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A lady visiting an art gallery saw the owner receive an anniversary gift. The visitor asked, “Which anniversary.” “Our 53rd.” “That’s impressive. I hope you’re planning some special celebration.” The owner of the gallery smiled and said, “When you have a nice man, it really doesn’t matter.” That is the kind of love that characterizes a Spirit-filled marriage. It is the kind of love Cheryl and I strive for in our relationship. We celebrate anniversary number 43 today. I am fortunate enough to be married to a nice person. Our marriage is not perfect. But with God’s help, keeping Christ at the center of our lives, it has been a lasting source of joy and comfort to us.

A few years ago, back when we were both still working, we were having a very busy time in our lives, arriving home late every day. On one such day, I stopped and picked up her favorite pizza on my way home. She was already home when I got there. I walked in carrying the pizza and asked her, “Who’s your hero?”  Without missing a beat, she said, “Jesus!” While it wasn’t the answer I was looking for at that moment, it was the best answer I could have heard. It is the attitude that a person does not complete you — Jesus does. It is because she loves Jesus that she works at loving me (which I know takes a lot of work most of the time). And it is because I love Jesus that I try to show love to her.

That is not true of all marriages. You may know that first-hand. Some marriages are miserable. Even among Christians. And there are reasons for that. Simply put, the reasons all come down to one thing – sin. But there are also remedies.

When a couple asked me to officiate at their wedding, I had them meet with me several times for counseling and planning. One of the things I always did was spend some time discussing this passage with them.

Ephesians 5:21-31 Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ. Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior.  Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything. Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. After all, no one ever hated his own body, but he feeds and cares for it, just as Christ does the church — for we are members of his body. “For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.” (NIV)

This is God’s plan for the one-flesh union He intended for us to have. Let’s consider what God says about finding fulfillment in marriage.

1. Fulfillment comes not in taking, but in giving

Whether you like to admit it or not, you are by nature self-centered. You are more concerned about taking than giving. And that works against you in relationships, including marriage. Your sinful nature wants to live as though you are single and independent, not part of Christ’s bride, the church, and not under His Lordship. Your priorities are personal, not communal. You take an attitude and live a lifestyle that puts yourself first and the other person second. That is not the formula for a happy marriage.

When you are only interested in taking and getting, you don’t have the right frame of mind for what God intends marriage to be. However, when you lay aside those attitudes, when you stop thinking just about yourself, you will find a fulfilling freedom that comes through giving of yourself and submitting to one another. “We” becomes more important than “me.”

Giving of yourself is the most precious gift and it deepens a relationship. You experience intimacy – emotional and physical and spiritual – when you give of yourself. But this kind of total and complete intimacy that is part of God’s plan is only possible when you take the attitude that you are no longer two, but one. This kind of intimacy is not possible if one or both have the attitude that they can walk away at any time. That is not truly giving yourself. Giving yourself completely in the marriage relationship is a big risk. It leaves you totally vulnerable and unprotected. Sometimes you get hurt, hurt badly. But if there are two people willing to submit to one another out of reverence for Christ, there will also be forgiveness, and the good will far outweigh the bad in their relationship.

2. Fulfilling love comes through Christ

Submission to each other was part of God’s plan from the first. However, sin corrupted marriage along with everything else when it estranged all humanity from God. The only way for us to achieve the proper attitude and mindset comes from Christ. He is the perfect, divine model. Everything He did was motivated by love. He willingly took the submissive role, subjecting himself to the law, taking our sins on Himself, giving Himself over to a shameful death on a cross. He laid Himself out there, completely vulnerable and unprotected, and took the full impact of the punishment our sins deserve. In doing so, He fulfilled God’s design. He carried out the plan for your salvation that God had established from the foundation of the world. In Baptism He washed you and presents you as holy and blameless before God. You are united to Him, made part of His body. Your faith that He is your Savior gives you that peace that surpasses all understanding, the confidence that you are safe in His hands. That is your motivation to live as He lived and love as He loved.

Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ. If the love of Jesus is in your hearts, it will also be in your lives and relationships. Knowing that you have been freed from condemnation will encourage you to stop making your own judgments about others. Having received forgiveness from Christ will give you a forgiving spirit in your life. His love frees you to see beyond yourselves. It equips you to love as you have been loved.

The Lutheran School two of my grandchildren attend has a theme for this school year: Faith over Fear. We live in a scary world. It seems to be much more so than when I was a child, but every era has its challenges. The schools focus in choosing this theme is to help the children understand that God is in control in all things and will be with them.

Isaiah 41:10 So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

That is good for everyone to remember in your daily walk. God is in control. He will help and strengthen you in all situations. You are in His hands.

Josh Wilson has a song out that is based on Psalm 23. It is titled “Things That I’m Afraid Of.”  If you haven’t heard it, give it a listen. Here are some of the lyrics:

I walked through the valley of shadows
And it scared me half to death
But You’re with me ev’rywhere I go
So I won’t give up yet
My fears would surely kill me
If I didn’t know the truth
The things that I’m afraid of
Are afraid of You

God is mightier than the things that make us tremble here on earth. And He has promised to be with you in all things.  That thought is expressed in another song I like.

How firm a foundation, O saints of the Lord,
Is laid for your faith in His excellent Word!
What more can He say than to you He has said
Who unto the Savior for refuge have fled?

“Fear not! I am with you, O be not dismayed,
For I an you God and will still give you aid;
I’ll strengthen you, help you, and cause you to stand,
Upheld by my righteous, omnipotent hand.

(Lutheran Service Book #728, stanza 1-2)

We put our faith in our Savior, who has already given us the victory over sin, death and the grave. For that reason, “Faith over Fear” is a good way to live.

Today a new school year begins for many in my area. Some are already back in classes, others start later this week. It is a good time to remember and pray for teachers. They put in long hours and have a tremendous influence on those entrusted to their care. They are often undervalued and underpaid for the important work they do. Many teachers are also followers of Jesus, and even though they teach in public schools, they are sharing His love in their words and actions. Lord, be with, guide and direct teachers.

It is also a good time to pray for students. Some are nervous and anxious about what is happening. Others think school is just for play and mischief rather than those things plus learning and growing in maturity. Many will be bullied. Lord, be with, guide and direct these students.

Parents, you have a tremendous responsibility raising your children. You know doubt feel that burden. And it can be difficult to be firm and provide the discipline needed. You often question and second guess the decisions you make. Know that when you make mistakes, those were also covered by the blood of Jesus. Accept that forgiveness and keep going, resolving to do better in the days ahead. Lord, be with, guide and direct these parents.

The most important thing parents need to teach their children is about the love of God in Christ. That is what makes all the difference in their lives. Tell them what is means to know that Jesus lived a perfect life for you. Share the wonderful news of Him taking our place in punishment so that we would not have to pay for our sin with our lives. Explain that He rose from the dead to give us eternal life as a gift. Model repentance when you do wrong and show them you need God’s forgiveness, too. Teach them to extend forgiveness to others as well.

Proverbs 22:6 Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it.

Sometimes, in spite of our best efforts, children will make some huge mistakes. I have seen how this grieves parents, especially when their children are grown and are paying the price for their wrong behavior. I think this verse above can give us hope. If you model Jesus and His love in your home, your children have seen and heard that message. It is still in there somewhere, even if they are living in conflict with God’s ways. And because that message is still in their hearts, the Holy Spirit is still working through that Word. Don’t neglect to keep praying for that to happen in the lives of those you know and love.

Both parents and teachers are role models. I pray you will be ones worthy of imitation.

Hebrews 13:7 Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith.

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Cheryl and I will co-host a trip to Greece next year with Donna Snow: Walk in the Footsteps of Paul.  The links to the brochure and registration form are below.

https://www.artesianministries.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/10-Day-2023-Greece-Tour-Brochure.pdf

https://www.artesianministries.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/10-Day-Greece-3-Night-Cruise-Registration-Form-SnowG23.pdf

Someone comes up to you with information you have never heard before. It sounds incredible, unbelievable. But they seem so sure of what they are saying, it makes you wonder whether or not it might be true. You ask, “Who told you that?” or “Where did you hear that?”

Even though it was a long time ago, I remember writing essays and papers for college and seminary classes. It was always important to document your sources of information in the form of footnotes and/or endnotes. The instructors wanted to make sure you were citing credible resources.

Unfortunately, not everyone takes that approach where spiritual matters are concerned. If someone brings a message that sounds appealing and doesn’t require you to change your behavior, that would be attractive. They purport to have new wisdom or information. It sounds wonderful, maybe even too good to be true. Do you simply accept it, or do you ask where the information is coming from?

Jeremiah 23:16–17 This is what the Lord Almighty says: “Do not listen to what the prophets are prophesying to you; they fill you with false hopes. They speak visions from their own minds, not from the mouth of the Lord. They keep saying to those who despise me, ‘The Lord says: You will have peace.’ And to all who follow the stubbornness of their hearts they say, ‘No harm will come to you.’

There have always been those who tell people what they want to hear. They make a living speaking false words of hope. Prophets for profit. You have to be careful who you listen to and what you believe.

The source I trust is God and those who speak His Word. The one who made everything, the one who promised a Savior as soon as man sinned, has proven Himself to be faithful. He chose a people through whom He would fulfill His promise of a Messiah. He was their God even when they turned away from Him. He cared for them, protected them, rescued them, delivered them. And this was all before He came through in the biggest way.

Galatians 4:4–5  But when the time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under law, to redeem those under law, that we might receive the full rights of sons.

At just the right time, the Messiah came to God’s people so that He could save all people from their sins. He kept the Law we did not keep. He made the payment our sin demanded. And He conquered death and the grave for everyone. If you put your faith and trust in Him, you will be saved. It is the only way God has provided for mankind’s salvation. That is why you always need to check the source. Be careful who and what you listen to.

The preacher I heard last Sunday quoted part of Jeremiah 29 as part of his sermon. That prompted me to read that chapter again this week.

This chapter has the prophet writing to those who had already been carried off to Babylon. He had long prophesied that this was coming because of the nation’s refusal to live as God’s people. They would be punished, and now was the time. They would be taken from their Promised Land and live in exile. But Jeremiah reminded them that this would not go one forever. God would be faithful to them, be with them, and eventually return His people to the land He had sworn to give them as a lasting inheritance.

Jeremiah 29:4-7 This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says to all those I carried into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon: “Build houses and settle down; plant gardens and eat what they produce. Marry and have sons and daughters; find wives for your sons and give your daughters in marriage, so that they too may have sons and daughters. Increase in number there; do not decrease. Also, seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the Lord for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper.”

The Children of Israel had brought this on themselves. They had been warned, but they did not repent, did not clean up their act, did not stop chasing after other gods. So God carried out His punishment. It was meant to discipline them. And please notice that God was not abandoning them, not washing His hands of them, not giving up on them. He was still their God. He would be with them in their difficult time. He was still their God and would be faithful to His promises.

That is why He encouraged them to go on with their lives. Build homes, plant gardens, have children and grandchildren. And then in verse seven He said, “Also, seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the Lord for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper.”  The English Standard Version says “seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile.”

As the disciples of Jesus, we are not in our homeland. We look around and realize that we are in a hostile environment. That is becoming ever more obvious as we see the depravity and corruption that has become accepted behavior. But we know that our God is still with us. The one who has already paid for all sin and conquered death for us gives us this assurance over and over again.

Just before He ascended, Jesus commissioned His followers to spread the news about Him, making more disciples by baptizing and teaching and said this:

Matthew 28:20  And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

The writer of Hebrews quoted Deuteronomy 31 when he penned this:

Hebrews 13:5 “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.”

No matter what is going on in this world, because of our faith in Jesus, we can be assured that our God is With Us.

At the LCMS Youth Gathering last month, there was a fabulous concert by the group “for King and Country.” Here are some of the lyrics from their song “For God Is With Us.”

Can you feel your heart begin to race?
Can you see the tide begin to change?
With all of our futures rearranged
The world will never be the same

For God is with us

Live with that certainty.

I’ll share more thoughts on Jeremiah 29 tomorrow.

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In case anyone is interested, Cheryl and I will be co-hosting a trip to Greece next year with Donna Snow:  Walk in the Footsteps of Paul.  The links to the brochure and registration form are below.

https://www.artesianministries.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/10-Day-2023-Greece-Tour-Brochure.pdf

https://www.artesianministries.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/10-Day-Greece-3-Night-Cruise-Registration-Form-SnowG23.pdf

My daughters were visiting recently and I was reminded of an incident that happened at the movie theater. Cheryl had my brother’s two kids on one side of her. Our youngest, Leah, was on the other side of Cheryl, and Rachel was next to Leah. Leah was about 9 or 10, which means Rachel would have been 14 or 15.

Cheryl had brought a bag of Starburst candies to the show. As the show progressed, every so often Cheryl would hand one to her niece and one to her nephew on her left, and two to Leah on her other side. This went on the entire movie.

After the movie, the kids were talking about the candy. Rachel said, “I only got one!” Leah had a look on her face that is hard to describe. She was half smiling and half thinking she was in trouble. She said something along the lines “I didn’t know I was supposed to share. I was just happy with how many Starbursts I was getting.”

A lot of Christians act that way. They are happy for the good news they have heard and all the blessings they have for Jesus sake. They are grateful to have God’s grace and mercy and forgiveness. They are happy in knowing Jesus died and rose for them. They rejoice in the certainty of the forgiveness they have and the guarantee of everlasting life for Jesus’ sake. But they are not sharing as much of it as they should.

The faith we have as followers of Jesus was never intended to be something we kept all for ourselves. After His death and resurrection, and just before His ascension, Jesus reminded His followers of that.

Acts 1:8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

A witness is simply someone who tells someone else what they know, what they have seen and heard. If you know and believe that Jesus is your Savior, that is what you need to share. Don’t be afraid of not knowing all the answers or not being sure where to start. Just share what you know. Ask the Holy Spirit to guide and direct you, and He will.

It is good to rejoice in the knowledge of the forgiveness, life and salvation Jesus earned for you. Just don’t forget to share.

Acts 2:1–4, 22-24, 36  When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them. …  “Men of Israel, listen to this: Jesus of Nazareth was a man accredited by God to you by miracles, wonders and signs, which God did among you through him, as you yourselves know. This man was handed over to you by God’s set purpose and foreknowledge; and you, with the help of wicked men, put him to death by nailing him to the cross. But God raised him from the dead, freeing him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for death to keep its hold on him. … “Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ.”

God poured out His Holy Spirit on his disciples on Pentecost. That same Spirit works in people still today through the Bible. Luther’s Large Catechism states it this way: “The Holy Spirit reveals and preaches the Word, and by it he illumines and kindles hearts so that they grasp and accept it, cling to it, and persevere in it” (Tappert, p. 416, #42).

Some people look at the Bible as an instruction manual. And you know what people typically do with instruction manuals, don’t you? They lay them aside without ever looking at them. Yet I have learned that instructions are worth reading. Especially the instructions we find in Scripture.

Others will say God’s Word should be a guide for our lives. You must put complete confidence in the Bible as the place where God speaks to you, and allow the Holy Spirit to guide you with His Word. His promises are sure. His Word has never failed you, and it never will.

Another important thing to remember when looking at the Scriptures is that it is God speaking. Over and over in the Old Testament we come across the phrase “Thus says the Lord…” In the New Testament we have the actual words of Jesus. All the books of the Bible were inspired by the Holy Spirit, which means all of it is the Word of God Himself.

The Bible is all those things, but it is more than a book of moral platitudes or rules to live by. The Spirit working through the Word will reveal and explain to you the wonderful arrangements God has made for your rescue from sin. Without the Bible, you would never know that you have a loving God who sent His Son to be your Savior from sin and death. You would not know about the death of Jesus in your place. You would not know about His resurrection from the dead, through which He has won eternal life for all men. All of this is contained in the Good Book as God’s Revelation of Himself to men. You need to listen to it.

When you think about people who have been heroes of the faith, you will find that they have a common thread: they were all people of the Word. They were people who would say with the Psalmist: How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth! (Psalm 119:103)

• Luther would never have rediscovered the truth that man is saved by grace through faith if he had not been studying the Scripture.
• John Wesley, founder of what became Methodist Church, traveled over 100,000 miles on horseback to preach, always reading as he rode. In that way he read through the Bible several times. And his witness for Christ is still heard today.
• William Tyndale, first man to translate the Bible into English, was put into prison for doing just that. While there, in the dungeons of England, all he asked was a candle, His Hebrew Bible, and Hebrew Dictionary so that he could continue to study God’s Word.
• When Paul was imprisoned, he asked for his “books”, a reference to what we now know as the Old Testament.

These heroes of the faith studied God’s Word and listened to what He said. They rejoiced in the knowledge of all God did for them through Jesus Christ. They knew and believed that He was their Savior because that is what they found in the Word. You have that same word at your disposal. All of you have the promise that the Holy Spirit will work through the Word to bring you to an understanding of God’s Will for you in your life. That is in addition to the treasure of eternal life as a free gift.

A congregation looking for a new pastor was interviewing one of the candidates. A committee member asked, “Which part of the Bible do you like the best?” He replied “The New Testament.” Another committee member asked “Which part of the New Testament.” “The Book of Parables” the candidate answered. One of the pulpit committee members said, “I don’t believe I am familiar with that book. Could you share part of it with us?” This is what the candidate said:

“Once upon a time Samuel went down from Jerusalem to Jericho and fell among thieves. Part of him fell on the path, part of him fell on the good soil, and part of him fell on the rocky ground. And the thorns grew up and choked that man. So he cut off the branches and threw them into the fire. As he went along, he saw the Queen of Sheba taking a bath, so he called her Bathsheba. And she gave him a thousand talents of gold and a hundred changes of raiment. He got into his chariot and drove furiously to get away from her. As he was driving along under a tree, his hair got caught in the branches and left him hanging there. And he hung there forty days and forty nights, so the ravens of the air brought him food to eat and water to drink. Then one night while he was hanging there, his wife, Delilah, came along, cut off all his hair, and threw him into the fire. As the king walked past, he saw that the man was in the fire but not being burned. So he took off his sandals, thinking that was holy ground. Then it began to rain. And it rained for forty days and forty nights. In order to get out of the rain, he hid himself in a cave. While he was in the cave, a bright light knocked him to the ground and cried out “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” But he did not answer because his name was Samuel. And as he was sleeping, the voice cried out “Samuel”, so he got up and went out of the cave and met a man and said, “Come and take supper with me.” But the man said he couldn’t come because he had just married a wife. So Samuel went out into the hiways and the byways to compel him to come in. As he was on the hiways and byways, he found himself back in Jerusalem. When he looked up, he saw Queen Jezebel sitting high up in a window. When she saw him she laughed. So he said, “Throw her down.” And then he said, “Throw her down out of there again. And they threw her down seventy times seven times. Samuel said to her, “Go and sin no more.” Then they picked up her fragments, and they filled up twelve baskets. Now whose wife will she be in the day of judgment?”

After hearing this, the pulpit committee agreed that this man’s knowledge of the Scripture was far beyond their own, and immediately hired him to be their new preacher.

I hope you know that while what that man said is in the Bible, that is not what the Bible says. God’s Word is to be our guide for faith, life and living. In order for it to be that, you and I must know what it says. While it would be difficult to be as mixed up as that man in the story was, I think it is safe to say that none of us, myself included, know what the Bible says as well as we could or should.

John 7:37-39a On the last and greatest day of the Feast, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him.” By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive.

When we spend time in the Word of God, we find Jesus. The Holy Spirit leads us to Him. That is what the Word is for, to point us to the Word made flesh, the one who died to pay for the sins of the world and rose in victory over death for us all. We need to believe in Him to have those streams of living water.

More on this tomorrow.