+ The Rite of Holy Matrimony – February 15th, 2020 +
Zach Diekmann and Rachel Lindgren
Isaiah 61:10-11; Colossians 3:12-17; Mark 10:6-9
Beautiful Savior Lutheran
Milton, WA
In the Name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Every husband and wife has a story of where and how they met, what they were wearing or doing, or even a certain song that was on the radio, how he proposed, and so on.
Zach and Rachel are no different. And though we might think their story begins in Cougar country at Washington State while going to class, studying, or taking tests, and in many ways it does. There’s also a way in which the story of Zach and Rachel, indeed in which the story of every man and woman whom God has joined together in holy matrimony, begins all the way back in Genesis, in the garden of Eden.
In the Scriptures, marriage is one of God’s favorite ways of telling us about his relationship with us. In the Old Testament YHWH is the bridegroom and Israel is his bride. In the New Testament the Church, the baptized and redeemed, is the bride of Christ. You are his chosen, holy, bride, made white by the blood of the Lamb. And Christ is our heavenly, holy bridegroom who loves us and gave himself up to cleanse us and save us.
From Genesis to Revelation, God’s Word delivers and delights in this gift of marriage that Zach and Rachel are enter into today. From God’s creation of Adam and Eve to the marriage supper of the Lamb in his kingdom which has no end, Holy Scripture tells us the story of marriage. Throughout Holy Scripture, God’s gift of marriage tells us the story of God’s great love for us in Christ
In Genesis, out of all of God’s creation declared to be very good, there was one thing that was not good. It was not good for the man to be alone. So he built Eve out of the side of Adam for companionship, for a helpmeet, for life together, for children and a family. The same is true the two of you today as well. It is not good for you to be alone, and so today, God is joining you together as husband and wife.
It is a marvelous picture of how God himself joins us in our humanity to save us. Because we know that Adam and Eve’s perfect blissful garden of Eden honeymoon didn’t last. After the joy of Genesis 2 came the tragedy of Genesis 3. God’s good creation, now cursed with thorns, dust, and death. God’s gift of marriage now corrupted by selfishness, sorrow, and sin.
And this is important to know and remember you will have Genesis 3 kinds of days. We all do. Days where we sin and sorrow seem to win the day. This is why your marriage, Zach and Rachel, begins today, not on the foundation of your love, not even on the joy and happiness that you share – though these are all good things. Rather, the strength of your marriage today and every day, is found in the forgiveness, the unending grace, and the steadfast love of Jesus your Bridegroom crucified and risen for you.
It is Christ our Bridegroom who has clothed you with garments of salvation by wrapping himself in all our sin on the cross. It is Christ our Bridegroom who put on our sin and death that you in your married life together might put on, as Paul says, kindness, humility, compassion, meekness, and patience. It is Christ our Bridegroom who joins you together this day by his blessing, and in doing so gives us a picture God’s great love for us in Jesus crucified. May the love of Christ our bridegroom abide with you in your life together.
In the Name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
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