“This might well be the hardest sermon I’ve ever had to write…In preaching the whole truth of scripture, verse by verse, your elders and I can't dodge the difficult stuff…There is such joy and healing found even in hard passages, and while these verses are not easy, I have been excited to stand here to speak to you, not my own words, but the words of sacred scripture. It has been my prayer in preparing this message, that you will hear the clear and strong will of God for marriage, tempered by his gentle and compassionate words of hope for those who have known divorce…Truly, this is a tender topic, and though God’s standard is nothing short of perfection, please hear: His mercy is nothing short of exquisite. God is a God of love, and the elders and I are longing to give care and counsel to any in need. We love you and want to walk humbly and graciously with you on God’s path.  Christ is able. God is good. Amen.”