Tag Archives: marriage vows

Sermon Recording- The Bride of Christ (Ephesians 5.21-32)

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Sermon Series Website What is Church
Sermon Series: What is Church?
Message 2 of 6: The Bride of Christ
Scriptures: Ephesians 5:21-32
This message was offered Sunday, 4/29/18 at Trinity United Methodist Church, Sarasota Florida.

The Wedding Vows
I, _________________, give myself to you to be your husband/wife to have and to hold from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, forsaking all others until we are parted by death, recognizing the promise of life everlasting and love everlasting. This is my solemn vow.

The Church as Bride of Christ: Problems with metaphor

  • Difficult for those who’ve been disappointed by marriage – Never married, divorced, betrayal, abusive marriage
  • Difficult for men to relate to “bride”
  • The phrase “Bride of Christ” not found in the scriptures but there are plenty of passages which use the metaphor

bride outsideAll metaphors break down. Bride of Christ remains a powerful reminder of our relationship to one another and to Christ

Read Ephesians 5:21-32 NRSV

21 Be subject to one another out of reverence for Christ.

  • Be subject = Voluntary, free choice, submission, our power under the authority of another, cooperating, collaborating
  • Ephesians 5-6 describes the mutual submission of husbands and wives, children and parents, slaves and masters

How?

  • Previous verses discuss being filled with the Holy Spirit by singing Psalms, Hymns, Spiritual Songs & giving thanks to God the Father in name of our Lord Jesus Christ (Trinity, the fullness of God, First Creed)
  • Out of Reverence to Christ- We submit to Christ as His followers out of reverence for Christ first submitting to us. Jesus made the ultimate submission in his life, death, and resurrection.

Notice verses 22-27

  • The Love of our Lord Jesus Christ is deep, pure, sacrificial
  • Look what Jesus gave up to make us his own. Compare with Philippians 2. Poor, homeless, misunderstood, glory to humility, abused and tortured, obedient to the point of death, even on a cross
  • Jesus making us his own- making us holy, set apart, like in marriage the couple is set apart only for each other

Vs. 26 Cleansing with the washing of water by the word

  • The powerful presence of Jesus in the sacrament of baptism and in his Holy Word- Cleansing, new birth, water for growth, Jesus’ tears, Jesus washing feet

Vs. 27 Jesus presents the church to himself in splendor radiant

Remember, you are both beloved and the light of the world. Jesus, the Bridegroom, presents us like a Bride unstained, unwrinkled, unblemished, innocent which literally means unwounded. By his stripes, we are healed. He took the wounds that we might be unwounded.

28 In the same way, husbands should love their wives as they do their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. 29 For no one ever hates his own body, but he nourishes and tenderly cares for it, just as Christ does for the church, 30 because we are members of his body. 31 “For this reason, a man will leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.” 32 This is a great mystery, and I am applying it to Christ and the church.

We leave our earthly labels and tribes to be at one with Christ

  • This isn’t head knowledge, it’s down to the bone, the blood, skin in the game, an intimate union
  • This is a relationship of devotion, fidelity, one spouse, one Lord. Jesus first loved us that he may be our first love

Let us, the Church, the Bride, recommit to Christ the Bridegroom, using the Wedding Vows

We give ourselves to you Jesus, to be your Bride, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, forsaking all others, knowing we are not parted by death, recognizing the promise of life everlasting and love everlasting. This is our solemn vow.

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I’m excited to now offer mp3’s of my Sunday messages. A huge thank you to Sean and my brothers and sisters at Trinity United Methodist Church, Sarasota for all their help in making this possible. If you’re ever in Sarasota, please drop by for worship Sundays at 9:00 am or 10:30 am, or join us live on our Facebook page at 9:00 am Sundays or drop by during the week for a chat or small group. You and those you love are always welcome.

sermon © 2018 Lisa Ann Moss Degrenia
Contact Lisa for posting and publication considerations.

Simple Ceremony for the Renewal of Marriage Vows

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we still do
It would be easy to modify this simple ceremony for several couples renewing their vows at the same time. For example, it’s the tradition of my congregation, Trinity United Methodist Church in Sarasota FL, to offer a renewal of marriage vows every year the Sunday before Saint Valentine’s Day as part of morning worship. This year, Valentine’s Day falls on a Sunday. The couples celebrating an anniversary in multiples of 5 (5, 10, 15, 20, etc.) this year are invited to stand before the congregation while the other couples participate from the pews.

Greeting– offered by the Pastor or other officiant
God is love, those who abide in love abide in God,
and God abides in them. (1 John 4:16b)

Friends, we are gathered together in the sight of God
to bear witness to Name the Couple
as they renew their wedding vows.
We come to share in their joy and to ask God to bless them.

Declaration of Intention
In his sacrificial love on Calvary,
Jesus gave us the example of the love
between a husband and wife.

Fully acknowledging the great sacrifices and joys that have been
and those that lie ahead,
I ask you now in the presence of God
to declare your intention to remain in sacred, lifelong union with each other
to reaffirm your commitment to the covenant of marriage,
God being your helper and foundation.

Exchange of Vows
The couple may repeat the vows as they are read by the pastor/officiant or the vows may be read by the couple from a program or card.
I, _________________, give myself to you again as your husband.
to have and to hold from this day forward,
for better, for worse,
for richer, for poorer,
in sickness and in health,
to love and to cherish
forsaking all others
until we are parted by death
recognizing the promise of life everlasting
and love everlasting.
This is my solemn vow.

I, _________________, give myself to you again as your wife.
to have and to hold from this day forward,
for better, for worse,
for richer, for poorer,
in sickness and in health,
to love and to cherish
forsaking all others
until we are parted by death
recognizing the promise of life everlasting
and love everlasting.
This is my solemn vow.

Blessing of the Marriage– by the Pastor/Officiant
Most gracious God, we give you thanks for your tender love
and for reconsecrating the marriage covenant of these couples

Grant that their love for each other may reflect the love of Christ for us
and grow from strength to strength.

Defend them from every enemy.

Let their love for each other be a seal upon their hearts,
a mantle about their shoulders, and a crown upon their heads.

Bless them in their work and in their companionship;
in their sleeping and in their waking;
in their joys and in their sorrows;
in their lives and in their deaths.

Finally, by your grace,
bring them and all of us into your heavenly home forever;
through Jesus Christ our Lord,
who with you and the Holy Spirit
lives and reigns, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

The couples are invited to kiss.

**********
Renewal of Marriage Vows, compilation and adaptation
© 2015 Lisa Ann Moss Degrenia
You are welcome to use this work in a worship setting with proper attribution.
Contact the Lisa for posting and publication considerations.

Simple Ceremony for the Renewal of Marriage Vows

Posted on by
Reply

we still do
It would be easy to modify this simple ceremony for several couples renewing their vows at the same time. For example, it’s the tradition of my congregation, Trinity United Methodist Church in Sarasota FL, to offer a renewal of marriage vows every year the Sunday before Saint Valentine’s Day as part of morning worship. The couples celebrating an anniversary in multiples of 5 (5, 10, 15, 20, etc.) that year are invited to stand before the congregation while the other couples participate from the pews.

Greeting– offered by the Pastor or other officiant
God is love, those who abide in love abide in God,
and God abides in them. (1 John 4:16b)

Friends, we are gathered together in the sight of God
to bear witness to Name the Couple
as they renew their wedding vows.
We come to share in their joy and to ask God to bless them.

Declaration of Intention
In his sacrificial love on Calvary,
Jesus gave us the example of the love
between a husband and wife.

Fully acknowledging the great sacrifices and joys that have been
and those that lie ahead,
I ask you now in the presence of God
to declare your intention to remain in sacred, lifelong union with each other
to reaffirm your commitment to the covenant of marriage,
God being your helper and foundation.

Exchange of Vows
The couple may repeat the vows as they are read by the pastor/officiant or the vows may be read by the couple from a program or card.
I, _________________, give myself to you again as your husband.
to have and to hold from this day forward,
for better, for worse,
for richer, for poorer,
in sickness and in health,
to love and to cherish
forsaking all others
until we are parted by death
recognizing the promise of life everlasting
and love everlasting.
This is my solemn vow.

I, _________________, give myself to you again as your wife.
to have and to hold from this day forward,
for better, for worse,
for richer, for poorer,
in sickness and in health,
to love and to cherish
forsaking all others
until we are parted by death
recognizing the promise of life everlasting
and love everlasting.
This is my solemn vow.

Blessing of the Marriage– by the Pastor/Officiant
Most gracious God, we give you thanks for your tender love
and for reconsecrating the marriage covenant of these couples

Grant that their love for each other may reflect the love of Christ for us
and grow from strength to strength.

Defend them from every enemy.

Let their love for each other be a seal upon their hearts,
a mantle about their shoulders, and a crown upon their heads.

Bless them in their work and in their companionship;
in their sleeping and in their waking;
in their joys and in their sorrows;
in their lives and in their deaths.

Finally, by your grace,
bring them and all of us into your heavenly home forever;
through Jesus Christ our Lord,
who with you and the Holy Spirit
lives and reigns, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

The couples are invited to kiss.

**********
Renewal of Marriage Vows, compilation and adaptation
© 2015 Lisa Ann Moss Degrenia
You are welcome to use this work in a worship setting with proper attribution.
Contact the Lisa for posting and publication considerations.