Valentine's Day

Valentine’s Day

February 8, 2009

Introduction

Valentine’s Day! It rolls around once each year. This year, it will be Saturday. Valentine’s Day finds many different situations for people. This morning, many have no “valentine.” Some have lost their valentine because of death or divorce. Some are too young to have a valentine, but many times, the young school age children send a valentine to someone, or to everyone in their class.

What thoughts comes to your mind as you think of Valentine’s Day? Love? Someone you love? Kindness? Romance? Marriage? How did it all get started? Who is the real author of the good thoughts about Valentine’s Day?

Many of you are aware that there was a man named Valentine. He was a Catholic priest. He lived during the time of the Emperor Claudius who had banned marriage because he was trying to build up his army, and found that married men were very reluctant to join the army, so he banned marriage. Valentine secretly performed marriages, and was caught and imprisoned for doing that. He was executed February 14, 269 A.D., so Valentine’s Day is actually celebrated on the anniversary of his execution.

Well, that’s the beginning of the expression “Valentine’s Day,” but “Valentine’s Day” would be a pretty meaningless expression without what God has defined as love and marriage. Then the record continues: “Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.” (Gen 2:24 NKJV) So we have the home established as God’s first institution. He also gave great instructions as to how we should live with one another.

But what is it about Valentine’s Day that makes it so special? I would say it is all the great qualities of life that God has emphasized.

Body

I. In a very real sense, it all started in the Garden of Eden.

(Gen 2:18 NKJV) ‘And the LORD God said, "It is not good that man should be alone; I will make him a helper comparable to him."’

A. Another verse became the real basis for marriage.

(Gen 2:22-24 NKJV) Then the rib which the LORD God had taken from man He made into a woman, and He brought her to the man. {23} And Adam said: "This is now bone of my bones And flesh of my flesh; She shall be called Woman, Because she was taken out of Man." {24} Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.

Jesus used this verse to establish the permanence of marriage.

(Mat 19:4-6 NKJV) And He answered and said to them, "Have you not read that He who made them at the beginning 'made them male and female,' {5} "and said, 'For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh'? {6} "So then, they are no longer two but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let not man separate."

God established the home as consisting of a husband and wife: a father and mother

II. He based our marriages on love.

A. Paul addressed the husband wife relationship.

1. As he addressed marriage while writing to the church at Ephesus.

Eph 5:25 NKJV) Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her,

2. As he addressed marriage while writing to the church at Colossae.

(Col 3:19 KJV) Husbands, love your wives, and be not bitter against them.

πικραίνω

pikrainō

Thayer Definition:

1) to make bitter

1a) to produce a bitter taste in the stomach

2) to embitter. exasperate

2a) render angry, indignant

2b) to be embittered, irritated

2c) to visit with bitterness, to grieve (deal bitterly with)

B. Paul described how love behaves.

(1 Cor 13:4-7 NKJV) Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; {5} does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; {6} does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; {7} bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

(1 Cor 13:4 NASB) Love is patient, love is kind, and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant,

III. What is the beauty of Valentines Day?

A. It's all the good things we put into it

· Thoughtfulness

· Kindness

· Patience

· Extra Attention

B. Much of the beauty of Valentine’s Day should be part of our Christian walk..

(Eph 4:29-32 NKJV) Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers. {30} And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. {31} Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. {32} And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God in Christ forgave you.

1. Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth -- Literally, rotten-- that which corrupts relationships

2. “Let all bitterness, . . . be put away from you” -- Do not become bitter.

(Col 3:19 NKJV) Husbands, love your wives and do not be bitter toward them.

3. And be tenderhearted,

IV. Companionship is such an important part of God's plan

A. God recognized the need of companionship in the garden.

(Gen 2:18 NKJV) And the LORD God said, "It is not good that man should be alone; I will make him a helper comparable to him."

B. Solomon spoke of our need of companionship.

(Eccl 4:9-12 NKJV) Two are better than one, Because they have a good reward for their labor. {10} For if they fall, one will lift up his companion. But woe to him who is alone when he falls, For he has no one to help him up. {11} Again, if two lie down together, they will keep warm; But how can one be warm alone? {12} Though one may be overpowered by another, two can withstand him. And a threefold cord is not quickly broken.

Conclusion

I. Why the lesson today?

A. We need to think on the good things of life.

(Phil 4:8 NKJV) Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy; meditate on these things.

B. One closing thought.

(James 1:16-17 NKJV) Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren. {17} Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.

II. If your life isn’t right with God, there is no better time than now to make it right.

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