Designed by God

Wedding Notes

Opening:

Today we are united here as family to celebrate Jan & Khiara on their union and decision of marriage. As we stand here today, in witness of the covenant in which these two have formed, lets have a round of applause.

We need to understand the seriousness and the importantance of this decision. In a time where many are refusing to marry or simply just choose to live and act their lives as married individuals but not actually have the commitment. What was once a joyous tradition has now become a rarity amongst our generation.

But today, we all as family, as active participants to this matrimony take part as eye witnesses & form part of their testimony.

A testimony proclaiming their love, their imperfections and public declaration to continue to honour God above all else.

MAIN READING:

Genesis 2:24 ESV

24 Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.

Mark 10:7–9 ESV

7 ‘Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, 8 and the two shall become one flesh.’ So they are no longer two but one flesh. 9 What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate.”

PREACHING:

The foundation of Marriage: God created ONE man (Adam) and ONE woman (Eve). - And once this was all done he said it was good. - God calls marriage a covenant, not simply just a contract that is signed and can be easily torn apart and it goes away like it never happened. - When we do a covenant with God, its a lifetime commitment. Under oath, God as the other particpating party.

Mark 10:9 “9 What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate.””

Three parties that make up a Marriage, the husband, the wife and God.

God is the connecting piece to the marriage

Here we have the principal of marriage, that by creation God created one man and woman for one another.

In the bible it says that after creating Adam, god created a helper. In Genesis 2:18

Genesis 2:18 ESV

18 Then the Lord God said, “It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him.”

Because God said that it wasn’t good for man to be alone and brought Eve as a helper that would be fit/comparable to Adam.

2. God’s instruction for a Godly marriage

Marriage is a most beautiful picture of Christ and His church, as Paul explains: “Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church.”

1 Corinthians 13 God is love

God is patient

God is Kind & Merciful

As mentioned in the book of Genesis, we are made in his likeness and image. We’re called to be imitators of Christ.

So Jan when God called you to love your wife as Christ loved the church, he was already factoring in the fact that church isn’t perfect, that although their will be challenges, pains and hurts that might be caused, we continue to love his church. YOU continue to love your wife.

Khiara, the reason why we say marriage is the beautiful example of Christ and his church, is because the most perfect example of us to be imitator’s of Christ is demonstrated on your love to your husband. To love him when maybe he isn’t deserving, to be patient when have nothing left to give and to be merciful because he was merciful to you first.

God gave man & woman dominion over his creation:

You have been called to govern God’s creation, that includes one another

but also this suggests that honoring God through marriage extends beyond the couple themselves—it involves building a household where God’s presence is central and where the next generation learns to reverence Him.

3. God’s Promise seen in the midst of our marriage

Love never Fails = God never fails

1 Corinthians 13:8 “8 Love never ends. As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away.”

God has allowed and permitted today to take place. Jan and Khiara you stand here in front of your family because your marriage was his doing.

And God’s promise is your love for one another will never end so long as you keep God first in your marriage, keep God in the center always.

The word of God says:

Matthew 18:20 ESV

20 For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.”

As God has joined this marriage, he will always be among you both.

So long as you two gather together to worship, to praise and glorify his name, he will be among you.

Because God’s love is unconditional, before we even stepped foot on this earth, God loved us. He died for us and our sins.

John 3:16 “16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.”

So continue to seek God, even in your failures, even in the times that are hard & difficult. Be honest and open to one another. Shield and Govern one another and the armour of God & his grace will be upon you. Even in times when you don’t feel like loving, even in times when you feel unworthy, draw to God and he will sustain you & your marriage.