Community, Covenant, and the Gospel in Relationships

 

Summary

In today's gathering, we celebrated the dedication of children to the Lord, emphasizing the importance of community in raising children in the faith. We began by acknowledging the commitment of parents to raise their children in the discipline and instruction of the Lord, and then extended this commitment to the church community, recognizing that raising children is a collective effort. This dedication was followed by a time of prayer, where we lifted up the children and their families, asking for God's guidance and protection over their lives.

We then transitioned into a discussion on leveraging our lives for the sake of the gospel, focusing specifically on relationships, particularly marriage. We explored how marriage is not just a cultural norm or a means to personal happiness, but a covenant relationship designed to reflect God's love and to be leveraged for His glory. We delved into Ephesians 5, discussing the roles of husbands and wives within a marriage, emphasizing mutual submission and sacrificial love as key components of a gospel-centered marriage.

Marriage, as defined by Jesus, is a covenant relationship between one man and one woman for a lifetime, mirroring God's covenant relationship with us. This relationship is marked by mutual submission and sacrificial love, where wives are called to submit to their husbands as a reflection of their submission to Christ, and husbands are called to love their wives sacrificially, as Christ loved the church. This mutual submission and love serve as a powerful testimony of the gospel to the world, showcasing the transformative power of Christ's love.

We acknowledged the challenges and complexities of marriage, recognizing that it is not always easy, but it is a profound opportunity to demonstrate the gospel. We encouraged those who are married, those who desire to be married, and those who are single to view their relationships through the lens of the gospel, seeking to honor God in all that they do. Ultimately, our relationships, particularly marriage, are a means to reflect God's love and to advance His kingdom, impacting lives for eternity.

Key Takeaways:

1. Community in Raising Children: Raising children in the faith is a communal effort, where both parents and the church community commit to teaching and modeling the ways of the Lord. This collective responsibility ensures that children grow up surrounded by a supportive network that points them to Christ. [06:05]

2. Marriage as a Covenant: Marriage is a covenant relationship between one man and one woman, designed to reflect God's covenant with us. It is a lifelong commitment that mirrors the faithfulness and love of God, serving as a testimony of His grace and truth. [24:58]

3. Mutual Submission and Sacrificial Love: In a gospel-centered marriage, both spouses are called to submit to one another and to love sacrificially. This mutual submission and love reflect the relationship between Christ and the church, demonstrating the power of the gospel in transforming lives. [31:55]

4. Marriage as a Gospel Witness: A healthy marriage serves as a powerful witness to the world, showcasing the love and grace of God. By prioritizing the gospel in our marriages, we provide a compelling picture of Christ's love, inviting others to experience the same transformative power. [43:31]

5. Forgiveness and New Beginnings: Regardless of past mistakes or broken relationships, God's forgiveness offers a new beginning. Embracing this forgiveness allows us to move forward in our relationships, leveraging them for God's glory and advancing His kingdom. [46:26]

Youtube Chapters:

- [00:00] - Welcome
- [06:05] - Child Dedication and Community Commitment
- [12:46] - Introduction to Leveraging Lives for the Gospel
- [18:38] - Personal Story and Marriage Introduction
- [24:58] - Definition of Marriage
- [31:55] - Mutual Submission in Marriage
- [34:42] - Biblical Submission Explained
- [40:36] - Husbands' Role: Sacrificial Love
- [43:31] - Marriage as a Gospel Witness
- [46:26] - Forgiveness and New Beginnings
- [49:33] - Closing Prayer and Response Time

Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide

Bible Reading:
- Ephesians 5:21-33

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Observation Questions:

1. What commitments did the parents make during the child dedication ceremony, and how did the church community respond? [06:05]
2. How does the sermon define marriage according to Ephesians 5, and what roles are emphasized for husbands and wives? [24:58]
3. What is the significance of mutual submission in a gospel-centered marriage as discussed in the sermon? [31:55]
4. How does the pastor describe the relationship between marriage and the gospel's transformative power? [43:31]

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Interpretation Questions:

1. How does the concept of mutual submission in Ephesians 5:21-33 challenge or affirm contemporary views on marriage roles? [31:55]
2. In what ways does the sermon suggest that marriage can serve as a testimony of God's love and grace to the world? [43:31]
3. How does the pastor's personal story about his marriage illustrate the complexities and opportunities within a gospel-centered relationship? [18:38]
4. What does the sermon imply about the role of forgiveness and new beginnings in relationships, particularly in marriage? [46:26]

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Application Questions:

1. Reflect on your current or future role in a marriage or relationship. How can you practice mutual submission and sacrificial love in a way that reflects the gospel? [31:55]
2. Consider the community's role in raising children in the faith. How can you actively participate in supporting families within your church community? [06:05]
3. How can you leverage your relationships, whether in marriage or singleness, to advance God's kingdom and reflect His love to others? [43:31]
4. Identify a past mistake or broken relationship in your life. How can embracing God's forgiveness lead to a new beginning and a renewed focus on His glory? [46:26]
5. Think about a specific challenge you face in your marriage or relationships. What steps can you take to address this challenge through the lens of the gospel?
6. How can you ensure that your marriage or future marriage serves as a gospel witness to those around you, showcasing the love and grace of God? [43:31]
7. Reflect on the sermon’s message about the transformative power of Christ's love. How can you apply this understanding to improve your interactions with others, especially in challenging situations? [43:31]

Devotional

I'm ready to provide the 5-day devotional.

Quotes

Thank you guys for sharing, and what a beautiful testimony, and I want to say, too, we're so proud of you guys. Park family, the way you so selflessly serve the Lord, when you first started this church planting adventure, you had no children, and now you stand with three, and I hope you see God's faithfulness, because your serving of the Lord hasn't slowed down, it's only sped up, and I praise God, and I'm very proud of you guys. [00:00:46] (27 seconds)


So we'll try the first one, see if we get it right, and then when I'm done with them, I'm going to have a commitment from us, the church, because raising children is a community effort, and so we'll have a time to make a pledge and a commitment back to these families, but let's start with the Echevarrias and the Parks. [00:01:32] (20 seconds)


Guys, our parent pledge is this. Number one, do you commit to raising your children in the discipline and the instruction of the Lord? If you do, say, we do. Do you commit to being the chief disciple makers in your home? Do you commit to teaching your children to fear the Lord and to tell of his wondrous works? [00:01:52] (27 seconds)


may never be um a time where we get all these people in a room together and one day our prayer is that uh isabella and abel and zachariah will be able to look upon this day and see that they had families who loved and cared for them but not just for them but for their families and their families and their families and their families and not just their family but also the family of god who loves them and stands in the gap for them and so would you guys join me and i will lead us in a time of prayer i'll give us just another second as we have some other people joining us [00:06:05] (35 seconds)


all right let's pray together heavenly father we come to you like hannah did humbled god we don't we're not responsible for creating life only you can do that and so god who are we to take that life and own it as if it belongs to us god this new life belongs to you and so lord like hannah we humbly come and pray and we give you thanks god god thank you that you brought them into the world safely god thank you that you protected um the the mothers and god thank you so much that you answered so many prayers to get these families to this point and god thank you for how truly loved these children already are god [00:06:55] (57 seconds)


we humble ourselves and we thank you but lord also we want to lift these children up to you god they belong to you and as parents one of the most important but also nerve -wracking things we can do is to to realize we are only managing their lives for your kingdom and for your glory and so god would you be with the parents who are making commitments today give them bravery and courage and strength lord help them to depend on you and rely on you when days are hard and nights are even harder lord would you be with them and cover them under the shadow of your wings lord would you protect them and guard them and guide them and god we pray for these children we pray for isabella and abel we pray for zachariah god we pray that one day they might understand the gospel of jesus and they might turn from their sins and trust and follow jesus christ as their lord and savior forevermore father we thank you so much for these families and we pray your protection over these children we pray that you would love them and guard them and god we pray always that your love would overwhelm these two families in jesus name we pray amen and amen can we give the lord some praise and thank you guys so much and you guys are welcome to go and have a seat [00:07:52] (91 seconds)


And start talking about, okay, what are the things that we have that we can be leveraging for the sake of God's kingdom? And so last week we chatted about our finances, our money, physical resources that God has given to us. And this week we're going to be talking about a little bit, since we're kind of in the middle of February, we're going to be chatting about relationships and how we can leverage relationships in our lives for the sake of the gospel. Now when I say for the sake of the gospel, here's what I'm talking about. What I'm talking about is how do we leverage our lives and the things that we have in a way that is going to matter a hundred billion years from now, okay? And a hundred billion years from now, most of the things we leverage and invest in aren't going to exist. [00:12:24] (56 seconds)


Submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ. Now, this is really important in light of the next verse. Because we start with like godly relationships, the way we leverage relationships starts with submitting to one another. OK. Then we move into verse 22. Wives, submit to your own husbands as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church, his body, and is himself its savior. Now, as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit in everything to their husbands. [00:21:01] (39 seconds)


Husbands, love your wives as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the water. So 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. In the same way, husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. [00:21:40] (29 seconds)


Therefore, a man shall leave his father and mother, hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh. This mystery is profound, and I'm saying that it refers to Christ and the church. However, let each one of you love his wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband. All right. This is the word of the Lord. And so I know that as we walk through that, some people have... heard this passage, maybe you're hearing it for the first time, and it can really relay a lot of different emotions. So I want to unpack just a couple of things. I don't have time today to do a deep dive into every single thing today, but I hope that maybe I can address some of the elephants in the room, and we can talk about what does it look like to leverage a marriage for the glory of God. Here's what I know. Most people don't get married so that they have something to leverage for the glory. Most people don't get married so that they have something to leverage for the glory of God. [00:22:23] (59 seconds)


So when we talk about marriage, I'm going to take for you and give to you Jesus's definition of marriage from Matthew chapter 19. So this is not Brandon's definition. I did not copy and paste this on Google. This was not like this is from Matthew 19, how Jesus defines marriage. What is marriage? If you're taking notes, you can write this down. Marriage is a covenant relationship between one woman and one man for a life. This is a time that imperfectly mirrors God's covenant relationship with us. That's what marriage is. [00:24:21] (37 seconds)


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Transcript
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