Christi & Billy Price Wedding
Notes
Transcript
Sermon Tone Analysis
A
D
F
J
S
Emotion
A
C
T
Language
O
C
E
A
E
Social
Processional
Processional
Entrance of Bride
Entrance of Bride
All rise for the presentation of the bride.
Me: “Who gives this woman in marriage?”
Father and Issac: “We do.”
Father and Issac kisses his daughter/mom and gives her to the groom.
Opening Words
Opening Words
I want to welcome you as we are gathered here in the presence of God to join Christi and Billy in the covenant of marriage. Marriage was God’s idea, that he brought forth, during man’s innocence and uprightness in the garden. In fact, in in light of the fact that Adam is alone we read:
Then the Lord God said, “It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him.”
And so God made Eve. A woman to complement Adam in the covenant of marriage. And so today we’ve come together to celebrate this institution of God. We come together to rejoice in the abiding love and faithfulness of Christ toward His bride, the church, and this marriage that will uniquely display the wonderful truths of the gospel of Christ.
Declaration of Intent
Declaration of Intent
So, I must ask...
Me: “Who gives this woman in marriage?”
Father and Issac: “We do.”
(Father kisses Christi and Issac hugs Christi then they give her to the groom).
Prayer
Prayer
Father,
We praise you that you’ve given us good gifts. The covenant of marriage is a wonderfully good gift that you created in order that we would experience intimacy, love and oneness together. You are a good God. And so today we praise you that we get to celebrate the marriage of Billy and Christi. We praise you for showing your faithfulness throughout their dating relationship and into their engagement. And we praise you for how you’ve distinctly prepared them for this day and the weeks, months and years beyond. So make yourself known this day, glorify yourself in this ceremony, and in this marriage.
In Christs’ Name, Amen.
Homily
Homily
Well, Christi, Billy the long wait is over. Billy, that trek that you and the kids had to make each evening from Christi’s back to your house ends today. Christi, this Cinco De Mayo won’t be celebrated by you like previous ones, a Mariachi Band or some novelty sombreros, but rather it will be celebrated with a new family. See because many moons ago you two decided that today would be the day you would express to each other that you are the “Juan for me.”
The life path that you’ve walked to meet and find each other has been delightful, but it’s had its share of bumps and its left bruises. But it was no doubt a part of God’s good plan for your life. I think of Paul in where he concludes this for the lover of God:
28 And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.
The love you have for each other is not the young and passionate love of teen heartthrobs, but a committed and seasoned love. Like the great philosopher Rascal Flatt once said, “you just smile and take my hand, You've been there you understand, [our whole life] It's all part of a grander plan that is coming true.” Every bit of laughter and every tear that has dropped to the ground has been weaved by God in such a way to prepare each of you for one another.
Your covenant, with each other, under God and before this people will flourish if it’s founded upon God’s Word and practically, day-to-day, lived out in submission to His truth. And when this happens, when you two listen to and obey God’s holy Word, the beauty of the gospel, that Christ gave Himself as a substitute for all who would repent of their sin and place their faith in Him, will be seen in your marriage and rejoiced in by others.
So let us look to Ephesians chapter 5 starting in verse 22 to see how you are to display the mystery of the gospel in this covenant you are making today.
The Beauty of the Gospel on Display in Marriage Roles
The Beauty of the Gospel on Display in Marriage Roles
22 Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. 23 For the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the church, his body, and is himself its Savior. 24 Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit in everything to their husbands.
25 Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, 26 that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, 27 so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish. 28 In the same way husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. 29 For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church, 30 because we are members of his body. 31 “Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.” 32 This mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church. 33 However, let each one of you love his wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband.
22 Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. 23 For the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the church, his body, and is himself its Savior. 24 Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit in everything to their husbands.
Here Paul makes a comparison between Christ and the husband and the church and the wife. What he says basically is this “Christ is the head of the church and in a similar way the husband is the head of the wife. And in lieu of this - wives submit to your husband.” This word seems antiquated in our culture - maybe even in our churches - which is why I believe it is so relevant to the health of Christian marriages and for the display of the gospel.
Christi, God charges you to submit to Billy. And when we think of how the church submits to Christ we realize it submits gladly - which teaches us that you are to gladly submit to Billy. This is important because soon there is coming a day when you are going to be fed up to your eyeballs with some of the “sweet” mannerisms Billy possesses. And yes, you may submit to him but in that you may begin feeling resentment toward him. Fight that sinful inclination. You must, by God’s Spirit and help, put to death resentful submission and look to the example of the church. The church is always glad to come under Christ’s authority and thus you should gladly come under Billy’s. There may be times when you are frustrated for how he mismanaged a discipline situation with the kids or he forgot, again, to tell you about a meeting he had. In those times don’t let frustration and bitterness fester - but turn those emotions over to God through prayer. And seek to honor Billy through following him. Don’t give into to the “nagging Nancy” syndrome. As Billy points the family to Christ, imperfectly of course, follow him. Give him the benefit of the doubt.
Christi, you must trust Christ enough to sacrifice self-sufficiency in order that your marriage to Billy will display the good news of Christ to your children and to the watching world. “Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit in everything to their husbands.” Christi, this type of submission to Billy will not win you awards. It will not win you favor at work. It will not add friends to your Facebook page. You won’t get extra likes on Instagram. It will even be inconvenient from time to time, but it will honor the Lord and demonstrate the mystery of the gospel that marriage is intended to display. Christi, biblical submission for the wife is the divine calling to honor and affirm your husband’s leadership and help carry it through according to your gifts. This is the way of joy. See God loves his people and God loves his glory. So when we follow his idea of marriage we get the good and God gets the glory. So Christi, gladly submit to Billy.
But there is another half to this passage. In and following we read:
25 Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, 26 that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, 27 so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish. 28 In the same way husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. 29 For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church, 30 because we are members of his body.
Billy, do you want to make submission joyful for Christi? Then situate your life on this passage. See your love for Christi, according to Ephesians 5 is to be cross-shaped. You are to love Christi in a sacrificial way. And though your love is to reflect the cross - it cannot and will not ever accomplish what Christ did upon the cross. His sacrifice was completely unique. Paul tells us in :
21 For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
The extent of Christ’s love for His bride was that He became a sin substitute. Billy, your love for Christi is never intended for those purposes. Rather, it is to be shaped by the cross in that it is a laying down of your rights in order to bring about the most good in Christi. It is sacrificial in this way.
Billy, you may not believe what I’m about to say, but there will be a time in the future where you think that Christi is just plain selfish. You may feel in your bones a desire to tear her down with cutting comments and snide remarks. Maybe, like a normal lost, wicked man you decide to turn cold and silent to nudge out any affection. This, Billy, is not cross shaped love. If you find yourself walking this path - I urge you to repent and run again to the mercy of Christ.
Billy, cross-shaped love, as Paul so elegantly put it, is loving Christi like you love your own body. Now look we work out together, I know you have those Hulk calves, and massive Rock shoulders. You’ve been working hard to get in wedding shape. Think about the time you spend grooming your facial hair, how you never forget to wear deodorant, how you take time for hair cuts and showers, how you eat delicious foods, how you try to wear clothes that are not stained but look nice. Think about how you try to get an ample amount of sleep and you really shape your life, as much as humanly possible, for your good. There is nothing wrong with this. But what Paul says is In the same way you have those desires for yourself and you work hard to realize them, in the same way so love Christi. Her good should be your priority. Love her in spite of her flaws. Sacrifice for her in spite of what you want. I love what Peter tells the church in :
8 Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins.
Billy, each day you need to get on your knee’s and plead with God that he would make your love for Christi cross-shaped. And you will be amazed to see that your affection for her and your loving leadership will not only cover her weaknesses, but it will create in her heart a deep and abiding desire to follow you. Her heart will sing, “where you go, I’ll go. Where you stay, I’ll stay. I will follow you Billy.”
Billy, the most loving thing you will do for Christi is to continually lead her to the cross. See, that is Jesus’ plan for the church - to purify the church through sanctification - by the washing of the word. Billy, true cross-shaped love doesn’t make you into an idol, rather it points again and again to your weakness and Christ’s strength to perfectly meet Christi’s most desperate needs. So Billy, love your bride. Love her fiercely. Love her deeply. Love her sacrificially. Like, Christ loved the church.
Finally, in this passage we see how Paul ties these complementary roles together and demonstrates how they are gospel shaped.
31 “Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.” 32 This mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church. 33 However, let each one of you love his wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband.
Ephesians 5:
So Paul quotes God’s proclamation of marriage - the two becoming one. But then he says that the mystery of marriage is that it refers to Christ and the church. What that means is that your submission, Christi, and your cross-shaped love, Billy, are parables, a flesh-and-blood drama of the gospel. I love how Wayne Grudem and John Piper sum this up:
“This is the way God meant it to be before there was any sin in the world: sinless man, full of love, in his tender, strong leadership in relation to woman; and sinless woman, full of love, in her joyful, responsive support for man’s leadership. No belittling from the man, no groveling from the woman. Two intelligent, humble, God-entranced beings living out, in beautiful harmony, their unique and different responsibilities.”
Certainly, sin has distorted this wonderful picture, but Paul calls each of you to pursue this pattern for the sake of making the gospel vivid. “This mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church.” What an honor - that your sacrificial love and your joyful following can mirror God’s affection for us.
Now, Christi, Billy, you guys aren’t coming into this covenant all by your lonesome - no, each of you bring a set of kids into this marriage. And for a moment, I’d like to speak with the children.
Kamryn & Isaac - I want you to hear me very clearly - your mom’s love for Billy and her happy following of his leadership - will not and does not diminish her love for you. Think about your friends, maybe your two best friends. In the economy of God, how He works in this world it’s not as if he gives you 100 friendship points - and for friend number one you give them 65 points and then for friend number two you give them 35 points and then you are out. That’s not how friendship, affection and love work in God’s economy. Rather, God multiplies your ability to love and care for your friends. And this is what he does in family. Christi isn’t sharing 100 love points between the three of you, or for that matter the five of you. But rather, God supernaturally gives her more love to share. Your mom’s love for Billy does not lessen or replace her love for you.
Tyler & Lauren - this is true of your dad too. The fact that your dad love’s Christi, and is going to spend the rest of his days growing in a cross-shaped love for Christi will not lessen his love for you. God is good in that He is able to give your dad more love to share with Christi and Isaac and Kamryn without lessening his love for you.
Tyler & Lauren you also need to know that Christi is not trying to replace your mom. She recognizes how much your mom means to you, how much your mom loves you, and how much your mom does for you. She doesn’t want to take your mom’s place. What’s happening today is that God is, giving you another parent to help love, nurture and support you.
Kam & Issac - this is true of Billy also. Billy is not trying to topple your dad’s position as your dad. Billy see’s the critical value of you two having a dynamically healthy relationship with your dad. Billy wants to promote that relationship you two have with your dad.
Now, hearing this doesn’t mean Kam - that you don’t have to ever listen to Billy because “he’s not my dad. And I’m an adult - I have a job and can drive.” Isaac this means you can’t roll your eyes at Billy and then toss your, normally wavy locks love turned defiance at Billy. Right? Tyler this truth means you can’t shut Christi out by never looking up from your cell phone and Lauren this doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t obey Christi when she gently asks you to do something.
Kids, this is exactly what the next verse in says:
Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right.
Though Christi is not trying to replace your mom and even though Billy is not trying to replace your dad - in the Lord’s economy they are becoming your parents. And in obedience to God you should listen to them and obey them - for this is right. Kids, fight the temptation to set up booby traps in this marriage. Run away from being a wedge that could potentially drive them away from each other. This is not an easy calling, and it wasn’t something you particularly chose, but it is something the Lord, in His wise providence has given you.
Now, at this time Billy and Christi will express their commitment to their covenant with each other under God by the exchanging of vows.
Exchange of Vows
Exchange of Vows
Groom:
“Billy, do you take Christi to be your wedded wife, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better or for worse, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, all the days of your life?”
Billy - “I do.”
Bride:
“Christi, do you take Billy to be your wedded wife, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better or for worse, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, all the days of your life?”
Christi - “I do.”
Exchange of Rings
Exchange of Rings
In the bible covenants between God and man, and covenants between man came with signs or symbols of the covenant. In the New Testament we have been given two signs of our covenant with Christ - baptism and the Lord’s Supper. Baptism represents the the miracle of God that took place within heart of man at salvation and the Lord’s Supper vividly displays the event of the cross - Christ’s body broken and blood spilt - both, are uniquely for believers alone.
In terms of covenants between man - in we read of the sign of David and Jonathan’s covenant together:
Then Jonathan made a covenant with David, because he loved him as his own soul. And Jonathan stripped himself of the robe that was on him and gave it to David, and his armor, and even his sword and his bow and his belt.
! sam 18:3-4
Today thi
Notice the sign of their covenant - a robe, armor, sword and belt. Today this marriage will be signified or symbolized by the exchanging of rings. This is a sign of Billy and Christi’s covenant together. The ring is an unending circle which represents the longevity of this covenant.
Groom:
Billy do you have Christi’s ring?
(Repeat After Me):
I Billy,
give you this ring,
as a symbol of my love;
and with all that I am
and all that I have,
I love you,
in the name of the Father,
and of the Son,
and of the Holy Spirit.
With this ring, I thee wed.
Bride:
Christi do you have Billy’s ring?
(Repeat After Me):
I Christi,
give you this ring,
as a symbol of my love;
and with all that I am
and all that I have,
I love you,
in the name of the Father,
and of the Son,
and of the Holy Spirit.
With this ring, I thee wed.
Billy: (Repeat After Me):
I Billy,
give you this ring,
as a symbol of my love;
and with all that I am
and all that I have,
I love you,
in the name of the Father,
and of the Son,
and of the Holy Spirit.
With this ring, I thee wed.
Knot Tying
Knot Tying
Another symbol of this marriage is the typing of the three cords. A truly successful marriage takes three of you; you, your spouse and Christ.
For It was Christ who taught us to love.
In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him.
We love because he first loved us.
By keeping Christ at the center of your marriage, His love will continue to bind you together as one throughout your marriage.
Today, Billy and Christi have chosen to braid three strands together into a single cord.
The white strand represents God. This marriage relationship is initiated by Him, will be built under His authority and is intended to glorify Him. The white represents His holiness and utter purity.
The white strand represents God. This marriage relationship is initiated by Him, will be built under His authority and is intended to glorify Him. The white represents His holiness and utter purity.
The tan cord represents the groom. As the husband loves his wife and submits himself to the Lord, the Lord in turn will demonstrate His great love and blessing in this marriage covenant.
The purple cord represents the bride. As the wife honors her husband and submits herself to the Lord, the Lord in turn will nurture and strengthen this marriage covenant.
(Bride and Groom Tie the knot).
In braiding these three strands together, Billy and Christi have demonstrated that their marriage is more than a joining of two lives together. It is a unity with Christ as well. They have chosen to allow Him to be at the center of their marriage, woven into every aspect of it. Like says:
And though a man might prevail against one who is alone, two will withstand him—a threefold cord is not quickly broken.
read, “Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not easily broken
Charge to Congregation
Charge to Congregation
strands is not easily broken
Now, Christi and Billy did not get here alone and they will not thrive and flourish, as God intends, without the help of their family, friends and most importantly their church family. So you too have a role to play today: Congregation - I will read something to you and if you will commit to this - then you respond by saying “We do.” Billy, Christi turn and face the congregation.
“Do you, in the presence of God, promise to help Billy and Christi fulfill the commitment of this covenant by encouraging their conformity to God’s distinct roles of joyful submission and cross-shaped love in their marriage?’’
“We do.”
“Do you, in the presence of God, promise not to be a stumbling block to Billy and Christi in their union and intimacy with each other?”
“We do.”
“And finally, do you, in the presence of God, promise to be an open resource of comfort, care and encouragement to Billy and Christi as they experience difficult seasons in both their marriage and their parenting?”
“We do.”
Prayer of Blessing
Prayer of Blessing
Father,
What a joyous moment. What a wonderful gift to celebrate. We come to you near the end of this ceremony asking for your great blessing upon this covenant that Billy and Christi have entered into with each other, under you and before this people. We ask that the days, weeks, months and years to come will be filled with laughter, love and joy. We ask that you would bless them. Bless the children, too. Let this marriage vividly express the gospel of Jesus and may you be the center, the foundation and the hedge of protection surrounding this marriage. These things we do ask in the precious name of Jesus, and all God’s people said “amen”.
Declaration of Marriage
Declaration of Marriage
Well, you’ve made it. Without any further ado…It is my privileged and my pleasure as a minister of the gospel of Jesus Christ and by the power vested in me by the great state of Texas to pronounce you “husband and wife.”
Billy you may kiss your bride.
Blessing
Blessing
Recessional
Recessional
Recessional
Recessional
It is my honor to present to you, for the first time, Mr. and Mrs. Billy Price
Final Instructions:
On behalf of Billy and Christi thank you for coming and participating in their wedding celebration. At this moment they are headed out to take pictures, but you are now welcome to enjoy some yummy Mexican food. Of course, on Cinco De Mayo, it would seem inappropriate to have anything other than taco’s, right? I hear they are shell-tastic! Let’s Eat!
Let’s Eat!