Marriages on SermonAudio

Pastor Shelton tells the congregation not to underestimate the powerful witness of a church full of godly marriages.

On any given Sunday, I have three sermons. The first is the sermon manuscript I prepared during the week. The second is the sermon I actually preach which may differ from the manuscript. And the third sis the sermon I wish I would have preached. In reflection there are always things I wish I would have said or said differently. I wish I could add an addendum, a post script to my sermon. The preacher to the Hebrews sermon ends with the call to make a decision in chapter 12. It's either Mt Sinai and the fear of judgment, or Most Zion and the blessings of heaven. Chapter 13 is an addendum, a post script of important injunctions, parting words. The first five revolve around love. Our first love is brotherly love, then love of strangers, love for the persecuted Christian who may be imprisoned for their faith, love for our spouses by protecting the purity of ur marriage relationships, and then finally a love for God over money or material possessions. Learning to be content with what God has given to us rather than coveting what others might have. We can do so because God has promised never to leave us nor forsake us. And He has promised to be our present help in times of trouble. So, we are to love God above all else! The post script of love is really a script for life!

In "He Set His Face" (Luke 9:51-62), Charles Sebold follows Jesus onto the long road to Jerusalem. The disciples still do not grasp that He will be delivered into the hands of men, yet Jesus knows exactly where the road ends and sets His face like flint, as the Servant of Isaiah 50, toward the cross. A Samaritan village refuses to receive Him, and James and John, fresh from seeing Elijah on the mountain, offer to call down fire as Elijah did in 2 Kings 1. Jesus rebukes them and simply moves on, proving greater than Elijah in mercy; years later John returns to Samaria, and this time what comes down from heaven is the Holy Spirit. Three would-be followers then show that Jesus is also greater than Elijah in demand. One is told the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head. One asks first to bury his father and hears, "Leave the dead to bury their own dead," and is given a living task: proclaim the kingdom. One asks first to say farewell, echoing Elisha in 1 Kings 19, and hears that no one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom. The real issue in each case is the word "first." Yet the first man with his hand on the plow is Jesus Himself, who never looks back. This passage is not a club against marriage, home, or family; the Reformers rejected a two-story Christianity, and Jesus sent the Gerasene man home. He does not demand every hour, but He does demand first place, and then the next step He has actually told you to take.

Two Essential Ingredients for a Happy and Holy Marriage 1) Love 2) Respect

This sermon examines the concluding exhortations in Hebrews 13, emphasizing that true salvation results in a transformed life characterized by practical obedience. The central message highlights that Christian fellowship is rooted in brotherly love, which originates from Christ's incarnation and union with believers, compelling the church to extend hospitality and support to those in prison. The discourse further addresses the sanctity of marriage, urging the church to uphold purity and honor the marital bond against both asceticism and sexual immorality. Additionally, it warns against the love of money, advocating for contentment in God rather than material security, and concludes with the assurance that Christ is the believer's ultimate helper, enabling them to face persecution without fear.

This sermon explores the believer's assurance of salvation, arguing that confidence in God's promises rests not on personal performance or fluctuating feelings, but on the faithfulness of the Triune God. Drawing from Ephesians 1:13-14, the message highlights how the Holy Spirit seals believers as God's own, confirming their adoption and guaranteeing their eternal inheritance. The teaching emphasizes that this seal is a present pledge and a certain completion of redemption, providing unshakable security against life's uncertainties. By directing attention away from self and toward the work of the Father, Son, and Spirit, the sermon calls for a response of humility, gratitude, and worship. Ultimately, this assurance is intended to loosen attachment to earthly securities and focus the believer's life entirely on the praise of God's glory.