Wedding Sermon Ezekiel & Louis Anne

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Love Without Hypocrisy: A Covenant of Grace

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Text: Romans 12:9–12; 1 Corinthians 13:4–7

Opening Prayer

Let’s begin with a word of prayer.
“Father, we thank You for this sacred moment. Thank You for the joy that fills this day and for the beauty of what You are creating in this marriage. As Ezekiel and Louis Anne step into this covenant together, we ask for Your presence, Your wisdom, and Your blessing. Let this be more than a ceremony—make it a testimony of Your grace. Speak now through Your Word, that we may see what true love is and what it demands. In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.”

Introduction: The Problem with Love

In our world today, the word “love” is everywhere—and yet, very few people know what it really means.
We say we “love” pizza. We “love” vacations. We “love” how someone makes us feel. Love, in our cultural vocabulary, is often little more than a strong emotion, a personal preference, or a romantic spark. But when love is built on preference or emotion alone, it becomes fragile. It can change in a moment. It rises and falls with circumstances, feelings, and seasons of life.
The kind of love our society champions is often self-focused. It says: I love you because of what you do for me. Because of how you make me feel. Because you fulfill something in me. But what happens when the feelings fade? When the chemistry cools? When life gets hard, and you no longer "feel" in love?
The world’s love says: As long as you meet my needs, I’ll stay. But biblical love says: Even when you fail me, I’m not going anywhere.
The love offered by our culture is transactional. It’s a contract—If you give me what I want, I’ll give you what you need.But Scripture offers something better: covenant love. Love that isn’t based on the worthiness of the beloved, but on the faithfulness of the one who loves.
It is not a love that says “I will if you will,” but a love that says, “I will, even if you won’t.”
Paul writes in Romans 12:9–12:
“Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor… Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.”
And in 1 Corinthians 13:4–7, he paints a picture of that love:
“Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful… Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.”
This is a different kind of love. Not one that waits to be served, but one that serves. Not one that demands perfection, but one that forgives imperfection. Not one that walks away when things get difficult, but one that leans in when things fall apart.
Why is biblical love better?
Because it’s rooted in the character of God, not in the condition of your spouse.
Because it reflects the unchanging, unfailing love of Christ for His people.
Because it endures when romance runs dry and life gets complicated.
Because it’s based not on how much you can get, but how much you’ve already received from God.
Because it transforms—not just the one loved, but also the one who loves.
Ezekiel and Louis Anne, this is the kind of love God is calling you into today. A love that is not built on compatibility or chemistry, but on covenant. A love that is not sustained by your feelings, but by His faithfulness.
So what kind of love is this? And what kind of marriage can it create?

1. Love Must Be Sincere (Romans 12:9)

Paul says, “Let love be genuine”—literally, “Let love be without hypocrisy.” In other words, no masks. No pretending. No performing.
This is the kind of love that Jesus modeled. He didn’t just say He loved us—He showed it by giving Himself for us. Not because we were lovable, but because He is love.
Tim Keller writes in The Meaning of Marriage:
“When the Bible speaks of love, it measures it primarily not by how much you want to receive but by how much you are willing to give of yourself to someone.”
Ezekiel and Louis Anne, this is your calling in marriage—to love each other not just when it’s easy, not just when everything feels magical, but especially when it’s hard.
There will be moments—late at night, or in seasons of stress—when love will not come naturally. In those moments, you may not feel “in love.” But you can still choose to act in love. And that’s more powerful.
Biblical love is not a mood; it’s a motion. It’s a continual movement toward one another, even when your instincts might tell you to pull away.
So don’t fake love. Let it be sincere. Let it be shaped by grace.

2. Love Honors the Other (Romans 12:10; 1 Cor. 13:5)

Romans 12 says, “Outdo one another in showing honor.” And 1 Corinthians reminds us, “Love does not insist on its own way.”
That’s not how most people approach relationships. We naturally look out for ourselves. But in marriage, you are called to something higher: to put the other above yourself. To take the posture of a servant.
Ezekiel, you are not marrying someone perfect. Louis Anne, you are not marrying someone flawless. You are marrying another sinner saved by grace. And that means you will hurt each other. You will disappoint each other. But you are also committing today to honor one another even then—to extend to one another the same grace Christ has given you.
Keller puts it this way:
“The essence of marriage is a sacrificial commitment to the good of the other.”
This means your marriage is not a 50/50 arrangement where you keep score. It’s not a contract where one person can opt out if the other fails. It is a covenant. A sacred vow to give yourself wholly for the good of the other, no matter what it costs.
So Ezekiel, honor Louis Anne by cherishing her voice, respecting her mind, and serving her heart. Louis Anne, honor Ezekiel by encouraging his calling, believing in his strength, and walking beside him with grace.
Outdo one another in showing honor—and your home will be a place where grace thrives.

3. Love is Patient and Enduring (1 Cor. 13:4, 7)

“Love is patient.” That’s not a filler phrase—it’s foundational. It means love has a long fuse. It doesn’t give up quickly. It doesn’t bail out when things get difficult.
Paul says it endures all things. Not some things. Not most things. All things.
That’s covenant love.
You are not building a marriage on feelings or compatibility—you’re building it on grace. And that’s a good thing, because eventually, compatibility gives way to reality. Real life will expose your weaknesses. And that’s not a threat to your marriage—it’s an invitation for grace to do its deepest work.
As Keller wisely says:
“You never marry the right person… Marriage deeply changes us. It brings us into a place of vulnerability where we are stretched and sanctified. God uses your spouse as a tool of grace to shape you into who He’s calling you to become.”
That means marriage is not a finish line—it’s a starting line. The person you are becoming matters just as much as the promises you make today. And that becoming happens not despite the struggles, but often through them.

4. Love is Fueled by Hope (Romans 12:12)

Paul closes this section with three commands: “Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.”
What will sustain you in the years to come? Not the absence of hardship, but the presence of hope. Not the strength of your resolve, but the strength of your God.
Hope is what keeps you steady when life shakes you. And marriage will be tested—by time, by stress, by seasons of waiting or loss. But hope holds fast. Hope reminds you that God is still writing your story, and that the story He is writing is good.
You’re going to need prayer. Because marriage is not just a human union—it’s a spiritual reality. And you’ll need patience, because the growth you long to see in each other will often take longer than you expected.
But if you hold on to hope—if you keep your eyes on Christ—you’ll find not just strength for the journey, but joy in the process.

Conclusion: A Covenant, Not a Contract

Ezekiel and Louis Anne, today you are not just declaring your love. You are declaring your dependence—on one another, and on the God who brought you together.
Marriage is not a social agreement. It’s a covenant. A sacred promise that echoes the very heart of the gospel.
When you forgive each other, when you stay when it’s hard, when you sacrifice for each other’s joy—you are showing the world a glimpse of Christ’s love for His church.
Keller writes:
“The gospel is this: We are more sinful and flawed in ourselves than we ever dared believe, yet at the same time we are more loved and accepted in Jesus Christ than we ever dared hope.”
That is the love that holds you today. And that is the love you are called to reflect.
So Ezekiel and Louis Anne, walk in that love. Lean into that grace. And let your marriage be a witness—not to your own strength, but to the One who loved you first, and who promises to walk with you all your days.
Amen.
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