Wedding Ceremony

Richard and Monica  

 

1.     Introduction  

a.     “Beloved, we are assembled in the presence of God to join this man and woman in holy marriage, according to the plan and word of Jesus Christ.  God said, ‘It is not good for the man to be alone; I will make him a helper suitable for him’ (Genesis 2:18).   

b.     The Hebrew writer added, “Marriage is honorable” (13:4).  

c.      Solomon also wrote, “He who finds a wife finds a good thing, and obtains favor from the LORD” (Prov. 18:22).  “A prudent wife is from the LORD” (19:14).  

d.     Lemuel added these significant words:

“An excellent wife, who can find?

For her worth is far above jewels.

The heart of her husband trusts in her,

And he will have no lack of gain.

She does him good and not evil

All the days of her life” (Prov. 31:10-12)  

e.      We come to a most significant time in life.  

f.       The second most important event in one’s life is marriage, after entering a relationship with God through Jesus Christ.  

g.     We are all gathered in the presence of God, to bring glory to Him, to rejoice in His grace, and to celebrate this wedding of Richard and Monica.  

2.     Read Mark 10:1-12.  

3.     Words to Richard and Monica.  

“Richard and Monica, our God of love has established marriage as the symbol of Christ’s perfect relationship to His people, His body.  We have come to bring you as one before Him.   

“Richard, God has appointed the man as the spiritual head, as the protector and provider, as responsible servant, as the initiator of love in this human relationship.  By His enablement, your strength must be Monica’s protection, your character her boast, your loyalty her assurance, your faith her encouragement, your obedience to God her aspiration, and you must so live that she will find in you the haven for which the heart of a woman truly longs.  

“Monica, it is God’s purpose that you be a loving wife, that you respond to Richard’s love in tenderness with a deep sense of understanding through a great faith in Christ who brought you together.  God has appointed you to be helpful, submissive, respectful, quiet and gentle, and loyal in all circumstances.  It is His desire that you have that inner beauty of the soul that will never fade, that eternal youth that is found in holding fast to His word and will.  

“Richard and Monica, Christian marriage is not living merely for each other; it is two uniting and joining hands to serve God.  Seek His kingdom first, and His righteousness, and He will add all other things to you.  Do not expect perfection from each other.  You need not minimize each other’s weaknesses, but always be swift to praise and magnify each other’s points of strength and see each other through kind and patient eyes.  Be forbearing of each other’s weaknesses and forgiving of each other’s sins.  Be cheerful in demeanor, responsible in conduct, earnest in service, understanding in spirit, and peaceful in attitude.  

“God will lead you into such situations as will bless you and develop your character as you walk together.  He will give you enough tears to keep you tender, enough hurts to keep you compassionate, and enough failure to keep your hands holding His.  May you ever serve the Lord Jesus joyfully, faithfully, obediently, and lovingly, together until you are received to glory or until at last one shall lay the other into His arms.”  

4.     Prayer  

5.     Ceremony proper  

“Richard, before God and these witnesses, do you confess that you are free from all other marriage relationships?”

          [“I am”]  

“Monica, before God and these witnesses, do you confess that you are free from all other marriage relationships?”  

          [“I am”]  

“I solemnly charge you to remember that the commitments that you make to each other this day are before Almighty God as well as before these watching and listening witnesses.  I charge both of you, as you will answer in the Day of Judgment, when the secrets of all hearts shall be disclosed, that if either of you know of any impediment or reason why you may not be lawfully and Scripturally joined together in marriage, that you confess it now.  For be assured, that if any persons are joined together otherwise than as God’s word allows, their marriage is not lawful.  

“Richard and Monica, you stand before us as children of God, redeemed through Jesus Christ, indwelt by the Holy Spirit, and guided by the Word of the living God.  Is it your purpose to establish a marriage that is truly Christ-centered, where the word of God is read and obeyed, a home that is welded together by prayer, and in which the Holy Spirit is your strength?”  

[Both: “It is…”]  

“Let the people stand at this time…”  

[Prayer]  

“You may be seated.”  

[Song: O Perfect Love]  

[To Richard and Monica]  

“Richard, this woman is to be your wife.  She has given you one of the most sacred things under heaven: a woman’s life and a woman’s love.  You may bring her great joy or cause her deep sorrow.  It is not what you bring her in a material way that will make true happiness—riches without love are nothing.  The gift without the giver is bare.  The practice of those virtues as husband that you have shown as her lover will keep her heart won to your heart.   

“It is your duty to be a considerate, tender, faithful husband; to support, guide and cherish her; to thoughtfully and carefully give her the chief human place in your life; to constantly show her the tokens of your affection; to shelter her from danger and false ways; and to give to her a manly and unalterable affection.  It is commanded in God’s Word, ‘Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her.’  It is further commanded, ‘You husbands in the same way, live with your wives in an understanding way, as with someone weaker, since she is a woman; and show her honor as a fellow heir of the grace of life, so that your prayers will not be hindered.’  

“May you show her sacrificial love, tender kindness, forbearance and patience, gentleness and compassion, sweetness and earnest prayers.  Be a man of God whose ultimate desire is to glorify the God of heaven and look to that which is eternal and not temporal, spiritual and not physical, the unseen and not what is seen.  

“Will you be true and loyal, patient in sickness, comforting in sorrow, dying to self, sacrificial in devotion, and forsaking all others, will you keep yourself only for her as long as you both shall live?”  

[Richard: “I will, with the help of God.”]  

“Monica, this man is to be your husband.  On your life, your love, and your devotion he will lean for strength and inspiration.  He is going to look to you for encouragement, for cheerfulness and confidence, for true devotion.  He will need you as he serves the Lord with all of his heart.  He will need your prayers, your interest, your womanly devotion, and your help in his labors.  No matter what the world may think of him, you will be with him.  Whatever the challenges of life, he will need your companionship, support, and blessing.  May your life and your love be the inspiration that will constantly lead him to greater dependence on our Lord Jesus Christ.  

“Monica, it is your duty to be a considerate, tender, faithful, loving wife; to counsel and comfort Richard in times of trial and trouble; to give to him the unfailing evidences of your affection; to make the place he holds in your heart broader and deeper; to reverence and obey him, and to put on the jewel of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is precious in God’s sight.  His word commands, ‘Wives, be subject to your own husbands, as to the Lord.’  God further commands, ‘. . . encourage the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, to be sensible, pure, workers at home, kind, being subject to their own husbands, so that the word of God will not be dishonored.’  

“Will you be loyal in adversity, serving him in affliction, comforting him in sorrow, submissive to his wishes, respectful of his position, helpful in his service, and forsaking all others, will you keep yourself only for him as long as you both shall live?  

[Monica: “I will, with the help of God.”]  

“Please face each other.  You may join your hands and express your sincere commitments before God and to each other.”  

          [Richard: “Monica, I….”]  

          [Monica: “Richard, I….”]  

“Richard and Monica, having pledged your love and loyalty to each other before Almighty God and these witnesses, and having consented together in holy marriage, and according to the authority entrusted to me and in conformity with the laws of this state, I pronounce you husband and wife.  

“What God has joined together, let no one separate.   

“May Christ be the head of your new home, the unseen Guest at every meal, and the silent Listener to every conversation.  May you henceforth live for the Glory of God and serve the Lord Jesus Christ through life, with joy and gladness, as you look, with faith and joyous anticipation, to eternal life in the glorious kingdom of God.  

“Please turn around and face the people.  

“We present to you Richard and Monica Hollerman.”  

Recessional.

(Ellwood City, Pa.)