Fairfield-Freeman
Wedding Kerri Fairfield / Olen Freeman 11.7.98
Texts: 1 Cor 13.4-7 Col 3.12-15
What’s the key to a perfect marriage?
Col text says clothe yourselves with love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony.
But that comes at end of long list: clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience. Bear with one another and, if anyone has a complaint against another, forgive each other; just as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony.
Which is hardest to do? Which easiest? LOVE
Come easily to couple like you: Olen still rem what K wearing the first time he ever saw her
Rel that has withstood the dist and ph bills across mile from ND to AL
Rel where you each admire and apprec each other, cherish each other as friend/companion
Being in love is easy part… but loving each other is much harder
the 1 Cor 13 passage can help us discover diff between a true LOVE that never ends and simple,worldly little thing called LUV - uc
- you can fall in LUV at first sight (yellow top/plaid skirt), but you must grow in LOVE
- LUV is an impulse, but LOVE involves decisions / commitment,
- LUV is impetuous and filled with intrigue, LOVE is patient and kind
- LUV can be selfish and suspicious and jealous, but LOVE is not envious or boastful or arrogant
- LUV comes quickly, easily, and just as quickly/easily disap’ears
- LOVE takes time and energy, but also ... LOVE never ends
we most often think of love as a feeling (LUV), but in the Bible LOVE is an action
the Greek language of Bible has separate words to describe these loves: the LUV word has to do with feeling, emotions, passion, chemistry - knee wobbling, butterfly in stomach - not a bad thing: doesn’t even appear in the NT - more impt: that luv can’t be commanded
BUT LOVE arises from a keen sense of the value and worth in the object of our love - it is something you can do and I want you to remember to do throughout your marriage: value, treasure, appreciate - to plan for and nurture your relationship
Above all, love each other…
It’s almost too much for any human being to promise, but here is where you begin to realize that you are not alone in your marriage and that w/ every command God makes, God also provides way of keeping it
Note again context of Col:
As God's chosen ones, holy and BELOVED,… clothes yourselves w/ love
We are able to love bec God first loves us
That’s the key to a perfect marriage: to recog God at work
to celebrate this love of God which has been manifested in your relationship.
And throughout your marriage, I pray that you will not only be in LUV but also find the ways to LOVE each other just as God loves you. AMEN.