his end of God's covenant, God would fulfill His promises. To break the covenant would mean to be cut off by God (verse 14).
Another covenant of importance to God is the covenant of baptism. God tells man that if man is baptized into Christ and becomes a new creature then God will forgive him of his sins and he will have a new life, with the promise of salvation (Acts 2:38-39; Romans 6:3-4; 1 Peter 3:21). If man fulfills his part of the covenant then God promises He will fulfill His.
Marriage is another contract or covenant that God has given us. In Genesis 2:24 we are told about the initiation of that contract and Jesus confirmed it in Matthew 19:3-12. In that passage Jesus had been asked about divorce, and He confirms God's plan for man and woman and indicates that God had tolerated early man's selfish violations of God's law, but that was not what God intended from the beginning. In 1 Corinthians 7:1-40 Paul addresses specific problems that come up in marriage in the early church and even says that the marriage commitment is not for everyone who is dedicated to God. In 1 Corinthians 7:10-11 Paul indicates that a Christian can separate from their mate and remain single.
The one exclusion in all of these passages is when the marriage contract is broken. The word used to indicate this is "adultery." Adultery does not just mean sexual infidelity. In Jeremiah 3:9 we are told that Israel committed adultery with stone and wood. A person who breaks a contract commits adultery. In marriage, abuse, abandonment, homosexuality, etc., all are adultery. God calls us to faithfulness in all our commitments.
SEVEN
DANGEROUS LOVE AFFAIRS
1
JOHN 2:15-17--"Do not love the world or
anything in the world. If anyone loves
the world, the love of the Father is not
in him."
INTRODUCTION--Revelation 2:4-5
Time can
do nasty things to our marriages.
The church is the Bride of Christ--Matthew 25:1-13; Revelation 19:7-8; and 21 :2, 9.
BE CAREFUL YOU ARE NOT IN LOVE WITH
YOURSELF.The church is the Bride of Christ--Matthew 25:1-13; Revelation 19:7-8; and 21 :2, 9.
2 Timothy
3:1-2
Luke
18:9-14--Notice the promise at the end.
Proverbs 6:16-17
BE CAREFUL ABOUT THE LOVE OF MONEY.Proverbs 6:16-17
Included
in 2 Timothy 3:1-2
1 Timothy
6:10
Mark 10:17-31--His face fell (verse 22).
BE CAREFUL ABOUT THE PRAISE OF MEN.Mark 10:17-31--His face fell (verse 22).
Matthew
6:5
Matthew
23:5
Saul and David's praise--1 Samuel 18:7-8. Can we handle someone else's success?
BE CAREFUL ABOUT LOVING DARKNESS.Saul and David's praise--1 Samuel 18:7-8. Can we handle someone else's success?
John 3:1
Why are
bars dark?
How many kinds of darkness are there?
BE CAREFUL ABOUT HOW MUCH YOU LOVE
PLEASURE.How many kinds of darkness are there?
2 Timothy
3:4
Judges 16--What was the problem with Sampson and sex?
King Herod--Matthew 14
What is your priority on pleasure?
BE CAREFUL ABOUT HOW MUCH YOU LOVE LIFE.Judges 16--What was the problem with Sampson and sex?
King Herod--Matthew 14
What is your priority on pleasure?
Revelation
12:11
Matthew 14--Why was John the Baptist killed?
2 Timothy 4:6
Steven in Acts 7
BE CAREFUL ABOUT HOW MUCH YOU LOVE THE
WORLD.Matthew 14--Why was John the Baptist killed?
2 Timothy 4:6
Steven in Acts 7
2 Timothy
4:10
Lot's wife--Genesis 19:26
Luke 12--His love affair was with the world.
1 John 2:15-17
Lot's wife--Genesis 19:26
Luke 12--His love affair was with the world.
1 John 2:15-17
CONTRACTS--MARRIAGE AND DIVORCE
Our congregation has been injured repeatedly by divorce and the struggles that many members have gone through in their marriages. Marriage is hard because it involves commitment and staying faithful to that commitment for a long period of time. God has always put a high premium on faithfulness to commitment. In Genesis 17:1-14 God establishes a covenant with Abraham which was sealed by the act of circumcision. As long as Abraham kept his end of God's covenant, God would fulfill His promises. To break the covenant would mean to be cut off by God (verse 14).
Another covenant of importance to God is the covenant of baptism. God tells man that if man is baptized into Christ and becomes a new creature then God will forgive him of his sins and he will have a new life, with the promise of salvation (Acts 2:38-39; Romans 6:3-4; 1 Peter 3:21). If man fulfills his part of the covenant then God promises He will fulfill His.
Marriage is another contract or covenant that God has given us. In Genesis 2:24 we are told about the initiation of that contract and Jesus confirmed it in Matthew 19:3-12. In that passage Jesus had been asked about divorce, and He confirms God's plan for man and woman and indicates that God had tolerated early man's selfish violations of God's law, but that was not what God intended from the beginning. In 1 Corinthians 7:1-40 Paul addresses specific problems that come up in marriage in the early church and even says that the marriage commitment is not for everyone who is dedicated to God. In 1 Corinthians 7:10-11 Paul indicates that a Christian can separate from their mate and remain single.
The one exclusion in all of these passages is when the marriage contract is broken. The word used to indicate this is "adultery." Adultery does not just mean sexual infidelity. In Jeremiah 3:9 we are told that Israel committed adultery with stone and wood. A person who breaks a contract commits adultery. In marriage, abuse, abandonment, homosexuality, etc., all are adultery. God calls us to faithfulness in all our commitments.