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TITLE: Termites in Your Troth

TEXT: Ephesians 5:15-21

PROPOSITION: The home must be protected against termites that will destroy the trust in a marriage.

QUESTION: What?

KEY WORD: Dangers

SCRIPTURE READING: Same

INTRODUCTION:

1.        Story of wedding - preacher says, "To thee I pledge my troth."  Groom - "I do pledge my what?"  Preacher repeats. Groom - "WHAT IN THE WORLD IS A TROTH?"
The word means – faithfulness, loyalty, trust

2.        Slight windstorm - blows down large tree -hollow tube of bark - termites had destroyed it from inside

3.        They are little, gnaw, weaken, destroy - WITHIN

 

I. Confusion of Roles (15-16)

                A. text

                                1. Walk with wisdom.

                                2. Understand the will of the Lord

                B. Be Careful - be very careful

                                1. Secular world

                                                a. Swingers have fun

                                                b. Marriage is too absolute

                                2. Complex relationships

                                                a. Child comes = 6 relationships

                                                b. 12 in a family of 4 (man, husband, father)

                                3. Immaturity – get married then grow up

 

II. Too Busy (16)

A.      Poem “Slow Me Down, Lord,” Strike the Original Match, p. 91

B.       Book - "When I Relax I Feel Guilty"

C.       Please listen to a reformed workaholic!

 

III. Insensitivity (17)

A.      "Fool" = dull, insensitive, thick, no feeling

B.       Subtle trap of "married single"

1.        "Separate but equal"

2.        Song - "We live in two different worlds."

 

IV. Stubbornness (21)

A.      Bull-headedness will make home a hell

B.       Mutual submission

a.       In pre-marriage counseling

b.       Homes need "alternate possession rule"

c.       Not willing to give in or back up = fights

 

Conclusion

1.        Admit the termites have invaded.

2.        Discuss how to control and eliminate

3.        Start today

                                God heard your promise to "pledge your troth"

                                Are you keeping your promise?

 


SLOW ME DOWN, LORD

 

Slow me down, Lord.

Ease the pounding of my heart by the quieting of my mind.

Steady my hurried pace with a vision of the eternal reach of time.

Teach me the art of taking minute vacations –

of slowing down to look at a flower, to chat with a friend,

to pat a dog, to smile at a child, to read a few lines from a good book.

Remind me each day that the race is not always to the swift;

that there is more to life than increasing its speed.

Let me look upward to the towering oak and know

That it grew great and strong because it grew slowly and well.

 

Orin L. Crain


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