Josh Lizzy Wedding
Notes
Transcript
Intro
Intro
Dearly Beloved,
We are gathered here today to witness a beautiful and profound mystery.
In the very beginning of all creation, God determined that it would not be good for man to be alone; and so he created woman to be his match. The first human words ever recorded are a poem that Adam spoke over his bride when he first laid eyes on her:
“This at last is bone of my bones
and flesh of my flesh;
she shall be called Woman,
because she was taken out of Man.”
We are then told that this would become the norm for all of humanity:
Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.
The Apostle Paul picks up on these words in his letter to the Ephesians as he reflects upon the beauty of marriage and gives us some more context, that we can fully appreicate the beauty and the gift that God has amde marriage to be.
This mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church.
What we learn is that, even from the beginning, marriage was given for our benefit and for our instruction: in marriage, we get a glimpse of God’s love for his church in Christ. This love of Christ for the church is the content of what we call the gospel, and is the central theme of the Scriptures. This is a topic that is inexhaustible, and we would do well to continue to study God’s love revealed in his Word for the rest of our lives; but for tonight, let’s be content to quickly examine three aspects of Christ’s love and how they relate to the marriage relationship.
The Love of Christ is unconditional
The Love of Christ is unconditional
Love as we often see it portrayed in our culture is a conditional love: we offer it with terms and revoke it when it isn’t deserved. It is not so with God’s love for his people.
but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
The love that God has for us doesn’t depend on our ability to clean ourselves up or present ourselves to him as perfect people. God’s love found us while we were at our lowest, and God’s love for us lifts us out of that pit.
It is important that you both do not put conditions on your love for one another, but mimic Christ, who has made a promise to love us even when we are not deserving of it.
The Love of Christ is Sacrificial
The Love of Christ is Sacrificial
We also often love selfishly, looking for what the other person can add to us, but the love of Christ for us is completely selfless, concerned for the wellbeing of his beloved.
By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers.
Christ defined true love in his sacrificial death for our sake, and so the love we have for one another should be marked by that same willingness to sacrifice for the other.
It is important that you do not enter this marriage looking for what you can gain from it, but what you can give to it.
The Love of Christ is Forever
The Love of Christ is Forever
Lastly, our love tends to have expiration dates, but the love of Christ is forever.
No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
The love that you are both committing to today is a love that lasts forever and weathers any storm so long as it is a love that has its source in Christ’s own love for you. Therefore, commit yourselves to his love, and continue to build your love for one another on the rock which cannot be moved.
Let us pray.
Announcements
Announcements
Everyone is welcome to head over to Bentley’s in Wyandotte for the reception.
Immediate family members should please remain seated so that they can participate in pictures.
