Today is our third message in our marriage series with the first two saying, 'Marriage matters'. Now we can’t talk about marriage and not talk about kids. There is not a command that every individual must have a child, but there is a command given to humanity and marriage. A purpose of marriage is kids. A great purpose that costs a lot, and where there is great cost, there needs to be great motivation.

As we close the 21 days of prayer, I would like encourage us continue to pursue some spiritual disciplines. Now some you may wonder what exactly is a spiritual discipline? It isn't a term use very often. Well one definition is 'behaviors that help our spiritual growth and enable us to grow to spiritual maturity'. Spiritual disciplines should not be something we do only certain times year, but should be way life.

As we close the 21 days of prayer, I would like encourage us continue to pursue some spiritual disciplines. Now some you may wonder what exactly is a spiritual discipline? It isn't a term use very often. Well one definition is 'behaviors that help our spiritual growth and enable us to grow to spiritual maturity'. Spiritual disciplines should not be something we do only certain times year, but should be way life.

Why do we honor marriage? Because God is going to judge those who live outside His design. We could stop there, but why is God so big on His design. Last week we saw science struggle to say God’s design, God’s way works, but it did say it. It is worth making it work. So, live inside God’s design for love, sex, and marriage. But what if I told you that marriage is about more than love, sex, and marriage. There’s a greater reason God wants us to honor, respect, protect this relationship. A reason worthy to you.

Why do we honor marriage? Because God is going to judge those who live outside His design. We could stop there, but why is God so big on His design. Last week we saw science struggle to say God’s design, God’s way works, but it did say it. It is worth making it work. So, live inside God’s design for love, sex, and marriage. But what if I told you that marriage is about more than love, sex, and marriage. There’s a greater reason God wants us to honor, respect, protect this relationship. A reason worthy to you.

Last week I told you I would be doing 6 different sermon series this year, but a unifying theme: preparing to live in a culture that is increasingly anti-Christian, or maybe more positively said: being faithful to God in every environment. We do this by relying on the gospel, living the gospel, sharing the gospel, no matter the cost. As I tried to show last week, there may be a cost coming we are not used to paying.

Last week I told you I would be doing 6 different sermon series this year, but a unifying theme: preparing to live in a culture that is increasingly anti-Christian, or maybe more positively said: being faithful to God in every environment. We do this by relying on the gospel, living the gospel, sharing the gospel, no matter the cost. As I tried to show last week, there may be a cost coming we are not used to paying.

The American Christian has enjoyed an unprecedented life of ease. Out of all the followers of Christ over the last 2000 years, I am not sure what percentage of those would be 19th, 20th, 21st century Americans. Let’s say 15%. In that other 85%, it has been hard to be a Christian. There has been a great cost to following Christ, which He warned in Luke 14 when He said NOT to follow Him before counting the cost. Did we have to weigh any cost to become His follower? I believe it will begin to cost to follow Christ in America.

The American Christian has enjoyed an unprecedented life of ease. Out of all the followers of Christ over the last 2000 years, I am not sure what percentage of those would be 19th, 20th, 21st century Americans. Let’s say 15%. In that other 85%, it has been hard to be a Christian. There has been a great cost to following Christ, which He warned in Luke 14 when He said NOT to follow Him before counting the cost. Did we have to weigh any cost to become His follower? I believe it will begin to cost to follow Christ in America.

Some of us may be feeling that way today, like we are trying really hard to please God by doing things (coming to church and reading our bible and giving here and there) and we are about to beef up our efforts with our new year resolutions tonight, we are going to promise to read more, come to church more often, and we are trying and trying and it never seems enough because we always fall short. Jesus extends an invitation, which by the way it is still open, He invites people to come to Him. He turns none away, He says come.