Wedding Ceremony:
Stephen Orlando Johnson and Nichole Elizabeth Trimble
August 25, 2018
Rite of Marriage
Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today in the presence of God to witness the joining together of Stephen Orlando Johnson and Nichole Elizabeth Trimble in holy matrimony. God establishes the sacred relationship of marriage in Genesis, the very first book of the Bible.
And the Lord God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make a help meet for him. … And the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept: and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof; And the rib, which the Lord God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man. And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man. Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.
In the Gospel of John, Jesus adorns marriage with His presence and performs the first recorded miracle in the New Testament at a wedding in Cana of Galilee.
In the epistle to the Ephesians, the Apostle Paul uses marriage to symbolize the union between Christ and His Church.
Stephen, Paul tells the husband to love his wife as Christ loves His Church. Nichole doesn’t have to earn your love. It’s a love that you are to give freely with no strings attached. That’s how Christ loves the church – freely and with no strings attached. As Christ loves the church, Stephen, this and only this, is what qualifies a man to be a husband.
The Apostle Paul also tells the wife to reverence her husband. Nichole, simply put, the wife is to love, respect and obey her husband as the head of the house in the same way the Church is supposed to love, respect and obey its head – Jesus Christ.
In our culture today, this word “obey” does not carry the image that scripture describes. When you obey someone you make a willing choice to follow the person’s leadership because you trust that person to make decisions that are best for the both of you.
Nichole, in a marriage relationship the wife makes a willing decision to submit to her husband because she trusts him. She recognizes, believes and trusts her Heavenly Father’s design for marriage.
Nichole, when the wife makes this decision she is not diminished. When the wife makes this decision she does not become second class. Nichole, the truth of the matter is this: when the wife willingly submits to her husband’s leadership, she is honored. Heaven sees her as the virtuous woman that’s described in Proverbs 31.
Marriage is the union of a man and a woman in heart, soul and body. It is intended for their mutual joy and celebration in the good times and for reassurance and encouragement in the not so good times.
Marriage is also for the procreation and nurturing of children in the ways of the Lord. “Be fruitful and multiply is the first commandment that God gave to the husband and wife. He wanted a family and He designed marriage as the means to bring this commandment to pass.
There is no greater union in scripture than the union of a man and a woman. Ladies and gentlemen, marriage between a man and a woman, is blessed by God. It is not to be entered into lightly but with the deepest respect and love before the One who established it. It is into this holy union that Stephen and Nichole have now come to be joined.
Stephen and Nichole, in presenting yourselves here today to be joined in marriage you are performing an act of faith. This faith can grow, develop and last only when you both decide to make it so. A lasting and growing love is not guaranteed by any ritual or ceremony. If you want the foundation of your marriage to be the love and devotion that you share for one another at this moment, then treasure it. Nurture the hopes and dreams that you bring here today.
Faults will surface. Disagreements will occur. You know they will. God knows they will. God sees our faults and He loves us anyway. When we disagree with Him, He loves us. Stephen and Nichole, when faults surface, love each other. When disagreements occur, love each other.
Stephen and Nichole, as you’re standing here before me today, it is not too late to change your mind and run if you’re not 100 percent sure. If you are 100 percent sure, we will continue. A simple nod of the head will do.
Declaration of Intent
Stephen: Stephen Orlando Johnson,
? Is it your intention to have Nichole Elizabeth Trimble to be your lawfully wedded wife? If so, please answer “Yes.”
? Will you treat her as a beautiful and fragile flower and not allow her to wilt under the heat of anger or the coldness of silence, as long as you both shall live?
? And will you cover her with your love from anyone whose words or actions cause her blossoms to shrink and withdraw?
? Will you lift her up before all and never demean her or belittle her in the presence of others or, more importantly, in private?
? Will you never allow anyone to speak negatively about her to you?
? Will you always be a safe haven for her?
? And will you always protect the circle?
? If so, please answer “I will.”
Stephen, you have made these promises to Nichole but more importantly, you have made these promises to God. Do you understand? Is so, please say “Yes, I understand.”
Nichole: Nichole Elizabeth Trimble,
? Is it your intention to have Stephen Orlando Johnson to be your lawfully wedded husband? If so, please answer “Yes.”
? Will you lift him up always and never tear him down?
? Will you cover him with your love from anyone whose words or actions cause his shoulders to slump or his head to hang low?
? Will you never demean him or belittle him in the presence of others or, more importantly, in private?
? And will you always be a safe haven for him?
? And will you always protect the circle?
? If so, please answer “I will.”
Nichole, you have made these promises to Stephen but more importantly, you have made these promises to God. Do you understand? If so, please say “Yes, I understand.”
To the Audience: I will now speak to those of you in the audience. Too many marriages have become stressful, shaken and even ended because family members and friends have involved themselves in the couple’s business – offering advice such as “He may be the ‘head’ but you have a voice too” or “At the end of the day you’re the husband.” Such advice is toxic. Such advice is cancer. It can destroy the marriage.
So I ask you, the bride and groom’s family and friends, who are witnessing these promises today,
? Will you do all that you can to uphold and support Stephen and Nichole in their marriage?
? Will you stand with them, encourage their love for each other during their difficult days while staying out of their business allowing them to be husband and wife?
? Will you refuse to take sides should you witness discord and be the one seeks to bring about their peace and reconciliation?
? If you agree, please answer “I will”.
Family and friends, you have made these promises to Stephen and Nichole but most importantly, you have made these promises to God.
The Giving of the Bride
Mr. Jeffrey Scott Trimble, will you please come and stand next to Nichole?
Daughters are often the apple of their father’s eye. Am I right about that Jeff? When a father is blessed to live long enough to witness his daughter choose a mate, he is faced with the difficult decision of letting go and entrusting his daughter to the care of another man. In the moment that this is done, the father’s expectation is that the man, his soon to be son-in-law, will love his daughter and take care of his daughter just as he has done since the day she was born. When this understanding is secured, a father can freely give his daughter to her chosen mate.
To the Father
Mr. Jeffrey Scott Trimble, do you give your daughter, who is now a woman, in marriage?
Jeff, for more than a year now you have witnessed the love, affection and care that Stephen has shown toward your beloved daughter Nichole. Knowing his intentions of doing his utmost to love her and take care of her, do you now give your daughter to be married to this man? If so, please say “I do.” Thank you. You may be seated sir.
The Marriage Vows
In Matthew chapter 19 and in verses 4 and 5, Jesus says “that He which made them at the beginning made them male and female. And said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother and shall cleave, or as the word is rendered in the Greek – “be glued to” his wife; and they twain shall be one flesh [“The two shall be glued together into one flesh”].”
The Bible says the moment the marriage ceremony is complete, husband and wife are one flesh. When the husband is glued to his wife and when the wife is glued to her husband they are glued to no one else, including their families and their friends.
Stephen, only one person is to have a higher place in your life than Nichole. Nichole, only one person is to have a higher place in your life than Stephen. That person is your Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. That is the priority for a God focused marriage. Do you understand this and do you agree with this? If the answer is yes, simply nod your heads in agreement.
It is into this holy union that Stephen and Nichole now come to be joined.
To Stephen:
Stephen Orlando Johnson, do you take Nichole Elizabeth Trimble to be your lawfully wedded wife, constant companion, faithful partner and love from this day forward? If so, please say “I do.” In the presence of God, your family and friends, do you offer your solemn vow to be faithful to her in sickness and in health, in good times and in the not so good times, and in joy as well as in sorrow? If so, please say “I do.” Do you promise to love her unconditionally, to honor her and respect her, to laugh with her and cry with her, and to cherish her for as long as you both shall live? If so, please say “I do.”
To Nichole:
Do you Nichole Elizabeth Trimble take Stephen Orlando Johnson to be your lawfully wedded husband, constant companion, faithful partner and love from this day forward? If so, please say “I do.” In the presence of God, your family and friends, do you offer your solemn vow to be faithful to him in sickness and in health, in good times and in the not so good times, and in joy as well as in sorrow? If so, please say “I do.” Do you promise to love him unconditionally, to submit to him, to honor him and to respect him, to laugh with him and cry with him, and to cherish him for as long as you both shall live? If so, please say “I do.”
The Exchange of Rings
Having this love in your hearts for one another, you have chosen to seal your vows by the giving and receiving of rings. The ring, an endless circle until broken by some outside force, is a symbol of the unbroken union which is to continue until broken by death. The unbroken circle, the emblem of eternity, and the gold, the emblem of that which is least tarnished and most enduring, are to show the lasting nature of the pledge you are making to one another.
To Stephen: “Place the ring on Nichole’s finger and repeat after me …”
I love you Nichole /and with all of my heart/ I give you this ring/ as a symbol/ of my vow to you and to God. / And with all that I am/ and with all that I have/ I honor you/ I cherish you/ and I love you/ in the name of the Father/ the Son/ and the Holy Spirit/ Amen.
To Nichole: “Place the ring on Stephen’s finger and repeat after me …”
I love you Stephen/ and with all my heart/ I give you this ring/ as a symbol/ of my vow to you and to God. / And with all that I am/ and with all that I have/ I honor you/ I cherish you/ and I love you/ in the name of the Father/ the Son/ and the Holy Spirit/ Amen.
Unity Ceremony:
Earlier in the ceremony the mothers of the bride and groom lit the two candles representing the Johnsons and the Trimbles. Stephen and Nichole, would you please walk over to the candles? The candles represent the separate lives that you have lived up to this point. Separate families. Separate friends. In other words the lives that you lived before today.
Stephen and Nichole, when you light the center candle, the two flames that you represent will become one flame. One flame that brings together two families. One flames that brings together friends. But most important, one flame that burns for each other. One flame that burns for the Lord.
Blessing of the Bride and Groom
Stephen and Nichole, I say and declare what the Bible has already promised to you: that the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ will grant you a life filled with His joy, His peace and His love. I say your days will be filled with laughter and your nights filled with peace. I say that after you have had your own children, that you will live long enough to hold in your arms grandbabies, great grandbabies, and if the Lord tarries, great, great grandbabies.
Stephen and Nichole, God wants your life to be long and He wants you to enjoy it. The longevity is His job. The enjoyment is your job.
The Pronouncement of Marriage
Now that Stephen and Nichole have given themselves to each other by solemn vows before God and before us as witnesses, and have shown their affection and trust by the giving and receiving of rings and by joining hands – by the authority of God Almighty, the maker of heaven and earth, and the state of Ohio, I now pronounce you husband and wife, in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Therefore what God has joined together let no one put asunder.
Stephen, you may now kiss your wife. Nichole, you may now kiss your husband.
Worship Service
Before I present to you Stephen and Nichole Johnson, it is their desire to share this day with their Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and they have chosen to do so with worship. Would you please stand and join them?
Closing Prayer
Stephen and Nichole Johnson, I pray that you will always bow your knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his spirit in the inner man; That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fullness of God. Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in both of you, Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.
Presentation of Stephen and Nichole Johnson
Ladies and gentlemen, family and friends let me introduce to you for the very first time Mr. and Mrs. Stephen and Nichole Johnson!
