Note: During the sermon last week, Pastor Darrin took time to specifically address last week's decision by the Supreme Court to legalize homosexual marriage in all 50 states. 

While you can still listen to the full sermon here, you can also listen to and download this excursus which only includes the 18 minute section dedicated to the SCOTUS decision. 

We wanted to pass these observations and exhortations along here on the blog at the church website so that it would be absolutely clear where Pastor Darrin stands as your pastor and where we stand at FBC Wheeling. 

Excursus On Supreme Court Ruling 
For Same Sex Marriage: June 26, 2015.

I want to shepherd you through some observations:

1. No human court has the authority to redefine marriage. The Supreme Court did not establish the institution of marriage, therefore it cannot redefine marriage. The God ordained reality of marriage has not changed, and will not change. In God’s eyes, marriage is still the way he established it.
2. The Word of God has pronounced judgment on any nation that would classify evil as good, darkness as light, and bitter as sweet (Is. 5:20). According to Romans 1, the wrath of God is the outcome for this kind of action.
3. This ruling proves what he have been studying in 1 and 2 Peter. We are clearly in the minority as Christians, we are set apart, we are pilgrims, and this world is not our home.
4. This ruling has drawn a line in the sand. There is no place to hide. There is no longer any room for “cultural christians”. We will all have to make a choice.
5. Religious liberty is not promised in the Bible, and we can and should expect that this ruling will ultimately lead to other rulings and changes in the days, months, and years to come.

I want to shepherd you through some exhortations:

1. Now is not the time to panic and be fearful. Russell Moore: “The Supreme Court can do anythings, but the Supreme Court cannot get Jesus back in the tomb. Jesus of Nazareth is still alive. He is still calling the universe toward his kingdom.”
2. Be confident in the Sovereignty of God over history, the Lordship of Jesus Christ, and the authority of Scripture.
3. Our hope is in the LORD. Laws change, cultures change, but God never changes. he is the same yesterday, today, and forever.
4. We must hate our sin as much as we hate the sin of homosexuality.
5. Love people. We should not react to this decision by lashing out in anger or hate. We must not demonize others. Instead, we are called by God to love, honor, and respect all people, including homosexuals, for they are created in God’s image just as we are.
6. While we love, honor, and respect all people, we must continue to lovingly share what the Bible teaches on all matters, including homosexuality. At no point, can we compromise our scriptural convictions on this or any other issue. We must continue to uphold the Biblical Standard of marriage. As a result, I will never perform a same sex marriage ceremony. Furthermore, First Baptist Church will never allow its facilities to be used for such a ceremony.
7. We must joyfully, and faithfully stay the course. Next week, we will gather together, we will worship, we will pray, we will witness, we will teach, we will preach, we will learn, we will grow, we will make disciples, and we will press on.
8. We must continue to pray for our governmental leaders as God has commanded us.
9. We must pray for Revival and Spiritual Awakening.
10. We must pray for and strengthen one another, especially those in leadership, and those brothers and sisters in Christ who are weaker in their faith, and are in danger of “falling away”.
11. Parents, you must talk to, and teach your kids what the Bible teaches about these matters. If you don’t teach them, someone else will.
12. Those of us who are married, must continue to build a godly marriage that displays the glorious gospel picture of Christ and His Church.
13. Do not be ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes.
14. For the believer, there is a marriage celebration that we await, when we are presented to our groom, the Lord Jesus Christ. When He returns, everything will be made right.

As Martin Luther said at The Diet Of Worms, “I am bound by the scriptures I have quoted and my conscience is captive to the Word of God. I cannot and I will not recant anything, since it is neither safe nor right to go against conscience. I cannot do otherwise, here I stand, may God help me, Amen.”