GRACE AND SIDNEY- CEREMONY

PRESENTATION OF BRIDE

WELCOME

We are gathered here to worship God and to witness the marriage vows of and (GRACE ALEXIS BURNS and SIDNEY PAUL NOLAN).

Marriage is an honorable estate whose bond and covenant was instituted by God in creation. Our Lord Jesus Christ adorned and beautified this holy estate by his presence and first miracle at a wedding in Cana of Galilee. It signifies to us the mystery of the union between Christ and his church. And the Holy Scripture commends it to be honored among all people. Therefore, no one should enter this state of life unadvisedly, lightly, or wantonly; but reverently, discreetly, advisedly, soberly, and in the fear of God; duly considering the causes for which matrimony was ordained.

IF THERE IS ANYONE WHO OBJECTS TO THIS MARRIAGE, LET THEM SPEAK NOT OR FOREVER HOLD THEIR PEACE

WHO, BESIDES ME, GIVES THIS WOMAN TO BE MARRIED TO THIS MAN?

CONGREGATION SEATED

DECLARATION OF INTENT

SIDNEY -“Will you take GRACE to be your wife, and will you be faithful to her, love her, honor her, live with her, and cherish her, according to the commandments of God in holy marriage?”

GRACE “, will you SIDNEY take to be your husband, and will you be faithful to him, love him, honor him, live with him , and cherish him, according to the commandments of God in holy marriage?”

PRAYER

GRACIOUS FATHER, AS WE MOVE NOW TO THESE SACRED MOMENTS OF COVENANT FIDELITY BETWEEN GRACE AND SIDNEY, BOTH STATING THEIR INTENT TO THIS UNION, GUARD AND GUIDE THAT IN THESE MOMENTS AND YEARS TO COME WHAT IS INTENDED MAY BE UNBREAKABLE. IN THE NAME OF JESUS CHRIST, THE LORD, AMEN.

SCRIPTURE

1 John 4:7–9 ESV

Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love. In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him.

1 John 4:10–12 ESV

In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us.

MESSAGE

LOVE IS AN EXTRAORDINARY REALITY. BUT AS EXTRAORDINARY AS IT IS, IT IS OFTEN MISUNDERSTOOD.

LOVE IS A DIVINE REALITY BEFORE IT IS A HUMAN RESPONSE

LOVE IS FOUNDED ON AND DEMONSTRATED BY THE LORD’S LOVE FOR HIS BRIDE - THE CHURCH; THIS BEING REVELED IN THE DEATH OF CHRIST FOR THOSE WHOM THE FATHER LOVES. THEN IT IS EXPRESSED IN THE MUTUAL LOVE OF A MAN TO A WOMAN IN MARRIAGE.

LOVE IN MARRIAGE MUST BE UNDERSTOOD AS AFFECTION THAT IS DEMONSTRATED IN ACTION.

THE POSTLE PAUL DESCRIBES THE LOVE OF GOD FOR HIS BRIDE IN THESE WORDS IN ROMANS 5:8-

Romans 5:8 ESV

but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

THE LOVE OF GOD IS DEMONSTRATED. THEREFORE, GENUINE AND TRUE LOVE EXISTS WHEN TWO PEOPLE DEMONSTRATE IT IN TIMES OF JOY AND CHALLENGE.

I SAY THIS BECAUSE, IN REALITY, MARRIAGE IS DIFFICULT; AND YOUR MARRIAGE WILL NOT BE DIFFERENT. THEREFORE I WANT TO SHARE WITH YOU SOME BRIEF THOUGHTS ON HOW TO UNDERSTAND THIS KIND OF LOVE:

1. LOVE IS HUMILITY

Philippians 2:3–4 ESV

Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.

CHRIST’A EXAMPLE

2. LOVE IS SACRIFICE

John 15:12–13 ESV

“This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.

DEATH: RELATIONAL DEATH OR DEATH TO SELF

3. LOVE IS RESILIENCE

RESILIENCE DOES NOT MEAN THE ABSENCE OF DIFFICULTY, BUT IT IS THE RESPONSE TO IT

DEFINITION: RESILIENCE the capacity to recover quickly from difficulties; OR BEING TOUGH

RESILIENCE ALWAYS HAS AN AIM; A GOAL; IT IS THE GOAL THAT MAKES PEOPLE GET UP AND KEEP TRYING OR IN THIS CASE, BE WILLING TO FIGHT FOR ONE ANOTHER OR THE OTHER

4. LOVE IS PROTECTIVE

ADAM: DID NOT GUARD THE GARDEN. WHAT WAS TWO BECAME THREE WITH THE ENEMY SLIPPING IN

MY ENCOURAGEMENT TO YOU IS TO NOT LET PEOPLE INTO YOUR MARRIAGE

WHEN YOU HAVE TO OR MUST, BE SURE THAT BOTH OF YOU AGREE WBOUT WHO WILL BE INVOLVED.

EVERYONE IN THIS ROOM I AM ASSUMING WILL HAVE VERY GOOD INTENTIONS BUT WHAT I WANT YOU BOTH TO KNOW THIS REALITY:

“GOOD INTENTIONS CAN HAVE NEGATIVE IMPACT AND SOME WILL ONLY SEE THEIR INTENTIONS AND NOT GIVE THOUGHT TO THE IMPACT OF THEIR INTENTIONS TO YOUR MARRIAGE

EXCHANGING OF THE VOWS

I WANT YOU TO NOW TURN AND FACE ONE ANOTHER:

SIDNEY: I SIDNEY, TAKE YOU, GRACE TO be my wedded wife, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish until parted by death. I promise to be yours exclusively, a loyal and faithful husband, forsaking all others

GRACE: I GRACE, TAKE YOU, SIDNEY TO be my wedded husband, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love, cherish and obey, until parted by death. I promise to be yours exclusively, a loyal and faithful wife, forsaking all others.

RINGS

SIDNEY: TAKE THE RING AND PLACE IT ON GRACE’S RING FINGER AND REPEAT AFTER ME: WITH THIS RING I THEE WED; IN THE NAME OF THE FATHER, THE SON AND THE HOLY SPIRIT

GRACE: TAKE THE RING AND PLACE IT ON GRACE’S RING FINGER AND REPEAT AFTER ME: WITH THIS RING I THEE WED; IN THE NAME OF THE FATHER, THE SON AND THE HOLY SPIRIT

BLESS, O LORD THESE RINGS THAT THEY WHO WEAR THEM, MAY, TOGETHER, ABIDE IN YOUR PEACE AND CONTINUE IN YOUR FACOR UNTIL THE END OF THEIR LIVES; THROUGH JESUS CHRIST OUR LORD, AMEN

PRAYER OF AFFIRMATION AND ONENESS

O God, eternal God, Creator and Preserver of all Mankind, Giver of all spiritual grace, the Author of Everlasting life: You who have so consecrated the State of matrimony that in it is represented the spiritual marriage and unity between Christ and his Church: send Thy blessing upon these Thy servants, this man and this woman, whom we bless in Thy name;

that they, living faithfully together, may Surely perform and keep the vow and covenant Between them now made in the presence of these Witnesses and signified by these rings given and Received is a token and pledge of their covenant Love.

Look mercifully upon these Thy servants, thaT They may love, honor, and cherish each other, and Live together in faithfulness and patience, in wisdom and true godliness, that their home may be a haveN of blessing and of peace; through our Savior, Jesus Christ the Lord, who lives and reigns with Thee AND The Holy Spirit forever, one God, world without END. AMEN

DECLARATION OF MARRIAGE

Inasmuch as GRACE and SIDNEY have consented together in holy wedlock before God and this assembly, and have given and pledged their love, each to the other, and have declared the same by giving and receiving a ring one to another..., we move now, to the most sacred moment:

AS THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST REMOVED THE VEILS FROM OUR FACES AND CHRIST LOVED US AS HIS BRIDE, SIDNEY, AS THE REPRESENTATIVE OF CHRIST IN THIS UNION, YOU MAY NOW REMOVE THE VEIL FROM GRACE’S FACE:

By the Authority of God as a Minister of His gospel in the Church, I do now, with exceeding joy AND IN THE NAME OF THE FATHER, THE SON AND THE HOLY SPIRIT, pronounce that THESE TWO ARE NOW husband and wife-YOU MAY KISS THE BRIDE