McKenzie and Zach Wedding

Pat McFall

Sermon • Submitted 6 years ago

Wedding

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WELCOME

On behalf of the families of _Zach __ and _McKenzie___, we want to welcome you to this celebration of the wedding between _Zach _ and _McKenzie_. We know what God thinks about weddings because it was at a wedding that Jesus did his very first miracle...where he took something that the world saw that was common such as water and turned it into something very, very special - the choicest of wines.

That all happened by His touch. So today, we want to invite the presence of the Lord Jesus to this wedding where again a miracle can transpire. The reason we need His touch is because all of us know that it takes more than ink on paper and the signing of a wedding certificate that will turn a man into a husband and a woman into a wife. We really do need the blessings of God and His presence here today.

All over the world there are probably many, many weddings going on this week. Wedding ceremonies are something common to the world. But, with the touch of Jesus, He can take something that the world sees as common and He can turn it into something very, very special. Just like He did on that day, that wedding in Cana of Galilee, and so, if you would bow your heads with me, let's pray and invite the presence of the Lord Jesus here today.

PRAYER

You may be seated (and the people will be seated at this time).

You may be Seated...

You may be seated (and the people will be seated at this time).

You may be seated...

Father Gives the Bride Away...

"At this time you would usually hear in weddings a brief statement made by the Pastor which says 'Who-gives this woman to be married to this man?' and the father will answer, 'Her mother and I do.'

"But let me explain a little bit of why this part of the ceremony is so important."

“Until this time (bride's name) has been under the covering or the jurisdiction, or the care of her father or her parents. They have cared for her, instructed her, counseled her, loved her. And God has required that the sons and daughters be accountable and to honor their father and their mother. At this time however, there's going to be a new covering, a new person who oversees the caring and the loving of this woman. At this time the father will actually hand the baton of that responsibility to his new son-in-law.”

“And so, when I ask, 'Who gives this woman to be married to this man?', it is not just a neat platitude, it's not just a trite phrase, actually, it is the handing of that baton, a handing of the trust, handing off of a father's confidence to his new son-in-law that he will cover his daughter. That this new husband will care for his daughter even as he would.”

So with that in mind, I now turn to the father and say, "Who gives this woman to be married to this man?" The father then answers, "Her mother and I do." At this point, the groom goes down and takes the bride by the hand and turns to face Pastor Wayne.

Zach and McKenzie’s Story:

They met in here in Honolulu. McKenzie wasn’t really paying attention to guys but Zach would not be detered. Being a Marine he went on the attack…he started Snap-Chatting her....Millennials. Eventually, they went on their first date now we are here.

I asked Zach and McKenzie to tell me 3 things that they loved about each other. The things that stand out the most...

McKenzie said....

His personality: He makes life fun.

His work ethic and ambition. He works so hard in everything he does. He has big dreams. I love hearing him get excited over his passions.

2. His work ethic and ambition. He works so hard in everything he does. Being a marine, being a provider, he always ensures things are taken care of, money is saved, the job is done. He has big dreams and goals after the marine corps and he talks about them all the time, because he’s so excited to chase them. I love hearing him get excited over his passions, and planning our life around both of our dreams. I know he will accomplish any and everything he wants, God willing and I know he will always provide and care for us.

3. His love for me. He supports me in everything I do and when i start to get down about it he reminds me why i started, why i want it and how to keep going. He loves me at my worst, even at the times that maybe I don’t love me. He is always honest with me. He always compliments me and cares for me. He keeps me grounded. He encourages me. He comforts me in my meltdowns that come with the military life. I never have to worry when it comes to him, his love, loyalty and respect for me is reminded everyday. I love the way he loves me more than anything.

His love for me: He is always honest with me. He keeps me grounded. He encourages me. He comforts me in the challenges that come with military life. I love the way he loves me more than anything.

...

......

Zach said...

Her Eyes: Are absolutely beautiful and unique. One of the first things I noticed about her was her eyes. They’re a light blue color, but her left eye actually has a portion of a different color. Which is brown/hazel. It’s adorable and unique so that has to be one....McKenzie talked about your eyes too

...

Her Personality: Just being with her turns my day around. Although she may think I don’t notice. She makes my life way less stressful being there for me when I need her by how she serves me.

I love how much her personality can turn my day around. From a stressful day at work to not getting enough sleep at night or enough time to make my own food for work. She’s always there to make my life a lot less stressful. Although she may think I don’t notice. She makes my life way less stressful being there for me when I need her.

- I love how much her personality can turn my day around. From a stressful day at work to not getting enough sleep at night or enough time to make my own food for work. She’s always there to make my life a lot less stressful. Although she may think I don’t notice. She makes my life way less stressful being there for me when I need her.

......

I love how stubborn she is. Even though it may seem like a bad quality to say I love it, she doesn’t change her mind at all when she’s made it up. It makes me happy that she’s made up her mind about me. Also I think it’s just adorable to see how she acts when she’s stubborn. I just love her.

- I love how stubborn she is. Even though it may seem like a bad quality to say I love it, she doesn’t change her mind at all when she’s made it up. No matter what the situation is. It makes me happy that she’s made up her mind about me. Also I think it’s just adorable to see how she acts when she’s stubborn. I just love her.

Message:

“It's wonderful to see how the Lord has brought circumstances together that would somehow bring you two to become husband and wife. You have heard the Lord and you have consented to His call to you, to be a wife, and to you, to be a husband”.

“However, (McKenzie) you don't come down this altar as half-a-woman and now that you are going to be married, you're going to become whole. And (Zach) you don't come down the altar as half-a-man or a partial man or an incomplete man and now that you'll be married, you'll be complete, you'll be made whole.”

“Because in actuality, as wonderful as (this bride) is and as wonderful as (this groom) is, you cannot fulfill each other's dreams and hopes. As wonderful as (this man) is, he will never fulfill your dreams (bride). As wonderful as (this bride) is, she will never fulfill all your hopes (groom) You are not made whole in one another, (bride): you are made whole in Jesus Christ. (Groom) you are made whole in Jesus Christ. And so, (bride) you come down this aisle and to this altar already a whole woman in the Lord. You see if you come as half people, then you start off your marriage as an expecting proposition. You expect (groom) to fulfill you, you expect (bride) to fulfill you.”

“And it starts off as a taking proposition. But (bride) if you're whole in Jesus and (groom) if you're whole in Jesus, then you come down this aisle as whole people and you start your marriage off as a giving proposition because you are already whole, you are already complete in the Lord.

You see, if you come to this altar as half people, then you will not marry one another, instead you'll be marrying an expectation of a husband; you'll marry an expectation of a wife. And that will only set you up to be frustrated. But when you are already secure and whole in Christ, then you start your marriage off as a giving proposition and that's God's design. “

“As much as you respect one another right now, never let your respect from one another diminish. Regardless of the performance and regardless of how the day has gone. Always remember (bride) that God has called you to respect the office of a husband not necessarily the performance of that husband, but the office of a husband in your life. And (groom) to respect the office of a wife in your life regardless of the performance which may change from day-to-day because both of you are growing and you're learning. “

“Because you see, love is not an emotion. It may be something which may include emotions, but love is a choice. A choice that you’ve made to her the Lord say that you get to be a husband to this woman; you get to be wife to this man. Life is a dynamic, it’s something that needs to grow as you face the storms and the decisions that will come to you in the future. Your love will need to increase as the years go by. And respect is like the soil in which love grows. When you respect somebody, it’s easy to love that person. But when you lose respect it’s very difficult isn’t it? Never lose your respect for one another.”

“Now I’m going to ask you a question. I’m not going to ask you (groom) if you love (bride). And (bride) I’m not going to ask you if you love (groom). That’s also expressed so well in the way you treat him and the way that you look at him and the way that you speak to him. So I know what your answer would be if I asked you if you loved one another. But instead let me ask you this question. I’m going to ask you if you know that it is God’s will for you to be this woman’s husband and (bride) I’m going to ask you, “Do you know that it’s God’s will for you to be this man’s wife?” The reason I ask you that question, is because days will come where the emotions may be flowing and the bells won’t be ringing in your head. But regardless of the scoreboard and regardless of the feelings, you must know beyond a shadow of a doubt that God has called you to be this woman’s husband and (bride) that God has called you to be this man’s wife.”

“With obedience to the Lord, you’ll be able to press through whatever circumstances, whatever situation that may arise, you can with confidence walk through that situation, knowing that God has called you to be a wife. God has called you to be a husband. And so it’s a point of obedience, it’s a point of agreeing with God’s call on your life. So, (groom) let me ask you this question, “Do you know that it is God’s will for you to be this woman’s husband?” To which he answers, Yes.” “(Bride), do you know that it is God’s will to be this man’s wife?”

EXHORTATION TO THE GROOM:

“(Groom), here are some exhortations out of Ephesians Chapter 5 that God gives to a husband.” And it says this, “Husbands, love your wife just as Christ loved the church and gave Himself up for her that He might sanctify her, having washed her with the water of His word, that He might present to Himself, the church and all her glory without spot or wrinkle.”

“(Groom), when the Bible says, “husbands love your wife just as Christ loved the church” He’s saying that you get to love (bride) just like He loves (bride). You see, the church is people, it’s not a building, it’s not a program nor is it a denomination. The church is people and God is saying you love your wife, just as I love her. You see, (groom), there’ll be days where you may throw up your hands and say, “God, how do I love this woman, what do I do, I don’t know what to do.” At that point, you will hear the Lord say, “(Tom), you love (Sally) just as I would love her.”

You see (Zach), one of the best prayers you can pray is this, “Lord, what are You saying to (McKenzie) today? Would You say that through me. Lord, how are You showing (McKenzie) that You love her today? Would You show that through me. Lord, how are You feeling about (McKenzie), how are You thinking about (Mckenzie)? Lord, feel those feeling through me.

Let those thoughts come through me." And (Zach), as (McKenzie) sees God's love coming through you, God's words flowing through you, God's heart flowing through you. Then she will sense the love of the Lord through her husband. And as beautiful as she is today, you'll notice an ever increasing beauty that will come from a gentle and quiet spirit that's secured in the love of God that has been expressed through her husband on a daily basis.”

EXHORTATION TO THE BRIDE:

“And (McKenzie) Ephesians says,

"Wives submit to your husbands unto the Lord. For the husband is the head of wife just as Christ is the head of the church, He himself being the Savior."

What God is saying is to submit to your husbands as unto the Lord; it means that you get to trust that your husband will hear the Lord on behalf of your family. And one of the best prayers you can pray is everyday to usher your husband to hear God. Pray that he hears the Lord's words, pray that he will hear God's instruction for the family. And as you usher him to the Lord everyday, you will see an increasing maturity and an increasing wisdom, and an increasing sensitivity and all that you ever hoped in a husband you will see in (groom).”

And as you usher him to the Lord everyday, you will see an increasing maturity and an increasing wisdom, and an increasing sensitivity and all that you ever hoped in a husband you will see in (groom).”

Zach will need your input, he will need your insight and your wisdom. When you dialog and discuss things that are required to make wise decisions, he will need your input. So when a decision is needing to be made, you both get to trust that you are hearing the Lord.

At this time Zach and McKenzie would like to read the vows they have written for each other...

VOW EXCHANGE:

“Will you turn to each other and we'll exchange vows. If you'll give your bouquet to your maid of honor, we'll share vows.”

“The vows are simple. We'll start with the man first.”

I, (Zach) take you (McKenzie) to be my wife. To have and to hold from this day forward for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health. I will love you. I will cherish you, I will be faithful to you. And together we will walk into God's very best under the Lordship of Jesus Christ to realize His promises for our lives together, for our family, for our future. Until He takes us home to be with Him forever.

And the same is repeated for the wife.

RING EXCHANGE:

“May I have the rings please.”

“Before I tell you what the rings are, let me tell you what they are not. These rings are not signs of ownership, these are not symbols of possession. (BRIDE) if you're owned by anybody, you're owned by your Creator. (GROOM), she will always be the property of the Lord. She will never be your property. And (BRIDE), (GROOM) always has belonged to the Lord and always will. Both of you belong to your creator. You may belong with one another, but you do not belong to each other, you belong to the Lord. And (Zach) one day when you stand before the Lord with (McKenzie), God's going to check out His property to make sure that you have been treating her well.”

“So what are these rings? These rings are constant reminders that regardless of the circumstances and regardless of the scoreboard, that there's a young lady who loves you very much and there's a young man who loves you very much and has been called to be your husband.”

“Let these rings remind you that regardless of what the situation may be like or whatever the scoreboard is, regardless of what your feelings are telling you, that God has called you to be husband and wife. And let it remind you that you must never, ever redefine your love for one another by the circumstance that you are in. Never say, "because this happened, he must not love me". You always redefine the circumstance by your commitment to one another. Always redefine the circumstance according to your vows never redefine your vows according to your circumstance. In other words, you would instead say, "I know he loves me, therefore, this situation can be solved, this situation can be resolved."

And with these rings as reminders, would you place this ring on (McKenzie’s) finger and with it repeat after me...

"With this ring, I thee wed, in the name of the Father, and the Son and the Holy Spirit." And (McKenzie) would you put this ring on (Zach) finger, and with it repeat after me..."With this ring, I thee wed, in the name of the Father, and the Son and the Holy Spirit."

“And with these rings as reminders, would you place this ring on (Sally's) finger and with it repeat after me..."With this ring, I thee wed, in the name of the Father, and the Son and the Holy Spirit." And (Sally) would you put this ring on (Tom's) finger, and with it repeat after me..."With this ring, I thee wed, in the name of the Father, and the Son and the Holy Spirit."

Prayer:

At this time, I have them put their hands on my bible. I lay hands on them, and I ask the congregation to pray with me. I say a prayer over them.

Now, under the authority of the Lord Jesus Christ and the State of Hawaii, I have the honor and privilege of pronouncing you husband and wife. You may kiss your bride."

"It is with great honor that I present to you for the very first time, Mr. and Mrs. (Zach and McKenzie VanHoy)"