Introductory remarks
Question
Pastor --
Who gives __________ to be married to __________?
Bride's
Father -- Her Mother and I do.
Guests
seated
Challenge to Bride and Groom
__________
and __________, our God of love has established
marriage as the symbol of Christ's perfect
relationship to His Body, the Church. We have come
to bring you as one before Him. __________ God has
ordained the man as the spiritual head, as the
responsible provider, and as the initiator of love
in this human relationship. By His enablement,
your strength must be _______'s protection, your
character her boast and pride, and you must so
live that she will find in you the haven for which
the heart of a woman truly longs.
__________, it is God's purpose that you be a
loving wife, that you respond to ________'s love
in tenderness with a deep sense of understanding,
through a great faith in Christ who brought you
together. It is His desire that you have that
inner beauty of soul that never fades; that
eternal youth that is found in holding fast the
things that never age.
__________
and __________ ,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, perfection belongs solely to God. You
need not minimize each other's weaknesses, but
always be swift to praise and magnify each other's
points of comeliness and strength and see each
other through kind and patient eyes.
God will
lead you into such situations as will bless you
and develop your characters as you walk together.
He will give you enough tears to keep you tender,
enough hurts to keep you compassionate, enough of
failure to keep your hands clenched tightly in
His, and enough success to make you sure you walk
with Him. May you never take each other's love for
granted, but always experience that wonder that
exclaims "Out of all this world you have chosen
me." When life is done, may you be found then as
now, hand in hand, still thanking God for each
other. May you ever serve Him happily, faithfully,
together until you return to glory or until at
last one shall lay the other into His arms. And
all this through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Pastor --
__________ have you in the quiet hours of your
companionship considered what is your Christian
duty as a husband?
Groom -- I
have.
Pastor --
__________ have you in the quiet hours of your
companionship considered what is your Christian
duty as a wife?
Bride -- I
have.
Pastor --
_________ and _________, you stand before us as
the children of God, redeemed through Jesus
Christ. Is it your purpose to establish a home
that is truly Christ-centered, where the Word of
God is read and obeyed; a home that is welded
together by prayer in which the Holy Spirit is
your constant guide?
Bride &
Groom -- It is.
Pastor to
groom -- And now, in token that your hearts are
joined together in love, will you please join your
right hands.
__________, this woman whom you hold by the hand
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.
Do you vow here, as you have promised __________
that you will be true and loyal, patient in
sickness, comforting in sorrow, and forsaking all
others, keep yourself only unto her so long as you
both shall live?
Groom -- I
do.
Pastor to
bride -- __________, this man whom you hold by the
right hand is to be your husband. On your life,
your love and devotion he will lean for strength
and inspiration. He is going to look to you for
encouragement, for cheerfulness and confidence. No
matter what the world may say or think, people may
forget him, lose confidence in him, and turn their
backs upon him, but you must not. May your life
and your love be the inspiration that will
constantly lead him to greater dependence upon our
Lord Jesus Christ. Do you vow here, as you have
promised __________ that you will be loyal in
adversity, ministering to him in affliction,
comforting him in sorrow, and forsaking all
others, keeping yourself only unto him so long as
you both shall live?
Bride -- I
do.
Pastor --
You may now share your vows with each other.
Prayer
of dedication
Embrace
Presentation of couple
Recessional
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