The bride of Christ was, specially chosen by the Father, from sinful humanity for the Son. And His disciples believed in Him. It does not matter if she is worthy of this love or not. Choose from them and enhance your big day. I have seen within both of you a desire to submit yourself to the word of God. Wedding Sermon for Tayler Hinger and Taenelle Erdman / Mount Olive Lutheran Church, Regina Saskatchewan June 20th 2015 2:00pm - Pastor Ted Giese. It is the promise of more to come. How terrible. Tooele, UT. So when you hear the wooing woo, woo that voice whispering, Arise, my love, my fair one, and come away, there is only one answer: Yes, yes. Wellston, Oklahoma. Wedding Sermon (14) Pastors & Church Workers. Far more important than what we ever discussed in pre-marital counseling is what we learned together in "Jesus Class. As long as you share your mutual faith in Christ, He will keep you together in the bonds of holy marriage. Immanuel Lutheran Church (LCMS), Sheridan, Wyoming: Wedding Sermon for William David Ford and April Robin Shaw Monday, June 28, 2010 Wedding Sermon for William David Ford and April Robin Shaw The Rev. Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. About Worship Contact Us Give Now Peace Lutheran Church About Church Year Calendar Give to Peace Ladies' Guild Morning Sun Articles On Individual Cups On Private Absolution Our Constitution Parish at Prayer & Study Sentimentality has taken over how people view marriage and family life now so that no one knows what it is anymore. I know I consider myself extremely blessed this afternoon. What we do this evening is not the culmination or completion of that wooing. Only Gods Word lasts forever. This should assist with any ideas you might need for the wedding ceremony. They believe that they gather here today according to the providential will of God. I promise to adorn myself Tina, I pray today that this ring would always remind you that your love for Ryan is to be second only to your love for Jesus Christ. You have been invited by this couple to witness them be charged and give vows in the sight of God, before you, and before one another. Marriage is not the invention of man; it is the invention of God. I dont care what men say or what supreme courts decree. Learn how your comment data is processed. Mildy Religious Wedding Ceremony. Today it is time to work and be married and to enjoy life with the wife of your youth. to grant you honor Ted A. Giese / Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint. They know the sacrificial love of God in Christ Jesus. My hour has not yet come. His mother said to the servants, Do whatever He tells you.. We all here, your friends and family are the ones who fill the jars with water; He is the one who turns it into wine. February 6, 2023. Candles are useless but expensive trifles. Lord, I pray that this charge would be lived out for your glory. What do you do? Woo, woo. The hour is coming when no one can work. He who loves his wife loves himself. There is nothing else like it. First of a series of sermons in John's gospel. True, there are times when it can feel like heaven, but even then it points to something morean eternal communion with the God who gives forgiveness, life, and salvation to all who believe and will receive him. Paul Mauston. for better or for worse Youll begin to be a better husband or wife, youll begin to look more like Jesus, and in the process, youll discover that deeper joy and purpose that youve been looking for all along. as Gods lovely gift to me. Anything to the contrary is not truth but sentimentality. From now on, Thomas, when you see Maria you see Christ and his church. So what we want to hear today, what we need to have our ears open to this morning, is what we find in our Epistle reading from Ephesians 5, namely, "Marriage, God's Way.". While the start of Spring Training is a and cleave only to you Amen. Concordia Texas Decides to Opt out of LCMS Control. Joe, I want to say to you today: This is your bride. Only Christ can give you the hope and purpose that you ultimately crave. Now, there are probably some of you here today who're thinking, "Well, you're a pastor of a Christian Church, of course you have to say that. But, truth is truth, whether we choose to believe it or not. Marriage itself is also a word, a thing spoken into existence by God. Twentieth-century Christian weddings are the vainest, most meaningless forms. Without Christs help every step of the way, we will fail. I take you from this day forward Im sure the minor prophets would have found subject for correction in this affair. First Lutheran. How could they? 2022-05-22. Ted A. Giese / Saturday December 12th 2020: Season of Advent / Ecclesiastes 4:912 "Lifted up in Love" The witnesses dress for a show. Well, thats not very Romantic, preacher. Perhaps, but it is true. Filtered sermons iTunes Other: Sermons (254) Next page Come To The Wedding Banquet! Come join us! XHTML You will order yourself under him, receive his love, and respect him. 2023 Mount Olive Lutheran Church - All rights reserved. This was easy! For God so loved, there was a bloody cross on behalf of guilty sinners. I promise to pray for you For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways. Thats just a reason to make sure we have the proper expectations of marriage. Matthew 22:1-10 (Part of the Favorite Bible Stories series). The Certainty of Baptismal Faith. You are to joyfully submit to him, to trust him, to follow his leadership. Amen. A Christian wedding outline is a wedding script that follows the requirements for Methodist, Episcopal, Lutheran, or any of the Christian denominated wedding ceremonies. and This is the marriage to which all other marriages are to point. No one has forced you to be here. When the wine ran out, the mother of Jesus said to Him, They have no wine. And Jesus said to her, Woman, what does this have to do with Me? They are gifts we offer each other. God created marriage to give us a living picture of Christs love for the church. The twist in the account of this wedding that we just heard about from the Gospel of Saint John is that who Jesus truly was, and what He could truly do, was still under wraps. Text: Song of Solomon 2:10-13; 8:6-7. Copyright 2005-2023 Peace Lutheran Church, Alma, Michigan, (989) 463-5754, contact@peacealma.org, Valid Download pdf. *The ideas and some of the wording in this paragraph are from John D. Caputo, What Would Jesus Deconstruct? Oder werde ich auf Deutsch diese nachricht mit euch zu teilen? Paul Mauston. He was elected First Vice-President of WELS in 2009 and continues to serve in that position. This charge may be more for the rest of us who are already married. (LogOut/ Dietrich Bonhoeffer once wrote in a wedding sermon, "It is not your love which sustains the marriage, but from now on the marriage that sustains your love." That is why holy matrimony, the lifelong union of one man and one woman wed only to each other, is still a viable institution in 21 st Century America. comfort As you struggle as two sinful human beings trying to make a marriage work, youll continually realize your dependence on God for success. Your email address will not be published. We expect our spouse to be the One, to be completely perfect, put together, to completely submit their needs and wants to ours, to assist us in the achievement of our goals, all the while filling us with the love, purpose, and fulfillment we have yet to be able to find. And it is that continued wooing, yours and Gods, that has brought you to this moment. We gather here this evening in the sight of a sovereign God, whom the Bible describes as holy, holy, holy, and in the sight of these assembled witnesses to a ceremony honoring the holy institution of marriage. Wedding Sermon for Megan Greening and Chris Brown. Chris, there will be times when you will have no desire to take care of Megan's every need. For God so loved, He self-sacrificed. It is also a yes to whomever the one standing next to you may become. Paul R. Harris, Pastor 1207 W. 45th Street Austin, Texas 78756 (512) 453-3835. They know each other's faults inside and out. Midweek Lenten Vespers I Sermon. Bible Study Helps. Marriage & Family (7) Mercy of God (3) Michaelmas (3) Ministry (2) Missions: Light of the World (3) Our Good Shepherd (1) Passion of Christ (2) Perseverance (1) Persistent Faith (8) . A member congregation of Lutheran Church Canada. Lord, as these vows are made, may it be obvious to all who are gathered here, that these are not just words and that this is not simply religious formality. Based on the charge that you have received today and based on the vows that you have taken in the sight of God and these witnesses today, Joe and Tina, we rejoice with you that the two roads that brought you here will now be one as you leave. Finally let me remind you that in choosing each other, you are choosing never to pursue any other. Over one out of two marriages in our society fail. But you have kept the good wine until now. Justin, Anneliese no matter how well things have gone, and with everything else forgiven along the way in Christ Jesus, I can say to you today that the door to your future is opening wide for you, you stand on the threshold together and the best is yet to come, it has been saved for now. Marriage is grounded in the dust of our origin, our being male and female made in the image of God. The Bible says that God gives a woman to a man, to complement him. It does not matter if he is worthy of this respect or not. I would remind you as well today, when your father walked away, something really changed. Joe, as I hold this ring before you. Christ is the perfect Husband who provides for every need of His Bride. People talk about being together as lovers forever, but its just not true. in sickness and in health All sermons prior to that date were preached either at Trinity Lutheran Church-Layton or First Lutheran Church-Tooele, Utah. The church expresses her love to the One that gives everything for her. The Bible describes the Son as the groom, and the church is described as His bride. Wedding Sermon / Rylan & Cassandra Feisel / Pr. The wedding guests, those who gazed upon the bloodied Lamb of God on the cross had no idea they were even at a wedding. We Fundamentalists are a pack of mood-loving show-offs. - PeterWalters64 Mostly Ministry, Real Historical Heroes for Racial Justice. February 26, 2023 The Passover Lamb of God. The biblical text itself never states what composes this cord although preachers tend to treat the three strands as the couple and God. In 1949, Jim Elliot (1930-1956), who would be martyred while serving as a missionary in Ecuador, wrote an entry in his journal. The divorce rate in America currently stands at over 50%. Kathy and Jeff, with the help of the Holy Spirit, make your wedding sermon text your philosophy of life, your way of life, the way you always treat each other, and God will bless you with a long and happy marriage. And the stupid form of asking who gives this bride in marriage. This is a very special day for me, not only because this is my first wedding as a pastor, but because my first wedding as a pastor involves Megan and Chris. Something fundamental is changing today. We are pleased to offer our weekly sermons on our website and as a podcast for your smartphone or tablet. It's a simple saying and maybe it's a little on the "cutesie side, but it's also deeply profound. We get to see the wedding of two people today who not only love each other, but also, and more importantly, share a deep love for their Savior, Jesus Christ, and realize the importance of coming to His House on a regular basis to be fed by Him through His Holy Word and Sacraments. Sermons from February 8, 2015 to October 16, 2016 preached to the saints of the Lutheran Church at Christ-Elkhart and Faith-Hugoton in Kansas. Ted A. Giese / Saturday June 26th 2021: Season of Pentecost / John 2:111 "The Best is Yet to Come. Let marriage beheld in honor among all and let the marriage bed be undefiled, for God will judge the sexually immoral adulteress. Ted A. Giese / Saturday December 12th 2020: Season of Advent / Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 "Lifted up in Love" Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. Amen. But, only 4 out of 10 say that their faith is important to them, and only 2 out of 10 attend Church on a regular basis. And Gods Word created each of us. The songs are absurd, if one paid any attention to the words, but no one does; they simply listen to how it is sung, not what it means. While running out of wine, or beer, would be embarrassing at a wedding the thing to think about here is that even the best laid plans can go sideways. Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has Grace, mercy and peace to you from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Terry Defoe (119) Guest Preacher (33) Always a double yes. On one occasion, we were asked to play for a Palestinian Muslim wedding in the Grovenor Hotel in Edinburgh. ' Faith, hope and love abide, but love never ends'. Might this service be a reminder to us who have spoken these vows in the past. Evangelical Lutheran Synod Instead of the fancy clothing normally worn, this Bridegroom was clothed in the sins of the world - the ugliest, most wretched outfit a Bridegroom has ever worn to his wedding. You have given sacred vows before each other, before us, and before a holy and righteous God. A Christian wedding, a Christian marriage is one in which the couple, even today, invites Jesus to be their guest. Now there were six stone water jars there for the Jewish rites of purification, each holding twenty or thirty gallons. and spiritually build you up John 2:1-11 / Epiphany 2 / January 20, 2017 / Pastor Daniel Sims. Everyone knows it is her father or uncle or some such sweating pawn standing before the altar. On January 28, I had the privilege of officiating the wedding of Tony Nero and Alyona Gontar, a beautiful Christian couple who are part of our church. What God has joined together let no man separate. So any miracles done at a wedding would be equally public. I must read this to myself on my wedding day (if I have one) (Shadow of the Almighty, 290). We aim to preach and teach Christ Jesus and provide sacramental care for the Christian Life. It is a love that might require you to bite your tongue once in awhile, to consider words and actions first. This is why St. Paul says: This mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church. Like all words, it refers back to its speaker. They're well aware of the fact that neither of them is marrying a perfect person. Your love is to know no end. Fourth Sunday after the Epiphany February 3, 2019 "The Love Chapter: Way More than a Wedding Text" (1 Corinthians 12:31b - 13:13) It's February! It had a picture of folded hands on it, and underneath the folded hands was written, "The family that prays together stays together. Perhaps you've heard this saying before. Select photos Alex Peterson Photography. Subscribe using the links below or click the button to learn more. Those are not demands we make on each other. Mount Olive Lutheran Church - Regina, SK. (LogOut/ It has been an absolute joy getting to know Megan and Chris these last several months. And, because they've learned all of this already, they come to the altar of the Lord this afternoon without any misconceived, "romanticized notions about marriage. Woo, woo. His saints shall rise again. as God has forgiven me Sermon Text John 16:16-22 Sermon Title Christ's Joy Bears the Cross Third Sunday of Easter April 26, 2020 Click here to download! Genesis 2:18-24. Introduction In my early twenties I used to play in a ceilidh band, and was often called on to play at weddings. Sermons from February 8, 2015 to October 16, 2016 preached to the saints of the Lutheran Church at Christ-Elkhart and Faith-Hugoton in Kansas. In the resurrection, we will surely be with those who have died in faith in Christ, and that will be better than anything we have here, even marriage. Wives are to submit to their husbands as they submit to Christ; husbands are to love their wives, just as Christ loved the Church; husbands are to feed and care for their wives, just as Christ feeds and cares for the Church. May the gospel be clear in this marriage and may this marriage preach the glorious reality of Christ and the church to anybody who is willing to watch. A few days ago I had the privilege of marrying Stephen and Mandi here in Mississippi. Our Ministries Night to Shine Pathfinders LIFEgroups Children's Ministries Student Ministries College-age/Young Adult Women's Ministry Bethesda Care Ministries Missions Marriage Ministry; Resources Archive of Worship Services Archive of Past Sermons Worship Playlist on Spotify Spiritual Growth Weekly Newsletter Community Engagement; Contact; Give Paul R. Harris, Pastor 1207 W. 45th Street Austin, Texas 78756 (512) 453-3835 Sermons 2022 John 2:1-11 / Epiphany 2 / January 20, 2017 / Pastor Daniel Sims. -Psalm 91:11. They believe that God has directed their steps in such a way to put all of you in their lives and to bring them to one another. Yes, God has something to say about marriage. and to be in loving subjection to you in riches and in poverty There are many relationship experts and sociologists out there who offer a wide variety of explanations. For this reason, as your invited guest, Jesus promises to be with you in the heart of your joy, celebrating with you, and in the heart of your trouble, providing the miracle of forgiveness and peace. Rev. You will not be married forever. I tell couples that the least important thing about their wedding ceremony is what makes it unique and the most important thing is what makes it like every faithful Christian wedding in history. Held at Mount Olive Lutheran Church, Loveland, CO. You are uniquely Gods gift to one another, to become one flesh, physically, emotionally, and spiritually. You kept answering them. The future is always coming to you, always asking something of you, always bringing you something. For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife and the two shall become one flesh. As you look at one another: Joe, this is your bride. No other human relationship can go as deeply as the marriage relationship. His love for her knows absolutely no end. The more difficult it gets, the more opportunity you have to show love. FH and I are getting married on June 11 2016. The marriage between a man and a woman is to be living testimony of the relationship between the Lord Jesus Christ and his chosen people, his bride, whom he purchased with His own blood. Remember that Christ died for the ungodly, and the commitment that you make here today is regardless of whether the other person holds up to their end of the commitment. Wedding ceremony: Merissa and Jordy Gods love is always there for you _______________________________ From Naperville to Valparaiso and Glen Ellyn to Valparaiso via Bloomington, Chicago to Pretoria, South Africa, and West Point, Nebraska, Ann Arbor, Hyde Park, Chicago. The purpose of marriage resides within the purpose and plan of God. Genesis 2:21-24, And the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall on Adam and he slept and He took one of the ribs and closed up the flesh in its place. As important as today is, it is only the day of your wedding. Stephen and Mandi, I rejoice with you as you begin this journey together. The bride of Christ had nothing but filthy rags but she is now clothed forever with glorious robes of righteousness. You are trapped in marriage. That voice is from Hell itself. Amen. It will be your focus on the cross of Christ that will make it impossible for either of you to withhold forgiveness from one another. Sermon | St John's Lutheran Church Secretary: Fourth Sunday of Easter May 3, 2020 Click here to download! In our Scripture we discover three truths about the marriage of Adam and Eve: First, they were created for each other. Ladies and gentlemen, I now present to you Mr. and Mrs. Joe William Thomas. Amen. What a blessed and glorious reality. Chiesa Riformata Filadelfia's First Wedding. Keep your life from the love of money and be content with what you have. Arise, my love, my fair one, and come away (Song of Solomon 2:10). 2023 Mount Olive Lutheran Church - All rights reserved. 2022-05-15. I promise to forsake all others therefore I receive you document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Gods Word was here before us. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. Holy Communion eludes the explanations of human philosophy. Sermons The Lutheran ChurchMissouri Synod Church Worker Appreciation Sunday (October 23, 2022) Life Sunday - 'Worship Resources for Life Ministry' LCMS Worship - Sermons, meditations from 2017 Institute on Liturgy, Preaching and Church Music Luther Sermon Excerpts God's Passionate Love What Jesus Has Longed to Give You View more resources I, Tina, take you Joe Now, please understand me when I say this. Maria, we wish your parents could be here. Daytime Lives and Nighttime Lives - A Sermon on John 3:1-17; When Life Changes - A Sermon on Matthew 17:1-9; The Journey Within; Two Questions for Lent - A Sermon on Genesis 2:15-17; 3:1-7 and Matthew 4:1-11; When A Loved One Dies - A Funeral Sermon on John 14:1-6; Follow Interrupting the Silence. Hes going to make mistakes. In one way or another, they're not connected to each other through faith in Christ. This was a wedding unlike any other in history. We are part of the Body of Christ. Youre not going to remember it. 31 "For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.". Lutheran weddings focus on services that praise God and sanctify the marital union. This incompleteness is not a hole to be filled but an openness to the future. Joshua Hayes Posted on September 5, 2018 by Pastor Joshua Hayes The Holy Marriage of Thomas and Maria Saturday of Trinity 13, 2018 University Lutheran Chapel, Boulder, CO Held at Mount Olive Lutheran Church, Loveland, CO In the Name of the Father, and of the X Son, and of the Holy Spirit. The grass withers; the flower fades. Matthew 5:14-16. This incompleteness, this openness, this beautiful risk, is at the heart of the vows and commitments you are making this evening. Questions to Ask before Agreeing to Officiate a Wedding, [] Award: A Sample Christ-Centered Marriage Sermon Im bookmarking this [], [] Here is an example of a full wedding ceremony with sermon from David Prince [], [All words spoken by the Pastor unless otherwise indicated], David E. Prince is pastor of preaching and vision at Ashland Avenue Baptist Church in Lexington, Kentucky and assistant professor of Christian preaching at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. 2009-2023 Michael K. Marsh and Interrupting The Silence, All Rights Reserved. And if romance is not true then it is a con. I thought Id share the wedding sermon I shared with them. There is no vestige of reality. You just keep looking lovingly into each others eyes and say I do in about five minutes. Only Gods Word lasts forever. And thus, I am honored to be here today as your pastor, as the one leading this service, but also as your friend. Now you have been blessed to have no major upsets as you prepared for this day, no troubles that you were unable to overcome. I pray that it will also remind you that one of the ways you love and trust Jesus is by loving and trusting Joe. "The family that prays together stays together.. Megan and Chris, St. Paul uses this perfect model of marriage between Christ and His Church as an example for husbands and wives to follow. It is also a yes to come-what-may. Eternal life in Christ is yours not by a life well lived or a marriage well-made but by repentance and faith. Super Simple (and Short) Civil Ceremony. With that yes, yes you are taking a most "beautiful risk.". Jesus also was invited to the wedding with His disciples. I'm talking about Christian couples who belong to the same church and attend regularly; couples who share a mutual faith in Jesus Christ and have Him at the center of their lives. People And also with you. 2/12/2023 Fifth Sunday in After Epiphany Sermon. When the master of the feast tasted the water now become wine, and did not know where it came from (though the servants who had drawn the water knew), the master of the feast called the bridegroom and said to him, Everyone serves the good wine first, and when people have drunk freely, then the poor wine. Who cares? Yes to each other, yes to life, yes to God. I hope it reminds you of the beauty and purpose of marriage. And yet for all thatand please allow me this final thoughtmarriage is at best only a temporary reality. I promise to forsake all others That's why you'll see statistics that claim that the divorce rate among Christians is not much better, if at all, than among non-Christians. As long as Christ remains at the center of your lives, your marriage will be blessed. Your marriage will never be complete. May God bless you both. Ted Giese;Wedding at Cana painting Photo byA.Davey published on fliker(cropped to remove frame); Wine Glasses byValeria Boltneva from pexels. But the Word of our God stands forever. The only thing that is real and true and lasts forever is Christ, the eternal Word of God made flesh. He is the Man who left His Father and mother to be united to His wife, the Church, and has now become one flesh with her. John 2:1-11. It is also a yes to come-what-may. We have an outline for a Pentecostal wedding ceremony, adapted from The Book of Common Prayer. From now on, Maria, when you see Thomas you see Christ and his church. LCMS Worship Children's coloring book for Easter Vigil. This incompleteness, however, is not a failure or an imperfection. Joe speaks. Her father has taken care of her and brought her to this point, but he should be able to lay his head on his pillow each night, knowing that you will do whatever it takes to protect Tina and to provide for Tina the rest of your life. When you deal with one another in all of you weaknesses and your struggles, may you remember that you yourself are needy of grace and may you show grace to one another. It is Christ, the Bridegroom, and His bride, the Church that provide the perfect model of marriage. Jesus turns the water into wine; Jesus takes the two of you and makes you husband and wife. It is your mutual dependence upon and faith in Christ, the perfect Husband who forgives your sins, loves you with true love, and cares for your every need, that will get you through the tough times. Wedding Sermon - Rev. and spiritually build you up It is a yes to your future, as individuals and as a couple. as Gods gift to me. Joe and Tina want to say some personal words to one another in your sight and before God this day. Find Us on Facebook. We have been honest about these things and we have tried to work through them together. Today is week #2 in our 4-week series, Serving Jesus - Living in Community, or for short, "Being SJLC.". Photo Credits: Photo from Wedding by Pr. Wedding Sermon - Colossians 3:12-17/ Brett Pelzer & Brieanne Engel / Mount Olive Lutheran Church / Rev. Wedding ceremony sermons are usually handled by the minister/officiant of the wedding. A member congregation of Lutheran Church Canada. The living God says that the marriage of a man and woman is a good thing like no other. Paul J Cain, Jr. 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 Love and Christ Wedding Sermon for William David Ford and April Robin Shaw Jesus does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. We are part of the Body of Christ. Jim Elliot did eventually marry Elisabeth at age 26 and true to his convictions he chose to wed in a civil ceremony. ", On the third day there was a wedding at Cana in Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. May God bless your beginnings today and may God . The Lord Jesus Christ will never forsake you. Gods Word created the universe. Amen. Show All; Pastor Ted Giese (690) Pastor Lucas Albrecht (217) Rev. Creatures of him who spoke the world into being from nothing. Second Sunday after the Epiphany January 17, 2016 "The Wedding at Cana" (John 2:1-11) It is sometimes the case with a biblical text that one can draw various points from it without exhausting all the points that are there to be had. The Lord hasten that day. therefore I receive you Lutheran Hour Sermons; Concordia Lutheran Seminary; Lutheran Bible Translators; Lutheran Women's Missionary League - Canada; Concordia Lutheran Theological Seminary; . Joe and Tina stand here today to declare that they believe that it is Gods sovereign and providential will that they commit to one another and become one flesh. St. Paul's Lutheran Church. Amen. No closed system perpetuates itself. Let that yes be always on the tip of your tongue. Recognize what is real and true and lasting, and what is not. But this mystery, this word, is profound, because Christian marriage points us back not only to the existence of a generic First Cause, but to the compassion of God who loved us when he did not have to and gave his only Son for us when he was not bound to.