Trinity 6 Marriage renewal 7th July 2013

Later on this morning we’ll be having a presentation from Laurence and Rebeka Hardy, married 60 years ago in St Giles, as part of a focus on marriage renewal which explains my changing the Gospel reading.

Their presentation is based on Gary Chapman’s book The language of love with a reminder love isn't love unless expressed and acted out.

This church was built because of love expressed and acted out. Its spire points to Love unbounded and the sacraments celebrated under its roof for almost 1000 years have invoked that love.

This morning at the eucharist we’re seeking a special anointing in that love, the love that made us, and all that is, and loved us so much as to give himself up for us all.

The love within married couples is meant to reflect that love – love that can’t be taken back. As God gave himself up to death in Jesus we give ourselves to one another for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death do us part.

The Christian religion holds us to a high standard as we heard in the Gospel reading which has words used in a Christian marriage: what God has joined together, let no one separate.

Marriage can’t be dissolved in the Christian ideal because God’s love can’t be dissolved. Human love can dissolve, but if Christ is in our lives there’s a higher indissoluble power at work.

My song is love unknown Samuel Crossman wrote speaking of my Saviour’s love to me, love to the loveless shown that they might lovely be.

What beautiful words!  Love to the loveless shown that they might lovely be. God in love treats us loveless beings beyond our wildest dreams so as to lift us up into his possibilities and teach us to do the same. For this is the practical truth of Christianity: husbands and wives and children do better when treated better than they deserve! This is what God shows us in the unmerited love he gives to every believer.

The sacrament of marriage is the language of such love. Words of affirmation, acts of service, quality time together, giving presents, touch (Gary Chapman) – all of these mirror how God acts towards us once we enter relationship with him.

I have loved you from the foundation of the world he says in scripture. See my Cross, see and share the bread and wine which is my body and blood, offered for you – accept my love: love to the loveless shown that they might lovely be.

Marriage isn’t easy - but when God asks something of us he gives us the wherewithal to complete the task. Christian marriage is a particular anointing in the Holy Spirit and that anointing continues throughout life. Such anointing helps husbands and wives and all of us, whatever our state of life, to rise above worldly standards into those of Jesus Christ.

The Christian religion holds us to a high standard in the divorce friendly culture we inhabit: what God has joined together, let no one separate.

There is no word of God without power! What God has joined together, let no one separate. When we recognise the promise of God and hold to it we see things changing all around us mainly because we see things changing within us through the destruction of negative attitudes.

There is no word of God without power! May that power be with us by his Spirit as we keep fellowship with the Lord and with one another seeking him in prayer and sacrament, through the Bible and Christian fellowship.

Above all may it be ours in the eucharist we celebrate and receive.