WEDDING: Pieter and Mara-lee

As the bride stands at the entrance signal for the DJ to

play wedding march.

Let’s stand!

Bride enters. Father removes vale and kisses bride.

Well finally the day has arrived. Pieter the bible says
(Prov18:22) that “He who finds a wife finds a good thing.”
You have found a beautiful lady. Mara-lee, you are looking
stunning.
I just want to welcome all the family and friends here
today.
Today is a day of celebration and it is a privilege to share
in Pieter and Mara-lee’s joy.

If the people are not seated ask them to be seated.

Let’s commit this day to the Lord.

Pieter and Mara-lee, you are not just standing in front of

the altar, but on the doorstep of a new and exiting chapter
of your lives.
You know the marriage union is widely recognized by
people all over the world, and so we are standing here
today to do just that, to see Pieter and Mara-lee making a
covenant with God. If we limit marriage to the
interrelationship between husband and wife we are doing
God great injustice. Friends and family, natural marriage is
a picture of our spiritual relationship with Jesus, who is the
lover of our soul. He is our bridegroom.
God has such high regard for marriage that he uses it
as an example to explain the love that he has for us…
The bride of Christ. And who is the bride? All who have a
living relationship with Jesus.

I remind you that the whole idea of marriage is God’s idea, and
God intended marriage to be a tremendous blessing to us!
And I want to read to you what the bible says in
Ecclesiastes 4:9 “Two can accomplish more than twice as much
as one, for the results can be much better. ( i.o.w. dishes…)
10 If one falls, the other pulls him up; but if a man falls when he is
alone, he's in trouble.
11 Also, on a cold night, two under the same blanket gain warmth
from each other, but how can one be warm alone? (Living)
We all know that’s true!

Love is a choice, and you have chosen each other.

Because of this, the two of you are standing here before
us today…

You know, There was the dad who’s son was about to get
married. The dad took his son on a long drive to execute
his fatherly responsibilities wanting to make sure that his
son was entering into the relationship with understanding.
So in a logical manner he tried his best to discourage his
son from getting married: Son you want to get married, but
now you are as free as a bird! You can come and go as
you want; your pay check is yours my son. But when you
get married you will give account my boy, and your pay
check will be spent on cosmetics, hair products and the
like and then baby stuff, prams, and formula…My boy you
are going into slavery. Man get out while the going is
good. The father’s final assault came from scripture and
he quoted the piece in 1 Cor 7: 28 where Paul writes: “But
those who marry will face many troubles in this life, and I
want to spare you this”

In summary his dad looked at him and said my son in view

of the negative realities of marriage why would any man in
his right mind want to get married…
His son thought for a moment and said: Dad I love her! I
love her… The son continued: “If marriage is bondage,
then I choose the bondage of marriage over the
bondage of singleness!” By this stage the dad realized
that his son was serious about this marriage.

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Let me pick up again on the illustration of us being the

bride of Christ or us being in union with Christ. Why is this
concept so important? The answer is simple. Marriage is
the only institution which offers any permanency. No
education. No experience in your job. No business. None
of your material possessions offer permanency. All these
can be gone in a flash, caused by some disaster, theft or
retrenchment. You can be working at a company for many
years but if the company suddenly closes its doors you will
be with out a job.

Only marriage offers permanency, ‘until death us do part’.

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Only marriage brings a sense of completion. And this we

can pick up from the very first marriage Adam and Eve.
You see we read in Genesis how God created Adam and
then realized that something was missing. He realized that
man was not complete. Only after Eve was created was
man completed. This book is so amazing. If you look at
the Hebrew word for bride it is ‘kallah’ this very word also
means to finish, to complete.

The truth is that the woman was created

from the man and for the man because
without her he was incomplete.
Thinking back on Adam and Eve in the Garden of
Eden…Just imagine the lovely time they must have
had together. Eve was all Adam could ever have
wished for or desired. And they were in this
beautiful Garden where they had all they needed
to eat. All their desires were satisfied. They had
dominion over the garden freedom of movement.
They communed with God in this Garden and
lacked in nothing.

But there was one thing that we need to mention.

The tree of knowledge of good and evil. They
could not eat of this tree that was in the middle of
this beautiful garden. If they would eat of this tree
God said that they would surely die. I’m sure you
have also thought about why God did not just leave
the forbidden tree out of the garden-then there
would be no temptation for Adam and Eve.
But you see God’s ways and thoughts are not ours.
He knew that if he did not include the tree man
would have no choice. Man without choice is no
man at all. Without choice man is like a robot
programmed to specific instructions.

Pieter what would it be like to have a robot made

up to your specifications of the ideal woman. Her
personality designed, to respond just as you would
like her too. I think you would agree that this would
be a foolish exercise. You know why? Love is not
love if it can be programmed. Love cannot be
legislated, manipulated or litigated. Love can
only be received when it is willingly given.

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The value or worth of an object or person is usually

determined by the price people are willing to pay
for it. Just imagine the price Jesus had to pay. He
chose to die on a cross because of love for His
bride. Jesus chose to die because of His Love for
us. There is no greater force in this world than the
power of love

For God so loved the world that the gave his only
begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him
shall not perish, but have everlasting life (John
3:16)

Today you have made a choice to live together till

death you do part. In your love for each other you
also will have to die. It may not be a physical death
but you will have to die to some of your own needs
and desires.

Can I encourage you; be a blessing to one another!

Make up your mind that you are going to be the
best husband that Mara-lee could possibly wish for!
You need to say; How can I bless her?
What is it that she enjoys?
What is it that she needs?
When you do that, you’ll be amazed to see just how special and
rewarding your marriage will become.
One of the greatest challenges that we face in life, is the
temptation to live selfishly.
And we so easily slip into that trap!
But God has not made us to live selfish lives, but rather to be great
GIVERS, and to be a BLESSING, especially to our partners.

When you’re tempted to get upset and frustrated, ask yourself;

What am I focusing on?
What am I thinking?
Where is the emphasis?

Nine out of ten times you’ll find that the emphasis is on yourself;
On my problems,
 On my frustrations,
My preferences…..
Being all caught up with oneself is a recipe for discouragement and
disaster!

**God has made us to be givers, and you’ll never be truly fulfilled,

until you learn the secret of giving!

In conclusion, remember these points:

• You are getting a fresh start. Let me
explain from the word: 2 Cor 5:17 (in the
Message): Now we look inside, and what we
see is that anyone united with the Messiah
gets a fresh start, is created new. The old
life is gone; a new life burgeons.

• Stay close to God!

Ps 37:4 delight yourself in the Lord and he
will give you the desires of your heart.

• Remember the word says: Love never

FAILS

• Remember this: Think big, but let the little

things make you happy!

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May He, as the word says “go before you and make
your paths straight” They say that Christianity is
not a solo effort-and nor is marriage. Pieter, you
and Mara-lee together with GOD will make a
powerful team. May God’s blessing be upon your
lives and upon your marriage.

We will now do the vows.

Marriage Vows

Addressing the man:

Do you, Pieter Van Wyk declare that, as far as you know, there is
no lawful impediment to your proposed marriage with Mara-lee
Botes here present and that you call all here present to witness
you take Mara-lee Botes as your lawful wife?

The MAN will answer: “I do”

Addressing the woman:

Do you, Mara-lee Botes declare that, as far as you know, there is

no lawful impediment to your proposed marriage with Pieter Van
Wyk here present and that you call all here present to witness you
take Pieter Van Wyk as your lawful husband?

The WOMAN will answer: “I do”

Dear friends, we are gathered together here in the presence of

God as witnesses of the solemn marriage vows between Pieter
Van Wyk and Mara-lee Botes. The whole idea of marriage comes
from God and it is a beautiful picture of the relationship which
exists between Christ and His church – His bride on earth. God,
who really loves us and is totally unselfish, designed the marriage
relationship to bring tremendous joy, happiness and fulfilment to us
all. But this only happens when we build our marriage according to
the plans which He has worked out.

Speaking to the persons to be married the minister will say:

Pieter and Mara-lee I remind you that the foundation for a strong
and happy marriage is love, loyalty and deep respect. We remind
you as well that no other human ties are more tender and no other
vows are more sacred than those you are now to make. If you
earnestly and sincerely keep these promises which you are about
to make, and if you steadfastly build your relationship according to
His master plans, then your marriage will be a wonderful success
and blessing to both of you.

(Addressing the man)

Pieter will you take Mara-lee to be your wife, to live together

according to the instructions in God’s word? Will you promise to
love her, comfort her, honour and keep her in times of health and
in sickness and forsaking all other women. Will you promise to be
totally committed to her as long as you both shall live?

(The man will answer I will.)

(Addressing the woman)

Mara-lee will you take Pieter to be your husband, to live together

according to the instructions in God’s word? Will you promise to
love him, comfort him, honour and keep him in times of health and
in sickness and forsaking all other men? Will you promise to be
totally committed to him as long as you both shall live?

(The woman will answer I will.)

(Then the minister will ask)

Who gives this woman to be married to this man?

(The father of the woman or whoever gives her in marriage shall

answer.)

I DO.

(Addressing the man)

Pieter in the presence of God and all these witnesses, will you now
make your vows to Mara-lee by saying after me:-

From this moment I Pieter give myself to you Mara-lee to be your

husband. I promise to love you unselfishly and to always take good
care of you as God has commanded me to do. I also promise to
treat you with respect as a daughter of God and to appreciate you
as God’s gift to enrich my life.
(Have ring ready)

I Pieter give you this ring to be a constant reminder to both of us of

my total commitment to you throughout our lives.
Man to place ring on woman’s finger

(Addressing the woman)

Mara-lee in the presence of God and all these witnesses, will you
now make your vows to Pieter by saying after me:-

From this moment I Mara-lee give myself to you Pieter to be your

wife. I promise to love you unselfishly and to always remain in
submission to you as God requires me to do. I also promise to
always treat you with the respect that a son of God deserves and
to appreciate you as God’s gift to enrich my life.

(Have ring ready)

I Mara-lee now give you this ring to be a constant reminder to both

of us of my total commitment to you throughout our lives.

(Addressing them both)

You could have been legally married before a magistrate but by

seeking the ministry of the church, you have expressed your
conviction that marriage is more than a legal contract but rather a
bond of union that is sealed in heaven. Together with you we
believe that God has witnessed and sealed this covenant that you
both made with each other today.
Now we would like to pray for you to ask God to give you all the
strength and wisdom to remain totally committed to each other and
to really bless your marriage.

LET US PRAY:

(Then the minister will ask the man and woman to join their right
hands and placing his hand on top of theirs shall say:-

For as much as Pieter and Mara-lee have consented together in

holy wedlock and have witnessed the same before God and this
company and thereto have pledge their faith to the other and have
declared the same by joining hands and giving of rings, I
pronounce that they are husband and wife together, in the name of
the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Those whom God
has joined together let no man put asunder. Amen.