Joe and Carrie's Wedding
July 15, 2000
Wedding Sermon
Read
Genesis 2:20-24
God
placed Adam in the garden and gave him everything he needed for his livelihood,
yet he was alone. In order complete Adam’s life in the garden, God put
Adam to sleep and created from his side a woman who was uniquely created to be
his helpmate- his companion and friend. Adam
could say, “This is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh”.
Today we have come to another garden to stand as witnesses to God’s
creating another helpmate – sweet Carrie, a helpmate for precious Joe.
God’s creation of Eve from the side of Adam was a miracle, but no less
a miracle will be that fact that the two lives that came to this stage, will
leave as one.
God
gave Eve to Adam as a helpmate and yet God did not forget to gift Eve as well.
God’s gift to Eve was the love of her husband.
So great was this love and affection that God compared his own love to
it- Isaiah 62:5, “As a bridegroom rejoices over his bride, so will your God
rejoice over you.” The special
love that you have for one another is not just an excitement of your own, but
also a beautiful glimpse of God’s own love for His people, for His church.
Human marriage partakes of and imitates God’s love.
The redemptive work of Christ is what is reflected in marriage- his
coming to bring his own to himself. When
we look upon the love of man and wife, our eyes a being given a small vision of
that affection Christ has for his beloved.
Joe, you are exhorted in the scriptures to make your love for Carrie
patterned after the model Christ has set for us.
Ephesians 5:28, “Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the
Church and gave himself up for her to make her holy..”
Carrie has given herself to you, do not be timid in fulfilling your duty
to redeem and cherish her through love. Make
her deepest good, your highest aspiration.
As Christ died to redeem the Church, Joe, die to yourself that you might
truly love your bride. Do not love with a wimpy and indecisive love, but one that is
courageous and will gladly risk all to ensure the good of your beloved.
Joe
and Carrie, know for certain that in coming to this marriage, you two bring with
you everything you need to completely destroy it.
It will be no great surprise if this marriage ends in disaster- to that
end you need only let your sin natures take their natural course.
Because of this, marriage is a great act of faith.
Your standing here shows that you trust God to make good His promises to
hold you to Himself and keep you from destroying yourselves through sin.
You show that you believe marriage is not just a natural institution
created by your own efforts but also a miraculous participation in Christ’s
love for the redeemed. You also show that you trust Christ Himself will faithfully
guide as you strive to imitate His love in your marriage. Your standing here is a quizimony to your confidence that God
will take care of you- to your belief that God is real and that you can rest
securely in His help and protection. Without
such faith in God, you would never have been able to trust one another so
completely. We rejoice that your
attitude towards marriage results from your attitude towards God.
Today
you are entering into one of God’s greaquiz blessings.
Delight greatly in this blessing, but also know that with every blessing
comes additional responsibility as well. You
are being entrusted with a stewardship from God and you will be held accountable
for your treatment of that stewardship. The
marriage that you take for yourself today comes from the hand of God Himself.
God created marriage and he owns this institution.
How you treat this marriage will be a direct reflection of your respect
for the one who gave it to you. Do
not be lax in the attention you pay your marriage for your conduct will reflect
upon the name of Christ- for honor or disgrace.
Because
your marriage brings this weighty responsibility, your families and friends have
gathered with you to stand as witnesses to the vows that you will take. Our being with you today is a statement of our commitment to
hold you to them- to strengthen you in times of weakness, to admonish when you
are foolish, to rejoice with you when you triumph and to rebuke you when you are
hard-hearted- in short, to love you and enter into the new life that you are
creating. Because we love you, we
will enter into our roles as responsible witnesses with a firm persuasion
and joyful belief that it is God who has brought you two together.
Joe
and Carrie, steward your marriage as God’s greaquiz gift to you.
When you find yourselves at odds with one another, do not fight each,
fight the cause of your division- fight your sin. Strive for righteousness
before the eyes of God. You will
quickly know the temptation to appear to have the perfect marriage before the
eyes of men, but seek first the kingdom of God.
Strive to be real with each other and honest before God.
Be quick to apologize and quick to forgive.
Be willing to grant each other the
unrelenting forgiveness that Christ has taught you.
Let each other know for repentance there will always await loving arms
offering quick reconciliation. To
error is human, to forgive is divine. Give
each other a taste of heaven. Life
is too short to waste any time being at odds with one another.
A
good marriage will be built over the dead body of your conquered pride.
Satan will use your pride to divide you and set you against one another.
But there is one who is mightier than the prince of this world. Earnestly call upon Him and He will faithfully supply all
your needs. This marriage is not
just your own idea- God treasures it as his own creation. Carrie, God intended Joe for you since the day he was born.
Joe, God intended Carrie for you since the day she was born.
What God has put together, let no man put
asunder.
Today
is a unique moment of fruition for the years of life behind you.
All the experiences and talents God has given you are now going to be
brought to service in a new and special way.
Today is a completion and a commencement- what is now over will be born
again in a new life.
What
you sow in your marriage, you will reap in the years to come.
This is not just a threat but also a promise of great blessings - the
blessings that will be yours for faithfully keeping your vows. You both know the
pleasures of united family and the sweet years of life together as a
family. Continue this heritage for
your own children. You both have been given very much - from you much will be
expected - excel still more.
In
the garden, marriage was created and the pattern for our lives together given,
so also we stand here in this garden at a unique moment of creation to see the
new marriage that God will has brought. May
He bless you with many children, a long and happy life together and the deep
peace brought by His gaze of gentle favor.