What did it take to purchase an engagement ring?

• Story of a guy living on Tuna sandwiches in order to save enough money to purchase an engagement ring. The moral is not working hard and saving, but what is the cost to express your love?

Average Wedding costs $27k

• What are the real costs of marriage?
  It costs more than money, wedding, ring, honeymoon–àCost you yourself
  Ephesians 5:25: “For husbands, this means love your wives, just as Christ loved the church. He gave up his life for her.”
• What was the largest or biggest sacrifice in your mind for your marriage?
  Career
  Ambition
• What has been gained by being married
  Love
  Children
  Legacy
• Have you ever said, “I shouldn’t be with someone if I’m not happy?”
  This is self-centered, shallow and reflection of our culture
  Not part of Vows taken
  We probably all go into our “wedding” thinking man I’m Happy, but have we thought about how short sighted that is??
• Marriage is about love which is something we CHOOSE
  It is represented by sacrifice, serving, giving, forgiving over and over and over
  It’s called Commitment because it does not = personal happiness but LOVE (giving)

1 Corinthians 13:13: “And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.”
CHOOSE LOVE
1 Peter 4:8: “Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.”
No matter what happens, CHOOSE LOVE as it covers the mess
John 15:12: “My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.”
Back to Ephesians 5:25

• What does this look like in application
  It’s about offering forgiveness when you’ve been hurt.
  It’s about giving your time though it’s not always convenient.
  It’s about sharing your heart when you’d rather hold back.
  It’s about cleaning the kitchen after a long weekend, even if it’s your least favorite job.
  It’s about choosing to respond with love when you’d rather respond in anger.
  It’s about offering a listening ear, when you’d rather tune out or go to bed.
  It’s about putting someone else’s needs and desires before your own.
  It’s about giving up that last bite of cake, just so your spouse can enjoy it.
  It’s about laying down your rights, to make way for the rights of another.

Formula:
You before Me – not sometimes, not weekends, ALL THE TIME
We before I – even with the kids, job, hobbies

• The world despises the sacrificial side of marriage
  strive for power, control and the upper hand in a relationship
  do what feels right
  that love is about doing what makes us happy
  if we feel less than happy, they encourage us to bail, to abandon ship and to stop investing
  Mark 10:9: “Therefore what God has joined together let no one separate.”

God’s plan = more we give, the better we become
Real love is not self-seeking, and it will always cost you
It will cost your heart, your time and your money
It will cost your comfort, your rights and your pride
It will cost you to “lay down your life” for the life of another
And only those who learn to die to themselves are the ones who get to experience the resurrection power that comes with it—resurrection into real love, into real life, and into meaningful relationships.

Romans 12:10: “Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves.”

• Marriage is a reflection of our relationship towards God, bride of Christ
  1:1
  He died for us, so we can live
  He leads us to resurrection life
  Love like No Other
  1 Peter 3:7: “In the same way, you husbands must give honor to your wives. Treat your wife with understanding as you live together. She may be weaker than you are, but she is your equal partner in God’s gift of new life. Treat her as you should so your prayers will not be hindered.”