Garments Of Marriage
Sermon
Wedding Sermons And Marriage Ceremonies
(for a formal wedding)
Hear these words as they are found in Paul's letter to the Colossians, Chapter 3:12--14 (TEV):
You are the people of God; he loved you and chose you for [God's] own. So then, you must clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Be tolerant with one another and forgive one another whenever any one of you has a complaint against someone else. You must forgive one another just as the Lord has forgiven you. And to all these qualities add love, which binds all things together in perfect unity.
Here you are, (Bride) and (Groom), all dressed up in your very best. What you are wearing today makes a statement about the importance of what is happening. It says you desire to bring the very best that you have and the best that you are to this wedding service, because that's what you want to bring to your married life together. The only thing is, these clothes are not exactly what you're going to be wearing day in and day out. Have you seen any brides and grooms changing the oil in their car, mowing the lawn or doing the laundry in the kind of clothes you're wearing today? We all know that when it comes to daily living, we have to put on clothes that stand up to the demands of ordinary life.
The same is true of the actions and attitudes which you bring to your marriage. On this, your wedding day, you stand before each other with all the love and affection, the respect and caring that is within you for one another. It's a beautiful thing to see. It shines on your faces. It shows in your eyes. That's why people love to watch brides and grooms on their wedding day.
But you know each other well enough to realize that life is not one continuous wedding day. What are the actions and attitudes that will wear well for the two of you when you have to get back to the hard work of daily living? After the wedding clothes are put away, with what garments will you clothe your heart?
The Apostle Paul seemed to have a good handle on human nature. Though he wrote his letter to a church family, his words are worth holding onto for the new relationship you two are creating through your marriage. First Paul says to bring these attitudes to your relationship: compassion, the ability to put yourself in the other person's shoes and feel what your partner is feeling; kindness, that willingness to do those little things that show your partner that you really value him or her, whether it's that extra hug on your way by, or folding the laundry so the other one doesn't have to; humility, not seeing yourself as even the tiniest little bit better than your spouse, but realizing even you yourself have areas of your life that need some help; gentleness, the awareness that no matter how tough we all act on the outside, our spirits are easily wounded and need the tenderest, loving care; and patience, the gracious attitude of hoping for the very best from one another, but not giving up when change comes slowly.
Paul mentions all these attitudes, but only one action. That one action is to forgive. Until that day when one of you becomes perfect - don't hold your breath - you will need to forgive one another. Forgiveness doesn't mean letting people get away with anything they want to do. Forgiveness is letting people know that we love them too much to remind them forever of the mistakes they've made. There is no freedom like the freedom forgiveness brings.
Now Paul knew that all these things require a kind of self--forgetting that we are not inclined to practice very often. So, he says, we need to wrap all these attitudes and action in love. Your love for each other, (Bride) and (Groom), will give you the energy and desire to show compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, patience, and forgiveness to one another.
But your love alone won't make this happen. Human love has a way of fading in and out, unless it finds its Source. And the Source of all love is God. Let God be your unseen Partner, helping you to create a marriage relationship of lasting, loving beauty that will wear well forever. This day, let your wedding gift to one another be these garments of the heart, wrapped in love, and worn with thankfulness to God. May God bless you both.
Hear these words as they are found in Paul's letter to the Colossians, Chapter 3:12--14 (TEV):
You are the people of God; he loved you and chose you for [God's] own. So then, you must clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Be tolerant with one another and forgive one another whenever any one of you has a complaint against someone else. You must forgive one another just as the Lord has forgiven you. And to all these qualities add love, which binds all things together in perfect unity.
Here you are, (Bride) and (Groom), all dressed up in your very best. What you are wearing today makes a statement about the importance of what is happening. It says you desire to bring the very best that you have and the best that you are to this wedding service, because that's what you want to bring to your married life together. The only thing is, these clothes are not exactly what you're going to be wearing day in and day out. Have you seen any brides and grooms changing the oil in their car, mowing the lawn or doing the laundry in the kind of clothes you're wearing today? We all know that when it comes to daily living, we have to put on clothes that stand up to the demands of ordinary life.
The same is true of the actions and attitudes which you bring to your marriage. On this, your wedding day, you stand before each other with all the love and affection, the respect and caring that is within you for one another. It's a beautiful thing to see. It shines on your faces. It shows in your eyes. That's why people love to watch brides and grooms on their wedding day.
But you know each other well enough to realize that life is not one continuous wedding day. What are the actions and attitudes that will wear well for the two of you when you have to get back to the hard work of daily living? After the wedding clothes are put away, with what garments will you clothe your heart?
The Apostle Paul seemed to have a good handle on human nature. Though he wrote his letter to a church family, his words are worth holding onto for the new relationship you two are creating through your marriage. First Paul says to bring these attitudes to your relationship: compassion, the ability to put yourself in the other person's shoes and feel what your partner is feeling; kindness, that willingness to do those little things that show your partner that you really value him or her, whether it's that extra hug on your way by, or folding the laundry so the other one doesn't have to; humility, not seeing yourself as even the tiniest little bit better than your spouse, but realizing even you yourself have areas of your life that need some help; gentleness, the awareness that no matter how tough we all act on the outside, our spirits are easily wounded and need the tenderest, loving care; and patience, the gracious attitude of hoping for the very best from one another, but not giving up when change comes slowly.
Paul mentions all these attitudes, but only one action. That one action is to forgive. Until that day when one of you becomes perfect - don't hold your breath - you will need to forgive one another. Forgiveness doesn't mean letting people get away with anything they want to do. Forgiveness is letting people know that we love them too much to remind them forever of the mistakes they've made. There is no freedom like the freedom forgiveness brings.
Now Paul knew that all these things require a kind of self--forgetting that we are not inclined to practice very often. So, he says, we need to wrap all these attitudes and action in love. Your love for each other, (Bride) and (Groom), will give you the energy and desire to show compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, patience, and forgiveness to one another.
But your love alone won't make this happen. Human love has a way of fading in and out, unless it finds its Source. And the Source of all love is God. Let God be your unseen Partner, helping you to create a marriage relationship of lasting, loving beauty that will wear well forever. This day, let your wedding gift to one another be these garments of the heart, wrapped in love, and worn with thankfulness to God. May God bless you both.
