any sermons on a man and woman living together?

No, I haven't heard any sermons on that, nor have I preached one, nor will I preach one.

I think everyone in my church knows that living together is wrong, so I see no need to preach "to the choir." I would readily say that it is a sin if the occasion ever arose, but I don't have a need to preach on it now. Sure, I could talk all day about how Mr. Hollywood and Miss Movie Star are shacking up, but I would be neglecting my congregation.

I'd rather focus on giving my congregation what they need--biblical truths that directly affect their lives. Quite frankly, I think "issue" sermons are woefully inadequate anyway. Preaching against living together could give you maybe 3-5 minutes of substance, but the rest would either be filler or repetition. I don't like beating dead horses, and neither do most church attendees.

 

Speaking in general, not to stefanm's post

The churches divorce rate is most likely high because people did not really understand the sin involved, nor the proper basis for Christian marriage. Yes, there is personal responsibility for their lives, but many believers today see little wrong with any of these things.

In 40 plus years I've never heard a sermon on either divorce or marriage, or living together for that matter.

I think we tend to think our people know when they may or may not. Recent Barna poles tend to show our youth don't know what they should about God.

 

One does not have to preach "issue" sermons in order to educate his hearers on particular issues-----I haven't preached an "issues" sermon in years---but rather incorporate the "issues" into the particular expository sermon as it fits----for instance---I can be preaching along a expository series on the ten commands----taking each command and spending a whole sermon on just that one command----and when I get to the command that says----"Thou shalt not commit adultery"---wa-la!! I can pick up this particular issue of men shackin' up with women---how that is an abomination unto the Lord

See??

I can do it again in a particular series on say---The Family---out of Ephesians 4-6---and drill in an "issue" that speaks relivant to that, too!!

I do not give the people what they want---I give them what they need---and what they need is what is called "The Whole Counsel of God"---and when the whole counsel of God is preached----men shackin' up with woman---will be one of the issues to tackle.

 

Addressing the issue as it arises in the text or in a major topic--that's prudent. I have no problem in doing that. I was merely objecting to the idea that I should preach a sermon specifically about "shackin' up."

 

Going through 1 Cor. wil take care of most any immoral problems in regards to marriage, fornication, etc.

 

Amen, may God raise up more preachers with this desire!

 

Amen Karen

 

You won't find that in areas of the world where the non-Christians are antagonistic toward the Christians.

 

I'm NOT in any way advocating "shacking up"because most of the time that is more about having the convienience of a sex partner without the responsibility and commitment to EACH OTHER that marriage suggests and the BIBLE TEACHES....but I have yet to find myself or see anybody else find even ONE place in the Word of God where we are commanded or even indirectly told that we MUST have a license from the "state" OR a "ceremony" of any sort in order for a man and woman who are COMMITTED TO EACH OTHER to be married in the EYES OF GOD.Most of the customs we hold to of this sort are defined by the culture we live in....but many times in the Bible,particularly in the Old Testament,marriage was defined by two people making a commitment or decision to be together as man and wife.....and then heading into the TENT to "lay with one another"!They were JUST AS MARRIED in God's eyes as the average baptist of our day that has an expensive and elaborate wedding ceremony.And by the way....that elaborate and expensive ceremony GUARANTEES NOTHING in this corrupt and apostate day and age where vows,ceremonies,and more importantly COMMITMENTS are regularly set aside or not taken seriously.It's the commitment and the FLESH UNION or consumation that make the marriage in God's eyes.If you don't agree with me...that's OK....but pull out that Bible(and by the way...I'd prefer quotes from a KJV...since that's the Bible I prefer)and PROVE me wrong. In the meantime...I'll go enjoy another peaceful nights sleep.Don't forget....chapter and verse...IN CONTEXT.

Greg Sr.

 

Rom. 13.1ff relates to doing a license in our day, but you are fairly correct - not sure weddings are a part of the church, unless someone wants it that way.

Yep, Christ went to one - in His culture etc.

Think we have made way much of marryins and buryins in our country to the tune of big bucks.

 

Actually, I preached once a message titled
"When A Man Loves A Woman". One black fellow ran out the church...few days later he was on the radio singing.."When A Man Loves A Woman" and to this day, I have never received a dime for that song!

 

Perhaps it is not preaching to the choir. How about the young people who need to hear this message? Part of giving them a firm foundation.

Even Christian kids need support and teaching.

That said, I agree with Gregory's point. There is no magic in a ceremony. The point is a commitment to be husband and wife, however entered, doesn't mean until we get bored do we part.

 

mr. messy Hope this helps~

The Baptist preacher up the road used to do a examime yourself "check up" sermon. That pretty much covered every thing.

2Corinthians 13:5 -
Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?

You could tell that some people were uncomfortable when he preached it. But the good part about theses type of "pointing out sin" sermons are... either it makes the congragation realize they got some things they need to change or they realize there is someone they need to pray for. Media has also done a job on making us insensitive to the sin around us.

One scripture he would always use was......

1 Corinthians 6:9-11
9 Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind,
10 Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.
11 And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.

Then pretty much from there he preached the salvation message. BTW, he didn't get up an yell it, but he was firm and serious...as if your life might depend on it.

 

Genesis 34 (King James Version)


Genesis 34
1And Dinah the daughter of Leah, which she bare unto Jacob, went out to see the daughters of the land.

2And when Shechem the son of Hamor the Hivite, prince of the country, saw her, he took her, and lay with her, and defiled her.

3And his soul clave unto Dinah the daughter of Jacob, and he loved the damsel, and spake kindly unto the damsel.

4And Shechem spake unto his father Hamor, saying, Get me this damsel to wife.

5And Jacob heard that he had defiled Dinah his daughter: now his sons were with his cattle in the field: and Jacob held his peace until they were come.

6And Hamor the father of Shechem went out unto Jacob to commune with him.

7And the sons of Jacob came out of the field when they heard it: and the men were grieved, and they were very wroth, because he had wrought folly in Israel in lying with Jacob's daughter: which thing ought not to be done.

8And Hamor communed with them, saying, The soul of my son Shechem longeth for your daughter: I pray you give her him to wife.

9And make ye marriages with us, and give your daughters unto us, and take our daughters unto you.

10And ye shall dwell with us: and the land shall be before you; dwell and trade ye therein, and get you possessions therein.

11And Shechem said unto her father and unto her brethren, Let me find grace in your eyes, and what ye shall say unto me I will give.

12Ask me never so much dowry and gift, and I will give according as ye shall say unto me: but give me the damsel to wife.


This doesn't really say anything about God, but all the parties in this situation did not consider Dinah and Shechem to be married. The desire for marriage was there (at least on the side of Shechem, unknown for Dinah), and the sexual union was certainly there, but no one recognized it as a marriage.

Of course the problem with saying that consummation is required before a marriage is valid is that the first sexual encounter could possibly be fornication (because the partners were not yet fully "married"). Even so, consummation is the normative conclusion to the marriage process.