Untitled Sermon (2)

The Prelude:

The Processional:

Welcome:

Good morning everyone, let me take this opportunity to welcome you all to this special occasion, as we come together in the sight of God and the presence of those here to witness the joining these two in a sacred bond.

"Without further adieu, Who gives this beautiful young woman to this fine young man?”

Thomas: Her mother and I do.  Then he takes a seat next to his wife.

Prayer

Let us pray: Father, creator, we thank you for the heavenly character of love - especially when your love exists between a man and a woman. We thank you for your institution of marriage and of the joy it brings.  We thank you for our redemption in Jesus Christ, as we are made new creatures in him.  We ask now that you bless this union between Phillip and Michelle that they may grow, together and in you.  We pray these things in your name alone.  Amen.

Message

Phillip, Michelle, I don't have to tell you that this is a special day or about the importance of marriage

From the words of an impressive clergyman:  Marriage. Marriage is what brings us together today.  Marriage, that blessed arrangement, that dream within a dream and love true love will follow you forever.  So treasure your love.

Mawwiage. Mawwiage is wat bwings us togeder today. Mawwiage, that bwessed awwangement, that dweam wifin a dream…  And wuv, twue wuv, will fowwow you foweva… So tweasure your wuv—

Littt did we know tht we know that hen we hired phillip thatthere awa sa divine appoint,e

They met three years ago whenever I met phillip I knew he ahd a lovefor god and music and little did we know that he would find the love of his life Michelle who would sharehis love for music.  It has been a joy to watch michelle and phillip's relationhip blossom. 

Thanksgiving dinner holds a special day for philip and michelle as that is when they first time that that were thrown together.  we are approcahing thankgiving soon and this hear tthy ewill ge the pleaseu of eperiencing it as husband and wife.  Michell has sang in the churchfor many year and now they will get to merge not only thier lives but also their ministyr.  it is buetiful how god unites two popel along thepath divine appointent. 

Dr hwo and renensance fair

adn it is my great pleasur eot to participate in this union

Right now, if you look around you, you see all the most important people in your life, and they're actually dressed up too. Behind you, there is a room full of people out there who recognize with you the importance of this moment.

This is your 3 year dating anniversary

I know special thanks needs to be given to Allison and Ashley for orchestrating the seating arrangement at the 80th Jubilee that placed them two sitting next to each other. 

However, if you are not careful, you will think that this moment is just about you, that this is your big day. Friends and family may have even said those words at some point, and it is certainly well-intentioned, but to make this day all about you two, makes the purpose of the marriage far too small.

This marriage is a temporary symbol of an eternal reality. Notice I said temporary, not conditional. For when you covenant with each other, that is an unconditional agreement that lasts for the rest of your lives. However, it is temporary because our time here on this earth is temporary. In just a moment, you will commit to each other until death forces you to part ways. That commitment is a living, breathing symbol of an eternal promise, an eternal future, and an eternal relationship.

In truth, this marriage is about the gospel.

Gospel narrative

In the beginning, God created everything out of nothing. Where there was once darkness and void, life teemed across the expanse of water, land and sky. And as the pinnacle of his creation, God gathered some dust together and made a creature in his image. That creature, he called Adam.

God loved his creation, and he loved Adam. God even walked with him in the garden. In all of creation, their relationship was unique and special. Over and over God looked at his creation and said that it was good, but when he looked at Adam, he said this:

"It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him." Now out of the ground the LORD God had formed every beast of the field and every bird of the heavens and brought them to the man to see what he would call them. And whatever the man called every living creature, that was its name. The man gave names to all livestock and to the birds of the heavens and to every beast of the field. But for Adam there was not found a helper fit for him.

So the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and while he slept took one of his ribs and closed up its place with flesh. And the rib that the LORD God had taken from the man he made into a woman and brought her to the man. Then the man said, "This at last is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man."

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

And in this act, God not only created woman, but also the institution of marriage.

Marriage is not a mere invention of humanity. Lest we think too highly of ourselves, and too frivolously of marriage, we must realize that marriage was not our idea. Instead, it is a gift from God. And in this gift, God created a relationship, a unique, special relationship, that would bear witness to the gospel.

You see, in the very next chapter, man does the unthinkable and brings sin into God's perfect creation. All that God claimed good, man tainted with the disease of sin. It's curse covered the whole earth and that special relationship Adam shared with God was shattered. By man's sin, death entered the world and man removed himself from God's presence. That affects us still today. We know the world is broken. We know we are broken. Everyone of us in this room suffers from the curse of sin.

But God loved the world. He loved it so much that he made a promise to man that he would fix all that man had destroyed, and that one day, man would be able to enjoy that special relationship with God once again. It was an eternal promise, one that would not be broken.

Phillip, Michelle, I know that both of you know the rest of this story, but the rest of this story is what marriage is all about.

That promise made by God in the garden so long ago blossomed one silent night, in a manger. The Bible tells us that Jesus, the Word become flesh, truly God (himself) came to earth, and while none of us can, he lived a perfect life, died a sinless death. He defeated the grave and rose again to ransom his people, his church. And today, there is an empty tomb in the Middle East that stands as proof of God's promise fulfilled.

Because of this, the greatest sacrifice ever made, man can once again walk with God. The relationship is restored. You see, Jesus is creating for himself a people. His offer of salvation extends to everyone, and those who accept it, he calls together into his church, and the Bible calls the church the Bride of Christ. If we skip to the back of the book, in Revelation, God tells us of a coming feast, a wedding feast, when all of those who make up the bride of Christ get to be with the groom... forever.

Marriage is a display of the Gospel

In the institution of marriage, God has blessed us. For in marriage, we have the privilege of showing the world what that unique relationship with Jesus looks like. In marriage, we image the gospel. And today, this marriage is about so much more than your happiness. It is your chance to show the world the good news of what Christ has done for us.

The Apostle Paul tells us what this looks like in the letter he wrote to Ephesus. In the fifth chapter, he says:

Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. 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. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit in everything to their husbands.

Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, 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.

In the same way, husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church because we are members of his body.

"Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh." This mystery is profound, and I (this is Paul) am saying that it refers to Christ and the church. However, let each one of you love his wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband.

In just a few minutes, you two will be far more than a married couple. To your family, to your friends, to your coworkers, to everyone you meet down life's road, you will be a living example of Christ and his Church.

Phillip, show the world how much Christ loves his church in the way that you love Michelle. And Michelle, show the world how the Church loves Christ, in the way that you love Phillip. It is a responsibility that you choose, a mantle that you submit to wear when you both say "I do."

So, for God's sake, do it well.

Phillip and Michelle, I ask you, show us the gospel with your lives. Show us the gospel with this marriage.

Vows:

11For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. ESV

Marriage is about trust and faith in each other that despite what the future may hold you will be there together.  With this faith, I will have you say your vows to one another, making a covenant with one another. Say I do:

Phillip, do you take, Michelle, to be my wedded wife, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death do us part, before God; making a covenant with you for the rest of my life. Phillip: I do

Michelle, do you take the, Phillip, to be my wedded husband, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death do us part, before God; making a covenant with you for the rest of my life.

Michelle:  I do

Alternative:  The bride and groom can repeat the vows.

Exchange Rings:

May I please have the rings. Phillip and Michelle, you both know the rich symbolism that is represented in a ring. It is a circle, with no beginning or end.  It symbolizes a union between husband and wife with God that cannot be broken.  These rings are made of pure, precious metal symbolizing the pure and holiness of the marital bond. As you wear it, it shows the world that you both belong to one another.

Phillip, with this ring, do you seal your vow of love to Michelle, in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit?

Phillip, place this ring on Michelle's finger and repeat after me:

"I, Phillip, take you, Michelle, to be my wife to have and to hold, from this day forward.  I pledge before God and these witnesses to play your good above mine now and always, no matter the circumstances.  I promise to honor you, to love you, and to cherish you until death does us part.  I commit myself to you and to you alone."

Michelle, with this ring, do you seal your vow of love to Phillip, in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit?

Michelle:  I do

Michelle, place this ring on Phillip's finger and repeat after me:

"I, Michelle, take you, Phillip, to be my husband to have and to hold, from this day forward.  I pledge before God and these witnesses to play your good above mine now and always, no matter the circumstances.  I promise to honor you, to love you, and to cherish you until death do us part.  I commit myself to you and to you alone."

Pray for the Couple. 

Gracious Father, thank you for creating us in your image.  Because of this, we are able to know you and to know that true love is.  We see in this couple a deep and abiding love for each other and for you.  We have witnessed the giving of the vows and rings in this sacred moment. Through your power and blessing, we ask you to strengthen these two as one, to be renewed daily in their love and commitment, and to walk in mutual faith, and to live in confidence in your grace.  As they grow in conformity to your image may you receive glory through their lives and their marriage. 

24The Lord bless you and keep you; 25the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you;            26the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace                                                 - ESV In Jesus's name, we pray. Amen Unity Cross

At this time, Phillip and Michelle, will assemble the Unity Cross that they will display in their home to remind them of the covenant they are making today.

In Genesis, we read that God created man in His own image, bold, strong, to be a leader, to be a protector of his wife and family.

The outer for of the Unity Cross represents the strength, leadership, and protection of the man.  The book of Ephesians reminds husbands to love their wives as Christ loved the Church, totally and completely giving himself for her.  (Place the outer cross on the stand)

As well, Genesis tells us that a woman was taken from man.  _______'s part of the Unity Cross represents the beauty and the many capabilities of the woman, designed with intricate, beautiful detail and is placed inside the protection of ______'s cross, completing the sculpture and representing two becoming one. (Place the inner cross inside the outer cross)

To complete the sculpture, representing the couple's covenant, ______, and ______ are placing three pegs to hold it together, showing God's place in this covenant and the security and completeness our Heavenly Father can give. (Together place the three pegs into the cross)

The Song will be played during the putting together of the Cross

Presentation:

Now, with all the power vested in me by the state of Texas and, more importantly, the church of our Lord Jesus Christ, I now pronounce you, man and wife.

Phillip, you may kiss your bride.

Ladies and Gentlemen, let me be the very first to introduce you to Mr. and Mrs. Phillip Alley.

The Recessional

The Postlude