you So, you you you you you All right, you may be seated. Wow, what a special day for us as a church. Here we are gathered together in the sight of God and Christ in this thing that we call the church, the church that God bought with his own blood to join together today, Jared and Kirsten, in holy matrimony. This is the first institution that God established even before the church, even before he called Abraham to be his son and to create a people unto himself. This holy estate we call marriage was ordained by God for at least three reasons. Let me remind you of those reasons. First, God ordained marriage for the propagation of the human race. It's our expectation that the two of you will unite and have children. And we look forward to seeing those children being raised in the home that you create after the order of God's plan. Those children will need to see the gospel lived out in your lives. Second, God ordained marriage as the one estate where the natural affection that men have for women and women have for men can be enjoyed, set apart, where it's right and proper and holy. For God himself said that a man should leave his father and mother and shall cleave unto his wife, and they too shall be one flesh." And then finally, number three, Paul tells us that God ordained marriage as the glorious picture of that mysterious union, Christ and the church. And so we expect that your marriage will picture that glorious thing of the church. So if there's any man or woman that is among us today that can show just cause why these two may not be lawfully joined together, let them now speak or forever hold your peace. Let me pray. Father, we're thrilled to be here today in this house. We're thrilled to be among God's people. It has been a joy to see this young couple fall in love. And today we know that this marriage will glorify you. And that what we're doing today in your house will glorify you. This is our expectation. And Father, this is our prayer. In Jesus' holy name. Amen. So now let me ask, who gives this bride away? My wife and I do. Jared, by taking Kirsten's arm, you are acknowledging your position as the spiritual leader of the home, accountable to Christ on that day of judgment. So now before we walk on the stage, let me ask you, Jared, will you take this woman, Kirsten, to be your wife according to God's holy decree? Do you promise to be her loving husband, to cherish and to keep her, forsaking all others, to be faithful only to her as long as the both of you shall live? And now to you, Kirsten, my sister. Will you take Jared to be your husband according to God's holy decree? Do you promise to love, honor, and obey him and forsaking all others to be faithful only to him as long as the both of you shall live? All right, let's go to the stage. If you have a program with you, I would invite you to look at the back of it with us. Turn to the back page of it. You'll notice a Bible text on that page. It's Romans 15, five and six. Six months ago, Jared and Kirsten began to seriously explore the possibility of a future relationship while each had known each other for longer through their relationship with Brian. And those of us that are in the church We love watching this happen. It is a glorious thing to see serious courtship begin. Denise last night, the wedding coordinator, expressed the fact that she had been watching from a distance this young man and knew that he needed to be married. And it was gonna be an exciting thing to see what God would do. Each began to notice each other more and more. Jared first, about a month before Kirsten knew that this was the woman he was going to marry. It took you a little longer to figure that out. But eventually in February, they both were engaged. And I have to tell you as your pastor, it has been a privilege to watch this. The marriage counseling has been fun. It's been enjoyable. It's been humorous. And I know that this is a special, special day for you. Abraham sent his servant to find a bride for Isaac. You'll remember that in Genesis. And we know that our Heavenly Father is preparing a bride for the ultimate child of promise, our Lord. In the marriage counseling, both of them recognized that each were attracted to each other because of their commitment to Christ, His word in the church. They've asked me to share with you from Romans chapter 15, 5 and 6 is the verses that's on your program. In the ESV Bible, the text is rendered with great beauty. Let me read it to you. Paul the author writes, we who are strong have an obligation to bear with the failings of the weak and not to please ourselves. Let each of us, listen to this, please his neighbor for his good, to build him up, for Christ did not please himself. But as it is written, the reproaches of those who reproach you fell on me. For whatever was written in the former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through encouragement of the Scriptures, we might have hope." Now here's verses 5 and 6, the ones that they asked me to share. May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another in accord with Christ Jesus that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. On both sides of the auditorium are two families that today are being united together in a lifetime of friendship. And what unites both of you besides this marriage here is the fact that each of you recognize that there is a God who sent his son, Jesus Christ, to die on a cross. And that we are committed as families to live in such a way that our lives glorify God. So today it seems only fitting, it seems only fitting that you guys selected this verse. Thank you for giving me such a good text. Is the goal of this marriage to live in such harmony with one another in accord with Christ Jesus that together you will glorify God? So let's be frank today. Let's just recognize the reality that today it'll be easy to do that. Tonight, easy. Tomorrow, easy. Maybe even months. But one of these days, you're going to wake up to the reality that you married a sinner. It's going to happen. Not today. You probably don't think that now. But eventually, you'll recognize it. When that happens, what do we do? We preach the gospel to ourselves. Now notice I said ourselves. We don't preach it to our husband and we don't preach it to our wives. We let the Holy Spirit do that. We recognize that the reason Jesus is so special to ourselves is because not only is our husband a sinner, not only is our wife a sinner, but unfortunately, we are as well. Recognizing that compels us to do what is most important for this marriage, what will guarantee its success, run back to this text. Run back to Romans 15, and let's look at it one more time. Paul says, let each of us live in such a way that we please our neighbor. Here's your number one neighbor. We've said that often around here. Here's your number one neighbor. You said a few minutes ago that you were gonna sleep with her, that you were gonna go to bed with her. That's right, she's your number one neighbor. So each of you live in such a way that you please your neighbor. What example should you follow? The example of Christ. Christ did not please himself. What an example for each of us today. Christ did not please himself. So now, Jared, what could I tell you? I would say to you, listen to Kirsten. Listen to her. Recognize that she is given to you as a helpmate, a God-ordained helpmate. Recognize that she will have wisdom and insight into situations that you may not have, and that you need to be sensitive to that. Kirsten, what could I say to you? Let Jared lead you. Let Him be the spiritual leader of the house. Let Him guide and direct. Pray for Him every day in that situation, in that responsibility, in that difficult decision. Pray that the Holy Spirit would grant to Him wisdom. And then how about both of you? What are you going to do when you offend each other? You're going to run to the cross and you're going to remember the example of our Lord who said, Father, forgive them for they know not what they do. If each of you will continue for a lifetime of living to please each other and extending to each other forgiveness, there's nothing that can separate you. Nothing. Divorce will never happen in this marriage. And you will do what you've committed to do, which is, with one voice, live in such harmony that together with Christ, in accord with Christ, you together will glorify God. So now let me join with Paul in praying. Paul says that he prays that the God of endurance and encouragement will grant to you to live in such harmony. Father, before we exchange the vows, together we as a church, all of us collectively, are here to celebrate this marriage. But we each right now, fathers, mothers, grandmothers, brothers, sisters, family, friends, brothers and sisters in Christ, pray to you that you would grant to Jared and Kirsten the grace, the grace to live in harmony together. So, this prayer really sets the conditions now, God, for the family prayer. And I pray that you would hear the hearts of the fathers as they pray for their children. In Jesus' name, amen. Father, we want to ask you to be with us today. And we just appreciate and are thrilled that you picked Christian to be our daughter-in-law and their family. And we just love them and hope that they'll enjoy as many years as we've had together with our wives. And we just hope that you'll be with us and bless them. In Jesus' name, amen. Father God in heaven, as we come before your throne now, we join together our hearts as parents with the hearts of Jared and Kirsten as they take this next step in their lives to come together as one flesh, Lord. As pastor talked about, we pray that you would help Jared and Kirsten to realize that while yet saved by grace, they are still sinners, clothed with the flesh of this world. Help them to guard themselves daily. Help us as parents to pray for them diligently because we know that Satan will take every attempt to utilize that flesh to bring down what God has brought together. I pray that you would help them to keep Jesus at the center of their marriage. I pray that they would look to Jesus first before they look to each other. I pray that they would serve Jesus first before they serve each other. I pray that they would love Jesus first before they love each other. I pray that you would bless them with many years as one flesh glorifying their Savior. And we ask it in Jesus' name. Amen. Amen. Father God in heaven, I thank you so much for today. I thank you for everybody that was able to come. And you're getting family, you're saving people, I thank you for it. Thank you for Thank you for your son dying on the cross for us Lord and There's anybody here that doesn't know him as a personal savior I Lord, I pray that you would open up their hearts and their minds to the gospel, and that you would save them. And in your name I pray, Lord, amen. You know, we come together as a church family to marry in the sense that we assemble as people. And when we do this, it reminds us of lots of good things, like family, like the love you saw right here in this little circle right here. It reminds us of the importance of things that are important and the things that easily distract us. Now in just a moment, we're gonna exchange these vows. And to everyone who's sitting in the seats that are listening to this, each now has an obligation to remind you of your promise if by chance in the weeks, months, and years to come, you forget what you promised today. You become accountable to everyone present. And so now my brother, Jared, repeat after me. I, Jared, take you, Kirsten, to be my wife, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better or for worse, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death do us part. Now my sister in Christ, Kirsten, repeat after me. I, Kirsten, take you, Jared, to be my 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 honor and obey till death do us part. Who has the rings? The wedding ring is a symbol of eternity. It's an outward sign of an inward and spiritual bond which unites two hearts in a covenant relationship. And now as a token of your love and of your promise to forever be committed to each other, your bride, as Christ loves the church, Jared, repeat after me. Kirsten, I give you this ring. Kirsten, I give you this ring. As a symbol of my love. As a symbol of my love. And faithfulness to you. And faithfulness to you. With this ring, I marry you. With this ring, I marry you. In the name of the Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit. In the name of the Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit. Alright, now Kirsten, take the ring. You're going to place it on Jared's finger and repeat after me. Jared, I give you this ring as a symbol of my love, and faithfulness to you. With this ring, I marry you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Love is not a place To come and go as we please It's a house we enter in And then commit to never leave So lock the door behind you And throw away the key Work it out together, let it bring us to our knees. Love is a shelter in a raging storm. Love is peace in the middle of a war. May God send angels to guard the door No, love is not a fight But it's something worth fighting for So some love is a word That they can fall into But when they're falling out And keeping that word It's hard to do Love is a shelter In a raging storm Love is peace They got sent angels to guard the door No love, it's not a fight But it's something worth fighting for Love will come to save us If we'll only call It will ask nothing from us but demand we give our all. You see, love is a shelter in a raging storm. Love is peace in the middle. May God send angels to guard the door No, love, it's not a fight But it's something worth fighting for Yes, I will fight for you Would you fight for me? It's worth fighting for, babe By the virtue of the authority committed unto me, by the Church of Jesus Christ, and the state of North Carolina, in just a moment, I'm gonna pronounce you, Jared, and you, Kirsten, husband and wife, in the name of our Father, His Son, and the Holy Spirit. What therefore God has joined together, let no man put asunder. Jared, you may kiss your bride. family, friends, church, it is now my distinct privilege to introduce to you Mr. and Mrs. Jared Olis. Alright, you may be seated. All right, I want to, on behalf of the bride and the groom, to invite you to the reception in the chapel, but before we are dismissed, each are gonna come back in and dismiss us by rows, and then they've asked you to wait a few minutes before you get started so they can get some pictures taken, and then we'll celebrate the cutting of the cake in the chapel.