Bruce and Nikola's Wedding Ceremony: 1 Cor. 13:1-8a

Intro:

Bruce and Nickola, here we are…I remember first seeing Bruce at the Church House. Then we started meeting and looking at the hope that is found in Ps 34 and the truth that when we seek the LORD, he answers us and delivers us from all our fears. It wasn’t long before a certain name came up in our convresations. That name, “Nicky”, then because a face, one that we would see more and more.

When we started going through pre-marriage counselling Bruce mentioned something very profound at our first meeting… “I don’t think we should get married…No one should!” and yet here we are. How did we get here? Well, we walked through the book that emphasises a stong and lasting marriage is one that is centered on Jesus.

As we went through, a specific passage kept getting attnetion, 1 Cor. 13

The Church in Corinth thought that they had it all together. They were gifted in how they spoke and the knowledge they had, the passion that drove them. They admired eloquence and yet, they were still a mess! Paul warns the church not to try to live life among each other by their possitive speech, intimate knowledge, or passionate sacrifice alone. Which is such a good reminder to the two of you standing here and the rest that are here. Your positive speech, intimate knowledge, and passaionate sacrifice are not enough.

Outline:

More to Life: “Love” (vs. 1-3)

Love Defined: “Jesus” (vs. 4-8)

Summary: Marriage at its best, has Jesus as the Centre. Jesus needs to be at the centre of your marriage

Prayer:

More to Life: “Love” (vs. 1-3)

Possitive Speech (vs. -)

If I speak

In the tongues of

men- Some of us are better at this than others. In your case, Nickola. Even if you are the nicest person, you always say the right things, you could sweet talk your way out of anything.

angels- even if you could speak without error, misunderstanding, or restraints like time and words...

But have not love

I am a noisy

gong or

a Clanging cymbal- not pleasant,distracting, it gets your attention but only for a moment

We talked in pre-marital about how communication is such a big part of marriage. And as good as you may be there will always be times when…Crumple up the paper and throw it on the ground...

Intimate Knowledge and Understanding (vs. -)

If I have prophetic powers

and understand

all mysteries

all knowledge

And if I have all faith

so as to remove mountains

The Bible tells us in James that it is not enough to just hear or know that something is true. We must do it.

But have not love

I am nothing

Knowing all the right things does not guarantee that you will do the right things.

Having all knowledge doesn’t guarantee an intimate relationship that is built on trust.

Passionate Sacrific (vs. - )

If I give away

all I have- even if you are generous and like giving gifts, it doesn’t guarantee that you will get anything in return.

If I deliver up my body to be burned- wow, that is sacrifice

But have not love

I gain nothing

Application/Implications:

At this point maybe you are agreeing with Bruce’s initial response, “No one should get married”. Or you might be thinking Love outweighs your personality, your giftedness, your talents, your past record of success and failures.

According to this passage, if you don’t have love even your best words are a an annoying presence, all the knowledge in the world will amount to nothing, and your sacrifice will be in vain because you will gain nothing.

Transitional phrase: Wow, that is powerful. That is hopeful. But if we are all honest with ourselves, we all want that! We all want a marriage that is marked by great communication, intimate knowledge of one another, and passaionate sacrifice. But there is more to a marriage than just these things.

Love Defined: “Jesus” (vs. -)

Patient and Kind (vs. -)

Patient and kind

Patient- internal, the capacity to be wronged and not retaliate

Kind- gentle external, a pleasant interaction, to be or become warmhearted, considerate, humane, and sympathetic. Well what does that look like

Negative (vs. 4-6)

It does not envy or boast- both causes division

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

Possitive (vs. 7-8)

Love bears all things- to endure something unpleasant or difficult whether on one’s own behalf or on behalf of someone else

Love believes all things- not that it is gullable or without discernment, the first reaction is trust, not scepticism

Love hopes all things

Love endures all things- “remains steadfast in the face of unpleasant circumstances”

Love never ends…the greatest of these is love…pursue love

So how do I pursue this?

1 John 4:19 “We love because he first loved us.”

Love is impossible without the one that showed His love for us in that while we were still sinners, he died for us! Love is impossible without Jesus. This kind of love within a marriage is impossible without Jesus. Being patient and kind is impossible without Jesus.

Praise Jesus, Bruce and Nickola do not want to live life without Jesus, they do not want to have a marriage without Jesus.

Marriage is more than just committing to do life together, it is a commitment to become more like Jesus together.

In light of this desire, Bruce and Nickola would like to share the vows that they have prepared before hand with one another…

NICKOLA we will start with you...