Untitled Sermon (2)

Will—“Who gives this woman away?”

Scott—“Her mother and I do.”

Scott kisses Laurie on cheek, places her arm in Lucas’ arm, then returns to Mary.

All are seated.

Welcome

On behalf of the Browns and the Dyers, I would like to welcome you and thank you for joining Laurie and Lucas today as they join in marriage.

Sermon

When two hearts are bound together in the bonds of Christian matrimony, it is a blessed and sacred moment. We recognize that marriage is an important part of God’s plan for mankind. God, Himself, long ago ordained and instituted marriage, and it was He who performed the first wedding ceremony in the garden of Eden. When Jesus came into this world to show us who God really was, He chose a wedding at Cana in Galilee to perform His first miracle.

When two hearts are bound together in the bonds of Christian matrimony, it is a blessed and sacred moment. We recognize that marriage is an important part of God’s plan for mankind. God, Himself, long ago ordained and instituted marriage, and it was He who performed the first wedding ceremony in the garden of Eden. When Jesus came into this world to show us who God really was, He chose a wedding to perform His first miracle. I believe that God was emphasizing the importance of what we are doing today.

In order to achieve success in this, the highest of all human commitments, we must look to God’s word for direction.

In order to achieve success in marriage, the highest of all human commitments, we must look to God’s word for direction.

The Bible says that your are to submit to one another in the fear of God. Wives, you are to submit yourselves to your husbands, as unto the Lord, for the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church, and He is the Savior of the Body.

Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for it. A man shall leave his father and mother and shall bear one flesh.

The Bible says that you are to submit to one another in obedience to God. Wives, you are to submit yourselves to your husbands, as unto the Lord, for the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church, and He is the Savior of the Body.

Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for it. A man shall leave his father and mother and shall bear one flesh. Lucas, you are taking upon yourself the responsibility of Laurie. It is your job to lead her. A leader never ask someone to do something they aren't willing to do themselves. If we look to Jesus as the example we see that he lead by outdoing everyone in love.

The beautiful love that you share is described in . There we read, “13 If I speak with human eloquence and angelic ecstasy but don’t love, I’m nothing but the creaking of a rusty gate.

You lead Laurie by outdoing her in love and sacrificing your own desires for her sake. In our time together we talked about speaking each other's love language, putting your spouse's needs before your own, and choosing daily to love. Lucas, it's your job to make sure this stays at the center of your relationship. Laurie is choosing to submit herself to your leadership. She is counting on you to lead her well. Are you feeling the weight of that? Good!

2 If I speak God’s Word with power, revealing all his mysteries and making everything plain as day, and if I have faith that says to a mountain, “Jump,” and it jumps, but I don’t love, I’m nothing.

3-7 If I give everything I own to the poor and even go to the stake to be burned as a martyr, but I don’t love, I’ve gotten nowhere. So, no matter what I say, what I believe, and what I do, I’m bankrupt without love.

The beautiful love that you share is described in . There we read, “13 If I speak with human eloquence and angelic ecstasy but don’t love, I’m nothing but the creaking of a rusty gate.

2 If I speak God’s Word with power, revealing all his mysteries and making everything plain as day, and if I have faith that says to a mountain, “Jump,” and it jumps, but I don’t love, I’m nothing.

Love never gives up.

Love cares more for others than for self.

3-7 If I give everything I own to the poor and even go to the stake to be burned as a martyr, but I don’t love, I’ve gotten nowhere. So, no matter what I say, what I believe, and what I do, I’m bankrupt without love.

Love doesn’t want what it doesn’t have.

Love never gives up.

Love cares more for others than for self.

Love doesn’t strut,

Love doesn’t want what it doesn’t have.

Doesn’t have a swelled head,

Doesn’t force itself on others,

Love doesn’t strut,

Doesn’t have a swelled head,

Isn’t always “me first,”

Doesn’t fly off the handle,

Doesn’t force itself on others,

Doesn’t keep score of the sins of others,

Isn’t always “me first,”

Doesn’t fly off the handle,

Doesn’t revel when others grovel,

Doesn’t keep score of the sins of others,

Takes pleasure in the flowering of truth,

Doesn’t revel when others grovel,

Puts up with anything,

Trusts God always,

Takes pleasure in the flowering of truth,

Always looks for the best,

Puts up with anything,

Trusts God always,

Never looks back,

But keeps going to the end.

Always looks for the best,

8-10 Love never dies. Inspired speech will be over some day; praying in tongues will end; understanding will reach its limit. We know only a portion of the truth, and what we say about God is always incomplete. But when God arrives, our incompleteness will be canceled.

Never looks back,

But keeps going to the end.

As we hear these words we notice a stark difference between the biblical idea of marriage and what we see in culture today. The same should be true of your marriage. When people in our lives look at your relationship, it should look like this picture that is painted in 1 Corinthians. However, I want you to notice that it doesn't say "you must be perfect". We all know that we never can be and if we pretend that we are perfect we are walking outside of love and robbing ourselves of the greatness of Love. Love always gives us what we don't deserve.

8-10 Love never dies. Inspired speech will be over some day; praying in tongues will end; understanding will reach its limit. We know only a portion of the truth, and what we say about God is always incomplete. But when God arrives, our incompleteness will be canceled.

Vows (speak up!)

As we hear these words we notice a stark difference between the biblical idea of marriage and what we see in culture today. The same should be true of your marriage. When people in our lives look at your relationship, it should look like this picture that is painted in 1 Corinthians. However, I want you to notice that it doesn't say "you must be perfect". We all know that we never can be and if we pretend that we are perfect we are walking outside of love and robbing ourselves of the greatness of Love. Love always gives us what we don't deserve.

Laurie and Lucas have chosen to write their own vow and will share them with one another at this time.

Rings

Vows (speak up!)

May I have the rings please?

Laurie and Lucas have chosen to write their own vow and will share them with one another at this time.

Please note that these rings are perfect circles which have no beginning and no end. As such, they represent the eternal nature of God who also has no beginning and no end. God is love, therefore, love is also eternal which makes it unconditional. God loves us without any conditions and there is nothing we can ever do that will make him love us any more or any less. His nature is love and is not based upon our performance, but upon His nature.

Rings

May I have the rings please?

The love that you have for one another also comes from God, and He wants you to practice love in the same way He loves you. To God, love is an obedient action. He wants you to love each other, without condition, and without any expectation of reward. Let these rings be a reminder to you in hard moments of your love and life, that love is of God and is nourished and sustained for each other as you both live close to Him.

Please note that these rings are perfect circles which have no beginning and no end. As such, they represent the eternal nature of God who also has no beginning and no end. God is love, therefore, love is also eternal which makes it unconditional. God loves us without any conditions and there is nothing we can ever do that will make him love us any more or any less. His nature is love and is not based upon our performance, but upon His nature.

These rings are also valuable. Let that also be a reminder that they represent something of great value in your life. It is the high priority God wants you to give to this relationship with each other. After your relationship with God, nothing else in life can be as important as the nurture and the maintenance of this godly relationship. There is no job, hobby, or ambition that is more important than your marriage. So, as you exchange these rings, I charge you to place a high priority upon your marriage.

The love that you have for one another also comes from God, and He wants you to practice love in the same way He loves you. To God, love is an obedient action. He wants you to love each other, without condition, and without any expectation of reward. Let these rings be a reminder to you in hard moments of your love and life, that love is of God and is nourished and sustained for each other as you both live close to Him.

Hand rings to them:

These rings are also valuable. Let that also be a reminder that they represent something of great value in your life. It is the high priority God wants you to give to this relationship with each other. After your relationship with God, nothing else in life can be as important as the nurture and the maintenance of this godly relationship. There is no job, hobby, or ambition that is more important than your marriage. So, as you exchange these rings, I charge you to place a high priority upon your marriage.

“Turn and face one another”

Lucas, please place the ring on Laurie’s left hand and repeat after me.

Hand rings to them:

“I, Lucas, take you Laurie to be my wife, for better or for worse, in sickness and in health, to love and cherish, forever.”

“Turn and face one another”

Lucas, please place the ring on Laurie’s left hand and repeat after me.

Laurie, please place the ring on Lucas’s left hand and repeat after me.

“I, Laurie, take you Lucas to be my husband, for better or for worse, in sickness and in health, to love and cherish, forever.”

“I, Lucas, / take you Laurie / to be my wife,/ for better or for worse, / in sickness and in health, / I am choosing today,/ to love and cherish you,/ for the rest of my life”

Pray

Laurie, please place the ring on Lucas’s left hand and repeat after me.

“I, Laurie, / take you Lucas / to be my husband,/ for better or for worse, / in sickness and in health, / I am choosing today,/ to love and cherish you,/ for the rest of my life”

Unity Cross

Pronouncement

Pray

Kiss! (Justin begins playing)

Pronouncement

Presentation

By the power vested in me as a minister of the Gospel, I know pronounce you husband and wife!

Recessiona

Lucas, you may kiss your bride!

Kiss! (Justin begins playing)

Presentation

Ladies and gentleman, I would like to introduce to you today, Mr. and Mrs. Lucas Dyer!

Untitled Sermon (2)

​