Three P’s in a Pod

In Sermon Outlines by Rachel Schultz

Three P’s in a Pod

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It’s hard to get married. It’s even harder to stay married. For it to last, every marriage requires a love that is pre-eminent, practiced and permanent.

Text: 1 Corinthians 14

Introduction
1. Aisle, altar, hymn wedding story.
2. Weddings are happy occasions. They are also fraught with frightful challenges.
3. Personal wedding blooper stories.
4. It’s hard to get married. It’s even harder to stay married.
5. At the end of the day I’m thankful for a 1 Corinthians 13 kind of love that sees us through.
The Preeminence of Love
1. The first P in the pod of love emphasizes the preeminence of love. Verses 1-3.
2. Examples of typical definitions we give love.
3. Examples of real love in marriage.
4. Married love is the preeminent thing. It is the most important human relationship there is.
a. It is more important than our relationship with our parents. Genesis 2:24
b. It is more important than the relationship with our children.
c. It is more important than our relationships with our friends.
d. It is more important than your relationship with the church.
e. It is more important than your job, making lots of money, living in the big house, and having lots of stuff.
5. Married love is so important that we have built it right into our doctrinal framework—It’s number 23 of the 28.
6. Married love is the preeminent thing. A priority. A commitment.
A pledge to live and grow and love through all of life for better or for worse . . .
7. There is only one thing more important:  Our love for God.
The Practice of Love
1. The second P in the pod of love is the practice of love. Verses 4-7.
2. Story of young couple on first date. He asks for a kiss and she does not respond. Finally he asks, “What’s the matter with you?  Are you deaf?” And she responds, “What’s the matter with you? Are you paralyzed?”
3. Love is something you do . . .
4. Love is patient  — Practical examples.
5. Love is kind  — It keeps up the little attentions.
6. Love does not envy – Guarding against jealousy in marriage.
7. Love does not boast – Guarding against a spirit of arrogance.
8. Love is not rude – Being considerate and polite.
9. Love is not self seeking – It is devoted to the service of the other.
10. Love is not easily angered – It is slow to anger. It chooses its battles wisely.
11. Love keeps no record of wrong – Keep short accounts. Deal with the present. Move on.
12. Love does not delight in evil, but rejoices in the truth – Find a positive way to interpret and respond to life’s events.
13. Love always protects – Problems in the marriage are never exposed outside the home except when together seeking professional counseling.
14. Love always trusts, hopes, perseveres – It is there for the long haul.
The Permanence of Love
1. The third P in the pod of love is permanence. Verses 8-13.
2. Married love is a lifelong journey shared together.
3. God’s design for permanence in marriage seen with Adam and Eve. Matthew 19:6.
4. Marriage is a commitment of two wills to each other.
5. It is a lifelong pledge till death do us part.
6. Love that is conditional will never grow to its full potential.
7. Be as true as steel to your marriage vows – AH 104.
Appeal
1. Story of the couple lying in bed at the end of the day after celebrating their fiftieth wedding anniversary. The wife remind her husband of their courting days when he used to hold her hand, kiss her, and bite her on the neck. When he throws off the covers and heads to the bathroom she asks, “Where are you going?” to which he answers, “To get my teeth!
2. Appeal:  Put some teeth into your marriage.

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