I John 1 my first Wedding Sermon!

Keeping The Joy in Fellowship I John 1:1

By Keeping it Real

• Real Real vs. a Fantasy (vs. 1-4)

There is A Quality of Life and Love we can enter into everyday into because of Jesus, who is involved in our relationships. This is the testimony of the Apostle John (the author of I John). This is the testimony of the Church. This is my testimony and Willie & Gennell I know this is your testimony.

Both of you have been faithfully working through the 12 steps of AA and CA…
Step # 11 says that we…

“Sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with God, as we understood Him, praying only for knowledge of His will for us and the power to carry that out.”

Our relationship with God gives all other relationships meaning and purpose… If we walk with our creator God who made all good things to enjoy… the temptation to go towards some form an unreal fantasy that can't last won't capture our hearts…

Then we find More and More that we are drawn into a larger global family of God that knows and recognizes the grace of God at work in our lives. This is the fellowship the church calls “The communion of saints”… Willie and Gennell may your love grow in the context of the larger loving community of God’s people.


• Good Real vs. Darkness (vs. 5-7)

Good love takes practice… love takes practice and Imagination… and If we take the time to discover and do the good that can be done we don’t have time for the lesser things of life… We discover that our whole lives can be taken up by good loving realities. I find the days I live into the light of God’s love in this way… I wonder why I would choose anything less.

The playful joy of finding 52 different ways in a year to say, “I love you” to our husbands and wives… can fill our lives with a focus on love… and at the end of a year we will find ourselves closer to each other and closer to God… for at the center of God's desire for all of us Is that we love one another…

Why aim for less and live in darkness??? Let us enjoy the gift of “Life Together” by truly seeking to love one another.

Willie and Gennell do not forget that your marriage is the highest opportunity to share in the kind of love that Christ has for the People of God -- The Church.

• An Honest Real vs. Deception (8-10)

None of us are perfect in our love. The best medicine for the soul here is honesty. There is No need to pretend or fake it.

The uncommon words that heal wounds when said from the heart are… “I am sorry… I was wrong… will you forgive me”.

No relationship with God, One’s spouse, or a friend can really grow deep enough to strengthen each other without the grace of forgiveness.

Because if we grow close enough… we will be able to hurt each other… We can only stay close if we learn how to forgive each other… and grow so that we can trust each other.

Willie and Gennell, we here as a community, look forward to seeing how your love will continue to grow… in character and strength…
May you have the blessing of Abraham and Sarah,… Who were blessed, realized that they were blessed, and became a blessing to others. Amen!!!