Untitled Sermon

1. Processional – “Can’t help falling in love” instrumental

Over the last few months I have had the privilege of meeting with and talking through marriage with Danielle and Rodrigo, and I stand here before you today not only confirming their love for one another, but also confirming God’s blessing and love on these two. During our premarital sessions I have witnessed Danielle and Rodrigo seek the blessing of God and also honor him with their lives.

The love that you two share for one another is a love that is so rich, fierce, purposeful, and sacrificial. This love is not a love that originated from you two, this love is a love that God first had for you. That’s right, from the beginning of time, God himself first existed in a relationship of love in the father, and the son, and the holy spirit. When God created the world, he created it out of his being, out of this love. God did not need us in order to perfectly exist, God created us because he wants to love us and for us to love Him. That is why he sent Jesus to the world, his own essence and image, to restore the broken relationship of love between God and man. Through Jesus’ loving act of dying on the cross and resurrecting to new life, God’s love for the entire world is totally, completely, and utterly shown and expressed. God himself gave up his own life in order to give us a full life. So, this love between you two is to be a window into this divine reality.

a. Start time? What’s the signal?

God tells us that in the beginning, when he created mankind, he made humans in his own image. That is significant. We all bear God’s characteristics, that’s the way he purposefully designed us, it’s no accident. And we see through his Son Jesus through his life, ministry, death and resurrection, the full expression of God’s image, what it truly means for us to be image bearers.

b. Pastor walks in alone, groom follows, bride walks in with Dad (Pastor – would you all rise - everyone stands)

i. Groom takes bride from father-in-law (can shake hand or hug)

Danielle and Rodrigo, you are not only a husband and wife, male and female, daughter and son, brother and sister, physician and employee. Above all these things, you are two people who bear God’s image and purpose, who are uniting in a covenant declaring that you will seek to honor, protect, and love your fellow God image bearing spouse. That’s the beginning point, you two are equal in position, equal in status, and equal in purpose. That’s how you were designed to live and how God designed marriage to be.

Danielle, think back two years ago, would you have predicted you’d be here? You are marrying a handsome, guitar playing, smooth talking, Joyous Chilean. What a gift, right? Danielle, allow him to protect you, guard you, serve you, and lead you. Actively learn to trust him. When he fails, confront him with truth and grace, but remember that he too is an image bearer of God, so forgive him. Remember that you don’t know everything and that you need him just as much as he needs you. So, Celebrate your husband, nurture your love for him, and don’t hesitate to open up to him. In the words and paraphrase of the Apostle Paul in his letter to the Ephesians, “The husband provides leadership to his wife in the same way Christ does to his church, not by domineering but by cherishing. So just as the church submits to Christ as he exercises such leadership, wives should likewise submit to their husbands.”

c. ((Groom and bride face each other (dani hold flowers until time of vows)(wedding party can come and fix your dress if you’d like)

Welcome (please be seated)

Rodrigo, look at your bride, Look how beautiful she is. Isn’t she lovely? Would you have predicted that you would marry a girl from one of the coldest places on earth? And Would you have predicted that you would move there? Haha!

Rodrigo, allow Danielle to always come to you, never put up any walls or barriers that would hinder her from loving you and giving herself over to you. Do not purposefully frustrate her to get your point across. Do not betray your bride for anything or anyone else. Instead, respect and admire her, hold her in high esteem, nourish her and care for her just like you would do for yourself. Actively anticipate how you can make her safe and secure in a love that is healing, authentic, and welcoming. In the words and paraphrase of the Apostle Paul in his letter to the Ephesians, “In the same way, husbands ought to love their wives as they love their own bodies. For a man who loves his wife actually shows love for himself. 29 No one hates his own body but feeds and cares for it, just as Christ cares for the church.”

2. Andy – We are gathered here today to celebrate one of life’s greatest moments, the joining of two hearts into marriage. We are also gathered here in Punta Cana DR, where Danielle and Rodrigo first met. What a special time, special place, and special experience we all get to share in together. We’ve all seen your new relationship blossom and take off, many of us have witnessed the strong love you two share for one another, your families and friends have flown hundreds of miles/kilometers to celebrate you two, we have witnessed how God has providentially brought two people together from completely different parts of the world. and through today, everyone here gets to witness you two becoming one, freely giving yourselves over to each other in the name of Jesus Christ.

i. Our God and Savior Jesus declared that a man shall leave his mother and father and unite with his wife in the building of a home, and the two shall become one flesh.

ii. For this reason I ask, “who gives this woman away to this man?” - (parent’s we do)

3. Declaration of intent – Pastor addressing the couple

a. Rodrigo and Danielle, I now ask you to affirm your willingness to enter this covenant of marriage and to share all the joys and sorrows of this new relationship, as husband and wife as you face the future with joy and hope.

a. PASTOR –turn to Groom – Rodrigo will you have Danielle to be your wife? Will you love her faithfully? as long as you both shall live? Groom: I do

b. PASTOR –turn to the bride – Danielle, will you have Rodrigo to be your husband? Will you love him faithfully? as long as you both shall live? Bride: I do

c. Pastor – turn to family/friends – Do you, as family and friends, pledge your support and encouragement to the marriage and the promises that they are making together, and will you support them as their family lives and loves together? If so, please say, “We do.”

Readings and Message

4. Seba Reading: (he will come up after the I do’s).

“The Art of Marriage," by William A. Peterson

The little things are the big things. It is never being too old to hold hands.

It is remembering to say "I love you" at least once a day.

It is never going to sleep angry.

It is at no time taking the other for granted;

the courtship should not end with the honeymoon,

it should continue through all the years.

It is having a mutual sense of values and common objectives.

It is standing together facing the world.

It is forming a circle of love that gathers in the whole family.

It is doing things for each other, not in the attitude of duty or sacrifice,

but in the spirit of joy.

It is speaking words of appreciation and demonstrating

gratitude in thoughtful ways.

It is not expecting the husband to wear a halo or the wife to have wings of an angel.

It is not looking for perfection in each other.

It is cultivating flexibility, patience, understanding and a sense of humor.

It is having the capacity to forgive and forget.

It is giving each other an atmosphere in which each can grow.

It is finding room for the things of the spirit.

It is a common search for the good and the beautiful. It is establishing a relationship in which the independence is equal, dependence is mutual and the obligation is reciprocal.

It is not only marrying the right partner, it is being the right partner.

5. Andy sermon/words about love – (thank you Seba)

I have the special privilege and honor of officiating this wedding. I am a Pastor at a church in Florida, and I am also Danielle’s Cousin-in-law, which means I know more about these two than the average Priest or Pastor would!

Over the last few months I have had the privilege of meeting with and talking through marriage with Danielle and Rodrigo, and I stand here before you today not only confirming their love for one another, but also confirming God’s blessing and love on these two. During our premarital sessions I have witnessed Danielle and Rodrigo seek the blessing of God and also honor him with their lives.

The love that you two share for one another is a love that is so rich, fierce, purposeful, and sacrificial. This love is not a love that originated from you two, this love is a love that God first had for you. That’s right, from the beginning of time, God himself first existed in a relationship of love in the father, and the son, and the holy spirit. When God created the world, he created it out of his being, out of this love. God did not need us in order to perfectly exist, God created us because he wants to love us and for us to love Him. That is why he sent Jesus to the world, his own essence and image, to restore the broken relationship of love between God and man. Through Jesus’ loving act of dying on the cross and resurrecting to new life, God’s love for the entire world is totally, completely, and utterly shown and expressed. God himself gave up his own life in order to give us a full life. So, this love between you two is to be a window into this divine reality.

God tells us that in the beginning, when he created mankind, he made humans in his own image. That is significant. We all bear God’s characteristics, that’s the way he purposefully designed us, it’s no accident. And we see through his Son Jesus through his life, ministry, death and resurrection, the full expression of God’s image, what it truly means for us to be image bearers.

Danielle and Rodrigo, you are not only a husband and wife, male and female, daughter and son, brother and sister, physician and employee. Above all these things, you are two people who bear God’s image and purpose, who are uniting in a covenant declaring that you will seek to honor, protect, and love your fellow God image bearing spouse. That’s the beginning point, you two are equal in position, equal in status, and equal in purpose. That’s how you were designed to live and how God designed marriage to be.

Danielle, think back two years ago, would you have predicted you’d be here? You are marrying a handsome, guitar playing, smooth talking, Joyous Chilean. What a gift, right? Danielle, allow him to protect you, guard you, serve you, and lead you. Actively learn to trust him. When he fails, confront him with truth and grace, but remember that he too is an image bearer of God, so forgive him. Remember that you don’t know everything and that you need him just as much as he needs you. So, Celebrate your husband, nurture your love for him, and don’t hesitate to open up to him. In the words and paraphrase of the Apostle Paul in his letter to the Ephesians, “The husband provides leadership to his wife in the same way Christ does to his church, not by domineering but by cherishing. So just as the church submits to Christ as he exercises such leadership, wives should likewise submit to their husbands.”

Rodrigo, look at your bride, Look how beautiful she is. Isn’t she lovely? Would you have predicted that you would marry a girl from one of the coldest places on earth? And Would you have predicted that you would move there? Haha!

Rodrigo, allow Danielle to always come to you, never put up any walls or barriers that would hinder her from loving you and giving herself over to you. Do not purposefully frustrate her to get your point across. Do not betray your bride for anything or anyone else. Instead, respect and admire her, hold her in high esteem, nourish her and care for her just like you would do for yourself. Actively anticipate how you can make her safe and secure in a love that is healing, authentic, and welcoming. In the words and paraphrase of the Apostle Paul in his letter to the Ephesians, “In the same way, husbands ought to love their wives as they love their own bodies. For a man who loves his wife actually shows love for himself. 29 No one hates his own body but feeds and cares for it, just as Christ cares for the church.”

6. Calah reading

“From Beginning to End" by Robert Fulghum

You have known each other from the first glance of acquaintance to this point of commitment. At some point, you decided to marry. From that moment of yes to this moment of yes, indeed, you have been making promises and agreements in an informal way.

All those conversations that were held riding in a car or over a meal or during long walks—all those sentences that began with "When we're married" and continued with "I will and you will and we will"—those late night talks that included "someday" and "somehow" and "maybe"—and all those promises that are unspoken matters of the heart. All these common things, and more, are the real process of a wedding.

The symbolic vows that you are about to make are a way of saying to one another, "You know all those things we've promised and hoped and dreamed—well, I meant it all, every word." Look at one another and remember this moment in time.

Before this moment you have been many things to one another—acquaintance, friend, companion, lover, dancing partner, and even teacher, for you have learned much from one another...

Now you shall say a few words that take you across a threshold of life, and things will never quite be the same between you. For after these vows, you shall say to the world, this—is my husband, this—is my wife.

7. Vows

8. Exchange of the rings

9. Sand Ceremony – Andy introduces this: “At this time, Dani and Rodrigo are going to do a sand ceremony. This is signifying two becoming one. The sand they are using is from Chile and Rhinelander” – “The Prayer” by Josh Groban and Charolette Church – entire song

10. Final words, pronounce husband and wife, kiss, Introduction as Mr. and Mrs. Perez-Gazitua (Pear-ez Gaz-i-tooha)

11. Recessional: “Can’t stop the feeling” by Justin Timberlake