SAND COVENANT

MARK10:1-12

New Living Translation Chapter 10

Chapter 10

Discussion about Divorce and Marriage

Then Jesus left Capernaum and went down to the region of Judea and into the area east of the Jordan River. Once again crowds gathered around him, and as usual he was teaching them.

2 Some Pharisees came and tried to trap him with this question: “Should a man be allowed to divorce his wife?”

3 Jesus answered them with a question: “What did Moses say in the law about divorce?”

4 “Well, he permitted it,” they replied. “He said a man can give his wife a written notice of divorce and send her away.”

5 But Jesus responded, “He wrote this commandment only as a concession to your hard hearts. 6 But ‘God made them male and female’ from the beginning of creation. 7 ‘This explains why a man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, 8 and the two are united into one.’ Since they are no longer two but one, 9 let no one split apart what God has joined together.”

10 Later, when he was alone with his disciples in the house, they brought up the subject again. 11 He told them, “Whoever divorces his wife and marries someone else commits adultery against her. 12 And if a woman divorces her husband and marries someone else, she commits adultery.”

Weddings are full of symbolism, most of it relating to the bride's family and groom's family becoming one family. In Christian weddings, the couple often performs a small task that symbolizes the two persons becoming one flesh, as stated in Genesis 2:24: "Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one." One way to symbolize this unity is to perform a sand ceremony. Explore this article 1. Origins of the Ceremony It is unclear where the tradition of the sand ceremony originated. Many believe that it originated in the Hawaiian Islands -- where beach weddings are common -- while others claim that a similar ceremony has long been performed by certain Native American groups. Wherever the origin, it is no longer limited to a people group or even religious denominations. Many couples, regardless of their religious or spiritual beliefs, use the ceremony to express their deep commitment to each other. 2. How It's Done Before the ceremony, the bride and groom each prepare a small vial or cup of sand. If the wedding is at a beach, the bride and groom may use shells to pour the sand. Some couples choose to use different colors of sand, such as the colored sand that is sold at craft stores. Others use sand from a specific place, such as a favorite vacation spot. If the bride and groom are from opposite coasts, they might each take sand from their particular coast. During the ceremony, the minister makes a speech about how the two will now become one, and then he will direct the bride and groom to pour their individual vials of sand into one container. 3 What It Means The mixing of the two different types of sand into one, new composition is a symbol of the covenant of marriage. As the sand mixes together, the minister will often quote Matthew 19:6: "What therefore God hath joined together, let no man put asunder." Then the minister may point out how difficult it would be to separate the now-combined sands into their original, individual containers. The difficulty of this hypothetical task is a reminder of the couple's solemn promise to God to commit to making their marriage work. 4 Variations Some Christian couples also choose to ask the mothers of the bride and groom to pour a small amount of sand into the container. This signifies the joining of the two families into one family under God. Children of the bride and groom may also be asked to contribute to the pattern with their own colors of sand. Or, a couple may ask the minister to pour a third color of sand into the container to signify the work of the Holy Spirit in the couple's marriage. 5 After the Wedding The swirling pattern of the sand is often quite attractive, especially if two or more different colors were used. This unique design is a visual reminder of God's design, or plan, for a marriage. For this reason, many Christian couples choose to display their container of sand in a prominent location, perhaps on a mantel next to a framed wedding portrait.

Myah: SALUTATION

"Good afternoon to the friends and family of Clint and Nadira Gray. My wife and I are deeply honored to join you in celebrating this remarkable 10-year milestone. We are also privileged to lead the Sand Covenant ceremony, a beautiful symbol of Clint and Nadira’s love, dedication, and commitment to one another—a reflection of both their bond and biblical principles.

Having said that i want to turn your attention to the Gospel of Mark chapter 10 vs’s 2-9 where Jesus is asked a question regarding marriage.

Essentially He’s asked “Should a man be allowed to divorce his wife?”

and Jesus responds with a question “What did Moses say in the law about divorce?”

4 “Well, he permitted it,” they replied. “He said a man can give his wife a written notice of divorce and send her away.”

And Jesus responds by exposing a deeper issue which was their failure to apply the biblical principle of forgiveness

and he then tells them: Moses wrote this commandment only as a concession to your hard hearts.

Kita: Can i interject?

We want to admonish you Clint and Nadira as you enter into this sand covenant

Never let your hearts become hard towards each other

never begrudge one another

And as much as you know the scriptures, Never let the sun go down and you are still angry with one another

Always practice forgiveness, and in the words of Pastor W. Lonnie Herndon E.G.R. if Extra Grace is Required “ GIVE GRACE”

Myah

Well …I concur

And i believe that it is in that context that Jesus double’s down when he say’s

9 let no one split apart what God has joined together.”

Kita: Wait A Minute ..

Let no man

No woman

No Job

No Family Member

No Friends

No Ministry

No Kids

No Disagreement

No Disappointment

No Mistake

No Offense

Let nothing Come In Between Yall

Myah

And it’s in this context of commitment that we initiate before you today the sand covenant between Clinton and Nadira’s

Myah

Clinton & Nadira, the sand in each of your Jars represents a reflection of who you are as individuals

Kita

And as both of you combine your sands into one, it symbolizes the merging of your lives and your love into one unified life journey

Myah

The only way either of you could get out of this covenant is to reach in this jar and pull out each individual grain of sand that belongs to you

This is why Jesus said in Mark 10:8;

They are no longer 2 but 1!