Sermon Tone Analysis

Introduction:

Love for a Lifetime

There was a tragic story of a man named Glynn Wolfe—who died alone in Los Angeles back in 1997 at the age of 88.

No one came to claim his body.

He only had $430 to his name—money that was applied to the cost of a pauper’s funeral.

The city paid the rest.

And, the sad truth is that this kind of thing is a fairly common occurrence—especially in large cities like L.A.— where, in spite of the fact that you live close to millions of people—you can still live and die VERY alone.

This week I read the tragic story of a man named Glynn Wolfe—who died alone in Los Angeles back in 1997 at the age of 88.

No one came to claim his body.

He only had $430 to his name—money that was applied to the cost of a pauper’s funeral.

The city paid the rest.

And, the sad truth is that this kind of thing is a fairly common occurrence—especially in large cities like L.A.— where, in spite of the fact that you live close to millions of people—you can still live and die VERY alone.

Mr. Wolfe’s situation was unique though—because he was no ordinary man.

In fact, he held a very special world record.

You see he is listed in the Guinness Book as the Most Married Man, with 29 monogamous marriages to his credit.

29 times Glynn Wolfe was asked, “Do you take this woman to be your lawfully wedded wife...forsaking all others do you pledge yourself only to her, so long as you both shall live?” Twenty-nine times Glynn Wolfe replied, “I do,” but it never quite worked out that way.

His longest marriage lasted seven years and his shortest only 19 days.

It is said that he left behind several children, grand-children, great grand- children, and of course a number of living ex-wives, and innumerable ex-in- laws—but still, Glynn died alone.You would think that, after all the income Glynn sent his way, at least his divorce lawyer would have come to the service!

I share this tragic story—because I think it’s indicative of the tragic state of the institution of marriage in our culture.

We live in a nation where over 60% of new marriages end in divorce—and Christian marriages seem to be failing at an even higher rate than those of non-Christians.

Unless things don’t change, Mr. Wolf won’t hold his record for very long.

http://www.redlandbaptist.org/sermon/love-for-a-lifetime/

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Love for a Lifetime - Redland Baptist Church - Redland Baptist Church 12/13/17, 7(45 PM

an even higher rate than those of non-Christians.

Unless things don’t change, Mr. Wolf won’t hold his record for very long.

If you’ve seen the movie FIREPROOF, then you know it is the story of a couple named Caleb and Catherine whose marriage is in deep trouble.

It’s is headed for divorce court.

Caleb is a captain in the local fire department and his close friend confronts him with his need to do something to keep that from happening.

Let’s take a look:

Play “Session Three “Love For A Lifetime”

I love that salt and pepper shaker illustration—because it underscores the truth that God designed marriage to LAST.

It was meant to be a life-long covenant that “glues” us together.

So whenever marriages fail, someone ALWAYS get’s hurt—broken!

The next few weeks we are going to be talking about resetting our relationships with our spouse, children, etc.

You may be here this morning and you aren’t married or you are here this morning and you have gone through a divorce.

Listen, this series is for everyone.

This isn’t a time to look down at anyone but instead a time to encourage everyone.

If you are single this morning, take what we talk about in this series and study it then store it away.

This will be useful for you to not get trapped in some of the pitfalls some of us have fallen into already.

For those who are here and have been through a divorce, I am sorry you experienced such a difficult situation.

But this series is for you too because we can all learn from our past, learn from the Word, and make sure we don’t repeat the mistakes of the past!

Body:

Let’s turn now to our first text for this morning.

3 Some Pharisees came to Him to test [Jesus].

They asked, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for any and every reason?”

http://www.redlandbaptist.org/sermon/love-for-a-lifetime/

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Love for a Lifetime - Redland Baptist Church - Redland Baptist Church 12/13/17, 7(45 PM

4 – “Haven’t you read,” He replied, “that at the beginning the Creator ‘made them male and female,’

5 – and said, ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh?’

6 – So they are no longer two, but one.

Therefore what God has joined together, let man not separate.”

Now—this last sentence in verse 6 is the WARNING I give at the END of every wedding.

Of course at this point the couple is beaming.

The vows have been said.

The rings are on their fingers.

The ceremony that they were so nervous about is over...the fruit of months of planning and work.

That’s all behind them and now they’re about to turn and face their parents and friends, as husband and wife, for the very first time!

In just a minute, the music will swell, the people will stand and clap; they’ll descend the stairs and walk down the aisle to begin to live...happily ever after.

I wish there would be a way to grab a tiny teachable moment and remind the couple...remind them of something they are about to discover—namely, that marriage DOES have its highs and its lows—that, as someone once put it, “The most difficult years of marriage are those following the wedding.”

Now, of course I’d never do that—but I wish there would be a way to grab that teachable moment and remind the couple...remind them of something they are about to discover—namely, that marriage DOES have its highs and its lows—that, as someone once put it, “The most difficult years of marriage are those following the wedding.”

http://www.redlandbaptist.org/sermon/love-for-a-lifetime/

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In fact, according to Hal Seed, most marital experts say that all marriages go through four STAGES or SEASONS.

Love for a Lifetime - Redland Baptist Church - Redland Baptist Church 12/13/17, 7(45 PM

are about to discover—namely, that marriage DOES have its highs and its lows—that, as someone once put it, “The most difficult years of marriage are those following the wedding.”

In fact, according to Hal Seed, most marital experts say that all marriages go through four STAGES or SEASONS.

(A) The first is what is referred to as

The season of ROMANCE.

This season actually STARTS long before the wedding—the moment two young people meet and fall in love.

In those early days they believe that, unlike the rest of the world, they have a picture-perfect relationship.

In this first season, they just know that they have something special between them.

Theirs is a rare love, not like the common stuff their parents’ experienced.

No—it’s more like Anthony and Cleopatra or Romeo and Juliet.

It’s MAGIC every time they’re together, and MISERY every moment they’re apart.

Hal Seed says, “During the romance stage all is right with the world.

Women lose weight and men lose money, because she’d rather spend time thinking about him than eating and he’d rather spend money on her than pay the rent.”

Romance is the season that most love songs are written about.

“When a man loves a woman, he can’t keep his mind on nothin’ else.

He’d trade the world for the good thing he has found.

http://www.redlandbaptist.org/sermon/love-for-a-lifetime/

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Love for a Lifetime - Redland Baptist Church - Redland Baptist Church 12/13/17, 7(45 PM

When a man loves a woman, he’d give up all his comforts and sleep out in the rain if she said that’s the way it ought to be...”

For some reason when we’re in this, the season of ROMANCE, nothing else matters.

We don’t think straight and we don’t act smart.

Now—for most Americans, this romantic stage lasts somewhere between moment they fall in love and the first time he leaves the toilet seat up—or the first time she uses his razor.

For those of you interested in more precise facts, psychologists tell us that these romantic puppy love feelings of infatuation wear off, on average, about 2 1⁄2 years into any relationship.

(B) And this leads to the second season—

The season of REALITY.

Basically REALITY is the season that sets in when romance wears off.

Suddenly, wives wake up, smell the roses and realize that the object of her pursuit, the man of her dreams, the individual she feared she could never attain, the person she could not live without...well, he’s is not quite the knight in shining armor she thought he was.

And the husband—the husband learns that the “Sleeping Beauty Princess” whose hand he has won—is not completely perfect after all.

In the reality stage, he sees her without make-up on.

She hears his bodily noises.

He’s not as thoughtful as he once was.

She’s not as flirtatious.

Referring to this season, some say marriage is, “...a romance in which the hero and heroine die in the first chapter.”

Author Wayne Oates writes about this stage and says: