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Dearly Beloved, we are gathered here today by the blessing and providence of God and in the sight of friends and family to join together Marcus Perez and Chloe Beck in marriage union. We stand with you today to offer our encouragement and blessings as you begin on this new journey together as husband and wife.

Ask Father: Who gives this woman to be married to this man?

--GARY: “her mother and I”

The Bible says, “Let marriage be held in honor among all” Hebrews 13:4 and we seek today to recognize this most sacred institution as created, directed and governed by God. It is the joining of one man and one woman. Two separate and distinct individuals into one… Two hearts, two minds, two persons who “Shall leave…father and mother and shall be joined…” shall cling one to the other, man and wife, “and the two shall become one flesh”. Ephesians 5:31 The two become united as one in marriage.

We celebrate today the love that Marcus and Chloe share for each other. The Word of God teaches us that love is the greatest, most noble, and enduring of human acts. Love is more than merely an emotional state but it moves us to care, to serve, to help, to obey, to teach, to share, to lift up, to walk alongside, and sometimes even to lay down your life for another.

1 Corinthians 13 If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing. Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends. As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when the perfect comes, the partial will pass away. When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I gave up childish ways. For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known. So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.

This is the kind of love by which a marriage perseveres and stands the test of time. True love is so much more than flowers and chocolates. In marriage, real love means having patience with your spouse’s flaws. It means showing kindness even if you think they don’t deserve it. It means rejoicing when they rejoice, it means weeping with them when they hurt. It means thinking less of yourself and more of them.

Our Lord Jesus taught us that it is love, not duty, not success, not fortune or fame that endures and fulfills of the entirety of Scripture’s command. Love for God and love for one another.

Ecclesiastes 4:9–12 says Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up! Again, if two lie together, they keep warm, but how can one keep warm alone? And though a man might prevail against one who is alone, two will withstand him—a threefold cord is not quickly broken.

Yes, two are better than one… but in your union, set your eyes on Christ so that God himself will be first in your threefold knot, then the promise and power and presence and provision of God will fill, guide, and direct your marriage, your lives, and your children’s lives after you…. This is the threefold cord that stands and endures.

I have had the distinguished privilege of counseling this young couple as they journeyed through preparing for this day…. And in our talks together I have clearly seen their love for one another… Their patience and grace they give to one another…. How each of their unique strengths compliment the other. Their FAITH is strong and RESILIENT as has been shown in and through this time that we find ourselves. Marcus and Chloe have already begun overcoming challenges, facing them head on… Together….

Marcus and Chloe, please join hands.

Marcus, will you take this woman to be your wedded wife, to live together under God in holy matrimony? Will you love her and keep her? Will you comfort her and bear with her in sickness and in health? Will you obey God and lead her in Christ, raising up your family in godliness? Will you forsake all others, keeping yourself only for her so long as you both shall live? MARCUS, will you? -- “I WILL”

Chloe, will you take this man to be your wedded husband, to live together under God in holy matrimony? Will you love him and keep him? Will you comfort him and bear with him in sickness and in health? Will you obey God and walk with him in Christ, raising up your family in godliness? Will you forsake all others, keeping yourself only for him so long as you both shall live? CHLOE, will you? – “I WILL”

Christian Marriage is not like a contract, it is instead a sacred covenant. These two things are not nearly the same. A covenant is a promise/a pledge of faithfulness that is far greater than a contract. In a contract: if one party fails to hold up their side of the agreement then the other party is free of obligation. A covenant however: says that I will continue to do my part even if, even when, and regardless of the actions/ be it - successes or yes even the flaws and failings of the other person. Even so, a covenant says “my promise will stand”.

Having now been charged, are you both ready to confirm this covenant of marriage to each other, before God and before your family who this day bears witness?

Marcus and Chloe, are you? “We Are”

THE VOWS

Marcus, repeat after me: “I, Marcus take you, Chloe, 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; according to God’s Holy Word; This I pledge to you.”

Chloe, repeat after me: “I, Chloe take you, Marcus, 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, to cherish, and honor, till death do us part; according to God’s Holy Word; This I pledge to you.”

THE RINGS: In the marriage covenant, the rings are a tradition that serves as an outward sign, an honored custom that publically symbolizes your commitment to one another. They are a reminder of your pledge of faithfulness to each other. Marcus, Take the ring and place it on her finger. Repeat after me: “With this ring, I thee wed. I give it to you as a symbol of my commitment to you, and with it - seal this, our covenant of marriage.”

Chloe, Take the ring and place it on his finger. Repeat after me: “With this ring, I thee wed. I give it to you as a symbol of my commitment to you, and with it - seal this, our covenant of marriage.”

Marcus please again, take Chloe’s hands in yours: As Christians, being joined together as man and wife, your marriage is as the Apostle Paul tells us “a profound mystery”, a picture/a spiritual portrait of Christ and the Church.

By the power and inspiration of the Holy Spirit, Paul writes in Ephesians 5:22-29 “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. So, let each one of you love his wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband.”

Marcus, see that you love her, care for her, protect her, and lead her well in accordance to the will of the Lord.

Chloe, see that you love him, respect him, and come alongside him in faithfulness as is the will of the Lord.

Will you bow with me in a moment of prayer?

Numbers 6:24–26 May The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace.

Marcus and Chloe, as you have now faithfully given your solemn vows and entered into this marriage covenant, it is my great privilege to pronounce you husband and wife. Marcus, you may kiss your bride!

I PRESENT TO YOU MR. AND MRS. PEREZ!