Sunday 29th May 2011
John Sweetman
*1 Corinthians 7: Concerning Married Life
God's Radical Views on Singleness and Marriage
*1 Corinthians 7:6 - I say this as a concession, not as a command.
same people need sex thus the need to get married
*1 Corinthians 7:12 - To the rest I say this (I, not the Lord): If any brother has a wife who is not a believer and she is willing to live with him, he must not divorce her.
not divorcing non-believers
*1 Corinthians 7:25 - Now about virgins: I have no command from the Lord, but I give a judgment as one who by the Lord’s mercy is trustworthy.
*1 Corinthians 7:40 - In my judgment, she is happier if she stays as she is—and I think that I too have the Spirit of God.
talking about widows
*He is actually talking about a particular situation
*When the church was struggling, they knew Jesus is coming back thus Paul commands them
*Paul is single and loves his single life thus he's aware of what he says about singleness and marriage
What God thinks about singlenesss and marriage?
*Last time, everyone had to be married
*It was a community belief
*Suppose to commit to a person and stay loyal
*The book of Deuteronomy tells us
*Is that true today?
Yes and No
*There is no forcing but theres an expectation to be in a relationship (Looking for someone you can share your life with and to have a sexual partner)
*Generally, this is also true with the church
*Many would think that were left out if were single
*It is not the way it's suppose to be
*This may seem like God's perspective but its not true
1. Its good to be single
1 Corinthians 7:8 - Paul says "Now to the unmarried and the widows I say: It is good for them to stay unmarried, as I do".
1 Corinthians 7:26 - Because of the present crisis, I think that it is good for a man to remain as he is.
1 Corinthians 7:38 - So then, he who marries the virgin does right, but he who does not marry her does better.
1 Corinthians 7:40 - In my judgment, she is happier if she stays as she is—and I think that I too have the Spirit of God.
*We do not encourage them to remain single
*Maybe under persecution during those days hence they encourage singleness to avoid responsibility but there is more than that
*To say that singleness is not good is ridiculous- especially when were following someone who's single, Jesus
God's radical view on singleness
*We may think that singleness are able to concentrate more on God's work bu their missing out. Is this true?
*Relate the story of the widow marrying six brothers and resurrects (Matthew 22:30)
*In heave, we will have unlimited number of families to love and know each other
*We are only married for a short amount of time
*Single people have the ultimate lover - JESUS
*Single people have the ultimate purpose - TO FOLLOW JESUS
*Single people have the ultimate family
*Mark 3:30 He said this because they were saying, “He has an impure spirit.”
*The challenge for the church is to deepen our love and make singles as our family because were important in God's life
*If your single, you have tremendous opportunities
*Nevertheless, its fine looking for a relationship
God's radical view on marriage
*Some people say marriage is important, others say otherwise
*Staying in love and being in love is very important
*If we don't believe in God, we might question what is worth living for but to have a relationship with someone?
*Intimate relationship is where we find peace, renewal, love and secureness
*Life is hard but loving relationships is what we need
*Deep down we hang on to that
*If it is frustrating, we need to move on and find a relationship that fulfills that
*Paul says that it is hard to be married
*1 Corinthians 7:28 - But if you do marry, you have not sinned; and if a virgin marries, she has not sinned. But those who marry will face many troubles in this life, and I want to spare you this.
*1 Corinthians 7:4 - The wife does not have authority over her own body but yields it to her husband. In the same way, the husband does not have authority over his own body but yields it to his wife.
*1 Corinthians 7:33 - But a married man is concerned about the affairs of this world—how he can please his wife—
*Sex is about giving ourselves to each other
*When your married, your concern is if your giving and satisfying your partner enough
*When you don't have a Christian partner, you can't get what you want like other Christian partners do
*But Paul said when were already committed to that person and its about giving, not receiving
*Thats why Paul said marriage is hard
*It is designed by God not to make it easy but to grow
*Marriage is a continuance dance. It will change but we have to get through it
*1 Corinthians 7:17 - Nevertheless, each person should live as a believer in whatever situation the Lord has assigned to them, just as God has called them. This is the rule I lay down in all the churches.
*Don't see the struggle as a bad thing is normal, healthy and able to grow like Jesus
*If your not married, you don't have to go through the problems but you won't grow from that and you won't have someone accountable with
*1 Corinthians 7:24 - Brothers and sisters, each person, as responsible to God, should remain in the situation they were in when God called them.
*We need to find contempt in a way were comfortable
*If we're not contented with God, then we will never come close to God
*Thus, we can wish for differences..
*But be contempt in all things :)
**Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path**
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