Sermon Tone Analysis

®TP2¯®PL50¯®OF2¯®TW51¯®IP0,3¯®FF204¯®PT11¯®HY0¯Wedding of Tim Solberg, Nicole Vetsch

®MDUL¯October 15, 1994, HLC, Fargo Texts: Mt 22:35-40; Mt 19:4-6®MDNM¯

Nothing is as simple as it seems.

even simple wedding ceremony involves some very complicated planning, just keeping track of Miles is not a simple task

Nothing is as simple as it seems.

yet, talk about simple: did you hear what J said in the first Mt reading?

the OT, Bible of J's time (show), all this can be summed up in: "You shall love the Lord your God with all you heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind."

(the foremost command) and "You shall love your neighbor as yourself."

- only 2 simple commands about love -- yet it would not take much self-reflection to realize how often we do not love God w~/ all our heart, soul, mind;

and who among us would be comfortable standing before God to be judged on how perfectly we have loved our neighbors as ourselves?

Nothing is as simple as it seems.

Even LOVE, which you would think is a simple matter of the heart, is anything but simple as you live it out in your daily lives

you quickly discover how LOVE, that wonderful expression of the bond in a marriage rel, has become a slippery word in our modern vocab

- it has bec impt to disting between LOVE and LUV

- LUV is glamorous and sexy, LOVE is solid and enduring

- you fall in LUV at first glance, but you grow in LOVE

- LUV comes easily, but just as easily disappears

- LOVE takes time and energy, but it endures all things and never ends

- LUV is an impulse, but LOVE involves decisions and commitment®IP0,3¯

No, not even LOVE is as simple as it seems

I'm sure I'm not telling you anything new, something you've not thought about, but in few moments, you two are solemnly going to promise your lifelong love for each other even under the most complex and difficult of situations.

Now, I am certain of your sincere desire to be faithful to your promises.

I am certain that you will both do your very best to live out your good intentions, but we all know:

Nothing is as simple as it seems.

So, how is it that you dare to make to such awesome promises?

How can we be so confident of Love when we see so many instances around us of how that Love can be put asunder?

Nothing is as simple as it seems, but let simply remind you once again of what J said in the 2nd Mt lesson: What GOD has joined together, let no one put asunder.

- we are here beca of conviction that God has joined together; has been at work in your reltnship

God is the simple reason why you can promise your love to each other.

God is the simple reason why this day, this ceremony, this gathering of witnesses is taking place.

God is the simple reason your love, your marriage, your future life together are all possible.

®IP0,3¯

Let me use simple illustr: (get ring from Todd - care to share where this ring has been?

- really shouldn't be too worried about Miles getting through the wedding, bec the wedding band has already been thru Miles

a simple wedding band; very difficult for anyone to pull this asunder

wedding band not just a sign of your love and faithfulness for each other

also reminder that your Love has been forged by God's love

a precious element, brought together, fired up and molded into a perfectly simple beauty that is very durable

so that even when your wedding bond suffers dark and difficult times, as all marriages do, it is still a marriage held together by God

and with God's love, we can rejoice in knowing that your wedding bound has many MILES to go

and so, it is not simply your promises to each other that are making this marriage happen.

It is, in fact, God's promise to you that is the important bond

It is God who promises to grant you to live in harmony with each other even in the most difficult times of our complex lives.

It is as simple as that.

Thanks be to God.

Amen.