Happy Honeys

INTRODUCTION

In the Month of June in the Year of our Lord Two Thousand, I bought a new Ford. After only eight or nine miles of driving this brand new car I started to notice unusual things begin to happen. Strange sounds began to come from the left rear end. Loud klunking noises soon began to be emitted from near the center portion of the vehicle. Within a couple of days, the smell of hot oil wafted from the engine compartment. At night I would notice that the front left headlight pointed its light down and to the left. Within a few weeks the dash board lights and idiot warning lights would dim and go out as I drove along. This was very distracting when it would happen at night. When I would make a sharp right turn, the right wheel would rub on the wheel well. Some days the ignition switch

would not work--And then there were several other minor mechanical problems about which I do not have time to tell.

After about ten months of visits to the auto shop, loner cars, research on how to qualify my car as a "Lemon" under Massachusetts’ "Lemon Laws," and reams of paper work and documentation, Ford declared my car to be a "LEMON." They finally replaced my 2000 Ford Lemon with a new 2001 Ford. I have already driven this car over 49,000 miles. It has been a great car.

So, I guess it is correct to say that my experience with Ford Taurus automobiles has been a 50/50 proposition. One bad Ford. One good Ford.

Now you have been laughing? Why? Because we all know that if every other auto manufactured by American companies was a lemon—fifty percent bad and fifty percent good--That soon no one would buy American cars. Did you realize about fifty percent of all of the marriages that have taken place in America during the past few years have ended in divorce? Yes, you

heard right. Fifty percent have or will end in divorce. I heard the other day that the average marriage is right around nine years duration.

Just as a fifty percent failure rate in new cars is unacceptable—A fifty percent failure rate in marriages is also unacceptable. God’s ideal is that a marriage is between one man and one woman and that this union

should last for life. As Christians, we are responsible to make our marriage relationship healthy and holy—When we do, our world will be better. Note with me, several suggestions that Peter gave us to make our "Honeys" happy.

I. LIVE IN HARMONY(v.8)

Peter starts Chapter 3 with the advice that wives should lead lives of submission, purity and reverence and exhibit a gentle and quiet spirit. He tells them that real beauty comes from their Spirit-filled

relationship with Jesus Christ.—That Christ, not clothes, hair or fine jewelry will make them truly beautiful. The inner Spirit-filled self will make them beautiful.

Peter instructs husbands to treat their wives with respect. His teachings echo Paul’s teachings that, "Husbands love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her."(Ephesians 5:25)

Then Peter, in verse 8, gives advice for the married and non married—"Finally, ALL OF YOU, LIVE IN HARMONY WITH ONE ANOTHER…" If you are not married, engaged, dating, and do not now have a Honey you too may listen to this sermon. Its principles will help all your relationships.

This week, the Boston Pops began their Spring/Summer concert season. In a large orchestra there is no room for ego, stage stealing, selfishness… All of the instruments, in tune, are needed to make beautiful music. At times when I do pre-marriage counseling or crisis marriage counseling, I wonder how in the world some couples decided to marry. Both are making

different music. The goal of Keith Lockhart, the Pops Conductor is to lead the musicians to make beautiful music. Before couples marry, they need to set goals. The first goal should be to help the other marriage

partner to make Heaven. The Bible speaks out against Christians marrying non-Christians. We are not to be unequally yoked. Both mates need to follow Jesus the Conductor.

I once pastored a 97 year old widower who had played in a good symphony orchestra. His hearing had deteriorated and he said, "I can no longer hear the harmonies between the strings of my violin." As a result, he could no longer make beautiful music and had to give up the symphony and also playing in the church orchestra. Because of his love for music and

his violin, he decided to sell the violin in order for others to enjoy its wonderful music. With tears in his eyes he would tell me how the loss of his ability to make music was second only to the loss of his dear