Dr Tom Hover
February 12, 2023
Genesis 2:24, Ephesians 5:31 / Philippians 3:1-9
LOVE FOR A LIFE TIME! / Religious and Bankrupt or Redeem and Righteous?
LOVE FOR A LIFE TIME!
Genesis 2:24 “Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.” Ephesians 5:31
Introduction: Love God completely; love others compassionately; love yourself correctly. If we are brave enough to love, strong enough to forgive, generous enough to rejoice in another’s happiness, and wise enough to know there is enough love to go around for us all, then we can achieve a fulfillment of Authentic Love that few ever know. Love is a choice; and love is a verb. It displays commitment, kindness, respect, humility, selflessness, forgiveness, and honesty. I Corinthians 13:1-13 Love is a commandment to heed not a feel to be sought. Love is not an emotion, but a devotion that results in kind deeds & deep emotions. Matthew 22:37-40 Love For A Life Time! Four types of Love: Eros = Physical, Phila = Friendship, Storge = Family and Agape= Complete unconditional self-sacrificing Love/God’s Love. Physical, friendship & family Love are great but, God’s Love(agape)is the Greatest. Choose the Greatest & you will get the Best of all the rest. Note Three Facts This Verse Tells Us:
1.) THE PRIORITY OF MARRIAGE - Genesis 2:24 “LEAVE”
2.) THE PERMANENCE OF MARRIAGE - Genesis 2:24 “CLEAVE”
3.) THE PURPOSE OF MARRIAGE - Genesis 2:24 “BE ONE FLESH” RECEIVE We must be truly able to LEAVE, CLEAVE, and then RECEIVE (be one flesh).
I. THE BENEFITS OF LEAVING
Genesis 2:24 “Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother,”
Stand on your own SPIRITUALLY, MENTALLY, PHYSICALLY.
A.) Your Bonding Sets B.) Your Faith Grows C.) Your Home Strengthens
Eph. 5:31-33, 6:1-4, Titus 2:1-8 The man is the head of the home; the woman is the heart of the home; and the children are the hub of the home. No head is dead. Two heads are a freak. Someone must lead.
II. THE BLESSINGS OF CLEAVING
Genesis 2:24 “...and shall cleave unto his wife:” Welled Together, Yoked Together, Joined Together, Tied Together Divorce is not an option! Best buds together forever!
A.) It Gives a Promise of Security B.) It Builds a Sweet Trust
C.) It Demands Loving Kindness
III. THE BEAUTY OF ONENESS
Genesis 2:24 “and they shall be one flesh.” Understanding The Differences Mark 10:6
A.) The Trinity of Marital Oneness I Thess. 5:23-24 1. BODY 2. SOUL
3. SPIRIT When our Body is right. We are Healthy. When our Soul is right, we are Happy. When our Spirit is right, we are Holy. The Oneness Factor: Spirit - Communion, Soul - Communication, and Body-Continuation and Conveyance.
B.) The Keys to Marital Oneness
Two Keys That Unlock the Doors of: SPIRIT ONENESS - SOUL ONENESS - BODY ONENESS Ephesians 5:33 “Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself; and the wife see that she reverences her husband.”
For men the key is: Love. Col. 3:18, Eph. 5:25,28 Know that it is love she desires most. He gives daily the love his wife desires.
For women the key is: Respect. Eph. 5:33, Col. 3:18, Eph. 5:22 I Peter 3:1-12 The life and love you create is the life and love you live.
C.) The Duties of Marital Oneness
Spirit Oneness Spiritual Intimacy Marriage is a romance in which the hero and the heroine die in the very first chapter, and Jesus Christ is Lord.
Soul Oneness Psychological Intimacy A marriage has psychological oneness when thoughts, will, and words connect with deep trust, unity, and powerful emotions such as joy, sadness, and dearness.
TWO ENEMIES OF SOUL ONENESS:
Lack of love for God’s Word Psalm 119:165, Pride Proverbs 13:10
STEPS TO SOUL ONENESS
1.) Commitment Always practice the “AS IF” principle.
2.) Communication Communicate or Disintegrate!
3.) Communion Develop common interests and sharpen your sensitivity towards one another. Romans 12:15
BODY ONENESS PHYSICAL INTIMACY Gen. 2:24 “and they shall be one flesh.” A marriage has physical oneness when bodies unite regularly in physical pleasure with powerful personal meaning. The body oneness marriage was designed by God for our good and can be a husband and wife’s most sublime expression of love. Your sexual relationship is a window into your soul.
STEPS TO BODY ONENESS I Corinthians 7:1-5, Hebrews 13:4, Psalm 5:19,
Proverbs 5:18-20
1.) The Principle of Need – (The Urge to Merge!)
2.) The Principle of Authority – (Body Ownership)
3.) The Principle of Habit
The typical wife doesn’t understand her husband’s deep need for sex any more than the typical husband understands his wife’s deep need for affection. Regularly Exercise Spirit Love, Soul Love, Body Love Together
Joy is love’s music. Peace is love’s agreement. Longsuffering is love’s endurance. Kindness is love’s service. Goodness is love’s deportment. Faithfulness is love’s measure.
Oh, Pastor I want Love for a Life Time! Then choose Love for a Life Time! You choose love and love will choose you! God is a God of everlasting Love!
I John 3:1, II Thessalonians 3:5
PM
Religious and Bankrupt or Redeem and Righteous?
Figuring out what really matters and what really does not matter.
Scripture Reading: Philippians 3:1-9
TEXT: Philippians 3:8
Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ,
Introduction: I want to talk to you about Religious and Bankrupt or Redeemed and Righteous? Philippians 3:1-9 Paul is trying to figure out what really matters and what really does not matter.
I. The Religious In Spiritual Bankruptcy
The Apostle Paul says, “If you want to get in a bragging contest, I could brag with you.” Philippians 3:4
Paul said, “There were some things that I used to be so proud of,” and he goes to talk about those things.
WARRING: Don’t Trust In The Flesh! Jeremiah 17:5–7
A. The Pride of Ritual Philippians 3:5 “Circumcised the eighth day,”
B. The Pride of Relationship Philippians 3:5 “of the stock of Israel,”
C. The Pride of Respectability Philippians 3:5 “of the tribe of Benjamin,”
D. The Pride of Race Philippians 3:5 “an Hebrew of the Hebrews;”
E.?The Pride of Religion Philippians 3:5 “as touching the law, a Pharisee;”
F.? The Pride of Reputation Philippians 3:6-8, Romans 8:8
II. The Redeemed In Spiritual Blessedness
Philippians 3:8-9, Romans 10:3
A. The Knowledge of Christ
Philippians 3:8-9
Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ,
B. The Fellowship of Christ Philippians 3:9 And be found in Him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:
C. The Righteousness of Christ Philippians 3:9, Romans 4:5–8
Conclusion
There you have it: Religious and Bankrupt or Redeemed and Righteous? Which are you?
