Latest / Marriage Life and More and Bible Study / Marriage as Kingdom Partnership Pt 2 (Marriage as a Mission) - 321

Transcript

Marriage as Kingdom Partnership Pt 2 (Marriage as a Mission) - 321 · Marriage Life and More and Bible Study

0:06
Daniel Moore: Marriage unity sounds nice in theory, but what does it actually look like in real life?
0:11
Daniel Moore: Is it just keeping the peace, avoiding arguments, and learning to live with each other's quirks?
0:16
Daniel Moore: Or is it something deeper?
0:18
Daniel Moore: Well, in this week's episode, we're diving into what true biblical unity really means.
0:23
Daniel Moore: Not just surviving together under one roof, but moving forward together with purpose.
0:28
Daniel Moore: Because marriage was never designed to be two individuals coexisting.
0:32
Daniel Moore: It was designed to be a partnership centered on serving God side by side.
0:37
Daniel Moore: And when that shared mission becomes the focus, even the little everyday frustrations start to lose their power.
0:43
Daniel Moore: We'll explore the powerful imagery of being yoked together, what scripture says about mutual submission, and how couples can align their hearts around a greater purpose.
0:52
Daniel Moore: From the wisdom of Ecclesiastes to the challenge of Philippians will unpack how unity in marriage isn't about losing yourself, it's about joining together in something bigger than both of you.
1:02
Daniel Moore: So whether you feel like you and your spouse are pulling in the same direction, or you've been drifting apart, this conversation this week will help recenter your marriage on what truly matters.
1:11
Daniel Moore: Walking with Christ together on mission as one.
1:15
Daniel Moore: Welcome to Marriage Life and More.
1:22
Daniel Moore: This is a podcast about marriage, Bible, and book studies where we interview people that have inspiring stories.
1:27
Daniel Moore: I'm Daniel Moore, your host.
1:28
Daniel Moore: Standing over next to me is my beautiful host, co-host, my wife.
1:31
Daniel Moore: Hey hey, whatever she is.
1:35
Daniel Moore: Thank you guys for joining us this week.
1:38
Daniel Moore: If not familiar with our show, check out our website at marriagelifeandmore.com for our platforms.
1:43
Daniel Moore: Our YouTube and Rumble links are there.
1:45
Daniel Moore: And we're on the creation podcasting app at Edifi.
1:48
Daniel Moore: And we're also on your Alexa and Google Smart Devices.
1:51
Daniel Moore: You can also visit us on social on Facebook, Instagram, and X at CTGapOnline.
1:56
Daniel Moore: And if you're a fan of our show, please subscribe and feel free to leave a comment on our platforms.
2:01
Daniel Moore: Give us a thumbs up or five-star review on Apple Podcast.
2:03
Daniel Moore: And we'd be thankful to you for doing that.
2:07
Daniel Moore: And as another reminder here, coming up here in just a little over a week, I'm going to be at the Somewhere in Time Bookstore in Webb City, Missouri, doing a book signing there.
2:17
Daniel Moore: Have all my books with me.
2:19
Daniel Moore: So if you guys don't have a copy of them yet and you'd like to come pick one up and meet me in person, I'd love that.
2:25
Daniel Moore: Be able to sign a book for you and get you a copy of that.
2:29
Daniel Moore: Of course, you live in the local area, you can participate in that.
2:32
Daniel Moore: So again, that's at the Somewhere in Time Bookstore over in Webb City, Missouri from 1 to 3 p.m.
2:37
Daniel Moore: on May the 9th.
2:39
Daniel Moore: Well, last week we started off our episode 3 of our series on Marriage as a Mission, which is the first book that I wrote.
2:47
Daniel Moore: And if you have a copy of that, you can get that anywhere online where you can get your books.
2:51
Daniel Moore: And last week we started episode three, and we was talking about marriage as a kingdom partnership.
2:57
Daniel Moore: This week we're going to finish up that episode here on Married Life and More.
3:15
Michelle Moore: When it comes to marriage, unity is about far more than simply tolerating your spouse's experimental cooking or surviving yet another debate about which way the toilet paper roll should face.
3:28
Michelle Moore: Goatee or mullet.
3:30
Daniel Moore: Is it a goatee or is it a mullet?
3:33
Michelle Moore: Well, I don't know that I've ever even heard it.
3:36
Daniel Moore: Well, the mullet is it rolls from the back.
3:39
Daniel Moore: If it's a goatee, then it's rolling over the front.
3:42
Michelle Moore: It's gonna be a goatee.
3:44
Michelle Moore: It always rolls over from the front.
3:45
Daniel Moore: Over the front?
3:46
Daniel Moore: Always.
3:46
Daniel Moore: I usually do a mullet.
3:48
Michelle Moore: And I usually change it.
3:50
Michelle Moore: That's very I have never heard it been called that.
3:53
Daniel Moore: Yeah, that's what it's called.
3:54
Daniel Moore: So this episode's gonna work for us then.
3:57
Daniel Moore: Because we gotta agree on a goatee or a mullet.
4:01
Michelle Moore: I'm gonna win.
4:02
Michelle Moore: So, real biblical unity goes far deeper than uh peaceful coexistence.
4:10
Michelle Moore: It's about two people intentionally moving in the same direction with the same purpose, serving God together as a team.
4:18
Michelle Moore: Does that mean we gotta come together and figure out what we're gonna do with the toilet paper?
4:23
Daniel Moore: It's party in the back, baby.
4:24
Daniel Moore: Okay.
4:25
Daniel Moore: Bullet.
4:26
Daniel Moore: Oh my gosh.
4:29
Michelle Moore: Marriage isn't just about sharing a house, a bank account, or a Netflix password.
4:34
Michelle Moore: It's about sharing a mission.
4:35
Michelle Moore: God designed marriage to be a partnership where both husband and wife walk together towards something bigger than themselves.
4:43
Michelle Moore: When that shared purpose becomes central, the small annoyances of life begin to shrink in importance, like the toilet paper.
4:51
Michelle Moore: Suddenly the question isn't who's right about the pasta sauce, but how can we glorify God together in the way we live?
4:59
Michelle Moore: A helpful picture of this comes from the agricultural imagery often used in scripture.
5:05
Michelle Moore: Think of marriage like two oxen yoked together, pulling a plow across a field, and before anyone objects, Deuteronomy 2210 warns against mismatched animals.
5:19
Michelle Moore: So no, we're not calling your spouse a donkey.
5:22
Michelle Moore: When oxen are yoked properly, they move in the same direction and share the weight of the work.
5:34
Michelle Moore: The yoke keeps them aligned so the field is plowed straight and gets the job done efficiently.
5:40
Michelle Moore: But imagine if one ox decided it wanted to veer left while the other was determined to head right, maybe towards the nearest Chick-fil-A.
5:50
Michelle Moore: The result wouldn't be productive farming.
5:53
Michelle Moore: It would be chaos, crooked rows, and a very frustrated farmer.
5:57
Michelle Moore: In the same way, when husbands and wives pursue different priorities or pull against each other's direction, life becomes unnecessarily difficult.
6:07
Michelle Moore: That's why Ephesians 5.21 gives such powerful guidance.
6:11
Michelle Moore: Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.
6:15
Michelle Moore: Mutual submission isn't about losing individuality, it's about choosing humility and cooperation so that both partners can move forward together with Christ at the center.
6:27
Daniel Moore: So one thing that I noticed last week that I was going to say and I forgot, but this week it kind of hit my mind again.
6:33
Daniel Moore: You remember the episode we did uh in our very first series on the four laws of love about pursuit?
6:39
Daniel Moore: Uh how sometimes when we get married, we forget that we have to pursue our other spo our spouse.
6:48
Daniel Moore: And when that happens, then that marriage starts to fall apart.
6:54
Daniel Moore: That relationship relationship starts to fall apart.
6:57
Daniel Moore: Um we have to constantly pursue the happiness and the goals and it's a it's a nonstop action that we have to do.
7:06
Daniel Moore: And that also plays over into our situation when it comes to God.
7:11
Daniel Moore: Because whenever uh and I think last week it actually mentioned that word in one spot and I was gonna say something and it it slipped on by before I forgot to do it, but whenever we are kingdom-minded, what do we do with God when we truly want to fulfill his purpose and do what he wants us to do?
7:32
Daniel Moore: We pursue him.
7:34
Daniel Moore: We per we pursue that calling that he's put upon us and we try to do that without failure.
7:40
Daniel Moore: You know, we try to do whatever we can to make sure that when we do pursue the things that he has for us, even that we do it to completion.
7:48
Daniel Moore: You know, we want to make God happy with what we're doing.
7:52
Daniel Moore: And, you know, this part here where you just read about people losing their individuality.
8:00
Daniel Moore: And I think sometimes, you know, we've talked to couples before that kind of look at it this way, and I've read seen other places where people's mentioned on social media or whatever.
8:11
Daniel Moore: Sometimes whenever a couple's trying to to do things, but they're a like the two oxen going opposite directions, uh a lot of some of the reasoning for that is because they feel like they're gonna lose who they are.
8:26
Michelle Moore: Yeah.
8:26
Daniel Moore: And they feel like that all of a sudden it's not them anymore, it's all about the other spouse.
8:32
Daniel Moore: And it's all about what they want and all that kind of thing.
8:35
Daniel Moore: And they get in this mindset, they get in this thing going on where they think, well, if I give in to that, that's not really me.
8:43
Daniel Moore: So then I'm gonna lose who I am, and I'm not gonna have any say-so in any of this.
8:46
Daniel Moore: And I mean, to me, does that sound kind of selfish?
8:50
Daniel Moore: You know, whenever that I mean, that's kind of what I feel like when I think of that kind of a mindset.
8:55
Daniel Moore: You know, that's where the oxen separate and take off like that, is when you have that selfish mindset.
9:01
Daniel Moore: There's many times that you have done something that I wasn't wasn't my cup of tea, but I still wanted to have the fulfillment of what it was that you wanted to do, and you've done the same for me.
9:14
Daniel Moore: That's what keeps those oxen going down that path straight.
9:18
Michelle Moore: Yeah.
9:19
Daniel Moore: Because even if they both have a different mindset for a moment, if they're truly thinking about the other mate and what they believe in and what they are wanting to do and what they're wanting to accomplish, if I truly care about you and what you think and all that kind of thing, I'm going to do the best that I can to make sure that I pursue not only what you're wanting, but what God wants me to do for you as a spouse.
9:42
Daniel Moore: There's a kind of a big equation there that goes together with that that we have to think through.
9:46
Daniel Moore: And so I just want to throw that in there real quick before I forgot again, because last week I was going to do that and I totally forgot about it.
9:52
Daniel Moore: That's good.
9:52
Daniel Moore: But you can go ahead and continue there.
9:54
Michelle Moore: So this idea is echoed beautifully in Ecclesiastics 4, 9 through 12, which reminds us that two are better than one because they have a good return for their labor.
10:05
Michelle Moore: On the surface, that might sound practical advice about dividing chores.
10:09
Michelle Moore: One unloads groceries while the other wrestles the toddler out of the shopping cart.
10:14
Michelle Moore: But the principle runs much deeper.
10:16
Michelle Moore: The passage highlights the strength that comes from partnership.
10:20
Michelle Moore: When one person stumbles, the other helps them.
10:23
Michelle Moore: When challenges arise, two people standing together are stronger than one standing alone.
10:29
Michelle Moore: In marriage, this means more than simply sharing responsibilities.
10:34
Michelle Moore: It means sharing spiritual direction.
10:36
Michelle Moore: Couples who pursue kingdom goals together, serving in their church, reaching out to the neighbors, mentoring young believers, or raising children who know and love God, experience a unique bond that goes beyond ordinary companionship.
10:52
Michelle Moore: Their relationship becomes strengthened not just by affection, but by shared purpose.
10:59
Michelle Moore: Paul empathizes this same mindset in Philippians 2.2, when he urges believers to be like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose.
11:11
Michelle Moore: Applied to marriage, this means aligning your hearts around what matters most.
11:16
Michelle Moore: When both husband and wife are passionate about loving God and loving others, something powerful happens.
11:24
Michelle Moore: The focus on the relationship shifts.
11:27
Michelle Moore: Instead of constantly turning toward each other with criticism, frustration, or running a tally of who forgets to take out the trash, both partners begin turning forward toward God's calling on their lives.
11:41
Michelle Moore: Suddenly, you're not just roommates managing household logistics, you're co-laborers in Christ.
11:49
Michelle Moore: Your marriage becomes a partnership in ministry, a place where encouragement, prayer, and shared faith fuel your journey together.
11:58
Michelle Moore: Of course, unity with purpose doesn't mean every preference magically disappears.
12:05
Michelle Moore: There will still be disagreements, sometimes even over things as small as what to bring to church Bakesel.
12:12
Michelle Moore: One spouse may champion chocolate brownies while the other is passionately committed to lemon bars.
12:18
Michelle Moore: But if the goal is to bless people and serve the church, the flavor becomes a secondary issue.
12:25
Michelle Moore: Unity with purpose means being willing to lay aside personal preferences for something greater.
12:32
Michelle Moore: It's recognizing that the mission matters more than winning the argument.
12:37
Michelle Moore: When couples adopt that mindset, many of the conflicts that once seemed huge start to look surprisingly small.
12:45
Daniel Moore: So at one point in our marriage, do you feel like that you had trouble uh laying aside your personal preferences?
12:54
Daniel Moore: Do you think that you struggled with that?
12:57
Michelle Moore: Oh, absolutely.
12:58
Michelle Moore: Because I made it about me.
12:59
Daniel Moore: Yeah.
13:00
Michelle Moore: I mean, I'm willing to admit that.
13:02
Michelle Moore: I mean, of course, you know, we've talked about that.
13:04
Michelle Moore: I can be a I mean, even sometimes I still have my prefer my personal preferences.
13:10
Michelle Moore: And I do kind of like throw them at you.
13:13
Michelle Moore: Um then I have to step back and I think, okay, Michelle, you're you're you're you're being all prideful here by wanting to get to do the things you're wanting to do.
13:23
Michelle Moore: You're not thinking about your spouse.
13:26
Michelle Moore: But I definitely 100% say yes on that one.
13:31
Daniel Moore: What what do you think it was that kind of helped you get past that?
13:34
Daniel Moore: Because you to me are, I think we are a lot more at this point in our marriage likely to make sure that it's kind of an equal opportunity type of thing between the two of us because there's things that you'll want to do sometimes or have a personal preferences that you have that I will try to accommodate and vice versa.
13:56
Daniel Moore: Um it kind of goes both ways, which does help our conflict level stay down.
14:01
Daniel Moore: I mean, that helps us get along much better.
14:03
Daniel Moore: Uh what what do you think actually finally what was that light bulb do you think that clicked on one day that made you realize that hey, that this does better if we work together on this instead of trying to push our agenda so much?
14:16
Daniel Moore: Was there anything you can think of?
14:17
Michelle Moore: I I mean, honestly, I feel like knowing that both of us had the best interest of each other and knowing that I wanted to please God and knowing that our marriage was a mirror of God, it changes how you think about things.
14:35
Michelle Moore: And it truly, I mean, I would rather make you happy than myself.
14:40
Michelle Moore: I would rather do things for you just to make you happy because I know how much God gave up for us to send his only son.
14:48
Michelle Moore: And I think our marriage is that sacrifice.
14:52
Michelle Moore: Yeah, I need to sacrifice things too because of you.
14:55
Michelle Moore: Before it was all about me.
14:58
Michelle Moore: You know, now I don't look at it that way.
15:00
Michelle Moore: And then I think about if it makes you happy.
15:03
Michelle Moore: Well, sometimes I was like, if it makes him happy, I'll get a pool.
15:08
Daniel Moore: But you know so far there's no pool out there.
15:11
Michelle Moore: No, there's no pool.
15:12
Michelle Moore: But, you know, I mean, sometimes I mean I just I really truly feel like I do it because I want to see you happy.
15:22
Michelle Moore: And I know if we're both happy together, it's fulfilling what God has for us.
15:28
Daniel Moore: Yeah.
15:29
Daniel Moore: And you say this a lot too, and I think there's a lot of truth in it.
15:32
Daniel Moore: Sometimes you have to pick your battles.
15:34
Daniel Moore: Because if you if you try to die on that hill of everything that you want and everything that you prefer, yeah, it's just a lot of times you're just gonna get nowhere with that but into a big, huge fight.
15:48
Michelle Moore: And I'll tell you, he'll he'll tell you, I just don't I don't look at things like I used to, and it it's not worth it to me.
15:57
Michelle Moore: I want to make my husband happy.
15:59
Michelle Moore: I'm not saying if he does something wrong, then I'm gonna roll over with it.
16:03
Daniel Moore: Right.
16:04
Michelle Moore: But is it worth it?
16:06
Michelle Moore: You know, is it is something really gonna be like as he says, pick your battles.
16:12
Michelle Moore: Most of it just rolls off of me.
16:14
Michelle Moore: But I also think that God, because I'm in tuned, isn't really, you know, he forgives me for so much.
16:22
Michelle Moore: Yeah.
16:22
Michelle Moore: Why would I hold something against you?
16:24
Daniel Moore: Yeah.
16:25
Daniel Moore: Yeah, that's perfectly well said.
16:26
Daniel Moore: I mean, I think even from my side of it, looking at it and the way that I approach things, you know, both of us can be as strong-willed as we want to be, but is it really beneficial sometimes within our own marriage and our relationship with God to really push that agenda past the limit?
16:43
Daniel Moore: You know?
16:44
Daniel Moore: And yes, probably some things there might be that we just stand firm on it.
16:50
Michelle Moore: Like my pull.
16:51
Daniel Moore: We push through it.
16:52
Daniel Moore: And when we get her when we get her pull, I'll post a picture to social media.
16:57
Daniel Moore: So might be a while.
17:01
Michelle Moore: It's been a while for anyway, so let's just keep on.
17:05
Daniel Moore: I just yeah, I just was just kind of want to throw that out there for a minute.
17:08
Daniel Moore: So go ahead and continue there.
17:10
Michelle Moore: As couples pursue God together, something beautiful begins to grow in their relationship.
17:15
Michelle Moore: Patience deepens not just because they've learned to tolerate the way their spouse loads the dishwasher incorrectly, but because they are developing the fruit of the Spirit described in Galatians 5, 22-23.
17:29
Michelle Moore: Compassion grows as well.
17:32
Michelle Moore: Serving side by side reveals each other's strengths, but it also exposes weaknesses, insecurities, and struggles.
17:39
Michelle Moore: Instead of using those discoveries as ammunition, couples learn to respond with grace.
17:45
Michelle Moore: As 1 Peter 4.8 reminds us, love covers a multitude of sins.
17:50
Michelle Moore: Ministry together becomes a training ground for humility, forgiveness, and genuine care for one another.
17:56
Michelle Moore: Ultimately, unity with purpose doesn't mean becoming identical people.
18:02
Michelle Moore: God didn't design marriage to produce clones.
18:05
Michelle Moore: Instead, he created husbands and wives to complement each other, different strengths, different perspectives, different personalities working together for a shared mission.
18:16
Michelle Moore: Think of it less like two identical instruments playing the same note and more like a beautiful duet.
18:23
Michelle Moore: Each voice contributes something unique, but together they create harmony.
18:28
Michelle Moore: It's the difference between a powerful song and one person singing while someone else shouts random lyrics from the back row.
18:35
Michelle Moore: So take your spouse's hand, not just for romance, but for mission.
18:41
Michelle Moore: Walk together with your eyes fixed on God's purpose for your lives.
18:46
Michelle Moore: When couples pursue Christ side by side, their marriage becomes more than a relationship.
18:52
Michelle Moore: It becomes a ministry.
18:54
Michelle Moore: And who knows?
18:55
Michelle Moore: If you're both focused on the bigger picture, you might even find yourself willingly letting your spouse pick the dessert flavor this time.
19:04
Michelle Moore: After all, unity with purpose sometimes starts with something as simple as sharing the lemon bars.
19:10
Michelle Moore: That's so cute.
19:13
Daniel Moore: And, you know, one thing that I want to pull out of that is that's real interesting, is it kind of reaffirms that thing where opposites attract.
19:21
Daniel Moore: Yeah.
19:21
Daniel Moore: You know, a lot of times you'll notice that in marriages, if you start talking to the spouses, that there are there is a lot of opposites involved.
19:31
Daniel Moore: You know, you and I have a lot of opposites.
19:34
Daniel Moore: There's a lot of things that there's things that you're good at that I'm not, and there's things that I'm good at that you're not, and there's ways that you think about certain things where I have a total different outlook on it, and vice versa.
19:46
Daniel Moore: And it's so cool how it can be that way, but yet we can pull it together and make something beautiful out of it.
19:52
Michelle Moore: Oh, absolutely.
19:53
Michelle Moore: And and I also, you know, when it was talking about um the insecurities and struggles, instead of using those discoveries as ammunition and couples learn to respond with grace, I was thinking about how, you know, there's been times I've had struggles.
20:08
Michelle Moore: And you could use that as ammunition and you never have.
20:12
Daniel Moore: Yeah.
20:13
Michelle Moore: You've literally given me grace and you've come along and you've helped me grow.
20:17
Daniel Moore: Yeah.
20:18
Michelle Moore: And so if your partner does have that, that's what you're there for.
20:22
Daniel Moore: Yeah.
20:23
Michelle Moore: To be alongside of them, give them grace, encourage them.
20:27
Daniel Moore: Yeah, that's there's no reason to tear each other down.
20:30
Michelle Moore: Uh because we're different.
20:32
Daniel Moore: Yeah.
20:32
Daniel Moore: And we, you know, God made us that way.
20:35
Daniel Moore: And so I think that if we can take those moments where we question what's going on, we question what's being said, we question what our spouse is doing, and instead of just lashing back at that moment, just spouting something off, sit back and sit on it for a minute, think about it and pray about it.
20:54
Daniel Moore: Yeah, a lot of times God will really reveal to you the importance of why it's that way.
20:59
Daniel Moore: And when that happens, then you can come and talk to your spouse about it and everything.
21:04
Daniel Moore: Um, it seems like that just it meshes so beautifully a lot of times.
21:09
Daniel Moore: And you learn that's how you learn more about each other as well.
21:12
Michelle Moore: Yeah, and I think, you know, if you have those weaknesses, those weaknesses may just be for that season of life.
21:19
Daniel Moore: Yeah.
21:20
Michelle Moore: You know, if you have someone that's encouraging and pouring into that, then that weakness may not be that same weakness one year, two year down the road.
21:29
Michelle Moore: God's gonna use that.
21:30
Daniel Moore: Yeah, he will.
21:31
Daniel Moore: And he'll create something beautiful out of it.
21:35
Daniel Moore: Not only in your life, but if we're doing this kingdom aspect of it, it's it's gonna flow into somebody else's relationship.
21:42
Daniel Moore: So you might be thinking, well, how does this look?
21:55
Daniel Moore: You know, when we're talking about this kingdom, what are some good examples that we Can look at.
22:00
Daniel Moore: I'm going to share one with you here, and then Michelle's going to share one as we wrap up this episode for this week.
22:06
Daniel Moore: And this one here that I'm going to share, I'm going to actually come back to several times throughout this series.
22:11
Daniel Moore: It's a super powerful story that has so many applications that you can pull out of it.
22:16
Daniel Moore: And that's the story of Priscilla and Aquila.
22:18
Daniel Moore: You know, they stand out as one of the most powerful and inspiring examples in scripture of a married couple united around a shared kingdom purpose.
22:25
Daniel Moore: Their story appears throughout the New Testament like a series of small snapshots that when pieced together reveal a beautiful portrait of partnership and ministry.
22:33
Daniel Moore: They weren't simply warming a pew in the early church or showing up for pilg dinners and the occasional hymn sing.
22:39
Daniel Moore: They were active participants, workers, leaders, mentors, disciplers, and missionaries who used their marriage as a tool for advancing the gospel.
22:48
Daniel Moore: And their story begins in Acts 18, verses 1 through 3.
22:52
Daniel Moore: And you want to read that to us?
22:54
Michelle Moore: Yeah.
22:54
Michelle Moore: After this, Paul left Athens and went to Corinth, and he found a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla.
23:05
Michelle Moore: And because he was the same trade, he stayed with them and worked, for they were tent makers by trade.
23:12
Daniel Moore: So here we discover that Priscilla and Aquila were not only devoted believers, but they also were hardworking business owners.
23:18
Daniel Moore: They made tents for a living.
23:20
Daniel Moore: That's a practical trade that probably involved long hours, lots of fabric, and more rope than the average camping store, probably lots of pricked fingers also.
23:29
Daniel Moore: But they didn't view their work as separate from their faith.
23:33
Daniel Moore: Instead, their profession became the very avenue through which ministry flourished.
23:39
Daniel Moore: When the apostle Paul arrived in Corinth, they welcomed him not only as a fellow tradesman, but as a brother in Christ.
23:46
Daniel Moore: He lived and worked alongside them, which likely meant that their days were filled with sewing canvas, discussing theology, praying together, and probably sharing the occasional laugh over crooked tent seams.
23:58
Daniel Moore: But they weren't just making tents.
24:00
Daniel Moore: They were helping build the church.
24:02
Daniel Moore: Their home became more than a residence.
24:05
Daniel Moore: It became a ministry headquarters.
24:07
Daniel Moore: It was a place where discipleship happened over mills, encouragement flowed freely, and the gospel was lived out in everyday life.
24:16
Daniel Moore: Later, in Romans chapter 16, verses 3 and 4, Paul writes, Greek Prisca and Aquila, my fellow workers in Christ Jesus who risk their necks for my life, to whom not only I give thanks, but all the churches of the Gentiles give thanks as well.
24:32
Daniel Moore: So as we read that scripture and look at it, think about that for a moment.
24:36
Daniel Moore: Paul doesn't call them nice people who occasionally helped out.
24:40
Daniel Moore: He called them fellow workers in Christ Jesus, partners in the mission.
24:45
Daniel Moore: And apparently their partnership went far beyond hospitality and tent repair.
24:50
Daniel Moore: At some point they literally risked their lives for Paul.
24:53
Daniel Moore: Scripture doesn't give us the dramatic details, but the phrase risk their necks suggests that they were willing to step into danger for the sake of the gospel.
25:01
Daniel Moore: That's not casual Christianity, that's courageous commitment.
25:06
Daniel Moore: What's especially striking about Priscilla and Aquila is that they ministered together as a true partnership.
25:12
Daniel Moore: In several passages, Priscilla's name even appears before Aquila's, something highly unusual in the cultural context of the time.
25:20
Daniel Moore: This subtle detail suggests that she was deeply involved in their ministry work, not merely watching from the sidelines or refilling everyone's coffee cups.
25:29
Daniel Moore: They were united in purpose, serving shoulder to shoulder for the kingdom.
25:34
Daniel Moore: While their most significant contribution appears later in Acts chapter 18, verses 24 through 26.
25:40
Daniel Moore: You want to read that one for us?
25:42
Michelle Moore: Now a Jew named Apollos came to Ephesus.
25:46
Michelle Moore: He was an eloquent man, competent in scriptures.
25:49
Michelle Moore: He began to speak boldly in the synagogue.
25:52
Michelle Moore: But when Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him aside and explained to him the way of God more accurately.
25:59
Daniel Moore: So here Apollos, he was clearly gifted, he was eloquent, he was knowledgeable, and he was passionate.
26:06
Daniel Moore: And if he lived today, he might have a podcast, a book deal, or a conference speaking schedule.
26:12
Daniel Moore: But despite his strengths, his understanding of the gospel was incomplete.
26:17
Daniel Moore: Instead of publicly correcting him in front of everybody, or letting confusion spread, Priscilla and Aquila handled the situation with wisdom and grace.
26:26
Daniel Moore: They privately took him aside and explained the truth more clearly.
26:31
Daniel Moore: That is discipleship at its finest.
26:34
Daniel Moore: And notice too that they did it together.
26:38
Daniel Moore: This wasn't Aquila saying, Priscilla, go make some snacks while I handle the theology.
26:43
Daniel Moore: Nor was it Priscilla saying, Honey, step aside.
26:46
Daniel Moore: I've got this.
26:48
Daniel Moore: They worked as a team, mentoring Apollos and strengthening his understanding of the gospel.
26:54
Daniel Moore: And the result?
26:55
Daniel Moore: Apollos went on to become a powerful leader in the early church.
26:58
Daniel Moore: And you can read that in 1 Corinthians 3, verses 5 and 6.
27:02
Daniel Moore: Their quiet investment helped shape a future ministry that would impact countless believers.
27:07
Daniel Moore: Now imagine this for a moment if Priscilla and Aquila had decided that ministry was simply too inconvenient.
27:13
Daniel Moore: I mean, what if they had said, you know, Paul, we love God and all, but running this business keeps us busy?
27:20
Daniel Moore: Maybe try the tent makers down the street.
27:23
Daniel Moore: Well, Paul might have arrived in Corinth with nowhere to stay, no workplace and no close fellowship.
27:29
Daniel Moore: And what if Apollos had never received that gentle correction?
27:32
Daniel Moore: He might have continued preaching with incomplete understanding, potentially leading others into confusion.
27:39
Daniel Moore: Sometimes the most important moments in kingdom ministry and history happened not in stadiums or synagogues, but in living rooms.
27:48
Daniel Moore: Paul later summarized the principle in 1 Corinthians 3 verse 6.
27:52
Daniel Moore: I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave growth.
27:57
Daniel Moore: But that watering became effective partly because Priscilla and Aquila had invested in Apollos first.
28:04
Daniel Moore: Their marriage was like two threads woven tightly together into one strong cord, pulling in the same direction for God's purposes.
28:12
Daniel Moore: When couples unite around a shared mission for the kingdom, their impact multiplies exponentially.
28:18
Daniel Moore: Think of it like a rowing team.
28:20
Daniel Moore: If one spouse rows forward while the other rows backwards, the boat spins in circles, and someone probably ends up splashing water everywhere.
28:28
Daniel Moore: But when both row in the same direction with the same rhythm, even a small boat can travel great distances.
28:34
Daniel Moore: Priscilla and Aquila weren't celebrities of the faith.
28:38
Daniel Moore: They didn't perform miracles on street corners or preach sermons to massive crowds, they were faithful, humble, and intentional believers who lived out Romans 12 verses 11 through 13.
28:49
Daniel Moore: Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord, contribute to the needs of the saints, and seek to show hospitality.
29:00
Daniel Moore: That's the vision of kingdom-centered marriage, service rooted in love, partnership fueled by shared purpose, and a relationship that doesn't merely walk side by side, but moves forward together toward God's mission.
29:13
Daniel Moore: And sometimes that mission begins with something simple, like opening your home, sharing a meal, praying with someone at your kitchen table, and investing in a life that God intends to use in ways that you may never fully see.
29:27
Daniel Moore: And yes, it's entirely possible to serve God faithfully while owning matching coffee mugs.
29:33
Daniel Moore: In fact, that might just be the first step towards organized ministry.
29:38
Daniel Moore: You know, Michelle and I, we've actually had Life Group at our house before, and we've led other life groups.
29:44
Daniel Moore: Uh, there's probably places where you and I have actually impacted a couple that we don't even know right now.
29:52
Daniel Moore: And I pray that that's actually happened.
29:54
Daniel Moore: I hope that God's light showed out of us to where another couple might have been impacted uh by the things that they saw and by the walk that they see us walk.
30:04
Daniel Moore: You know, we'll probably may never know that the side of eternity.
30:08
Daniel Moore: But that's not what it's all about.
30:09
Daniel Moore: It's not about receiving alkalades or rewards, notches on our uh scorecard.
30:14
Daniel Moore: You know, it's like that's not what this is all about.
30:17
Daniel Moore: Uh we want to make sure that as we walk together, you know, you and I doing this podcast, you and I doing the marriage ministry, we just want to make sure that God is lifted up and exalted.
30:28
Daniel Moore: Yeah.
30:28
Daniel Moore: And that he's glorified in everything that we do.
30:30
Daniel Moore: Absolutely.
30:31
Daniel Moore: And we pray that positive things would happen in couples' lives.
30:34
Daniel Moore: So we also have one here about Abraham and Sarah.
30:37
Daniel Moore: Why don't you go ahead and share that one with us?
30:39
Michelle Moore: Yeah, Abraham and Sarah provided another compelling example of a married couple working together in unity for God's purposes.
30:47
Michelle Moore: Although their journey included a few stumbles, a few moments of doubt, and at least one memorable laugh along the way.
30:55
Michelle Moore: In Genesis 18, 12, Sarah famously laughs at the idea that she should bear a child in her old age.
31:02
Michelle Moore: To be fair, is someone told an almost 90-year-olds today they were about to start a parenting journey, laughter might also be the immediate response.
31:12
Michelle Moore: I know it would be for me.
31:14
Michelle Moore: Yes.
31:15
Michelle Moore: Their story begins with a remarkable call from God in Genesis 12, 1 through 3, where the Lord commands Abraham to leave his homeland, his extended family, and everything familiar in order to follow him into an unknown future.
31:30
Michelle Moore: God promised to make Abraham into a great nation and to bless all the families of the earth through him.
31:37
Michelle Moore: But while the call was given directly to Abraham, the journey required Sarah's full participation.
31:44
Michelle Moore: Following God meant leaving behind everything comfortable and predictable.
31:48
Michelle Moore: Sarah had to say goodbye to the stability of home life and embrace a nomadic existence filled with tents, long journeys, uncertain destinations, and occasional awkward family situation.
32:01
Michelle Moore: In fact, on two occasions, Abraham's fear led him to claim Sarah was his sister, resulting in her nearly becoming part of royal harems.
32:11
Michelle Moore: That's in Genesis 12, 14 through 20 and 201 through 18.
32:17
Michelle Moore: If ever there were moments that tested marital trust, those were probably near the top of that list.
32:24
Michelle Moore: Yet Sarah's role in God's plan was far from passive.
32:29
Michelle Moore: Hebrews 11 11 honors her faith, saying, By faith, Sarah herself received power to conceive, even when she was past the age, since she considered him faithful who had promised.
32:42
Michelle Moore: Although she initially laughed at the promise, she eventually believed it.
32:47
Michelle Moore: Her faith grew alongside Abraham's as they waited year after year for God's promise to come true.
32:54
Michelle Moore: Waiting is rarely easy, especially when the promise involves something as life-changing as a child and the clock seems to be moving in the wrong direction.
33:05
Michelle Moore: But together they endured the long seasons of uncertainty, and eventually, through God's power, Sarah gave birth to Isaac, the child of promise, through whom God's covenant would continue.
33:18
Michelle Moore: Now imagine if Sarah had refused to follow Abraham when God called him in Genesis 12.
33:24
Michelle Moore: Suppose she had said, That sounds wonderful for you, eh?
33:28
Michelle Moore: But I'm staying right here where the water system works and the neighbors are familiar.
33:33
Michelle Moore: Without Sarah's courage and willingness to step into the unknown, the story of God's covenant people may have unfolded very differently.
33:43
Michelle Moore: What makes Abraham and Sarah's partnership so powerful, it's not that they were flawless, but that they persevered together.
33:51
Michelle Moore: Their story includes moments of impatience, missteps, and attempts to help God out with human solutions, Genesis 16 is a classic example.
34:02
Michelle Moore: Yet through it all, they continue moving forward with God.
34:05
Michelle Moore: Romans 4.19 tells us Abraham did not weaken in faith even when he considered the reality of the old age.
34:15
Michelle Moore: Their faith eventually rose above what seemed logically impossible.
34:19
Michelle Moore: Their marriage teaches us something important.
34:22
Michelle Moore: Serving God together does not require perfection, it requires faithful perseverance.
34:29
Michelle Moore: There will be delays, there will be detours, there will be seasons where God's promises feel distant and unclear.
34:38
Michelle Moore: But when a husband and a wife hold on to God's promises together, their unity becomes a powerful testimony of trust.
34:47
Michelle Moore: In modern terms, their life like signing up for a lifelong road trip with no GPS, no detailed itinerary, and no guarantee about where the next rest stop may appear, except for one thing.
35:01
Michelle Moore: God had promised the destination would be worth it.
35:05
Michelle Moore: And Sarah wasn't just sitting quietly in the passenger seat.
35:09
Michelle Moore: She was a co-traveler in faith, walking alongside Abraham through every twist and turn of the journey.
35:16
Michelle Moore: This story reminds us that when couples dare to trust God together, even seasons that feel barren can become the very places where God brings forth his greatest work.
35:27
Michelle Moore: What once looked like impossibility can become the birthplace of promise and the foundation of kingdom partnership that echoes through generations.
35:39
Daniel Moore: You know, as you share that story, I think uh there's several people out there that I know there's a podcast that I listen to.
35:46
Daniel Moore: It's uh a retired pastor and his wife, it's family life today.
35:50
Daniel Moore: Uh both of them have shared this story, and then I've seen it in other places as well with other people that I know, uh, where one of the spouses was called to be a pastor and the other spouse is like, not on your life.
36:04
Daniel Moore: I'm not gonna be a pastor's wife, you know, or whatever, it's something along that line.
36:10
Daniel Moore: And you know, sometimes God does catch us off guard and he will put a calling on one of the spouses' life where they have to share it with the other spouse, and then from that moment forward, it's a God thing on whether if that other spouse wants to jump on board or not.
36:28
Daniel Moore: And sometimes those callings are out there, they're crazy.
36:32
Daniel Moore: They're at God's asking you to, you know, like here.
36:35
Daniel Moore: He was sending them to some place they didn't know where it was, what it was, what was going to happen when they got there.
36:40
Daniel Moore: I mean, I hear stories sometimes of missionaries, and I know Michelle, you've heard them as well, where God calls a couple to go somewhere and they have very few details.
36:51
Daniel Moore: God's just like, you need to sell everything you got, pack up.
36:54
Daniel Moore: You're going to this country to become missionaries to an unknown people, and they have to sit there and pray through that and figure out all of that.
37:03
Daniel Moore: That would be so difficult.
37:05
Michelle Moore: It would be.
37:05
Michelle Moore: It really would be.
37:07
Daniel Moore: You talk about being kingdom-minded.
37:09
Daniel Moore: Oh.
37:10
Daniel Moore: I mean, both spouses at that point have to come to a point to reconcile what they think about things for their own life versus what God wants them to do.
37:20
Daniel Moore: And if that's you out there that's listening right now, and God puts you on the spot with that, uh, you know, where are you gonna take that?
37:30
Daniel Moore: I mean, to a point, even in our story, even with the podcast, you know, there was a while that I was interested in trying to get you on to do the marriage stuff, but you just weren't quite ready yet.
37:41
Daniel Moore: And it c it took a while uh for you to pray and just, you know, if it wasn't for God, yeah, figure out there's no way I'd I'd be doing it even today.
37:52
Daniel Moore: Yeah.
37:53
Daniel Moore: And so things don't when God calls you, sometimes it's not just a snap of a finger and all of a sudden it starts tapping and falls into place.
38:02
Daniel Moore: If you're married and in a marriage relationship, there's other factors that are gonna take place, and you both have to seek God and ask God, okay, I know this is what you're wanting us to do, but you have to align both of us in mind and spirit and soul.
38:17
Daniel Moore: You have to get us both on the same page so that we can be as effective as we can for the kingdom.
38:23
Daniel Moore: So as we wrap up this episode this week, as we finish up episode three here about having kingdom impact with our marriages.
38:44
Daniel Moore: Is there anything that you'd like to add to this episode that we've put out here before we wrap it up?
38:50
Michelle Moore: No, it's really good episode.
38:52
Daniel Moore: I think it's just an eye-opener.
38:53
Michelle Moore: Yeah.
38:54
Daniel Moore: I think in a lot of ways we have to remember that we're not just married just to be married, just to start a family and have a nice car and a nice house, and all that stuff's great.
39:02
Daniel Moore: God blesses us with all of it.
39:04
Daniel Moore: But there's a bigger calling on our lives.
39:07
Michelle Moore: Absolutely.
39:08
Daniel Moore: Not only individually, but as a married couple.
39:10
Daniel Moore: And I think this is a good reminder for that uh that there is more to it than that.
39:16
Daniel Moore: So I just want to remind everybody out there, just please subscribe, share this podcast, uh, go to our website, Marriage Life and more.
39:22
Daniel Moore: And you can find out more about our ministry there.
39:25
Daniel Moore: If this is the first episode you've ever heard and you want to find out more about us, then go check out the website.
39:30
Daniel Moore: Uh, we've got lots and lots of episodes you can listen to.
39:33
Daniel Moore: Several books are available.
39:34
Daniel Moore: You can check those out on there as well.
39:36
Daniel Moore: So, as we wrap up this episode, remember that marriage was never meant to be just a comfortable arrangement for two people trying to survive life together.
39:44
Daniel Moore: It was designed by God to be a kingdom partnership.
39:48
Daniel Moore: When a husband and wife intentionally pursue Christ side by side, the relationship becomes something far greater than romance or companionship.
39:56
Daniel Moore: It becomes a shared mission.
39:58
Daniel Moore: Instead of asking, what can my spouse do for me, the focus shifts to how can we serve God together?
40:04
Daniel Moore: And when that happens, even the ordinary moments of life, like raising kids, serving in church, helping a neighbor, encouraging a friend, those become opportunities for kingdom impact.
40:15
Daniel Moore: So don't just aim for a peaceful marriage, aim for a purposeful one.
40:20
Daniel Moore: Pray together, serve together, and keep pointing each other toward Christ.
40:24
Daniel Moore: Because when two people chase God in the same direction, their marriage becomes more than a relationship, it becomes a ministry.
40:33
Michelle Moore: That's right.
40:34
Daniel Moore: And that's the kind of partnership that not only strengthens your bond with each other, but also leaves a lasting impact for the kingdom of God.
40:43
Daniel Moore: It's a good way to leave this episode this week as we leave you guys here.
40:48
Daniel Moore: So that's gonna be all for this week.
40:49
Daniel Moore: We'll be back next week with episode four of our series on marriage as a mission.
40:55
Daniel Moore: As we go, we pray that your marriage is stronger and your walk with God is closer after this episode.
40:59
Daniel Moore: This is an extension of Connecting the Gap Ministries, and we pray that you have a blessed week.