Could one of the reasons so many “alternatives” to traditional marriage and family are popping up in the past 20 years is because the church has failed to demonstrate to the world what a functional Christian marriage and family actually looks like?  All too often we hear the story… they were regular church attenders, leaders in the church, good tithing members whose kids towed the line.  Later, when the family has grown, moved on and dissolved – only then do you find out things were not as they appeared.  The absolutely soul blackening oppression of Christian legalism has crept in a destroyed untold numbers of families – leaving ship wrecked the faith of many and shattering the generational links of a Christian family legacy.  I am just posing the question here.  Just say’in.

This type of damage takes generations to surface, but surface it eventually does.  Could this be one of the contributing factors to people seeking alternatives such as same sex marriage, open marriage and even polygomy (think Sister Wives)?  One look at marriage in our culture and one is forced to examine the alternatives because it appears that marriage just ain’t working like it has been built up to be.  In the alternatives, people are seeking – acceptance, security, respect and even the opportunity for growth.  Should not all these very same things be found in traditional marriage?  Apparently they’re not – if they were, I doubt we would have as large a divorce rate as we see today.

An Opportunity

Christians, today as perhaps never before in modern history, have the opportunity to live out a counter-cultural lifestyle called Christian marriage.  This is far more than a man and woman in a civil contract rubber stamped by Olympia – this is a covenant between believers in Jesus’ Christ’s atoning work for their sin, living is submission to one another before God and living for God to the best of their ability.  A Christian marriage is unique in that it is predicated upon the example of Jesus Christ’s life and work.

When a man and woman in a Christian marriage are living out their beliefs – the natural by-products can be humility, grace, forgiveness, encouragement, loyalty and sacrifice.  These traits stand in stark contrast to the underlying values (and sometimes not so underlying values) of our culture today.  Our culture today values power, strength, pride and self exaltation.  Bring any of these values into any relationship – let alone marriage and you have a recipe for disaster.

The Christian has an opportunity to demonstrate with their lives a different way of living – not only individually – but even more so in a marriage.  Rather than shouting about how others should live, Christians need to begin to take charge of their own house – get it in order and live it.  For the sake of our children, the church and the cause of the Kingdom of God (the redemption of the lost), we (Christians) can begin by living like Christians in our homes (behind closed doors) and be the salt and light written about in Matthew 5.  May our families first see our good works (loving one another as Jesus does) and then may the world see and glorify our Father in heaven.

Not Perfect, But Real

Paul said it best when he wrote that a husband and wive represent Christ and His church in Ephesians 5.  The whole world is watching us.  We have the opportunity to reflect the standard of Genesis 2 (The Garden Standard of Marriage) to a world yearning for something genuine and sincere - not perfect, but real.  Let’s encourage one another, pray for marriage and get about living for Jesus in our churches, homes and families!

Our guests come from a segiment of our population that remains invisible to many people.  People with handicaps, disabilities or othewise known as other-abled people remind us of the beauty, wonder and even frailty of human life.  These people cause us good reason to pause from our otherwise fast paced and high flying lives to take to listen carefully and patiently serve them.

The ultimate expression of this type of call to selflessness is found in the Person of Jesus Christ.  Philippians 2: 5-11 reminds us that Jesus left His place in glory and fellowship with the Father to take on humanity and eventually die for other humans – those whom not only didn’t love Him but were actually in opposition to Him.  Romans 5: 8, reminds us that this is God’s demonstration of His love – this demonstration was a gritty earthly existence complete with sweat, blood and the rejection and humiliation of His one and only Son.  Strangely, Christians are not only called to embrace the forgiveness forged in the cross by Jesus, they’re also called to imitate His attitude of selfless servitude with humility.

It may seem a little thing… serving a meal and sitting trying to understand someone with a severe cognative disability.  It may seem a small thing pureeing a meal so that someone with a physical disability can eat it without choking to death.  It may seem a small thing to greet strangers with a smile and warmly welcome them into your place of worship and the company of your community.  It is just these very small things that are part of what make up the Kingdom of God on earth.

It is a Kingdom of twisted bodies, confused faces and shy smiles.  It is a Kingdom so great and yet so humble.  It is a Kingdom that we all too often in our work a day worlds, rat race existences and self absorbed and satisfied existences walk right past without noticing.  For if we did stop and look.  If we did stop and listen.  If we did stop and behold… we too would be broken.

Come, join us for an evening “outside of the box” – an evening “beyond your comfort zone” – an evening tableside in the Kingdom of God on earth.  See our Facebook event or call (425) 822-9201 and tell Lenore you want to help bring the Kingdom to life for our guests on Sunday evening, May 20th at 4:00 pm – 6:00 pm.

Fairy Tales & Nightmares

Marriage for some is a fairy tale come true.  Marriage for others has been a nightmare come true.  We’ll be attempting to look to the Bible to form up a standard for marriage and then examine what happens when divorce comes into the picture.

Christians are called to live like Christians and that includes in the home and in the most central place in the home – the marriage.  Sadly, all too many Christians have not only fallen short of the basic standard of Christian conduct – some have chosen to abandon it all together and behind closed doors systematically blacken the souls of their children and destroy the lives of their spouses.

I have had a front row seat to some of the beauty as well as the pain of marriage – when it goes well and when it hits the fan.  I really don’t know many people who have not been touched by divorce in one way, shape form or another.  I sat across from a man who told me that death would have been better – divorce was so painful and he knew that he would endure it for the rest of his life – it wouldn’t have closure.  While hyperbolic to some, those words are completely relatable to others.

Christians Must Live Like Christians

Christians must live like Christians.  If we can get this basic building block squared away – so much in life would be a whole lot easier.  Respecting one another, up lifting one another, giving one another the benefit of the doubt, blessing one  another and forgiving one another we can have joyful marriages.  If we loved one another like Christ loves us in our marriages – life would be different!

The Christian marriage has the opportunity to be one of the best forms of evangelism ever to see the light of day!  When we love one another as Christ loves us – our marriages are winsome and attractive!

I hope you’ll join me as we look though Old and New Testament passages and consider marriage, it’s secrets and meaning as well as divorce and remarriage.  Where there is holiness, there is also grace in equal measure.  Where Jesus Christ is – there is hope… hope for all of us!

1.  You will join forces with Christians from 5 Kirkland churches to clean and beautify 3 City of Kirkland Parks.  You’re asked to bring your gardening tools, sanders, extention cords and paint brushes – the city of Kirkland Parks dept will be providing bark, supervision, paint and more!  This is a great way to show the love of Jesus to the people of the city of Kirkland.  We all worship Jesus here, why not clean up and beautify the city we worship in?  We decry the consumerism of the age – will we succumb to consumerism and merely use Kirkland as a worship site and move on?  With your hands, feet and time – you’re making a statement to people of Kirkland - saying you value them and their city.  We do it because we love our Lord by following His example of loving people.

2.  Some may ask, “Where is the evangelism in this?”  This is where you come in personally!  This is the exciting part!  You get to invite a family member, co-worker or fellow student to join you in serving the city.  This gives you an opportunity to live out the gospel before them – serving others above yourself in Jesus’ name.  Let your light shine and share the motivation of your life with someone!  Have fun!

Lots of companies will set aside a community service day to paint a homeless shelter, clean up a yard in a low income housing area or give their time to pack food at a local food bank – all in the name of charity.  How about we do the same by cleaning up the city in Jesus’ name?

You can sign up by going to http://maydayclean2012.eventbrite.com/ or simply show up at one of the following parks at 8:00 am on Saturday, May 5th!

Heritage Park, Kirkland
Edith Moulton Park, Kirkland
The City of Kirkland Cemetary, by Lake Washington High School