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Sermon #2229 — Miscellaneous Sermons

 

Title:                                 The First Marriage

 

      Text:                                  Genesis 2:18-25

      Subject:               Marriage and Grace

      Date:                                Sunday Morning — June 7, 2015

Readings:           Genesis 2:1-25

      Introduction:

 

The title of my message is The First Marriage. My text will be Genesis 2:18-25. — The First Marriage — Genesis 2:18-25. But I want us to begin in the beginning, in the first chapter of the first Book of the Bible — Genesis 1.

 

God’s Creation

 

(Genesis 1:1) In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. (2) And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. (3) And God said, Let there be light: and there was light. (4) And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness. (5) And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day.”

·      Creation (v. 1).

·      Ruin (v. 2)

·      Restoration (vv. 3-25)

·      A Picture of Redemption

 

On the sixth day of creation the Lord God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness” (Genesis 1:26), and he did.

 

Adam Created

 

In chapter two, verse seven we read, — “And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.” That’s exactly what happens in the New Birth: God breathes his life into the dead sinner! Then, in verses 16 and 17, we read that “the Lord God commanded the man.” He did not command men, but “the man.” He did not command the man and the woman. The woman was not around. He commanded “the man,” Adam. The commandment was given to one man because one man was representative of all men.

 

There was a reason for this. God had ordained the salvation of his elect by another Man, the last Adam, who is our Lord Jesus Christ. As we all fell by the act of one representative man, Adam, God ordained that all his elect be saved by the work of another representative Man, the Lord Jesus Christ (Romans 5:12-19).

 

Romans 5:12-19 “Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned… — 18 Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life. 19 For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.”

 

Eve Created for Adam

 

In Genesis 2:18, we are told that the Lord God created Eve for Adam. — “The Lord God said, It is not good that the man should be alone” (v. 18). Why was it not good for man to live alone?

 

1.    He had no one to love. Being created in the image of God, Adam was a creature of affection. He had in his very nature a great capacity to love. But love and affection must have an object.

 

2.    He had no one to talk to. There was no one like himself with whom he could converse, no one with whom he could discuss the beauties of the Garden, no one with whom he could share his thoughts.

 

3.    He had no one to touch and embrace. — Companionship, togetherness is essential to those who love. We need to touch and be touched. We need to embrace and be embraced.

 

4.    He had no one to help. — There was no one who needed Adam’s help, and no one to help Adam with his needs, as a man living in the world. — The Lord God graciously took care to provide help for fallen, needy man, even before he fell and became needy.

·       Providing Eve for Adam!

·       Providing Christ for Us!

 

5.    There was no one for him, with whom the man could share his blessings. — Love must give and delights to give; but Adam had no one to whom he could give what God had given him, no one to whom he could give himself.

 

6.    He had no one to comfort, — no one for him to comfort and no one to comfort him, — no one for him to admire and no one to admire him. — He was alone. Though he walked with God and God walked with him in the Garden, Adam had no one like himself. He was alone.

 

7.    And Adam had no one with whom to produce others like himself. All the animals of the Garden had their mates and their little ones; but Adam was alone. He had neither wife, nor sons, nor daughters (vv. 19-20).

 

(Genesis 2:19) And out of the ground the LORD God formed every beast of the field, and every fowl of the air; and brought them unto Adam to see what he would call them: and whatsoever Adam called every living creature, that was the name thereof. (20) And Adam gave names to all cattle, and to the fowl of the air, and to every beast of the field; but for Adam there was not found an help meet for him.”

 

Eve was created by God specifically to be “an help meet” for Adam.

 

How

 

How was Eve created? — Read on, verses 21 and 22. — This is what God did for Adam. This is how God made the first woman, Eve. This is the first marriage, the first wedding. It took place in the Garden of Eden in the beginning of time. And it was performed by God himself.

 

(Genesis 2:21) And the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept: and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof; (22) And the rib, which the LORD God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man.”

 

We are first told what the Lord God did for Adam. “The Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam.” This was more than a normal rest, or sleep. God himself put Adam into a coma. No one else could do this to Adam. While Adam slept, God took one of Adam’s ribs out of his side and closed up the flesh, so that there was no scar. From that rib which he took from Adam, God made a woman. Then he brought her to the man.

·      God still brings men and women together!

·      It is God who brings sinners to Christ!

 

The Lord God did not create the woman as he did the man, but made the woman from the man. Eve, the woman, was not the beginning of a new order and a new race. She was the continuation of the race. Adam was the sole head and representative. That is God’s order. She is called “Ishshah,” woman, because she was taken from “Ish,” man.

 

The Lord did not take the woman from the man’s head to reign over him, neither did he take her from man’s foot to be trampled upon by him, but from his side as one who is his equal. — Eve was not equal to Adam in the politically correct sense of the word “equal.” God tells us that the woman is “the weaker vessel” (1 Peter 3:7). — God took woman from the rib of man.

·      From under his arm, to be protected by him.

·      From near his heart, to be loved by him.

 

Then the Lord God brought the woman to the man. She was the gift of God to man. This is God’s order. It cannot be changed. — What a sight that must have been! — (1 Corinthians 11:8-9).

 

1 Corinthians 11:8-9 “For the man is not of the woman; but the woman of the man. 9 Neither was the man created for the woman; but the woman for the man.”

 

We have seen what God did. Now, let’s see what Adam did. — Read verses 23-24.

 

(Genesis 2:23) And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man. (24) Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.”

 

“Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh.” — He was saying, This woman is part of me. She is to be loved and cherished by me, as I love and cherish myself. We are one person.

 

“Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.” — Adam understood from the beginning what very few men understand today. The man who has a wife is the one responsible for the household.

·      He is the head of his house: prophet, priest, and king in his house.

·      He is the provider for his household.

·      He is the ruler of his house and the protector of his house.

·      And the woman who has such a man can rest in his care and love (1 Peter 3:7).

 

1 Peter 3:7 “Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honour unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered.”

 

Naked

 

Now, look at verse 25. “And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed” (v. 25). — They were, as God had created them, holy and upright. They needed no clothes to protect them. They needed no clothes to conceal any part of their bodies which God had made. And they were not ashamed, because they had nothing to be ashamed of.

·      There was no sin in their nature.

·      There was no guilt in their consciences.

·      And there was no wickedness in their actions.

 

But they did not remain in this blessed condition. As soon as they sinned, they were under the curse. And as soon as they sinned they were ashamed (Genesis 3:1-9).

 

(Genesis 3:1) Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden? (2) And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden: (3) But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die. (4) And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die: (5) For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil. (6) And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat. (7) And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons.”

 

Now watch this…

 

(Genesis 3:8) And they heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God amongst the trees of the garden. (9) And the LORD God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou?”

 

We are all inheritors of their shame, because we have all inherited their guilt (Romans 5:12). — Man is born afraid of God and hides from him.

 

(Romans 5:12) Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned.”

 

The Doctrine

 

What does God the Holy Ghost teach us in this passage? Without question, there is much to be learned about true womanhood in these verses.

 

Can you dear ladies receive the Word of the Lord and teach your daughters to do so? Turn to Titus chapter 2. Can you bow to the Word of God? Can you receive and accept the truth of God regarding your beginning, your present state, and your proper place of service and honor? If you can, it may be that by God’s grace, you can enter into a far greater, more glorious and eternal state of which your whole experience is a type and picture. I am talking about the marriage of your souls to Christ!

·      Blessed is that woman who receives and bows the Word of the Lord and teaches her daughters to do so (Titus 2:3-5).

 

(Titus 2:3) The aged women likewise, that they be in behaviour as becometh holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things; (4) That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children, (5) To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed.”

 

·      Blessed is the family of such a woman! — She alone is a truly virtuous woman (Proverbs 31:10-31).

 

(Proverbs 31:10) Who can find a virtuous woman? For her price is far above rubies. (11) The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, so that he shall have no need of spoil. (12) She will do him good and not evil all the days of her life. (13) She seeketh wool, and flax, and worketh willingly with her hands. (14) She is like the merchants' ships; she bringeth her food from afar. (15) She riseth also while it is yet night, and giveth meat to her household, and a portion to her maidens. (16) She considereth a field, and buyeth it: with the fruit of her hands she planteth a vineyard. (17) She girdeth her loins with strength, and strengtheneth her arms. (18) She perceiveth that her merchandise is good: her candle goeth not out by night. (19) She layeth her hands to the spindle, and her hands hold the distaff. (20) She stretcheth out her hand to the poor; yea, she reacheth forth her hands to the needy. (21) She is not afraid of the snow for her household: for all her household are clothed with scarlet. (22) She maketh herself coverings of tapestry; her clothing is silk and purple. (23) Her husband is known in the gates, when he sitteth among the elders of the land. (24) She maketh fine linen, and selleth it; and delivereth girdles unto the merchant. (25) Strength and honour are her clothing; and she shall rejoice in time to come. (26) She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness. (27) She looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness. (28) Her children arise up, and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praiseth her. (29) Many daughters have done virtuously, but thou excellest them all. (30) Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the LORD, she shall be praised. (31) Give her of the fruit of her hands; and let her own works praise her in the gates.

 

Proposition: But there is something far more glorious here. — The marriage performed by God in the Garden of Eden, the marriage of Adam and Eve, is a picture of the marriage performed by God in grace, the marriage of Christ and his Church.

 

All that we have read in the Book of God was a type, a picture, a figure of Christ and his Church. As the woman was formed out of the side of the man, when God caused him to fall into a deep sleep, so the Church of the Lord Jesus was redeemed and came forth from his pierced side, when in the sleep of death, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, he was taken and, by wicked hands, was crucified and slain.

·      Eve was created in union with Adam, created when he was created; but she came forth from Adam on another day.

·      So God’s elect, his Church, had being with Christ, in union with him from everlasting; but she is brought forth at God’s appointed day of grace.

 

Seven Things

 

Let me show you seven things, and I will be done.

 

1.    Thank God, there is another Representative Man! — Christ our Savior (1 Corinthians 15:21-22, 45-49). He is not just the second Adam. Christ is the last Adam, the last representative man.

 

1 Corinthians 15:21-22 “For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. 22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.”

 

1 Corinthians 15:45-49 “And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit. 46 Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward that which is spiritual. 47 The first man is of the earth, earthy: the second man is the Lord from heaven. 48 As is the earthy, such are they also that are earthy: and as is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly. 49 And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly.”

 

·      The first Adam sinned. — The last Adam obeyed God perfectly for his people.

·      The first Adam brought death to all his race. — The last Adam brought life, eternal life to all who were represented by him.

·      As we have born the image of the first man Adam, so all God’s elect must and shall bear the image of the last man, the Lord from heaven, our great Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.

 

2.    This last Adam shall not be alone in his kingdom. — God has declared that he shall have a people to love and by whom he shall be loved.

·      A People Made After His Likeness (Romans 8:29-30)

·      A People with Whom He Can Be In Fellowship!

·      A People with Whom He Can Walk!

·      A People to Serve Him!

·      A People He Can Serve!

·      A People to Admire Him!

·      A People He Can Admire!

·      A People with Whom He Can Share Everything!

·      A People to Reign with Him Forever!

 

3.    The Lord God made a body of flesh for his dear Son (Galatians 4:4-5; Hebrews 2:17; 10:5).

 

(Galatians 4:4) “But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, (5) To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.”

 

(Hebrews 2:17) “Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people.”

 

(Hebrews 10:5) “Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me.”

 

Woman was made of man; but here is a Man who was made of woman by the hand of God, that he might redeem and save fallen men.

 

4.    The Lord God caused a deep sleep to come upon his Son. His sleep was death, death for sin. None but God could do this. At the cross, God put his Son to death for us that we might live by his death. Yet, as Adam, knowing full well what he was doing (Genesis 3:6; 1 Timothy 2:14), died for Eve, so the Lord Jesus Christ was willingly made sin for us and freely, voluntarily laid down his life for his bride.

 

5.    From the side of our crucified Redeemer there flowed out blood to justify and water to sanctify his chosen bride (John 19:34; Ephesians 5:22-27).

 

(John 19:34) But one of the soldiers with a spear pierced his side, and forthwith came there out blood and water.”

 

(Ephesians 5:18) And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit; (19) Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; (20) Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ; (21) Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God. (22) Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord. (23) For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body. (24) Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in everything. (25) Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; (26) That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, (27) 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.”

 

6.    In the fulness of time the Lord God will bring the chosen Bride to Christ, by the effectual, irresistible grace and power of his Spirit (Psalm 65:4; 110:3). — He will make her submissive to him, cause her to adore him, and unite her to him. Christ left all for her and cleaves unto her; and she leaves all for him and cleaves unto him (Ephesians 5:30-32).

 

(Ephesians 5:28) So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself. (29) For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church: (30) For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones. (31) 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. (32) This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church.”

 

7.    They are not ashamed! (1 John 2:28-29; 4:10-19). — “He that believeth shall not be ashamed!”

 

Adam and Eve had no outward clothing and they were not ashamed.

·      They had no sin in their nature.

·      They had no guilt in their consciences.

·      Their inward holiness made outward clothing unnecessary.

 

The righteousness of Christ is a garment to cover us, the garment of God’s salvation, which makes believers unashamed before God. Our Savior’s death has put away our sin and our guilt. His Spirit has given us his nature. By faith in him, we have confidence before God and are not ashamed, for in Christ we are holy and unblamable.

 

(1 John 2:28) And now, little children, abide in him; that, when he shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his coming. (29) If ye know that he is righteous, ye know that every one that doeth righteousness is born of him.”

 

(1 John 3:5) And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins; and in him is no sin.”

 

(1 John 4:10) Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. (11) Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another. (12) No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us. (13) Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit. (14) And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world. (15) Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God. (16) And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him. (17) Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the Day of Judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world. (18) There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love. (19) We love him, because he first loved us.”

 

Yes, we still have this outward body of flesh that must be covered because of its corruption. But soon we shall lay it aside and rise in his likeness. In that last great day, we shall stand before the bar of God in the perfection of Christ, robed in white garments, clean and white, and shall not be ashamed.

 

Application

 

“All things are ready!” Come to the marriage. Be this very day wed to the Son of God by faith! (Hosea 2:16-23, 3:3).

 

(Hosea 2:16) And it shall be at that day, saith the LORD, that thou shalt call me Ishi; and shalt call me no more Baali. (17) For I will take away the names of Baalim out of her mouth, and they shall no more be remembered by their name. (18) And in that day will I make a covenant for them with the beasts of the field, and with the fowls of heaven, and with the creeping things of the ground: and I will break the bow and the sword and the battle out of the earth, and will make them to lie down safely. (19) And I will betroth thee unto me forever; yea, I will betroth thee unto me in righteousness, and in judgment, and in lovingkindness, and in mercies. (20) I will even betroth thee unto me in faithfulness: and thou shalt know the LORD. (21) And it shall come to pass in that day, I will hear, saith the LORD, I will hear the heavens, and they shall hear the earth; (22) And the earth shall hear the corn, and the wine, and the oil; and they shall hear Jezreel. (23) And I will sow her unto me in the earth; and I will have mercy upon her that had not obtained mercy; and I will say to them which were not my people, Thou art my people; and they shall say, Thou art my God.”

 

(Hosea 3:3) And I said unto her, Thou shalt abide for me many days; thou shalt not play the harlot, and thou shalt not be for another man: so will I also be for thee.”

 

Amen.


 

Wedding Ceremony

 

for

 

Randall Hopkins

 

and

 

Billie Randolf

 

12:30 PM – Sunday – June 7, 2015

 

Grace Baptist Church of Danville

Danville, Kentucky 40422-9438

 

Officiant

Pastor Don Fortner


 

Invocation

 

We now have the privilege of witnessing the wedding of Randall Hopkins and Billie Randolf and to joining them in the celebration of their marriage. Words cannot express how delighted and thankful we are for the goodness and providence of our God in bringing the two of you together and in bringing you into our lives. We are honored that you have asked us to participate in and witness the union of your lives in marriage.

 

Divine Ordinance

 

Marriage is a divine ordinance, an ordinance of the Lord our God. Even in innocence, before the sin and fall of our father Adam, the Lord God ordained the happy union of the man and his wife.

 

Seeing that it is not good for man to live alone, God created Eve and provided her for Adam, to be a “help meet” for him, a companion to help him.

 

Being the ordinance of God, we know that marriage is an honorable thing. We read in the book of Hebrews that, “Marriage is honorable in all, and the bed undefiled” (Hebrews 13:4). This happy union was ordained by God for three noble reasons:

1.    The Happiness of Man.

2.    The Moral Welfare of Society.

3.    The Glory of God.

 

Of all the events in life, nothing is more delightful than the union of two hearts in love with one another. I am very pleased to see the happiness written across your faces today. It is my earnest desire and prayer to God that your happiness will continually increase. Yet, this blessed union must not be entered into lightly, but with reverence and discretion. —— The union which you are about to form is a lifelong union.

 

Symbolic Union

 

This union of your lives in marriage is, by divine design, a very symbolic union. It is a union full of spiritual instruction. The union of a man and his wife is distinguished in the Word of God as a symbol of the loving union that exists between Christ and his Church.

 

·      The Lord Jesus Christ loved his Church and gave himself for it. By his loving, voluntary sacrifice as the sin-atoning Substitute for God’s elect, the Son of God has satisfied the justice of God and put away all the sins of his people forever.

 

·      By the grace and power of his Holy Spirit our Savior graciously brings his Church, the object of his love, into a union of love, faith and submission with himself.

 

·      And the Lord Jesus Christ, our God and Savior, does everything for the good of his Church. — He rules the universe for the welfare of his people!

 

By this vivid parallel, we are clearly taught the kind of relationship a husband and wife should enjoy.

 

1.    Marriage involves commitment.

2.    Marriage sacrifice - self-denial.

3.    Marriage involves love.

 

Love is giving, never taking. — Love is yielding to the needs, rights, and desires of its object. — Love is never self-centered and demanding. — Love is unconditional.

 

Marital Responsibilities

 

It is of utmost importance that each of you understand the responsibilities which rest upon your shoulders as husband and wife.

 

Randall as Billie’s husband, you now become responsible to be her head. The primary responsibility of this home will be yours. It is your responsibility. The burden of your household is on your shoulders. A man’s position of headship and authority in his home is not one of bullish tyranny, but of love, thoughtfulness and responsibility.

 

1.    You must love Billie even as Christ loved his Church, preferring her to all others.

2.    You must give and devote yourself to her good.

3.    You must cherish her and nourish her as you would your own body.

4.    You must provide for her, protect her, and delight in her.

 

Billie as Randall’s wife, you now take him as your head, finding your completion and identity in him. It is your responsibility before God to honor him and devote yourself to his happiness. As Randall’s wife...

 

1.    You must submit yourself to him, obeying him as you would the Lord.

2.    You must reverence him.

3.    You must depend upon him.

4.    You must prefer him to all others, living for his happiness.

5.    You must obey him as the Church is required to obey the Lord Jesus.

 

If you desire to have enduring happiness in your home, you must seek to build your home around the Lord Jesus Christ. Build your home around the worship of our Redeemer.

 

1.    Trust him as your Lord and Savior.

2.    Consecrate yourselves to the Son of God.

3.    Love Christ supremely, seeking his glory above all things.

4.    Live together to worship and serve him.

5.    Let nothing keep you from the worship of God our Savior.

 

Exchange Of Vows

 

Having indicated your thoughtful and deliberate desire to be united in marriage in the sight of God and these witnesses, you will now join your right hands and make your marriage vows to one another before God and these witnesses.

 

Randall in taking Billie, whom you hold by your right hand, to be your lawful and wedded wife, I require that you promise to love and cherish her, to honor and sustain her, in sickness as in health, in poverty as in wealth, in the bad that may darken your days as in the good that may light your ways, to cleave unto her alone, to prefer her above all others, and to be true to her in all things until death alone shall part you.

 

Do you so promise? Randall says, “I do.”)

 

Billie, in taking Randall, whom you hold by your right hand, to be your lawful and wedded husband, I require that you promise to love and cherish him, to honor and reverence him, in sickness as in health, in poverty as in wealth, in the bad that may darken your days as in the good that may light your ways, to cleave unto him alone, to prefer him above all others, to be true to him, and to obey him in all things until death alone shall part you.

 

Do you so promise? (Billie says, “I do.”)

 

Exchange Of Rings

 

As the ring is a seal of covenants and a token of united hearts, let the rings you now give to one another seal your vows on this occasion. As the ring is made of an enduring metal, may it be a symbol of your enduring attachment of love to one another. As the ring is a fit reminder of God’s love for his elect, without beginning or end, may it serve as a symbol of your unending love for one another. As the ceaseless reminder of this hour and of the vows you have taken, you will give these rings and your hearts to one another.

 

Randall, repeat after me. — With this ring I thee wed, and with it give unto you the love of my heart and all my earthly goods.

 

Billie, repeat after me. — With this ring I thee wed, and with it give unto you the love of my heart and all my earthly goods.

 

Prayer

 

Benediction

 

“The LORD bless thee, and keep thee: The LORD make his face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee: The LORD lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace.” — “The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you. Amen.”

 

Now, by the power vested in me as the servant of the most high God and the minister of the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, I pronounce you man and wife. You are no more two, but one flesh. — “What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.” May you forever be one in heart, one in purpose, one in desire and one in Christ.

 

            Randall, you may kiss your bride.

 

Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you Mr. and Mrs. Randall Hopkins. Please join us for lunch in the dining hall downstairs. Randall and Billie will join you there.

 

 

 

Don Fortner

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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