Wedding Ceremony

Wedding Ceremony

Performed by Rick Crandall - Jan. 3, 2009

Outline for charge to the couple - Six keys to a happy home:

-Communication

-Compassion

-Commitment

-Courtship after marriage

-Church

-Christ

Introduction and Statement of Marriage

Family and friends, we are gathered together in the sight of God and this company to join together Chris and Rachel in holy matrimony. They have acknowledged God’s claim on them, and they are seeking His will for their marriage.

The Bible often speaks of the goodness and honor of marriage. Marriage is a model of the everlasting relationship between Jesus Christ and His church. Christ is the Bridegroom, and the church is the Bride of Christ, including all who have received Jesus as personal Savior and Lord.

God speaks of this truth where the Bible says,

"Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave Himself for it; that He might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, that He might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.

So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself.

For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourishes and cherishes it, even as the Lord the church: For we are members of His body, of His flesh, and of His bones.

For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh.

This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church.

Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself; and the wife see that she reverence her husband” (Ephesians 5:25-33).

The beauty of a wife’s devotion was seen in Ruth’s heart, even after her husband had died. She said to Naomi, “Don’t ask me to leave you, or to return from following after you: for where you go, I will go; and where you lodge, I will lodge: your people shall be my people, and your God my God.” (Ruth 1:16)

Invocation

Charge to the Couple

Chris and Rachel, this day is truly one of the most important days of your lives. We know that you have come to this ceremony seeking to have a happy home. The nearest place to heaven in this world is a God centered home.

Charles Spurgeon said that a home ruled by God’s Word is a place where angels may be asked to stay with us, and they would not find themselves out of place. This is the kind of home you want, so today let me give you some keys to a happy home.

The first is communication. You are here today because of good communication. You have known each other since the 6th grade, so you know each other very well, and you have learned how to communicate with each other.

Chris, you told me that Rachel is a great listener, and that she knows you so well, that sometimes she knows what you want before you even ask. You also talked about her friendliness to other people.

Rachel you said that Chris is calm, and that he doesn’t tend to freak-out about difficult situations. You also talked about his good sense of humor and his dependability.

Keep thinking and saying those good things about each other. Keep sharing your feelings with each other, even your frustrations and hurts.

Last year I was part of a wedding where I got to meet the bride’s great grandparents. They had been married for 64 years! When I heard that, I said, “I bet you could give some good advice.”

That great grandmother instantly replied, “Say ‘I love you!’ the first thing every morning, and mean it. And say ‘I love you’ the last thing every evening, and mean it” That kind of communication will help you have a happy home.

But also remember compassion. None of us is perfect, so all of us will need forgiveness. Sometimes you will need to be the one who says, “I’m sorry.” Sometimes it will be your turn to say, “That’s O.K. I forgive you.”

As Christians, we have been forgiven, and God wants us to forgive. So remember compassion, and remember commitment. You will certainly face problems in your marriage, but you can overcome them all, if you are committed to each other.

God wants you to have the kind of love we see in 1 Corinthians 13, which says:

“Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails.”