The Best Sermon for Marriage: The Key for Lasting Love

First, let’s examine how and what God’s love means. There is a verse that most of us have heard that is quoted and known by most in America. This verse is John 3:16, NIV, 16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

In contrast with this verse, we are going to take a look at

Romans 8:7, NIV 7 Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. 8 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Some of you might find yourself pondering, much like I did, what a sinner is—followed by the bold statement I am not a sinner. For me, the reluctance to accept the label of a sinner led to me rejecting the idea that a Savior was/is necessary.

Simultaneously, some of you are in the crowd (perhaps you grew up in church), and you heard the word sinner and immediately felt guilty or condemned.

[Tonight/Today] I want to talk to both crowds to clarify what a sinner is.

What Is Sin?

Sin is described as missing the mark. What is the mark, you ask? Is the mark God’s holy standard, His purity, or perfection? This way of thinking leads us to believe that sinners are only those who do not keep all His laws and statutes.

From this viewpoint (which is how many of us grew up), sin is defined as this law-breaking behavior; it’s a guilty verdict for failing to measure up to God’s standard. With this, we are all condemned as guilty and need justification.

Unfortunately, what the above scenario really implies the need to behave better. Therefore, repentance means constantly asking for forgiveness for our bad behavior and strength to behave more “godly.” While this may ring true since the Bible describes sin as “lawless deeds.” The description is dreadfully inadequate.

The missed mark sin describes is not perfect behavior. This creates a setup for bad religion, an invitation to repeat our mistakes continuously. I am here to tell you that “the mark” is the tree of life. The mark is an intimate fellowship with God himself.

That means that “sin” is not primarily misdeeds; it is turning away from God’s life-giving love towards our self-will, independence, and alienation. So perfect behavior is not the “mark”; union with God through trust in his goodness is the mark!

I would go even further to say that, therefore, repentance is not some self-loathing, guilt, and shame combination—it’s going home to the Father and reconnecting to his love. (We see this in the story of the prodigal son).

The love that God has for each and every one of us lies in an invitation to the gospel, the good news. Christianity is not about behaving our way back into anyone’s good graces; it is receiving God’s grace and deciding to surrender our lives to his care.

Why The Lord God Caused It To Be This Way?

While this sounds great, if you are like me, you might still ask why God. I often found myself doing things that I do not necessarily want or think I should do. My “bad” behavior often makes me feel less than. It creates internal doubt, internal shame, internal guilt and forces an external life without hope. I find myself often thinking and believing that I will never be enough.

These feelings are from the deep root caused by missing a relationship with God more than it does our misdeeds. This internal dialogue and external show cannot be managed.

Self-righteousness tells us we do not need help from human relationships or God, forcing us to rely only on self-will. This is like breaking your arm, avoiding the doctor, and thinking it will get better. If you do not go to the doctor, your arm may get better, but it will have eternal complications.

The Cure For Our Lives

But the good news is we have a Great Physician whose medicine is love. If sin causes internal and external sickness, we need a Savior. A Saviour in Greek literally means healer. It means there is someone who can apply a cure. That cure of unconditional love gives us divine grace and radical forgiveness right to our DNA.

This is the only thing that will allow you to stop the internal hatred and show external love. Instead of beatdowns, the beautiful gospel welcomes us home to experience the warmth of a Father’s embrace.

Isaiah 41:8-10, MSG “But you, Israel, are my servant. You’re Jacob, my first choice, descendants of my good friend Abraham. I pulled you in from all over the world, called you in from every dark corner of the earth, Telling you, ‘You’re my servant, serving on my side. I’ve picked you. I haven’t dropped you.’ Don’t panic. I’m with you. There’s no need to fear for I’m your God. I’ll give you strength. I’ll help you. I’ll hold you steady, keep a firm grip on you.”

It is in this firm grip that (Guy’s name) and (Girl’s name) have both found themselves today. And although their behavior is not perfect, although they are flawed, although they are human, they know that they are loved unconditionally by their Jesus.

See, God’s love is not like “true love,” fleeting in an instant. The Bible describes God’s love in 1 Corinthians 13:4-8, TPT. The bible passage says, “Love is large and incredibly patient. Love is gentle and consistently kind to all. It refuses to be jealous when blessing comes to someone else. Love does not brag about one’s achievements nor inflate its own importance. Love does not traffic in shame and disrespect, nor selfishly seek its own honor. Love is not easily irritated or quick to take offense. Love joyfully celebrates honesty and finds no delight in what is wrong. Love is a safe place of shelter, for it never stops believing the best for others. Love never takes failure as defeat, for it never gives up. Love never stops loving. It extends beyond the gift of prophecy, which eventually fades away. It is more enduring than tongues, which will one day fall silent. Love remains long after words of knowledge are forgotten.”

This is the type of Love God has for each of us and is the type of love (Guy’s name) and (Girl’s name) are accepting for one another. Today we want to stand in agreement with them for this type of love as they enter a marriage covenant.

The Prayer Of Salvation

In addition, we want to extend this love to you as well. Let’s all join as we accept that Jesus Christ is the only way to receive and give this type of love. Let us bow our heads and close our eyes as we pray this prayer out loud together:

Dear Jesus,
I believe
You are
The Son of God
My Savior
Please Come into my heart
Forgive me
Free me
Fill me
With your Spirit
Thank you
For loving me
To new life
My future
Is secure
I am
A child of God
In you I’ll never be the same
In Jesus’ name
Amen.

If you have prayed this prayer for the first time or the first time in a long time, I encourage you to share this life-changing decision with (Guy’s Name), (Girl’s Name) or (the bride and groom), or myself, as we have resources to help equip you in your new life.

Create A Transition To Communion & Worship

We will take a few minutes to Worship our God. At the same time, (Guy’s Name) and (Girl’s Name) (or the bride and groom) will receive communion together.

(Use this moment to bless the communion and pray for the bride and groom) as they enter into a holy marriage. Communion should be an intimate moment between the three of you.)

”Lord bless this couple” … do this in your own way, as the couple will appreciate it!

Create A Transition To The Unity Ceremony

[Address the crowd] Today marks a historic event of love and commitment that God ordains as marriage.

(Guy’s Name) and (Girl’s Name) The apostle Paul says in Ephesians 5:1-2, MSG to “Watch what God does, and then you do it, like children who learn proper behavior from their parents. Mostly what God does is love you. Keep company with him and learn a life of love. Observe how Christ loved us. His love was not cautious but extravagant. He didn’t love in order to get something from us but to give everything of himself to us. Love like that.”

(Girl’s Name) The Bible says in Ephesians 5:22, MSG, 22 Wives, understand and support your husbands in ways that show your support for Christ.

(Guy’s Name) The same Bible verse continues and says, “A Husband provides leadership to his wife the way Christ does to his church, not by domineering but by cherishing.”

(Girl’s Name) The verse ends with, “Just as the church submits to Christ as he exercises such leadership, wives should likewise submit to their husbands.”

(Guy’s Name) Before you get too excited about that submission part, that next verse in Ephesians 5:25, MSG says, “25 Husbands, go all out in your love for your wives, exactly as Christ did for the church—a love marked by giving, not getting. Christ’s love makes the church whole. His words evoke her beauty. Everything he does and says is designed to bring the best out of her, dressing her in dazzling white silk, radiant with holiness. And that is how husbands ought to love their wives. They’re really doing themselves a favor—since they’re already “one” in marriage.”

These Bible verses provide a good picture of how each husbands love should look and feel, and how each wife is to honor her husband. This picture is a great love and marks how we should love one another just as Christ loves us.

Transition-Exchange of Vows

(Guy’s Name) and (Girl’s Name) have written their own vows; let us listen as they share (pass the microphone, etc..)

As witnesses of these vows, you are charged with the responsibility to keep (Guy’s Name) and (Girl’s Name) accountable to these vows from this day forward.

Transition- Rings

(Get Both of The Wedding Rings- One from the best man and one from the maid of honor).

The wedding ring is the outward and visible sign of an inward and spiritual bond that unites two loyal hearts in endless love. It is a seal of the vows (Guy’s Name) and (Girl’s Name) have made to one another.

[Hold the rings up and pray for them] Heavenly Father…I ask that you Bless these rings, that (Guy’s Name) and (Girl’s Name) who give them and wear them may ever abide in your rest—living together in unity, practicing sacrificial love, and happiness for the rest of their lives. In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen. 

Transition-The Exchange of Rings

(Guy’s Name) [Give him the ring & tell him to repeat after you]: (Girl’s Name), I give you this ring as a symbol of our vows, and with all that I am and all that I have, I honor you. In the name of our Lord Jesus, with this ring, I thee wed.

(Girl’s Name) [Give her the ring & tell her to repeat after you]: (Guy’s Name), I give you this ring as a symbol of our vows, and with all that I am, and all that I have, I honor you. In the name of our Lord Jesus, with this ring, I thee wed.

Transition: Community Prayer

As the (Insert Their New Last Name) become one, we would like to invite you to pray a prayer with them over them; let’s repeat this out loud: 

[Create a prayer of blessing] Amen. 

Conclusion Of The Marriage Ceremony

You have each pledged a lifelong (yes that’s till death-jokingly) commitment, love, and devotion to the other, I now pronounce you husband and wife in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. What God has joined together, let no man separate.

(Guy’s Name), you may kiss your bride! 

For the first time, I present to you

MR & MRS (Guy’s Name) AND (Girl’s Name with new last name)

Give instructions on how to exit and tell everyone to go and dance, eat, and have good times!