Gosh, sometimes our worship team is leading us like that, and I do not even want to get up here and say anything.

I'm like, wow, my gosh, that's just so encouraging to be able to stand in this space.

And it's a little bit difficult for me because I do feel a sense of heaviness

at what people are carrying, walking into this space today as we worship. And I knew that I was

going to be preaching on marriage and dating. And I was like, ah, just today feels heavy. And we're

talking about stuff that's, you know, very relevant,

but not, not as heavy and can be a little disconnected from the gospel unless you're careful.

And I just feel like maybe that sense of heaviness is related to the fact that dating and romantic

love is an area of our lives where the enemy has gained such a foothold in so many

people in this room that God is going no no no this is exactly what I want us to talk about and I'm

going to break off chains that have existed for some people for decades and for some people chains that

they weren't even aware of. So I believe this is exactly

where God has us going. And I want you to know from the beginning of love that lasts, that we're not

simply talking about romantic love. We're talking about the love of God, agape love that is only

available in Christ Jesus, coming down and flowing to us and through us.

And that is the only hope we have to be able to handle dating and romance and marriage well.

This is a gospel series, not a dating series.

This is about Jesus.

And it's called love that lasts.

Could you look at the person next to you and say, this is going to be fun?

This is going to be so much fun, especially if you're next to your parents.

It's going to be especially fun.

...